How Do I Import a Character from Hero Lab?

[AURapier]

I've tried searching through the forums for instructions on how to import characters and either I'm doing something wrong or the threads I've read are out of date. How does one go about importing a character? I'd love to import characters that already have all the information from the supplements in them rather than ccopy/pasting from the SRD into FG. Is this possible?

[Zacchaeus]

Hi, AURapier and welcome to Fantasy Grounds and to the community.

For what ruleset are you talking about? I believe that you can import characters for 3.5 (or Pathfinder I think it's called now) from HeroLab. Here's a link (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?15531-Herolab-to-FG-PC-Import-Tutorial).

For 5e and other rulesets however it isn't possible at the moment.

[Trenloe]

For Pathfinder (and 3.5E) see the "Importing your PC from HeroLab" section here: https://www.fg-con.com/information/pathfinder-society-organized-play/preparing-your-pc-for-fantasy-grounds/

[AURapier]

So I've tried to import a character from Hero Lab a couple of time and I keep getting the following Console Message:

Conversion Start
Version: 3.0.6.A
Game System: PFRPG
Ruleset: PFRPG
Source Format: Hero Lab (.hlfg)
.Path: C:\Users\AURapier\Desktop\FG Characters\Adayr.hlfg
Output to Xml: false
Import to Local Character List: true
.Path: C:\ProgramData\Fantasy Grounds\characters\PFRPG.xml
Import to Campaign: false
Using module manager: true
.Module: 3.5E-basicrules.mod
.Module: 3.5E-magicitems.mod
.Module: 3.5E-spells.mod
.Module: PF-SRD-Basic-Rules.mod
.Module: PF-SRD-Spells.mod
Using local xslt: false
----Conversion Results----
Adayr successfully converted.
Node Read Error. <Name:character; Path:name>
Could not import Adayr to local character list. Error: Access to the path 'C:\ProgramData\Fantasy Grounds\characters\PFRPG.xml' is denied.

What am I doing wrong?
--------------------------------------------------------------

[Trenloe]

Run the import tool as administrator.

And don't have FG open in manage characters while importing to the local cache.

[AURapier]

Wow. Thanks. I appreciate the help. I gotta admit, I feel kinda dumb. LOL

[GavinKaos]

I am having issues with it as well. I keep getting an error. 21568

Thanks for any help you can give. I have tried unchecking and checking local XSLT option

[Trenloe]

I am having issues with it as well. I keep getting an error.
Welcome to the forums!

That is not an error, that is a message when you click the "Export Conversion Sheets" menu. This is not converting the character. Click the "Convert" button further down in the window - if you don't see this button, resize the window (make it larger).

[GavinKaos]

Your awesome! That worked. I didn't have the convert button on my screen so I had to change the window size. Thanks again.

[savoylen]

This is good to know... thanks!

[GrumblyOgre]

When I import from within FG the characters never show up, yet says imported. I was able to get it in using the character converter but would rather do it in FG itself. Any suggestions? 21878

[Zacchaeus]

Hi GrumblyOgre welcome to FG.

As far as I know you can't directly import a HeroLab character directly into FG. You need to use the character converter because the XML output from HeroLab won't be recognised by FG.

[GrumblyOgre]

Thats what it seems like to me as well, although a lot of tutorials found all over the web and on here state otherwise. Did something break along the way of upgrades? I am also finding combat is more difficult than it should be (have to roll the dice onto the monster rather than pc clicking on creature and double clicking attack) and the fog of war is really lacking compared to another software I tried recently. Glad I only got the subscription because I probably won't be using this long. Its not all that impressive to me. (not to mention, if I bought it outright, and still have to pay $50 for the core rule books??) Not very impressed yet.

[damned]

Thats what it seems like to me as well, although a lot of tutorials found all over the web and on here state otherwise. Did something break along the way of upgrades? I am also finding combat is more difficult than it should be (have to roll the dice onto the monster rather than pc clicking on creature and double clicking attack) and the fog of war is really lacking compared to another software I tried recently. Glad I only got the subscription because I probably won't be using this long. Its not all that impressive to me. (not to mention, if I bought it outright, and still have to pay $50 for the core rule books??) Not very impressed yet.

AFAIK it has always only imported to Manage Characters. Can you point to tutorials or references that show otherwise?

Have you looked at the user Manual to learn how to use targeting?
Are you setting up your tokens on the map correctly? Drag PCs and NPCs to Combat Tracker, drag from Combat Tracker to Map.

The Fog of War is more basic than some other VTT.

You dont mention what game system you are playing.
When you buy a Kindle Amazon doesnt also let you download the NY Times Best Seller list for free as well... The Rulebooks content is Copyright material belonging to other companies. Do you really expect that to be free?
If you are playing 5e have you activated the SRD or Basic Rules?
Have you looked at Savage Worlds? Full Game System for about $10.
Have you looked at Castles&Crusades? Full Game System for about $10.
Have you looked at Call of Cthulhu? Full Game System for about $15 or $30.
Have you looked at all the OGL material for Pathfinder?

[LordEntrails]

Thats what it seems like to me as well, although a lot of tutorials found all over the web and on here state otherwise. Did something break along the way of upgrades? I am also finding combat is more difficult than it should be (have to roll the dice onto the monster rather than pc clicking on creature and double clicking attack) and the fog of war is really lacking compared to another software I tried recently. Glad I only got the subscription because I probably won't be using this long. Its not all that impressive to me. (not to mention, if I bought it outright, and still have to pay $50 for the core rule books??) Not very impressed yet.
As implied by damned, it sounds like you are not using the CT and targeting in the most efficient manner. Let us know if you are still having questions after you use the methods outlined by damned.

As mentioned, fog of war is not as advanced as some other VTT's. Perhaps you could outline what it is you want the FOW to do and we can help you out if their is a better way.

Perhaps you can point us to a FG "book" that costs $50? Because if you are referring to the D&D books, their are none for sale for more than $29.99. Though Roll20 does sell many of the ones does have for $49.99, FG sells them for much less. Maybe you are thinking you have to pay MSRP for them, but you don't.

Stick with us and don't hesitate to read the User Manual and watch videos, and when you have questions or see something that doesn't seem right, let us know. We're always happy to help out friendly people :)

[Milke]

Yea. The import option doesn't work. Have tried .hlfg files and .xml files. Both times it says in the chat log that it has imported a character. And when I go to the list of available characters, it's not there. Just simply doesn't work. Gonna have to build the character in fantasy grounds probably.

[esmdev]

Yea. The import option doesn't work. Have tried .hlfg files and .xml files. Both times it says in the chat log that it has imported a character. And when I go to the list of available characters, it's not there. Just simply doesn't work. Gonna have to build the character in fantasy grounds probably.

I believe the import open is designed to import characters that were exported from FG not hero lab.

[Trenloe]

Yea. The import option doesn't work. Have tried .hlfg files and .xml files. Both times it says in the chat log that it has imported a character. And when I go to the list of available characters, it's not there. Just simply doesn't work. Gonna have to build the character in fantasy grounds probably.
1) What ruleset are you trying to import a PC into?
2) Have you ran the .hlfg file through the external Character Importer application? Found in the <FG app data>\utilities directory. More info on this in the “Using the Fantasy Grounds Character Converter” section of the page I link in post #3 of this thread.

[mattekure]

There is a herolab to FG converter posted on their forums. https://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=60176 it has some limitations due to bugs with herolabs that have been reported but are not fixed. You can give that a try and see if it works for you. As far as I know it only works for 5e though.

[Nylanfs]

You can also switch to using PCGen also. :)

[Baldwinthemerciful]

I'm new to FG today. Lots of information that I'll need to sort through but can anyone tell me where do find the herolab extension. I've watched the tutorial but can't find the extension. Thanks in advance for the help.

[LordEntrails]

I'm new to FG today. Lots of information that I'll need to sort through but can anyone tell me where do find the herolab extension. I've watched the tutorial but can't find the extension. Thanks in advance for the help.
Do you have FGC or FGU?

The utility only works in FGC and is only provided with FGC.

[Baldwinthemerciful]

I have FGU

[PhilFischer]

I too am interested in the import tool for FGU and is critical in decision making to purchase FGU. Are there plans to provide such a tool. Was the import tool built by HL or was it just helpful friendly devs?

[LordEntrails]

The tool has been deprecated. The FG devs were the ones that maintained it and found that it was too much effort for the minimal amount of use it was getting. If that were to change, I assume they would reconsider it.

[Frodie]

Hero Lab did release a Public API that you can use for export and import. But it seems kind of complicated to get it to work with FG.

[Nylanfs]

EVERYTHING for HL is complicated, course I might be biased. :)