Any plans for PDF SUPPORT FOR FGU?!

[twoditdmonk]

I use Scrivener to do most of my work when it comes to writing campaign data then I have to manually copy everything over to FGU builder... Scrivener allows pdf export. So, my question is. Is there ever going to be a pdf import tool or another pdf compatibility option added to FGU? I can print pdf to images but the images are too small to read in FGU! Is there an extension that enables zoom of pics in the builder? Anyway, I know I am, not the only one who needs pdf support in FGU.

thanks for your time.

does anyone else have the same issue, and wish for pdf support in FGU? What are your solutions?

thanks a bunch!

[damned]

Export to text instead?

[Zacchaeus]

Yes, as damned says. PDF's are pretty horrible things - I mean they look nice but that making nice adds a whole host of undesirable things into the text. I copy pdf stuff into Notepad++ first and sort all the problems in that and then copy that into FGU. FGU will also handle some basic html and par5e code as well so a lot of formatting can be done in a text file before copying into FGU.

[twoditdmonk]

I have tables and pics embedded into my work. converting to text doesn't help. I use the pdf format for everything I do when it comes to my work. I already convert it manually I wonder if you can post an image in the builder that can be zoomed in or popped out zoomed if clicked on in the builder. are there any image extensions for the builder?

[twoditdmonk]

I think the fastest way to convert a pdf over is to convert it to images, and then import the images into FGU. the only problem would be the size of the image in the builder I think. I mean it would be too small to read! Unless there is a workaround for image sizing or some other image extension.

[damned]

it might be fast for you but it wont be the experience your customers are looking for...

[Zacchaeus]

I'm not sure what you mean about images. Those can be embedded into a reference page in the builder and can be any size. The minimum width for a half page is 250px and for a full page it's 500px (or so). When you click on an embedded image it pops the image up and you can then zoom in or resize the window etc; but you can't make an image bigger (or smaller) once it's inside FGU. So you'll need to import your images into your campaign at the size you want them to be, and then you can embed them into the builder etc.

[Trenloe]

To clarify - do you just want to be able to share the whole PDF with the players from within FG?
Or are you wanting to have granular access to specific items within your PDF that you can then share with players on a case-by-case basis?
Or are you wanting your PDF to be 100% converted into FG format? Story/refman entries, images, system specific info (items, NPCs, spells, etc.)?

[twoditdmonk]

I'm not sure what you mean about images. Those can be embedded into a reference page in the builder and can be any size. The minimum width for a half page is 250px and for a full page it's 500px (or so). When you click on an embedded image it pops the image up and you can then zoom in or resize the window etc; but you can't make an image bigger (or smaller) once it's inside FGU. So you'll need to import your images into your campaign at the size you want them to be, and then you can embed them into the builder etc.

thanks, soo much for clarifying that for me.

[twoditdmonk]

To clarify - do you just want to be able to share the whole PDF with the players from within FG?
Or are you wanting to have granular access to specific items within your PDF that you can then share with players on a case-by-case basis?
Or are you wanting your PDF to be 100% converted into FG format? Story/refman entries, images, system specific info (items, NPCs, spells, etc.)?

it would be nice to convert over 100% into fg format I think, if it were only possible.

[Trenloe]

I'm not sure what you mean about images. Those can be embedded into a reference page in the builder and can be any size. The minimum width for a half page is 250px and for a full page it's 500px (or so). When you click on an embedded image it pops the image up and you can then zoom in or resize the window etc; but you can't make an image bigger (or smaller) once it's inside FGU. So you'll need to import your images into your campaign at the size you want them to be, and then you can embed them into the builder etc.
I think there's a lot of different terminology and so different views on what @twoditdmonk is envisioning. I think, but I could be wrong, that referring to "I think the fastest way to convert a pdf over is to convert it to images, and then import the images into FGU" they're referring to importing an image of the whole page of a PDF - text, formatting, other images will just be in a single image. Hence their concerns about size, as to make it readable it would have to be pretty big.

I've asked for clarification of what @twoditdmonk is actually looking for, so hopefully that will help us get on the same page...

[Trenloe]

it would be nice to convert over 100% into fg format I think, if it were only possible.
What RPG system are you using?

[twoditdmonk]

it might be fast for you but it wont be the experience your customers are looking for...

Customers? It's for personal reference within the game ruleset I am dming or gming at the time.

[twoditdmonk]

What RPG system are you using?

several! star trek, fallout, and d&d 2e. I am working on campaigns for all of them at once. Scrivener allows the use of tables, images, HTML, and other formats to be added to the work that's why I use the pdf format to print. how big would the image of the pdf page have to be to read clearly in fgu?

[Trenloe]

several! star trek, fallout, and d&d 2e. I am working on campaigns for all of them at once. Scrivener allows the use of tables, images, HTML, and other formats to be added to the work that's why I use the pdf format to print.
You're going to have to enter most of the information manually. You're not going to be able to import a PDF directly - as most PDFs have different underlying metadata, even if they look the same on the surface.

Importing text and tables is discussed in this thread: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?76081-Tips-on-importing-text

Sorry there's no magic solution to what you're trying to do. You'll need to make a decision on what you're going to import based on how you're going to use it in FG. If you want to reference all the data in FG as the GM, instead of referencing in Scrivener, then you'll have to import all of the information which will be a lot of work - you may as well just reference it in Scrivener outside of FG. Then, identify what you might want to share with players within FG and enter that data; decide what system specific data you'll need to run the game in FG and create those records.

Depending on the system there may be extensions available that help import some data - a table importer is referred to in the thread I link above.

[twoditdmonk]

You're going to have to enter most of the information manually. You're not going to be able to import a PDF directly - as most PDFs have different underlying metadata, even if they look the same on the surface.

Importing text and tables is discussed in this thread: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?76081-Tips-on-importing-text

Sorry there's no magic solution to what you're trying to do. You'll need to make a decision on what you're going to import based on how you're going to use it in FG. If you want to reference all the data in FG as the GM, instead of referencing in Scrivener, then you'll have to import all of the information which will be a lot of work - you may as well just reference it in Scrivener outside of FG. Then, identify what you might want to share with players within FG and enter that data; decide what system specific data you'll need to run the game in FG and create those records.

Depending on the system there may be extensions available that help import some data - a table importer is referred to in the thread I link above.

thanks so much! ill keep doing it by hand a little at a time then.

[LordEntrails]

Something you have probably already considered, but I'll mention anyway. I do a lot of campaign development for what I do. And I found that it is not simply worth the "niceness" of some other tools to develop outside FG. I do all my development in FG. Thousands of images, hundreds of tables, tens of thousands of story entries, etc.

Yes, there are much better tools for writing/developing if your use case is outside of FG. But if your use case is for FG and not distribution elsewhere, it is, for me, just not worth developing content elsewhere. imo, the only tool FG is really missing for developing content internally is a spell check.

edit: vote here! please :) Idea Informer » Feedback 2.0 (https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=135533#comment_form)

[Nylanfs]

I could see using something outside if you don't have access to a computer that can run FG, like you only have your phone or chromebook.

[damned]

Customers? It's for personal reference within the game ruleset I am dming or gming at the time.

If its only for you and the images are clear enough (upload larger pics) then that you will only have to make them clear enough for you and your table
If you can get the data into FG you will probably enjoy the game experience more - at the expense of your prep time of course!

[Griogre]

The last thing is this, to use FG you only really need to input the maps and the encounters for personal games.

There is no reason you couldn't just either have a PDF on another screen or printed out for the information if you use voice in your game.

[Laerun]

I think the fastest way to convert a pdf over is to convert it to images and then import the images into FGU. the only problem would be the size of the image in the builder I think. I mean, it would be too small to read! Unless there is a workaround for image sizing or some other image extension.

There is a tool called PDF extraction wizard. It strips out all of the images from a PDF into a folder; from there, you can rename and resize them as necessary. If your pictures are too small, that might be fixed by making them more significant for your scrivener projects in the future.

[twoditdmonk]

If its only for you and the images are clear enough (upload larger pics) then that you will only have to make them clear enough for you and your table
If you can get the data into FG you will probably enjoy the game experience more - at the expense of your prep time of course!

I noticed that the 2nd edition ruleset does not have a psionics tab! Can an extension be created, or has been created for this? If not then is it possible to update the ruleset to include psionics from the psionic handbook 2e d and d? Also, where is the god's tab? do you put them under npc's? I really want to learn more about these issues.

[twoditdmonk]

There is a tool called PDF extraction wizard. It strips out all of the images from a PDF into a folder; from there, you can rename and resize them as necessary. If your pictures are too small, that might be fixed by making them more significant for your scrivener projects in the future.

thanks a bunch!

[twoditdmonk]

The last thing is this, to use FG you only really need to input the maps and the encounters for personal games.

There is no reason you couldn't just either have a PDF on another screen or printed out for the information if you use voice in your game.

voice? I'm still learning fgu. Is that via extension?

[GunnarGreybeard]

voice? I'm still learning fgu. Is that via extension?

A 3rd party chat program like discord, zoom or skype.

[twoditdmonk]

A 3rd party chat program like discord, zoom or skype.

oh cool, I didn't think of that. thanks! god, I feel stupid lol.

[LordEntrails]

I noticed that the 2nd edition ruleset does not have a psionics tab! Can an extension be created, or has been created for this? If not then is it possible to update the ruleset to include psionics from the psionic handbook 2e d and d? Also, where is the god's tab? do you put them under npc's? I really want to learn more about these issues.
You should start a new thread in the D&D Classics sub-forum. The folks who play that system are unlikely to see the question here.

[twoditdmonk]

You should start a new thread in the D&D Classics sub-forum. The folks who play that system are unlikely to see the question here.

I posted as suggested but I think that the topic is a support issue for the 2nd edition d and d ruleset. thanks for your help I'm still learning my way around the forum.