D&D Insider to Fantasy Grounds Converter

[EugeneZ]

UPDATE: I've created a new verison of this tool and started a new thread. Please download the converter there:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11239

[Atras]

Please post any bug reports here. I'm sure there will be some.Impressive work! Any chance of this being an app that runs locally? I did get this output when I sent a D&DI character to myself - just warnings, but I'm guessing you'd like to avoid those, too.



Warning: XSLTProcessor::transformToDoc() [xsltprocessor.transformtodoc]: runtime error: file /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/builder-184938_to_fg2-1.3.xsl line 266 element value-of in /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/index.php on line 53

Warning: XSLTProcessor::transformToDoc() [xsltprocessor.transformtodoc]: Variable 'def-class' has not been declared. in /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/index.php on line 53

Warning: XSLTProcessor::transformToDoc() [xsltprocessor.transformtodoc]: xmlXPathCompOpEval: parameter error in /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/index.php on line 53

Warning: XSLTProcessor::transformToDoc() [xsltprocessor.transformtodoc]: runtime error: file /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/builder-184938_to_fg2-1.3.xsl line 266 element value-of in /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/index.php on line 53

Warning: XSLTProcessor::transformToDoc() [xsltprocessor.transformtodoc]: XPath evaluation returned no result. in /home/.lembu/eugenez/builder-to-fg2-converter/public/index.php on line 53
The conversion is done! Your DM should recieve a link to retrieve your character soon!

[EugeneZ]

I haven't had a chance to test it as much as I'd like, but yeah, it shouldn't produce warnings. I'm pretty sure I just fixed that specific bug that occured there.

As for using it locally, I'm working on creating a small application that will wrap this, but if you are familiar with XSLT, I have attached the most recent stylesheet to this post. You can use any XSLT program (such as XML Spy) and open your DnD Insider character and set my stylesheet as the transformation stylesheet and run it. It should spit out a node you can copy and paste into you db.xml file.

Also get it here: https://convert.eugenez.net/builder-184938_to_fg2-1.3.zip

[hgordillo]

EugeneZ -- i am having problems using your XLS..i tried with XMLSpy, Liquid XML Studio and VS2008.

In XML Spy 2008 Rel 2 SP 2 I first load the dnd4e file (one I just ran thru your web based and it seems to have converted it fine). Then do XSL/Xquery/XSL Transformation, it asks me for an XSL file, I specify yours and then it aborts in line 17 of the XSL

select="str:split($heavy-armor-list, ';')"

the message is: File C:\Documents and Settings\hgordillo\My Documents\ddi\Saved Characters\builder-184938_to_fg2-1.3.xsl: XSL transformation failed - Error in XPath expression
Unknown function - Name and number of arguments do not match any function signature in the static context - 'https://exslt.org/strings:split'

I admit I am new to these XML Editors and XSL TRansformations...is there sometyhing I need to edit in the XSL file?

Thanks in advanced.

P.S. everytime I use your site for a conversion, it does one and then the site is unavailable with 'Internal Server Error' for a long while..this has been happening as far as I know since yesterday.

[EugeneZ]

In regards to hgordillo's post, we spoke in e-mail as well and to summarize, I plan on releasing new versions of both the online and offline tools that fix the problems reported to me so far as well as some I've found on my own. I'll post when I've gott eh update ready.

[hgordillo]

In regards to hgordillo's post, we spoke in e-mail as well and to summarize, I plan on releasing new versions of both the online and offline tools that fix the problems reported to me so far as well as some I've found on my own. I'll post when I've gott eh update ready.

Excellent...Can't wait

[EugeneZ]

Well, thanks to a gruelling move, I haven't had a chance to work on this until now. It's been updated and the AC and inventory calculations should be more accurate. I see people have been using this tool, please don't be shy, and report any problems you have!

For those who are having issues with the server, the new version of the offline converter is here:
https://convert.eugenez.net/builder-190540_to_fg2-1.3.zip

To use the offline version, I've found a method that only requires Firefox 3 and should work for most people:

- Prepare your character by finding the file, changing the extension to .xml instead of .dnd4e, and adding the following to the top:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="builder-190540_to_fg2-1.3.xsl"?>
- Download the converter zip and extract the file to the same directory as your character xml.
- Drag and drop the xml file into a Firefox 3 window.
- Click File -> Save As... to save the converted XML
- Merge the new xml with your db.xml by changing the root id node to the desired number and copying and pasting it into the appropriate spot.

[Xuub]

Is this project still in the works?

[EugeneZ]

More or less. It works for me and I've been using it. Let me know if there's something that isn't working for you or you'd like to see improved. Just shoot me a PM. :)

[Zeus]

Yeah just used to pump 15 PC into FG2. Took minutes but I used the local version not the server version.

EugeneZ - Do you have any plans to parse in powers? I also noticed that it ignores background benefits, any chance we could get an updated version which incorporates these two elements.

I guess you would have to make some assumptions for the names of the reference modules but it sounds doable.

[EugeneZ]

As I mentioned in PM, powers are tough for a number of reasons. They are a very long term to-do... probably won't happen. However, I may try and add background benefits.

[Tenian]

Oh like rebuilding the parser interface was easy? Cowboy up! :)

Just make the players supply a list of modules that contain powers and go find the fields in there.

The only real problem will be the few duplicate powers, but even if players had to hand enter those it would still be worth it.

[EugeneZ]

The problem is that adding modules would require the user to supply their own, so it has to turn into a real app instead of being web hosted.

I always kind of assumed that adding powers was the easiest part of the character creation processes since it's drag & drop but perhaps that's not the case... I'll see what I can do.

[Tenian]

From this month's DDI update (due live 4/28/2009):

...
Character Builder – New Features

* Character Summary: the Summary export now provides calculated bonuses for skills.
* Character Summary: the Summary text can now be re-imported into the Character Builder, helping you exchange characters through forums – just copy from someone’s post, and Import from Clipboard on the Summary page.
* XML character sheet: this export now has a new section that is friendlier to third parties, since it does not need to reference the rules engine. This should help modders create their own display options by reading the XML output.
....

[EugeneZ]

Oooh. Thanks. I never would have noticed this.

If this new drop handles powers better, I'll definitely be adding this to the converter.

[Xuub]

If this new drop handles powers better, I'll definitely be adding this to the converter.


COOL!:ninja:

[kalannar]

When I go to the link, it says there is a new verison coming soon. Any ETA on that, or a new link to the old verison?

[Zeus]

When I go to the link, it says there is a new verison coming soon. Any ETA on that, or a new link to the old verison?

Can't speak for EugeneZ ;). Sure he'll be along shortly to answer your question.

I know he's working on the powers modfications (note: it's going to be dependant upon the new 4e Catalogue feature in the latest release of Tenian's parser) however its a tricky modification and will need time.

In the interim I included a modified version of his XSL in a beta release of a new version of Tenian's original FGII Campaign Tools program.

The tool allows you to import characters from DDI or from exported files from the tool as well as print 4e Charsheets (using a modified version of MeepoSose's original XSL). Finally it also enables easy copying of PC's from one campaign file to another.

Simply load up your source and target campaign db.xml files.

The trees in each window will populate with PCs from each campaign. Then simply select a node and then right-click (important you first select the node using the left mouse button) for a choice of options (print/export).

Right-clicking on a target Player Characters root node will give you the option to import from file or plugin. The DDI import is implemented as a plugin.

You can only import/copy PC's to the target campaign and when will automatically prompt for a new save file name to prevent any mishaps.

Anyway you can grab a copy here: https://zgp.eugenez.net/FGII%20Campaign%20Tools%20v2%20Beta/

[EugeneZ]

Indeed, the powers are what's causing the hold-up. There's just no easy way to use the conversion pipeline in my program to add powers based on Tenian's catalog. Regardless, I have a plan and am in the middle of implementing it. In the meantime, it sounds like Zeph's tool will do the job quite nicely! I don't know if his software supports powers, though.

Being realistic, given how much I have on my plate right now, I think it's possible I might be able to release it about ten days from now, if all goes well. Latest by the end of the month.

[Zeus]

Good to hear your still on the case.:)

Let me know when you have a working build and I'll integrate it into into Campaign Tools v2.

If you struggle to do it in XSL let me know, we can always look at a two-pass parse, one for the main transformation using XSL and the 2nd using a .NET engine within the tool I built.

[EugeneZ]

Progress report:

The hard part is done, and the XSL is now outputting referencenames directly to your modules using Tenian's catalog. There are two remaining steps:

1) Figure out which "stack" the power is supposed to be in (at-will, at-will special, situational, encounter, etc). I'm going to have to re-implement the ruleset's logic in XSL, unless moon_wizard happens to be reading this thread and knows of a way I can output the powers and the ruleset will somehow re-process them.

Regardless, I don't believe this is that hard, gonna tackle it tomorrow.

2) Guarantee a unique power match. Right now I'm using the first named match but power names are not always unique. I have some ideas about this.

All in all, if things work out tomorrow, I'll be able to start testing. If not, I'm going to have to figure out how to do step #1, hopefully with moon_wizard's or Tenian's help.

[EugeneZ]

Update:

Powers are mostly complete. There are a few bugs, but the main issue is that I am waiting on a response from JPG regarding an unresolvable issue. Hopefully I'll be able to work with him to get a workaround.

Meanwhile, I'm going to start the testing phase. Depending on how well that goes, this can see see release in the next two to four weeks.

[Davian Goliath]

Any news on this?

[EugeneZ]

As always I am behind. I've done a good bit of testing as have a few friends. I have a list of bugs to fix and then I'm releasing it. In fact, I too was hoping it would be done by now. Soon, promise.

[Davian Goliath]

Awesome, Eugene...thanks for the quick response and all the hard work.

Let me know if you need another tester.

Thanks again!