Where is the full documentation for the XML for modules and campaigns?

[bluedreamer]

I cannot find any documentation on the XML schema's for modules/campaigns etc.

I know resources are low at FG but all the developer docs are old/out of date and mostly missing.

I do not want to use PAR5E - I want to write my own tool - I don't like using other peoples stuff.

Where did the people that wrote 5 get the schema info?

Thanks

[Trenloe]

Where did the people that wrote 5 get the schema info?

They either looked at in-game examples, or worked it out from the code. There is a base schema that all CoreRPG based ruleset used, but a lot of the ruleset specific data is created for that ruleset - so the developers of that ruleset know the ruleset schema as they essentially wrote it.

A quick way to see what the schema is like is to:

1. Create a blank campaign in your chosen ruleset.
2. Add in some basic information in the areas you're interested in - Characters, NPCs, Items, whatever...
3. Close the campaign.
4. Go the the directory where the campaign data is stored - press the "Open App Folder" folder icon in the top right of the FG launch screen and in the explorer window that opens navigate to \campaigns\<name of your campaign created in step #1>.
5. Open the db.xml file in a file editor that formats XML (a lot of people use the free Notepad++) and review the XML data. If you're vaguely familiar with XML then the format will make sense and the XML data tags usually make sense - e.g. character sheets are stored in <charsheet>, encounters are stored in <encounter>, items are stored in <item> etc..

I know it's not the answer you were looking for, but spending 5 minutes looking at a campaign db.xml file and comparing it with some example info you entered (step #2 in the list above) will really give you most of the info you need.

Then, for modules, open up a module that someone else has made. For 5E you can create a base module for NPCs and Spells using Valeros's excellent basic rules parser: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...les-PDF-Parser It's not PAR5E, no text files in sight and it gives you modules in a couple of minutes - give it a go.

Then see this blog for further info on modules, some of it is 3.5e specific, but a lot is very useful: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...e-Code-Library

[bluedreamer]

Thanks - I really want to create a library module for spells the most. The library section is empty in the db.xml

I don't know of anything to add that will effect that part of the XML

I will check out the links though

eg

	</item>
	<library>
	</library>
	<modifiers>

[damned]

You need to add a spell in for it to add the spell fields into the DB. It wont create the fields of anything that isnt being used.

FG Con 6 – April 17-19th 2015 - register at www.fg-con.com for all the latest info.

[Trenloe]

Thanks - I really want to create a library module for spells the most. The library section is empty in the db.xml

I don't know of anything to add that will effect that part of the XML

I will check out the links though

Check the basic rules parser I mentioned in my post above - this creates a 5E Spells.mod file that has good examples for you to follow.

[bluedreamer]

Reading that - but my frustration is FG state on their features page

Library Modules

RPGs often require players and GMs to look up a lot of info during the game. Fantasy Grounds simplifies this with free, built-in library modules for the PFRPG and 3.5E rulesets. These library modules provide details on new abilities, spells, monsters, weapons and armor and more. Extensive library modules are also included with the commercial rulesets available for purchase, such as Savage Worlds, Call of Cthulhu, Castles & Crusades and Rolemaster Classic.

In addition to this, you can build your own library modules by creating new items, NPCs, etc. and then exporting your custom library modules for use in any campaign you run.

And this is clearly a lie. There is no documentation except odd snippets/user form posts here and there and hearsay and documents last updated in 2008 if they exist at all.

It really should not be this hard to get a XML schema or XSD for the full *mod file or the db.xml files.

[bluedreamer]

Check the basic rules parser I mentioned in my post above - this creates a 5E Spells.mod file that has good examples for you to follow.

Thanks but that doesn't show me complete structure of the XML needed for a system wide mod file for use in our games.

[darrenan]

Um, not sure what you think is a lie about the part you highlighted. If you create a new campaign, add stories, items, NPCs and so forth, and then perform a /export command from the chat window, you will end up with a .mod with those items in it.

[damned]

Hi bluedreamer welcome aboard.

Members regularly create modules for their own use. Depending on the source material some are made and are able to be shared. Clearly this is possible.
There are three ways to create a module:
1. Create it directly in an XML editor - but you need to know the syntax
2. Create data in game - NPCs, Spells, Stories, Items etc and use the /export command to create a re-usable module. If it contains no copyright material you may also share this module.
3. Some rulesets have parse tools to help you create a module - Ikael has some for Savage Worlds and Valeros and Zeus have some for D&D for example


Follow me on this -

Use the Basic Parser (5mins) in the first instance to create some monsters and spells.
Additionally this creates some files that can be used as is in the Par5e tool and then you will have a very quick view of the XML structure
and/or
Drag one monster into NPCs
Create a Blank Character of each spell using class
Drag an appropriate spell into each.
Create a couple of equipment items and drag them into a character sheet.
then
You will be able to see structure in the db.xml file for that campaign (%appdata%\fantasy grounds\campaigns\<campaign>\db.xml)
and/or
You can use the /export command to see the structure it uses in the export file (the export file will have .mod extension - this is just a .zip file - you can open up and have a look/make changes etc)
and you can load a fresh campaign of the same ruleset and go into Library -> Modules -> and see and activate your export module.

I hope that helps.
Please do ask if you have questions.

FG Con 6 – April 17-19th 2015 - register at www.fg-con.com for all the latest info.

[ddavison]

The /export command is what we intend most users to use. We don't maintain a DTD or XSD definition for the xml schema. For most items, creating a sample item and reviewing the resulting campaign's xml file structure is a good way to see what is being built and used under the covers. That is how most of the programmers have written programs to parse websites and PDFs and write out the necessary XML outside of Fantasy Grounds. For the average user, we want to encourage them to simply add the NPCs, items and other campaign elements inside of FG and then export them without doing any XML or programming. There are a few items, however, such as spells where this is not presently possible since we don't have that as an available window for creating lists of those.