Ok, I want to weigh in with this one myself as well with a "+1", with caveats...

I have had this discussion a long time ago in a long dead thread. I play in a Pen-And-Paper group. Most of the guys have conniptions when I ask them to send me a copy of their character sheet, let alone mess around with anything like this. Half of the group couldn't find the ProgramData folder!

Having .user files stored by default in the "My Documents" folder and being able to link to something like Dropbox (or a file uploaded on a website!) is important.

I created some templates for the characters in the Pathfinder game I am running, and I create all custom magic items in the editor and distribute the file that way. It's tedious and I have had to spend significant time each week on the phone to each of the people, telling/retelling them how to import the file. I update the file quite often, so if I can simply upload it somewhere and have HeroLab check it's version/build number when you open a file that uses it (and downloads/imports it if necessary), it'd sure speed everything up.

In addition: In addition, the prgram seems to incorporate all .user files. In the "Configure Hero" screen, on the right is a lovely check list for all the published content that can be incorporated. A button somewhere on the Configure Hero screen that takes you to a window that lists all available files (and their locations if multiple locations can be browsed and selected for Dropbox and so on) and a check-box that enables and disables them would effectively be a way of doing this for user-created content. My player do not want to have my magic items, templates and other garbage cluttering up their character selections in other campaigns!

The last item on every tab in the editor is named "sources". That's how you can create your own entries in that list on the configure hero form.

That's what that is for..!

Pardon me, but if I've got a data file FULL of things for one campaign, it would probably be a handy option to actually have a "Apply to all entries in this data file", with an additional option "Create all new records with this source option enabled".

I've been lurking on this thread for awhile. I came up with a partial solution for this problem.

I've been using Dropbox and a Simlink to sync my Pathfinder data for a while now. My Dropbox folder lives in a folder on my Desktop, but you can change paths for your destination. I still have to update each install of HL and then let it sync, but this works well.

ren "C:\ProgramData\Hero Lab\data\pathfinder" pathfinder.org

mklink /j "C:\ProgramData\Hero Lab\data\pathfinder" "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Desktop\Hold\Dropbox\Char acte rs\Hero Lab\HL data - pathfinder"

pause

Kizan

Use a .hl file instead. Its what LW itself uses to distribute its games like Pathfinder and its what we use in the community also. Go to "Tools->Launch HLExport".

If you have a web server you can then setup a "Powered by HL" feature like I did for the community. Then HL can check it for version and download and auto-install the update. I also do this for my personal games as it makes it really easy for my players to keep up on all my changes.

I have a question about the sources.

I created a source for a home brew campaign. Everything looks good, and I see the source listed under User Content in the Configure Your Hero box. When I either copy that .user file over to my other machine or use the HLExport to create a .hl file and then import that I either get blank for my custom source or the Unique ID for the source.

What am I missing? Is there another file that maintains the sources?

I don't have a webserver, but was thinking of setting one up (for a completely different set of circumstances). If I do, then I'm all over this like kids on fairy bread.

(Any chance you can work your magic on a video tutorial on some of this? I wasn't even aware of .hl files and how they are distributed.)

Id like to "bump" this thread in regards to changing the default locations. (not regarding the .hl files, which i think is a different topic altogether)

We're now living in an age of cloud based computing with things like google drive and dropbox. But even if we dont consider that, its still important to let people choose where they want to store their files. I know someone earlier mentioned SSD's. Backups are another reason too.

Yes, the symlink workaround works, but not everyone knows how to do that, and to have to run something as administrator is ok, but not great. Id like to know if there is in the works any plan to modify hero lab to do the following:

1. Allow for custom locations for data files
2. Allow the user to change their default location.

Thanks!

Me 3!
 

I got to weigh in on this as well. I use a SSD as well for my C drive, for the aforementioned reason. If I tell a program to install on a different drive I effing expect it to install on THAT HD!!!. I love the program, think its a marvelous tool for RPGing that I could only dream of in previous decades, but this blunder is really something you should attend to asap. To install to drives of your choice is so commonplace today that its essentially a given. :mad: