I am going to try and cover how to setup Powered by HL updates using dropbox. This is useful for groups that have there own set of .user files they want to keep in sync across many players.
Everything past step 1 is NOT needed if you are just trying to get a .hl file onto the iPad.
Step 1 - Making the .hl file
This step is covered in
THIS LW web article. I know it talks about the iPad but making the .hl is what is needed. And all HL applications (Windows/Mac/iPad) can read a .hl file.
Step 2 - Dropbox
Put your newly created .hl file into your dropbox folder. Then log into Dropbox website and say you want to "Share" this file. Dropbox will give you a link like this:
Code:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b577x0fq0bqxosg/shadowd20_v2.00.hl?dl=0
You have to modify the
?dl=0 part to be
?dl=1 or it will confuse HL.
You end up with:
Code:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b577x0fq0bqxosg/shadowd20_v2.00.hl?dl=1
Step 3 - Updates XML
Now you have to create a updates.xml file which you do using a plan text editor. Inside this XML is where you tell HL about the version, game system folder and .hl file version number.
Here is an example XML to get you started. You can copy/paste this whole thing into a empty text file named "updates.xml".
Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<document signature="Lone Wolf Updates" version="1">
<update name="My Stuff"
date="2016/02/20:1300" size="2658"
description="My HL download"
uniqueid="222" filetype="3" platform="any"
download="https://www.dropbox.com/s/b577x0fq0bqxosg/shadowd20_v2.00.hl?dl=1"
website="" companyurl="" priority="99"
major="1" minor="15" patch="" folder="pathfinder" special="third-party id"
dynamic=""/>
</document>
I have highlighted the important things that have to be changed:
- name - This is what is displayed in the Updates window.
- date - Set this to the current date time to let HL know when the file was updated.
- size - the size in bytes of the file.
- download - is the modified URL link you got from dropbox.
- major - The major part of your version number so if v1.15 you put in 1.
- minor - The minor part of your version number so if v1.15 you put in 15.
- folder - The folder name where to be installed (pathfinder or 5e) for example.
- special - Your third party ID you entered when you made the .hl file. This must match "exactly" or HL will be unable to know when a "new" version is released.
Step 4 - Place updates.xml into dropbox
Place your updates.xml into the new folder where your .hl file is located. Do the same "Share" trick but this time change the end from
?dl=0 to
?dl=1. This gives you the URL that your players need to enter into the Powered By HL. For those instructions point them at
THIS pdf file.
Example working URL from my dropbox is:
Code:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wf7hdzvjp4ty267/updates.xml?dl=1
Note that the value after the "/s/" is different for each file.