Hero Lab scripting 201: Location, Location, Location

[Sendric]

Originally Posted by Mathias

Gizmo Context
.
.
.
(Those lists are actually just the most common operations - a more complete list is available here: http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/index....tainer_Context)

The link at the bottom of the Gizmo section doesn't seem to be working.

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by Sendric

The link at the bottom of the Gizmo section doesn't seem to be working.

Fixed now. This forum has an aggravating bug in the auto-detection of pasted-in hyperlinks - it doesn't include the closing parentheses if the web address ends in one.

[ProphetPX]

ENOUGH EXAMPLES!
can someone PLEASE just give me a COMPLETE GUIDE to the scripting language that is used in Hero Lab, please?
I NEED AND WANT the DEFINITIVE Reference Manual to this scripting language because honestly IT IS NOWHERE to be found!
and by reference manual I am talking something like an O'Reilly programming book but made about Hero Lab instead! PLEASE!

I AM SO SICK of not being able to find a REAL REFERENCE work!
AND NOBODY is really laying it ALL out in an ORDERLY fashion.... all i ever see are hob globs of LOOSE and CHAOTIC "examples" all over the internet with NO logical or orderly ORGANIZED presentation of what to do or how to do it!
I NEED TO SEE A SYSTEM please. NOT just random examples!

[ProphetPX]

Originally Posted by Mathias

Fixed now. This forum has an aggravating bug in the auto-detection of pasted-in hyperlinks - it doesn't include the closing parentheses if the web address ends in one.

oh and by the way, that link was NOT fixed! GRRRRR
ITS STILL BROKEN.

[Exmortis]

WHOA chill dude.

The core modding of Herolab is not the main reason it is here. The fact LWD allows us to use its complete script language to customize HL is truly amazing.

There is no such beast you ask for, just relax, take a breath. Best way to learn HL scripting and modding is to have a goal, start simple, and work forward. Read the info provided by LWD and the community. Do not hesitate to ask questions here nicely. The LWD staff and the amazing community here will likely either have answer for you or the bad news if its not possible.

I have learned a ton, with my work on two campaign worlds, and am approaching complete support in HL for both, and compare to many here I am but a newb. I have work through a lot of funstrations...<no typo> and if I hit a wall I can't climb I come here for the advice, and so far with out fail, I have left that wall behind me.

Just sit back, and pick your goals, and one by one you will find yourself over coming them and learning the scripting language at the same time.

There is no better way to learn, then by doing.

[chimeforest]

I agree with Exmortis =]
Best to just be chill, angry coding never works out.. though I do understand ProphetPX's frustration. For pretty much every other scripting/programming you can find a unified and complete syntax, but not for Hero Lab.
Still, it's pretty cool that Hero Lab is so customizable ^^

[TheIronGolem]

I sympathize as well. I would push a busload of nuns off of a cliff just to have a "tag dictionary" that lays out all of the Pathfinder tags, what uses each one, and the effects of applying them. If it was searchable, I would pick a cliff that was directly above a burning orphanage. And if I told you what I would do for a complete reference on the scripting language, the CIA would drone-strike my house, on the off-chance that I meant a word of it.

That said, I know from painful experience that software developers are often too close to the product to be able to write clear documentation on it, and technical writing is a whole different skillset that LWD may not have in-house. That means any "O'Reilly's for Hero Lab" project would likely require an outside contractor, and that means spending money that otherwise could be spent on adding more features and data packages to Hero Lab. Not necessarily a good ROI, given that us modders are a rather small part of their overall customer base.

Finally, ProphetPX, have you looked at the wiki? It's far from comprehensive, and it isn't the easiest thing to navigate, but it is handy for looking up functions and what methods and transitions are available from a particular context. It's the closest thing to what you're asking for that currently exists. I frequently refer to the Language Intrinsics and Pick Context pages in my own work.

These forums are an excellent resource, too. I've said it before, but for every time I've had to post a question here, there have been 10 or so times that I haven't needed to post one because I found what I needed by searching older threads.

[ProphetPX]

I've dropped ALMOST THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS on this product because i happen to LOVE using it!
What i did not expect was that there was NO SYSTEMATIC BOOK that laid out all the scripting language that i could learn from. I've looked at the stupid wiki, many videos (EVEN the GenCon one) AND the HORRIBLE PDF file that was on the website (sorry but it is very bad).... NOTHING is helping me! Copying from other items or "things" in the editor is NOT helping either. I need to learn HOW TO CODE it!!!

I know XML, and some Java, and am not unfamiliar with object oriented stuff.
But this "guesswork" and "trial and error" stuff is NOT COOL!!!!

[liz]

Due to posts made here, in other threads, and in PMs to me (Liz) that do not follow the forum rules (specifically respect and civility, constructive posts, and thinking before posting), ProphetPX has been placed on temporary probation. If any users have questions or concerns about the decision, please PM me directly.

[Exmortis]

That's too bad, I do understand his frustration.

I am a horrid coder, and I find scripting really hard to wrap my wee brain around.

However I have achieved a fair amount using the Information/tools provided and a lot of help from this forum.

I think the poor guy just needs to take a vacation from it, and come back to the table with a cool, refreshed, relaxed mind.