So you want to make a data file?

[CapedCrusader]

On the d6 Skill of Choice bit...
You can also go the other direction with it with Edges. Give the players the extra points they need to pick up a Skill at d6. Then, the Edge that needs to know what Skill it was can have a menu added to it to display the Skills the character has, and the appropriate Skill can be chosen. It's then accessible to the background code. The Edge will display a menu that the user can choose the Skill from, and you could conceivably use the Edge just to store that choice.

[Seeker1728]

Striking the ground with a charred staff, I shake my skull rattle and commit....THREAD NECROMANCY!

So as amusing as the tangents were to read, I have come seeking some guidance/education regarding the creation of a 1st file. I went digging in the examples of other 1st files to get some examples to compare against but there are a number of commands I'm running across that I want to either make sure I've deduced their use/meaning correctly, or get some clarification on. I apologize for the lengthy post, but since this was strongly suggested as a starting point, I need to get this project going asap.

using Deadlands Noir as a example, in the 1st file I see the following

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<!-- This file contains all specifications pertaining to the operational control of
the data files. This includes usage pools, sources, sortsets, and other related
mechanisms.
-->

<document signature="Hero Lab Structure">
<!-- RDS DLNoir This source enables the selection of Deadlands Noir -->
<source
id="sepDLNoir"
name="Deadlands Noir: Campaign Setting"
selectable="no"
parent="UserParent"
sortorder="0"
description="Deadlands Noir: Campaign Setting">
</source>

Pls forgive me for the use of a picture, best way I could think of to make sure what I'm referring to is coming across clearly. Am I correct in thinking in regards to the red bolded text above, id= "sepDLNoir" is the unique Thing-ID that is greyed out text in the menu, and that it had to have a unique ID in order for it appear visually in the menu as a separate entry for the other 2 setting choices to fall below it?

Am I correct in thinking that this is done by setting selectable = "no"?
I assume that by making "SepDLNoir the parent file in the subsequent sources is why they show up as separate possible choices under Deadlands Noir: Campaign Setting header?
Also, am I correct in thinking in there is no need for a selectable = "yes" in order to create a selection box?

Attachment 6659


My questions are for the next set of red-bolded text below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<!-- This file contains all specifications pertaining to the operational control of
the data files. This includes usage pools, sources, sortsets, and other related
mechanisms.
-->

<document signature="Hero Lab Structure">
<!-- RDS DLNoir This source enables the selection of Deadlands Noir -->
<source
id="sepDLNoir"
name="Deadlands Noir: Campaign Setting"
selectable="no"
parent="UserParent"
sortorder="0"
description="Deadlands Noir: Campaign Setting">
</source>

<source
id="DLNoir"
name="Deadlands Noir"
parent="sepDLNoir"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="0"
description="Each character utilizes the Savage Worlds Deadlands Noir material.">
</source>

<source
id="DLNoirC"
name="Deadlands Noir Companion"
parent="sepDLNoir"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="1"
description="Each character utilizes the Savage Worlds Deadlands Noir Companion material.">
</source>
</document>

I'm assuming that "sortorder = X" is why DLNoir shows up before DLNoirC, but I'm confused why the sort order for sepDLNoir and DLNoir are both = to 0. I would've assumed if I wanted this to appear in the same manner visually as the picture above, that the sort order would be 0, 1, 2. Could you explain what I'm missing here?

In my 1st file, lets say I want to import material from the several companions, i.e. say Supers 2E, Fantasy and Horror for my Scion setting. Each of these has their own entry in the hero configuration menu one can check on their own under the section of "Companion Books".

My question is, based on looking at the DLNoir 1st, if I wanted those 3 companions to appear as possible choices under my custom setting entry, would the following example be the correct way to go about it?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<!-- This file contains all specifications pertaining to the operational control of
the data files. This includes usage pools, sources, sortsets, and other related
mechanisms.
-->

<document signature="Hero Lab Structure">
<!-- RCScion This source enables the selection of Scion Campaign Setting -->
<source
id="RCScion"
name="Scion: Campaign Setting"
selectable="no"
parent="UserParent"
sortorder="0"
description="Scion: Campaign Setting">
</source>

<source
id="Scion"
name="Scion"
parent="RCScion"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="0"
description="Each character utilizes the SW version of Scion 2E's material.">
This italicized text here wouldn't actually be present, putting it here to call attention to the distinction of the two files "RCScion" and "Scion".

• ID-RCScion = the greyed out header and the order of sources.
  
• ID-Scion = would be the user file that has all the customized powers, edges, gear, etc transcribed from the Scion rules to SW.

</source>

<source
id="SuperPowr2"
name="Super Powers Companion, 2nd Edition"
parent="RCScion"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="1"
description="Each character utilizes the Savage Worlds Super Powers Companion, 2nd Edition material.">
</source>

<source
id="Fantasy"
name="Fantasy Companion"
parent="RCScion"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="2"
description="Each character utilizes the Savage Worlds Fantasy Companion material.">
</source>

<source
id="Horror"
name="Horror Companion"
parent="RCScion"
reportable="yes"
sortorder="3"
description="Each character utilizes the Savage Worlds Horror Companion material.">
</source>
</document>

Also, I'm a little confused regarding the need for 1st files having read Tutorial #16 which addresses the Setting Adjust tab in the editor. Based on my understand of that tutorial, if I were to tick all these boxes in the picture below and make that my "Scion.user" file, then every time someone chooses the Scion box under the character configure menu, all these checked things are loaded automatically into HL to build a character with. That however, hasn't been my experience, it seems that unless I check all those same boxes in the configure hero menu, they won't show up. Would anyone care to guess at what I'm doing wrong there?

And finally, regarding the Setting Adjust tab, if i check all those choices for my Scion game, do I have to check the same boxes as sources every time I create a new customized addition to the .user file? I.E. Create a new Arcane Edge, better check ALL those boxes. Create 10 new Edges, better check ALL those boxes on all 10 edges, etc.

Thanks in advance to anyone who brings me some clarity on this

C5.JPG

[CapedCrusader]

Yes, each thing in Hero Lab has to have a unique ID.
Yes, selectable=yes is the default you only need to tell it when it's no.

They can both be zero because there's a parent-child relationship between the two. sepDLNoir is the parent of DLNoir.

As far as the 1st files, they are not required. Some Settings don't use them. They are usually used for those Settings that have multiple choices beyond just turning the Setting itself on.

[Seeker1728]

Originally Posted by CapedCrusader

Yes, each thing in Hero Lab has to have a unique ID.
Yes, selectable=yes is the default you only need to tell it when it's no.

They can both be zero because there's a parent-child relationship between the two. sepDLNoir is the parent of DLNoir.

As far as the 1st files, they are not required. Some Settings don't use them. They are usually used for those Settings that have multiple choices beyond just turning the Setting itself on.

Thanks CC, that cleared a lot of doubt. I'm a bit of a dork when it comes to doing stuff with software when I don't know how to protect it from my bumbling