New Hero Lab beta!

[Colen]

4/4 - beta testing is over - thanks for your help, everyone!

3/29 - betas have been updated! This new beta makes the editor faster and more responsive when switching tabs. Please download the new beta from the link below and let me know if you have any problems.

Hi everyone,

A new beta of Hero Lab is available, and we'd like you to give it a try! This beta includes the following important changes:

1. User-created data files will no longer report errors if they reference content from packages you don’t own! Previously, if a user data file referenced content from (for example) the Advanced Player’s Guide, but your Hero Lab license wasn’t authorized for the APG, it would fail to compile with some (unhelpful) errors. Starting this version, those errors are ignored, and Hero Lab simply warns you (via a validation error) if you try to use anything that references content from the package you don’t have. (You won’t be able to use the missing content, it’ll simply be ignored.)
   
2. Certain items couldn’t be put in certain holders (for example, magical arrows could not be put into a Vanishing Sheath in Pathfinder); this has now been fixed.
   
3. The same spell could often not be added for different classes, or within different spellbooks.
   
4. Using “Test Now!” in the editor would sometimes ignore the values you set for fields, often if the field value set was “2” (for example, ability score bonuses in 5th Edition).
   
5. A new “Extend Thing” tab is present in the editor, allowing you to add tags to things that are defined in other files (or in packages). This should make it easier to (for example) add new character classes to existing spells.
   
6. Added a “Find Thing” button to the Hidden, Preclude, and Procedure tabs in the editor.
   
7. Switching tabs and other operations in the editor are now significantly faster.

We're planning to do a general release of these features within the next 1-2 weeks, but the changes we had to make were big enough that it would be nice to get some additional eyes on them first. If you're interested in helping out, you can download the beta here:

(beta links removed)

Please install either the Windows or Mac version, and if you're a Pathfinder user, install the updated Pathfinder data files, and let us know if you run into any problems - either crashes or simply things not working the way they used to.

We're particularly interested in your feedback if you use custom data files, either your own or the Pathfinder / 5th edition community packs.

Thanks for your help, everyone!

 

[AndrewD2]

This is some amazing additions!

 

[Quintain]

The extend thing is perfect!

 

[ShadowChemosh]

[*]User-created data files will no longer report errors if they reference content from packages you don’t own! Previously, if a user data file referenced content from (for example) the Advanced Player’s Guide, but your Hero Lab license wasn’t authorized for the APG, it would fail to compile with some (unhelpful) errors. Starting this version, those errors are ignored, and Hero Lab simply warns you (via a validation error) if you try to use anything that references content from the package you don’t have. (You won’t be able to use the missing content, it’ll simply be ignored.)

With the new version of HL the License problem that I have dealt for the Pathfinder Community Packs is gone. Meaning all the different Pathfinder Packs are going away!

In there place will be "ONE" single "Pathfinder Pack" that will contain all the community work in a single download. If you don't have the correct license then those "pieces" will now give a nice "warning message" but the Packs will still load.

[*]A new “Extend Thing” tab is present in the editor, allowing you to add tags to things that are defined in other files (or in packages). This should make it easier to (for example) add new character classes to existing spells.

The power of this ability is amazing actually. In simple terms Pathfinder and d20 community members will use this feature heavily for "spells". In the past if you added a new class and you want to give that class access to a specific spell you had to make a copy of the spell in the editor to add the class tag (ie sClass.cHelpXXX).

Now you simple extend that tag onto the spell instead:

  <extthing thing="spCureMod2" group="sClass" tag="cHelpDrd"/>

The above code allows the Druid access to 2nd level Cure Moderate Wounds spell. No more making "copies" of spells to just allow a class access to them.

 

[Paragon]

Gods above, did I wish I had that Find Thing button when I was doing my XCOM and Broken Earth files...

 

[Mergon]

Does the new Extend Thing tab not work with custom classes yet?

I am trying to add Enchantment spells from the wizard class to a Houri class.

I thought I'd try this out now sicne it will save me tons of copied spells. Unfortunately, it says this:

Hero Lab was forced to stop compilation after the following errors were detected:

Thing Extension 'spCharPers' - Tag 'cHelpHou' not defined

 

[Mergon]

BTW, is there a specific Beta support forum for posting questions like this?

 

[Mergon]

Another issue related to creating a custom class for 5e. When I use Tool Table #2 to allow for the selection of 1 Tool from a selection I set, I get the following errors:

Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gTooThieve'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 111
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gTooThieve'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 126

 

[Mathias]

Mergon, please ask those in normal threads in the forum for the game system you're working on. And that second one looks like an error in the script, not an error with the new capabilities, so please post the relevant script with your question. For the first one, too - give more detail about what you're trying to do and exactly how you're going about it.

 

[Mergon]

That's what I'd think too except I haven't got any scripts on the class yet. I get that when trying to add tools through the builtin Tool Table #2 . . .

I'll have to disable everything again and see if I still get the error.

As too Beta related issues, should they be flagged BETA: ??

 

[Colen]

Hero Lab was forced to stop compilation after the following errors were detected:

Thing Extension 'spCharPers' - Tag 'cHelpHou' not defined

What it looks like here is that you've tried to add the sClass.cHelpHou tag to the Charm Person spell, but the sClass.cHelpHou tag hasn't actually been defined anywhere. Is there a class actually defined with that id? If not, you'll need to define it before the identity tag can be used.

 

[Colen]

That's what I'd think too except I haven't got any scripts on the class yet. I get that when trying to add tools through the builtin Tool Table #2 . . .

I'll have to disable everything again and see if I still get the error.

As too Beta related issues, should they be flagged BETA: ??

Beta-related issues are fine in this thread, as I'm most likely to see them here.

The script issue you just posted about looks like either an error in your script, or possibly an error in the data files, but not beta-related - I would either ask in the 5e forum, or submit a 5e bug report and we'll investigate it.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mergon]

What it looks like here is that you've tried to add the sClass.cHelpHou tag to the Charm Person spell, but the sClass.cHelpHou tag hasn't actually been defined anywhere. Is there a class actually defined with that id? If not, you'll need to define it before the identity tag can be used.

That's what I thought, but the class was there. I'd even shut down Hl and restarted it. Other things that depended on sClass.cHelpHou & cHelpHou worked fine at the time.

The next morning when I started working on the class again, everythign was working pertaining to cHelpHou. I just accepted it as an Act of God and went on with other work on the class.

 

[Mergon]

Beta-related issues are fine in this thread, as I'm most likely to see them here.

The script issue you just posted about looks like either an error in your script, or possibly an error in the data files, but not beta-related - I would either ask in the 5e forum, or submit a 5e bug report and we'll investigate it.

Hope this helps!

kk. Thanks for the info all.

 

[Mergon]

Cohen:

Well, its not an issue with 5e Community Pack or my own .user files. I remvoed everything.

Once I did that, I created a brand new .user file and created a class from scratch. I then added one class ability, otherwise the selection for Tools Table #1 and Tools Table #2 won't even show up.

I then added all Musical Instruments on Tools Table #1. I also added all Artisan's tools, the Herbalism kit, the Poison kit, and Thieves' Tools to Tools Table #2.

I then saved and tested.

When I went and built a new character with the test race it let me select the Musical instrument just fine (same as I got with the 5eCP and my user files.

However, when I went to add a Tool kit from Tools Tabel #2 I got the following error message:

Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gTooThieve'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 111
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gTooThieve'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 126

Where the tools should show up is a blank space with no 'x' to remove anything.
(Note: Test was with adding Thieves Tools).

I had to reload the test character to get rid of the blank tool.

I did a 2nd test after restarting HL and reloading the test character. This time I tried adding the Alchemist supplies.

The error was even larger . . .

Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 111

Next, I tried using the Tool Table #3 with the same selection I'd used previously on Tool Table #2. I saved, test, then reboot HL once again. I tested by addign Alchemy supplies once more.

Once again I got a list of errors:

Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skShortNm' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skTotal' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Layout 'clsTables' near line 305
- - -
Attempt to access field 'skPrefix' that does not exist for thing 'gSupAlchem'
Location: 'position' script for Template 'kPick' near line 111

Can anyone else run some test? I don't want to uninstall if I don't have to. Reactivating lisence too soon will lock it . . .
Also, if someone without the Beta could do a similar test, it would be appreciated.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

I don't want to uninstall if I don't have to. Reactivating lisence too soon will lock it . . .

This is not true. You can reactive your license as often as you need/want. Otherwise it force those buying Packages for Pathfinder to wait 120 days between each purchase.

I have reactivated my license 10 times in the same day without issue. The "issue" comes in when you use the same License on TWO different computers. Or Win 10 fast track changes your computers Unique ID making HL think its been installed on a "different" computer. As long as its the same computer reactivate away!

 

[Mergon]

Thanks for the info Shadow

 

[panda]

No wrong Abilities on 5e races for now, will continue to monitor it as I create new monsters

 

[Colen]

Cohen:

Well, its not an issue with 5e Community Pack or my own .user files. I remvoed everything.

Once I did that, I created a brand new .user file and created a class from scratch. I then added one class ability, otherwise the selection for Tools Table #1 and Tools Table #2 won't even show up.

(Detailed description of the bug)

Unfortunately it looks like you've run into a bug with the 5th edition data files. Thanks for reporting this - we'll address it in the next 5e data files release. It's not beta-related, so it's not something that would be changed by going back to a non-beta version of HL.

Sorry for the inconvenience! We'll fix this as soon as we can.

 

[Mergon]

Well, for the time being I'll put tools Artisan's tools and musical instruments on table 1 and trust my players to pick what they should not want they want.

Did you put in a bug report Cohen or do I need to?