Trouble distributing a data set

[Paris.Crenshaw]

I've created a HL data set for a friend who wants to distribute it with his published PDF product. The problem is, when he opens the portfolio file I sent him, he gets a string of errors.

The source volumes mentioned are all sources I've created on my own. I think the orphaned things are from the Inner Sea World Guide.

I've used the "Prepare this file for distribution" menu option, but I notice that when I do, the Inner Sea World Guide is still selected. I have gone through all the creatures in the .por file and unselected every source except for the one that is applicable to the product.

However, the same errors pop up whenever he opens the file. I'm sure this is because he doesn't have those sources in his load of Hero Lab.

- How can I create a file that doesn't look for all of those sources?
- Do I need to get a "clean" version of the Pathfinder data set and create a new portfolio?

Here are the errors we're getting. I know they're harmless, but if he wants to package this with the PDF download of his product, it would be best not to have any errors pop up when the customer opens it.

Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'CGP_CC_CHS'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'GRAdvBest'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'Homebrew'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'NG_TOH2'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'NG_ToH'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFLB1_ToLB'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFMd0_HLH'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFMd1_CoKK'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFMd4_HAtD'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFM1__RoKK'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFM5_CoGD'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PFM_E1'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PZO9500_5'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PZO9520'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PZO9522'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'PZO9531'
Critical information not found in data files: Source Volume 'srcS2Adjus'
Pick 'spHaunFey0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '218'
Pick 'spScriCha0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '240'
Pick 'weAcidBur0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '347'
Pick 'weAcidBur0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '348'
Pick 'weBleeWou0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '349'
Pick 'weBleeWou0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '350'
Pick 'weColdSna0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '351'
Pick 'weColdSna0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '352'
Pick 'weCramp0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '353'
Pick 'weCramp0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '354'
Pick 'weDeciphe0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '355'
Pick 'weDeciphe0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '356'
Pick 'weDeciphe0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '357'
Pick 'weEcho0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '358'
Pick 'weFlamJet0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '359'
Pick 'weFlamJet0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '360'
Pick 'weForcBlo0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '361'
Pick 'weForcBlo0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '362'
Pick 'weLift0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '363'
Pick 'weLift0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '364'
Pick 'weSensMag0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '365'
Pick 'weSensMag0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '366'
Pick 'weSensMag0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '367'
Pick 'weSootTou0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '368'
Pick 'weSpark0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '369'
Pick 'weSpark0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '370'
Pick 'weSpark0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '371'
Pick 'wmBoost' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '372'
Pick 'wmBoost' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '373'
Pick 'wmBoost' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '374'
Pick 'wmDistant' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '375'
Pick 'wmDistant' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '376'
Pick 'wmDistant' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '377'

 

[chiefweasel]

for the sources, you might just want to create 1 file, your source and not have anything else selected.

also when you created the file, what source did you select from the editor options? (I mean the source option on each tab)

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Pick 'spHaunFey0' has been orphaned due to missing thing in batch '218'

This appears to be a 0 level spell you have created. Cantrips (ie 0 level spells) Always bootstrap to EVERY character I think even if you don't have that source check marked.

The best I can think for you to do is create yourself a clean copy of the pathfinder data set. From inside of HL go to Tools->Duplicate Game System... then pick pathfinder and give it a new name like PathfinderCORE or something. Then only put the .user files in this data set that you need. When you Start HL from now on you will have two Pathfinder game systems to choose. The new one will have the name of the folder that you gave it in small print under the logo.

Use that game system to save the .por characters again and hopefully most of the issues should go away then. Inner Sea World guy is fine as that is not part of the CORE Data set you get when you purchase Pathfinder.

Also if you are making this for distribution and there is a .user file you may really want to look into the HLExport tool instead. That creates a .hl file and will really simply importing .por and .user files together for the end-gamers.

 

[Paris.Crenshaw]

The only source selected in the .user file is the one for the product. I was also careful not to use any non-core material when building the creatures, but I think that the other sources might have been checked when I first created the file.

I'll try creating a new .por file and make sure none of the other sources are selected before I start building them.

Thanks!

 

[ShadowChemosh]

I'll try creating a new .por file and make sure none of the other sources are selected before I start building them.

Even if not checked the Source ID will still be saved in the .por file as FALSE. So you still get the errors above. Only way to not get the errors is as I listed totally removing the Sources so neither TRUE/FALSE is saved to the .por file.

Either remove your .user files when saving or make a new data set folder that does not have them.

 

[Paris.Crenshaw]

Thanks, Shadow. This is very helpful.

Paris

 

[Paris.Crenshaw]

This method seems to be working, but I have a new question.

I'm bootstrapping skills, feats and other stuff to the race, so they are automatically added when choosing these creatures as a race.

I've discovered that I can add a spell-like ability to Ability Focus by making the spell the target, then making sure the bootstrap has the Helper.SpellLike tag.

However, the other Ability Focus is for an ability I added for the creature and HL won't recognize the Unique ID as an option for the "Target.ThingID" context.

Is there an eval script somewhere that can be used to set ability focus with the new ability as the target?

Thanks!!!

 

[ValaraukarU]

I've discovered that I can add a spell-like ability to Ability Focus by making the spell the target, then making sure the bootstrap has the Helper.SpellLike tag.

However, the other Ability Focus is for an ability I added for the creature and HL won't recognize the Unique ID as an option for the "Target.ThingID" context.

Is there an eval script somewhere that can be used to set ability focus with the new ability as the target?

I had the same problem on the Danse Macabre's Dance of Death ability. In the end I just set it manually in the .stock file and didn't bind it in the user file.

 

[Paris.Crenshaw]

That's what I'm doing, now, but I am thinking that the publisher would prefer to have as few things like that in the data set as possible. If it can't be done, it's not a huge deal, but I figured there must be a way to do it via script.

On the plus side, I've learned some pretty important things in the past 48 hours mostly about bootstrapping and how data sets are built to support stock creatures.