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Import .dnd4e (aka Character Builder) files?

T

TiamatTheDragonGod

New member
How can I import my already created characters from the Character Builder? And if this is not possible as yet, when will it be a feature?

Seems like a standard functionality to me... especially as a DM where everyone is using CB to create their characters and I want to be able to view them in Hero Lab...
 
The saved file format of the CB is radically different from the format used by Hero Lab. As such, being able to import a CB character into Hero Lab would entail a huge amount of work. It would also require significant extra work with every new update of the compendium, since Wizards changes their formats continuously.

Consequently, it's simply not practical to try importing the CB saved characters. It's hard enough staying in sync with all the raw data from the compendium each month. Sorry I don't have better news, but that's the unfortunate reality of dealing with the CB.
 
Sorry to hear that, but appreciate the honest response. Any way you might be able to parse output from the summary? Output like this:

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Bashir Thomas, level 8
Human, Swordmage|Warlock
Hybrid Talent: Shadow Walk
Eldritch Strike: Eldritch Strike Constitution
Swordmage Aegis (Hybrid): Aegis of Assault
Eldritch Pact (Hybrid): Infernal Pact (Hybrid)
Hybrid Warlock: Hybrid Warlock Will
Arcane Implement Proficiency: Arcane Implement Proficiency (Staff)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 20, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12.


AC: 22 Fort: 20 Reflex: 19 Will: 18
HP: 68 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 17

TRAINED SKILLS
History +13, Bluff +10, Arcana +13, Diplomacy +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +9, Heal +3, Insight +3, Intimidate +5, Nature +3, Perception +3, Religion +8, Stealth +5, Streetwise +5, Thievery +5, Athletics +4

FEATS
Human: Hybrid Talent
Level 1: White Lotus Riposte
Level 2: Focused Expertise (Longsword)
Level 4: Arcane Reserves
Level 6: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 8: Arcane Implement Proficiency

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Eldritch Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Hellish Rebuke
Hybrid at-will 1: Sword Burst
Hybrid encounter 1: Chains of Levistus
Hybrid daily 1: Lashing Asp
Hybrid utility 2: Channeling Shield
Hybrid encounter 3: Blazing Lunge
Hybrid daily 5: Hunger of Hadar
Hybrid utility 6: Dark One's Own Luck
Hybrid encounter 7: Dimensional Vortex

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Longsword, Climber's Kit, Crowbar, Hempen Rope (50 ft.), Magic Longsword +2 (Renard's), Potion of Healing (heroic tier), Shadow Warlock Leather Armor +2, Bloodclaw Longsword +2
 
What Hero Lab needs is all the individual choices that collectively construct the character. The output from the CB above doesn't provide all of that detail. For example, if the character has selected attribute increases as he levels up, the order of those increases is critical to properly deriving all the values that are based on them. That information is not provided in the summary above. There are a variety of other details that suffer from the same problem.

The big issue regarding converting CB saved files is that Hero Lab does everything using its internal representations of the data, and the CB has its own format and structure. All of the internal representations used by the CB would need to be mapped to Hero Lab and then back again. That would entail a major amount of work. This is complex because there is *not* a direct 1:1 mapping that can be established.

Where it gets even more complicated is that the data comprising the compendium (which drives the CB), is constantly growing at a high rate. So that major chunk of work continues to get bigger on a monthly basis. Just to make things even more interesting, Wizards changes key elements of the CB's internal representation every few months.

The only way something like this would be possible would be if Wizards were to publish a formalized specification of how their data is structured, along with a guarantee that the structure won't change and invalidate anything previously written based on that specification. If we had something like that, then we could reliably write the code to handle the conversion and know that it will continue to work well into the future. Unfortunately, Wizards has no motivation to do that until they decide that they want to open up their architecture for others to integrate into.

Hopefully, the above explanation makes sense. It's a highly complex task and requires that the CB's format be formally defined and not subject to change. :-(
 
Thanks Rob, it does. I'm actually amazed at the way you have come up with to import information from the compendium at all.

Guy
 
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