Role Playing Database 3.1.3

Reference

# Main Window

The main window, shown here:

Contains buttons for the seven game informational editors: Character, Monster, Spell, Treasure, Trick / Trap, Map, and Dressing. See Section SheetEditor for a documentation on the Character, Monster, Spell, Treasure, Trick / Trap, Dressing editor windows and Section Map for documentation the Map editor window. An eighth button selects for program exit. In addition to the eight buttons, there are drop down menus on a menu bar. The same menu bar is used on all of the major top level screens. The File menu has the standard New, Open, Save, Save As, Print, Close, and Exit menu items, all of which have the expected meanings and functionality. The New and Open menu items on the File menu use cascading menus to select the sort of thing to create or open. The Options menu contains menu items to create/edit (see Section sect:configuration), read, and write the program's main configuration file, plus a menu item to edit template files, which opens the ``Sheet Template Editor'' window (See Section Template), which is used to create and maintain the sheet editor windows. The Windows menu contains menu items to select one of the existing top level windows. The Help menu provides access to the on line help system (see Chapter Help for complete information about using the on-line help).

# Configuration Editor

The Configuration Editor Window is shown below:

There are three configuration options: the template file to use when creating new informational sheets, the initial directory to look in for images for graphic elements, and the initial directory to look in for external documents. The configuration file is located in the current user's home directory in a file named ``.roleplayingdb3 under UNIX/Linux and MacOSX and `roleplayingdb3.rc` under MS-Windows. This file is a plain text file containing key, value pairs. Do not edit this file by hand though. Be sure to use the Configuration Editor. This makes sure that the file is properly formatted to be read in at program start time.

# Sheet Template Editor Window

To allow for differences in game systems, game data elements are defined with the use of templates. These templates define what information is recorded for each game element for a given game system. These templates are created and maintained with the template editor. The template editor in invoked from the Options menu. The editor is shown here:

A sheet contains a top level container which in turn contains zero or more fields or containers. Containers can contains zero or more fields or containers. Fields and containers have names. Fields also have a type, possibly a generator (dice combination), and a flag that indicates whether the field value can be updated. There are five defined field types:

1. Whole Number: This is a numerically valued field. It is either an arbitrary (usually fixed) value or the result of a dice throw.
2. Word / Short Phrase: This either a single word or a short (one line at most) phrase, generally describing a textual attribute, such as a name or some sort of descriptive condition or status.
3. Long Text: This is a multi-line, but short (1-2 paragraph) text value.
4. Graphic: This is a picture file. Most standard graphics formats are supported, including GIF, PNG, JPEG, BMP, TIFF, TGA, PostScript, and Sun Raster. The graphic file will be displayed in the sheet editor window.
5. Document: This a document file. Any sort of external file is supported. The external file will be copied into the sheet file. The sheet editor will not attempt to display or otherwise process the file, but since the file will be "carried" along with the sheet file, it will be available and extractable as needed.

The generator attribute is only used for numerically valued fields and the updatable attribute can only be set to no for the word / short phrase and numerically valued fields.

The templates are used for Character, Monster, Spell, Treasure, Trick / Trap, and Dressing sheet editors. The Map editor uses a set of hard-coded templates. These templates define the fields, their attributes, and grouping / organizational structure. Containers have a text attribute that is used as a section heading for the group of fields contained in the container. The included template file, `dnd.rpgtmpl`, defines informational sheets suitable for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, but template files for other game systems can be created.

The template editor lists the defined templates in the open template bundle in its left side bar and the currently open template is displayed in its main display area. It has a six button tool bar. Except for the `Add` `Template` tool bar button, these buttons work with the current selected or hightlighted item. An item (template, container, or field) is selected with a single click of the mouse button.

1. Add Template: A new template is added with the `Add` `Template` tool bar button. A dialog box prompts for the name and class of the new template. The class of the template defines the outermost container name (same as the class name) and the folder in the template bundle where the template resides.
2. Delete Template:} An existing template is deleted by highlighting the template name in the template list and then clicking the `Delete` `Template` tool bar button. A confirmation dialog box confirms the removal of the template.
3. Add Field or Container: A field or container is added to an existing container by highlighting the parent container and clicking the `Add` `Field` `or` `Container` tool bar button. A dialog box is displayed to define the new field or container's attributes.
4. Edit Container Text: Each container, including the outermost, can have one-line or text associated with it. This text is used as a header. Highlighting the container and clicking the `Edit` `Container` `Text` tool bar button allows for editing this text field.
5. Delete Field or Container: A field or container is deleted by highlighting the field or container and then clicking the `Delete` `Field` `or` `Container` tool bar button. A confirmation dialog box confirms the removal of the field or container. Note that removing a container also removes the fields and containers it contains.
6. Edit Field: A field's attributes can be edited with the `Edit` `Field` tool bar button. The field to be edited needs to be highlighted first. Field names cannot be changed.

To edit a template double click on the template name. The template will be opened up in the template editing window. The editing buttons can be used to create or edit fields and containers. It is also possible to use the right mouse button to pop up edit menus to perform editing functions, including adding and deleting fields and containers from a container, editing the container's text, and editing a field's attributes.

The ordering of fields and containers can be altered by draging fields or containers with the middle mouse button. Fields and containers cannot be moved outside of the main class container.

A template file is a Zip archive file containing directories for each class of sheet: Character, Monster, Spell, Treasure, Trick / Trap, and Dressing. These directories in turn contain the template XML files, which define the structure of the sheets. It is possible to have multiple templates for any given class. It is also possible to have no templates for a given class. Not all game systems have all classes of these things and others might have several sub-classes, sometimes with very different attributes.

# Sheet Editor Windows

The Sheet Editor Window, which includes the Character Editor, shown above, is used to edit characters, both playing and non-playing characters, monsters, spells, treasure, tricks / traps, and dressing items. It uses one of the sheet templates defined in the current template file (see Section sect:configuration). When one of the sheet editor buttons on the main window are clicked on, a small dialog box is displayed (shown here:

), asking if you want create a new sheet file, using a selected template or open an existing sheet file. The Monster, Spell, Treasure, Trick / Trap, and Dressing Editor Windows are the same as the Character Editor, but use different templates.

In addition to the fields created from the sheet template, there is also a tool bar button, labeled "Extract Media". This button allows for the extraction of embedded media files contained within the sheet file. This allows for the use of external editors or viewers with these files.

A sheet file is a Zip archive containing two directories, xml and media. The xml contains a file named sheet.xml, which is an XML file containing the sheet information. The media directory contains any media files associated with the sheet–this could be pictures or other documents.

# Map Editing Windows

Map objects are three dimensional, consisting of one or more levels, above, below, or at ground level. Each level consists of spaces (squares or hexagons) arranged on a two dimensional grid. Each level is at a depth, where a depth of 0 is ground level, negative depths are below ground, and positive depths are above ground. Spaces have an X and Y coordinate, which are whole numbers ranging between -1000 and 1000, with 0 being the center of the level and -1000 being the extreme left or western edge (X) and extreme top or northern edge (Y) and 1000 being the extreme right or eastern edge (X) and extreme bottom or southern edge (Y). Creating or editing a map is a hierarchical process. You select the level to create or edit from the main map window and you select the space to create or edit from the level editor window for the level the space is on. The whole map, with all of its levels and spaces are stored in a single file, for easy transport and exchange. It is possible to have a ``sparse'' map, with levels and/or spaces omitted. These might be levels or spaces that have not been constructed (yet) or are otherwise inaccessible. With suitable technology or magic (eg a teleport device or spell) it is possible to get to non-adjacent spaces or levels. No attempt it made it enforce connectivity to adjacent spaces or levels!

There are three map editing windows:

1. The main map editor contains information about the overall map, including the name of the map, the name of the campaign, and the name of the game master. This window is described in Section sect:mainmap.
2. The level editor, contains information about a selected level. This window is described in Section sect:leveledit.
3. The space editor contains information about a space. This window is described in Section sect:spaceedit.

## Main map editing window

The main map editor (shown above) contains information about the overall map. This information includes name of the map, the name of the campaign, and the name of the game master. There is space for a brief description of the map and it is possible to include a larger document providing a detailed writeup about the map or game campaign. Also on this window is a list of levels and a directory tree of included media. There is a tool bar with 4 buttons:

1. New Level–this button creates a new level.
2. Delete Level–this button deletes a selected level.
3. Edit Level–this button edits a selected level.
4. Extract Media–this button extracts a selected media file, making it available for an external program to view or otherwise process.

## Level editing window

The level editor (shown above) contains information about a selected level. This information includes the title of the level and its depth (positive depths are above ground, negative depths are below ground and a depth of zero is at ground level). Also included is a space for a brief description of the level and a map of the level as well as a list of spaces.

There is a tool bar with three buttons:

1. New Space–This button creates a new space.
2. Delete Space–This button deletes an existing space.
3. Edit Space–This button edits an existing space.

## Space editing window

The space editor (shown above) contains information about a selected space. This information includes the title of the space, its X and Y coordinates, its color and a short description. There is also a pair of lists, one of exits from this space to another space and a list of other items in the space (such as treasure, monsters, tricks, traps, and any other odds and ends). There is also a map of the space, showing the location of every listed exit or item in the space.

Below the item and exit lists are triplets of buttons: adding, deleting, and editing an item or exit. The main difference between an item and an exit is that exits have a "pointer" to a space and level. Otherwise, both have a name, a short description, a location within the space, a graphic, and a sheet file. The location is an X,Y value, where the X and Y values range between -320 and 320, where 0,0 is the center of the space. This location is just a relative location within the space and does not represent any particular distance, other than that -320 represents the top (Y) or left (X) sides and 320 represents the bottom (Y) or right (X) side. The sheet file is optional (this would make sense if the item or exit was a trick, trap, treasure, monster, etc.).

When a space is first created, there is available a tool bar button that can be used to position the space with the mouse. Once the space has been saved, its location is fixed and it cannot be moved. The "color" is arbitrary and is used to color the space on the level map and it is also used as the space's background color on the space map in the space editor. This of course makes it easier to keep track of where spaces are on the level map. A game master can use the colors to "code" different spaces as having some particular property or feature, such as coloring wooded areas green and mountainous areas brown and towns with yellow and castles in blue for example.

# Printing

All main windows have a `Print`... menu item on the `File` menu. Except for the main window, this menu item allows you to print the sheet, template, map, level, or space to a PDF file. At present there is no support to print directly to your printer, but there are many programs to print a PDF file to a printer. A PDF file can also be shared with someone who does not have the Role Playing Database system or a PDF file can be uploaded to a website or posted to a blog. The `Print`... menu item will ask for the name of the file to be created. In the case of the Map and Level editors, you also have the option of printing the levels (in the case of a Map editor window) or the spaces (in the case of a Level editor window) or not.