Methods to Differentiate Between Instantiated Record and Original Record

[rocketvaultgames]

Is there a way just by looking at an open record to tell if it is an instance or an original?

For example, when an item gets added to a parcel or a PC's inventory, a new "copy" of that item is created. Any changes to it don't affect the original item in the items database.

If I have the original and the "copy" open at the same time, what is the best/fastest way to tell the difference?

[Zacchaeus]

An original item will (probably) have a book icon on the top left of the window, which, if you mouse over, will tell you what the source is. A copy won't have the book icon.

[rocketvaultgames]

Thanks for the reply.

This is great for "original" originals. I'm wondering about custom items (copies of originals or from wholecloth).

It looks like the book icon pulls from the book (as intended I imagine). Is there any way to make it pull from the Group instead? I'm guessing "no", but I'd be interested as I'm often manipulating a lot of custom material.

[Zacchaeus]

No. Only items that are in modules will show a source or a book icon when viewed in the list menus. If you are working with copies of copies or if you have created the original yourself (and not exported to a campaign) then you won't know which one you are looking at. However you will know where you opened the item from I imagine; so you should have an idea of whether you are working on an original item (which can only be opened from the list) or a copy which you would open from somewhere else.

[rocketvaultgames]

Makes sense. I've just had a couple times where I edited an item thinking I was editing the copy from the items database, when in fact it was the copy in a PC's inventory (user error). It sounds like if I export to a module, I will be able to see where the record is (tooltip for the book icon).

Thanks much for your replies.

[Laerun]

To help mitigate this, you can drag copies to another group to help differentiate.
Other than that, no actively open and viewed windows have any sort of link or source reporting mechanism.Sometimes,,just a simple title or label change can help with sorting this issue, when applicable.

[rocketvaultgames]

Yup. I don't think anything is wrong. That all sounds good.

Not a huge deal, but I think in a perfect world, there would be some subtle visual indicator of the source of an open record in all instances. Maybe just a tooltip or maybe some existing icon is a different color or something...

The Item "Bag" symbol could be yellow if it's from a PC inventory, red from a parcel, green from the Item Database or something along those lines.

Maybe the NPC "Skull" would be red if it's from the Combat Tracker and Green from the NPC Database.