How to export PCs ready for a game

[Trenloe]

Additional info, with screenshots, is available on the FG Con website: https://www.fg-con.com/information/p...ntasy-grounds/

GMs will usually ask to receive an FG export of your character in advance of the game - this allows them to load it into the campaign and check that it works OK. The usual format for this is a Fantasy Grounds XML export, but some GMs may ask for additional info (like a HeroLab .por if you built your PC in HeroLab).

The preferred format for PCs is as follows (in order):

1. Import/Build your character in Fantasy Grounds and export the character XML.
2. Build your Character in HeroLabs or PCGen and export the character from the relevant application in the correct Fantasy Grounds format.
3. Provide the GM with a copy of your character in a readable format. Note - this is a last resort, please make the effort to use one of the above methods as the GM will have to spend time manually entering your character for you! Some GMs may not accept a character in this way - so check with your GM with plenty of notice!!!

Fantasy Grounds Export
With any FG licence you have access to the "Manage Characters" section of Fantasy Grounds. This allows you to modify or create new characters.

Create your character (or work on an imported character from option 2) and make sure it is as complete as possible. Spellcasters please make sure all of your spells are entered (dragged from a spell module) in a spell class in the actions tab. All characters should have their attacks created on the "Actions tab" for each weapon they will use in combat.

When you are happy with your character, click on the "Characters" icon (to the top right of the FG desktop) and select the "Export Character" button on the character you want to export. Type in the name of the file in the "Save As" window and save the file.

Post the XML file (plus any other files the GM has requested) in the thread related to the game you are playing.

Note: There are some excellent videos put together by Keith Hersey that show various aspects of building a PC in Fantasy Grounds. Watch them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...DA3B7B2AD64D39

Import from HeroLabs or PCGen
Fantasy Grounds comes with a character converter that can take exports from HeroLabs and PCGen and convert them to Fantasy Grounds.

The CharacterConverter is available as an executable file in the <Fantasy Grounds App Data Folder>\utilities folder. Get to the app data folder from the Windows Start Menu -> All Programs -> Fantasy Grounds II -> Application Data Folder link.

More details on the character converter here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...ad.php?t=15025

1. Create your character in either HeroLabs or PCGen. Then you need to export the Fantasy Grounds specific output from the app and save it.
2. Run the Character Converter (from <FG app data directory>\utilities\CharacterConverter.exe), select "PFRPG" in the input section and the type of file you will be importing, then select your file from step 1.
3. In the "Output" section select "local import" if you plan to use manage characters to finalise your PC or "Campaign Import" if you will load into a campaign and update there (campaign import is only for people with a full or ultimate licence). Or, you can specify "XML" as the Output and this will create Fantasy Grounds XML ready for import into a campaign.
4. Click the "convert" button.
5. When complete, open up Fantasy Grounds and either go to "Manage Characters" or "load campaign" depending on what import you used in step 3. Follow the instructions provided in the "Fantasy Grounds Export" section above.

There are further instructions, with screenshots, here: https://www.fg-con.com/information/p...ntasy-grounds/

[CrimsonCrust]

How can we upload the FG XML into PCGEN? Getting into FG seems easy, but uploading the char. after changes have been made in FG seems to be difficult.

[Trenloe]

How can we upload the FG XML into PCGEN? Getting into FG seems easy, but uploading the char. after changes have been made in FG seems to be difficult.

You can't upload FG XML back into either PCGen or HeroLab - there is no converter available to do this, and there are no plans for the creation of one from the FG developers.

[CrimsonCrust]

Ah OK. Thanks.

[Moon Wizard]

It's a very challenging task actually.

There was actually a group of developers that made character generation software, virtual tabletop software and other character tools that got together to discuss how to define a way to transfer character data back and forth between the various tools.

In the end, no progress was made due to the issues. The issues included:
* Each program tracks a lot of data specific to the way characters are used within that tool. The other tools often do not have data structures to track all the character information, so data would be lost on each transition. (i.e. which level a feat was taken, which skills belong to which class and level, which spells were used last session)
* There is no way to determine between tools how to unambiguously define whether an object (item, feat, ability, etc.) in one tool was equal to an object in another tool. You are basically making assumptions based on names.
* What happens when the character has a feat or ability in a tabletop, for which the user does not have the correct data pack in the character generation tool?
* Each developer would have to spend valuable development time building these translation tools, which did not improve the main functionality of their product.
* ... and so on

Regards,
JPG

[tahl_liadon]

related question:

as gm, i want to import characters from one campaign to another, as in, for example, we've finished book 1 of an adventure path and are moving to 2nd book. i've created a new campaign for book 2.

can i import pcs, and where is pc xml in previous campaign kept? or do i need to have everyone export current stats then send me xml?

thanks.

[Trenloe]

as gm, i want to import characters from one campaign to another, as in, for example, we've finished book 1 of an adventure path and are moving to 2nd book. i've created a new campaign for book 2.

can i import pcs, and where is pc xml in previous campaign kept? or do i need to have everyone export current stats then send me xml?

If you're the GM in both campaigns, export the PCs from campaign 1 using the "Export Character" button in the "Character Selection" window. Then import them into Campaign 2 using the "Import Characters(s)" button in the same window.

Or use /exportchar in the chat window to export all characters to a single file and then type /importchar in campaign 2 or press the "Import Characters(s)" as mentioned above and select the exported XML file.

If you're not the GM in campaign 1, get that GM to export the characters and give you the XML for import into campaign 2 or ask each player to export from the campaign cache using "Manage Characters".

[lachancery]

Ha! After two years of using Fantasy Grounds, I just discovered an interesting option for Pathfinder Society players...

Premise: I use the Manage Characters option, select 3.5E and update my PFS characters. When I play in a game, I export that character to XML and send it to the GM.

Problem: Whatever change happened during the scenario, I was going back to Manage Characters and updating my character manually to have a current sheet for my next game.

Discovery 1: After playing a scenario, a copy of my character in saved in the FG cache. I can access it by going to Manage Character and selecting the scenario "campaign" I just played. Once loaded, I have access to my current character as it were when I logged out from the server, and I can export it to XML. I could update it right there and export the XML for my next scenario.

Discovery 2: The Manage Characters option does not have an Import Character function, but the CharacterConverter utility in the utilities directory of FG's application data can convert a Pathfinder FG XML back into the Character registry. So, with a few clicks, I have my current character back into the Manage Character option. I can even have multiple copies to keep track of changes between scenarios.

[Trenloe]

How can we upload the FG XML into PCGEN?

See post #3 above. This hasn't changed.

[Blackfoot]

How can we upload the FG XML into PCGEN? Getting into FG seems easy, but uploading the char. after changes have been made in FG seems to be difficult.

To be quite honest, there's no real purpose to this. The best uses for PCGen and HeroLab are to create characters and track/plan progression 'correctly'. You should be doing your adjustments to the PCGen character and then adding them to your FG Character, and once the Character is initially exported.. that should be 'it' for the exporting... there are too many little tweaks required in FG once the character is imported for this to be efficient over and over again. Both of these programs (and the converter) are great for building your initial character... and the programs are great for tracking progress and planning your character.. but once your character is in FG.. you are best off to keep them separate. Yes, this means 'dual tracking' but the conversion just isn't perfect enough to do it any other way efficiently.