Character Planner - Series 4.xx

[EllisDee37]

We can totally do something with import/export of each others save file. That sounds like an awesome idea. We are going to use another database for character saves, but we already have a "Export to text file" menu item set up (no code attached yet, heh), so that was already in the plan, adding an import should be no harder. We'll talk later on, when we get to a point where saving characters happens (or at least the export part anyway).

Yep, count me in on that.

I was originally thinking of just adding support to import/export forum output, but now that you mention it being able to also import/export actual (text) files is also a good idea. That way you wouldn't have to use the forums as a middle-man if you wanted to directly transfer your own local builds from one planner to another. Supporting both ways (forum output & local transfer files) would be pretty cool.

That means give me a shout-out both when you're setting up export/import build files, and also when you're setting up export/import forum output.

EDIT: Note that I'm happy to share the binary structure of my save files to allow you to read them directly, but it might be better to use text files as a go-between so you don't have to make changes if I modify my internal structure. (Which I have already done once so far.)

[EllisDee37]

Also, in terms of the actual forum output, I feel no particular ownership over the way my output is formatted. Any of the elements you like you're free to use as you see fit.

[Ron]

The only problem with the forum export is ours is planned to be extremely fluid. The plan is to allow the user to set up an output template based on a series of commands, so we aren't really going to have a single forum output like the old version does. I'm not sure how easy it would be to parse, given that it can be in any number of different formats. We may have to stick with the text export of the save file.

[EllisDee37]

Fair enough.

Sounds cool!

EDIT: Does that mean you won't be able to import your own forum output? People might miss that feature. (Assuming version 4 has it; I never used it but added the feature to my builder when people requested it, citing version 4's ability to do it.)

[UurlockYgmeov]

love it when a plan comes together!

Glad to see y'all working together!

[Ron]

EDIT: Does that mean you won't be able to import your own forum output? People might miss that feature. (Assuming version 4 has it; I never used it but added the feature to my builder when people requested it, citing version 4's ability to do it.)

Yeah, we won't be able to do that for the same reason.

Getting back to something you said, I am going to provide a few "default" templates for forum output, one of which I'd like to have mimic your output, as long as you are okay with it. I love how clean yours is, and I think I can set up a command set that would essentially reproduce how you did yours. But I guess that's getting a bit ahead of myself, given that I don't yet even have a functional V5 planner, lol.

[EllisDee37]

Getting back to something you said, I am going to provide a few "default" templates for forum output, one of which I'd like to have mimic your output, as long as you are okay with it. I love how clean yours is, and I think I can set up a command set that would essentially reproduce how you did yours. But I guess that's getting a bit ahead of myself, given that I don't yet even have a functional V5 planner, lol.

Of course. Mimic away.

I was thinking about the template issue in regards to importing. Before I wrote my import routine, people were brainstorming ideas on how to set it up. See post 193 through 198. (I ended up just doing a straight copy & paste technique with no special codes required, as demonstrated here.)

How about instead of encoding the build in base64 at the end of the build, maybe encode just the output template itself? That should be pretty small, and would then give you all the rules needed to do an import.

[Tom.JonesJr]

This is Jonesth here. I am glad I was able to help with the Ver 4 updates. I will do my best to keep version running till we get Ver 5 back on track. I am only a novice programmer so doing much work in 5 might be out of my league right now. Plus I have never done any programming in C#. I any one finds any issues please let us know and we will do our best to get them taken care of.

[Stoner81]

Ron since you said that you like how Ellis's planner does the output perhaps you could work together and create another forum output that would be used by default for both planners? If people then want to do their own then they still have that option but I think it might help with the export/import of save files if they are from the same source (unless it's a totally different thing in which kindly ingore me as I'm a complete and total n00b when it comes to coding).

I love the work both of you have done, you guys are two of the many reasons why the DDO community is great

Stoner81.

[Jaenar]

First off, thank you kindly for the updates to the planer, it makes planing out different builds so much easier now that it has all the trees. However, I did notice that when I selected Warlock as a past life on the reincarnation screen, that it did not show up as checked when I tried to take Completionist at level 3. It was marked as red for warlock and wouldn't let me take the feat.

[Ron]

New version of the planner has been posted (version 04.25.03). This is a bug fix release that takes care of a few issues with the new class, Warlocks. Enjoy!

[Himkano]

Sorry if this has been covered, but there are a lot of posts to skim through. I recently came back to the game, and downloaded the newest version of the character planner (and then yesterday, downloaded the even new version), but I cannot select item builder or epic destiny buttons. I can see that there are files there, and that they load, but the buttons are grayed out, and I cannot select them... (also the equipment button and the show errors button)

[Waylayer]

New version of the planner has been posted (version 04.25.03). This is a bug fix release that takes care of a few issues with the new class, Warlocks. Enjoy!

I don't know if this is new to 4.25.03, or if it is older. However, I just used the 4.25.03 to spec a PM; and noticed that the AM enhancement tree is out-of-date. Since I can't log into the game, I can't be certain of all of the details; but

Live has "Traditional Caster", 4.25.03 does not
Live has "Wand and Scroll Mastery" - Tier 1, 3 ranks, 4.25.03 has "Wand Heightening" - Tier 1, 3 ranks AND "Wand and Scroll Mastery" - Tier 2, 3 Ranks

Edit: I see that version 04.25.04 is now available; the aforementioned problem persists.

[Shindoku]

I cannot select item builder or epic destiny buttons. I can see that there are files there, and that they load, but the buttons are grayed out, and I cannot select them... (also the equipment button and the show errors button)

First of all, welcome back! Second, this is correct. The item builder and epic destiny buttons have been disabled for some time now. The equipment and item builder are out of date now and need to be redone, I believe it was removed along with epic destinies because of crashing issues(?). Simply enabling it on my end will make it crash, that I know.

also the equipment button and the show errors button

The show errors button becomes clickable only when there is an error. If an illegal feat selection is made (Taking a level 1 warlock pact, and then switching to a different class, while still having the warlock pact feat) the button will become clickable and tell the user the error that has occurred.

Live has "Traditional Caster", 4.25.03 does not
Live has "Wand and Scroll Mastery" - Tier 1, 3 ranks, 4.25.03 has "Wand Heightening" - Tier 1, 3 ranks AND "Wand and Scroll Mastery" - Tier 2, 3 Ranks

I will go ahead and fix this. It will not be in the newest released character planner, but 4.25.05.

[Himkano]

First of all, welcome back! Second, this is correct. The item builder and epic destiny buttons have been disabled for some time now. The equipment and item builder are out of date now and need to be redone, I believe it was removed along with epic destinies because of crashing issues(?). Simply enabling it on my end will make it crash, that I know.

The show errors button becomes clickable only when there is an error. If an illegal feat selection is made (Taking a level 1 warlock pact, and then switching to a different class, while still having the warlock pact feat) the button will become clickable and tell the user the error that has occurred.

Thanks

[Ron]

A new version of the planner is available, 04.28.01, which incorporates the changes from Update 28.

Again, with thanks to Shindoku and Joneseth, who are putting in the work to keep V4 up to date.

[Stoner81]

Great to see this planner is still going strong thanks for the update Ron and the team

Stoner81.

[Rhunellin]

Thank you all of us (Ron and his team, Ellis) for your amazing work.

[01bethdefranco]

Hi Everyone

I have downloaded the latest version... 4.28.01 ... I find that I am having a couple of issues. I can not seem to duplicate the stats and scores I have in the game to the character planner. Also I can not find enhancements for my sorcerer class. My character is level 10 (32 point build), 5 Bard, 3 Sorcerer, 2 Barbarian. Another issue I noticed is that ingame, I have 37 enhancement points while the planner has given me 40. I look forward to your reply. Thank you for your time.

[Shindoku]

Hello!

I can not seem to duplicate the stats and scores I have in the game to the character planner.

Are your scores you are seeing in game with your gear on? Currently, we have the equipment window in the character planner disabled as it was causing problems a while ago. Try looking at the ability scores with all of your gear off, or you can mouse over the stat in order to see the breakdown.

I can not find enhancements for my sorcerer class.

Are your other trees in the active window space? You can press the arrows on the side of the enhancement window to shift panes left and right (shown in yellow). If the tree is not in an active slot (of which you can only have 1 Race tree and 6 Class trees active) see if you can select it in the dropdown menu at the bottom of the enhancement window (shown in green). Example here

I have 37 enhancement points while the planner has given me 40.

The character planner is basic with granting enhancement points and gives the maximum amount (4) each level, rather than allowing you to choose which rank you are and giving you the exact amount of enhancement points for the rank. Many times, user's will choose the enhancements they want to have for the end of their level and work towards it, or just make their enhancement point spread at level 20 so they can carefully choose where they are spending it among their trees.

I hope this solves your problems, if not, feel free to PM me or just respond here and we will try to figure it out! :P