# eTools Patch Is Out



## Michaelholland (Nov 16, 2002)

Anthony asked someone to post a message over here about this. The first official WOTC eTools patch is out. You can find it here.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021115x


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## EricNoah (Nov 16, 2002)

Folks, I am begging you -- please, please back up your old etools folder before you start doing this.  You will also want to use ET Helper to export your custom stuff -- my custom stuff was wiped out but fortunately will be easy to re-import using ET Helper.  Be careful with the new "notes" fields in the character editor -- After entering stuff in there (I think with an apostrophe, I should have known to try it without first), I now have a character file that won't open up.  If you have custom stat blocks, make copies of those and be ready to replace the new ones.  This transition is going to be a pretty bumpy ride.


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## EricNoah (Nov 16, 2002)

Further issues...

1)  Some kinds of xml data are not importing correctly via ET Helper -- an "invalid data format" error appears.  Example would be the Song & Silence import.  My guess is Davin can fix that.

2) The notes frame doesn't appear to output to any of the sheets or stat block formats.  This makes it pretty useless unless someone can come up with a style sheet.  

Cool thing:  ET Helper can now help you enter classes -- except it won't do the +1 spellcaster level thing.  But I think just about any other type of class or PrC could be entered pretty easily.


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## Michaelholland (Nov 16, 2002)

Don't worry about the Notes section too much though. Unless you are using a customized output sheet, the data you enter there won't show up anywhere anyway.



Time to try out ET Helper too.


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## Pale (Nov 16, 2002)

Just a heads up. The patch did not like my current database and I had to completely re-install ETools from the ground up and re-import all of my downloaded ETools files. I also exported my User Database (with ETHelper) before doing any of this (thanks for the heads-up on that one, Eric).

As an aside, after the patch, ETools would not recognize any of my pre-patch databases. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU EXPORT YOUR USER DATABASE USING ET HELPER BEFORE USING THE PATCH!


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## Alagard (Nov 16, 2002)

Im having some problems trying to create a prestige class with etools helper, most of the options are grayed and i cant modified them, in the type of class i put prestige and to give an example i cant put as a requierement   5 in Fort saves, also im trying to make this a cleric prestige class and i cant give a new domain as a class ability, any help?


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## Therigwin (Nov 16, 2002)

The problem is FEATS.

They did something to that table that messes up the ET Helper importer and the house rules sections.

Export all your custom stuff into separate files, one for weapons, one for feats, one for spells, etc.  Then try importing one at a time. I only bombed out on the feats (and since the house rules is now broken to enter feats, I got to go into access to re-add the feats.)

Also, the patch process makes a backup folder and places all the replaced files in it.

Oh, and the greatest thing.... Anyone can use the icon on the desktop now to run without the CD in the drive!!!

Also they added the following tags to the XML for character and monster sheets - 
For monsters - 
<notes>
<description></description>
<combat></combat>
<special-attacks></special-attacks>
<special-qualities></special-qualities>
<society></society>
<characters></characters>
<misc></misc>
</notes>
For characters - 
<notes>
  <appearance></appearance>
  <background></background>
  <journal></journal>
  <campaign></campaign>
  <reference></reference>
  <misc></misc>
</notes>

So I think it is a pretty good patch (now just get the feats working again!!!)


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## KenM (Nov 16, 2002)

It says that the patch they have is a beta, i'm going to wait until full version.


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## Mistwell (Nov 16, 2002)

So if your character has a +6 BAB or better, does it now show you additional number of attacks?


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## Therigwin (Nov 16, 2002)

Mistwell said:
			
		

> *So if your character has a +6 BAB or better, does it now show you additional number of attacks? *




This is still a bug (and is listed on the known bugs section).
So, we just have to rely on good sheets by C0L0SSUS


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## Darrin Drader (Nov 17, 2002)

Alagard said:
			
		

> *Im having some problems trying to create a prestige class with etools helper....( *




What is this E-tools helper, and where can I find it?


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## jdavis (Nov 17, 2002)

Baraendur said:
			
		

> *
> 
> What is this E-tools helper, and where can I find it? *




E-tools Helper is the wonderful little program that makes e-tools actually worth having.

The where is here: http://www.dallas.net/~davin/


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## Darrin Drader (Nov 17, 2002)

Cool. The character class editor along makes this worth having.

Thanks!


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## EricNoah (Nov 17, 2002)

Agreed, it's pretty cool.  I was able to enter the basics of the Psion class (except for, of course, the psionic powers -- but I will use Bob Fitch's spreadsheets to actually figure out powers, power points, and make a nice chart with the details).  And I was able to enter the Thayan Knight PrC.


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## Dyremoore (Nov 17, 2002)

*E-Tools & Patch*

When I purchased my Players Handbook, and I used the character generator (master tools demo), I was satisfied that E-tools would be something to get excited about. I am deeply concerned with the product that I have purchased, as it is (in my opinion) a very much a "slapped together" database, and not a program. I can only hope that someone involved will make some MAJOR changes and/or updates to this work to make it worth the investment.

I am updating my own, as I am able to do so in Microsoft Access, but many other people aren't. I appreciate the work that is being put into this product. I understand that it is a difficult system to put together... but what happened to the idea of quality? Many of us would wait for a product that works.

I don't think that I'll seriously consider further investments in WOTC software products, if this is what they are producing now. This is (in my opinion) amateur work in a desperate attempt to release something for a hungry consumer. I wonder if WOTC has considered a recall? 

Remember, this is just my opinion. I have used the product and speak from my experience with it.


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## Davin (Nov 18, 2002)

EricNoah said:
			
		

> *1)  Some kinds of xml data are not importing correctly via ET Helper -- an "invalid data format" error appears.  Example would be the Song & Silence import.  My guess is Davin can fix that.*



This should be working now - let me know if it isn't.


> *Cool thing:  ET Helper can now help you enter classes -- except it won't do the +1 spellcaster level thing.*



P.S.  I actually have code in there to handle that, but the patch didn't include a "place" to put it, so it's disabled until that time.


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## Davin (Nov 18, 2002)

Alagard said:
			
		

> *Im having some problems trying to create a prestige class with etools helper, most of the options are grayed and i cant modified them, in the type of class i put prestige and to give an example i cant put as a requierement   5 in Fort saves, also im trying to make this a cleric prestige class and i cant give a new domain as a class ability, any help? *



Unfortunately, eTools doesn't support that yet.  I designed the screens to be able to enter the data, but without an operational place in the database to put it, I can't do anything with the information.  Hence, unsupported areas are still greyed out and disabled.  Sorry.


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## EricNoah (Nov 18, 2002)

Thanks for the update, Davin -- great job, as usual!

I'm a little confused about what to do in the Class Editor with abilities that get more powerful over time.  I see that there's a field for Variable Factors.  Here's what I tried:

I created an ability called Psionic Combat Modes (#).  I understand that the # is the placeholder for the Variable Factor.

at first level, the value is 5

at 3rd, the value is 6

at 5th the value is 7

at 7th the value is 8

at 9th the value is 9

and at 11th the value is 10.

What I thought I would see, then, for say an 11th level character, is one entry that says "Psionic Combat Modes (10)".  Instead, I see "Psionic Combat Modes (5), Psionic Combat Modes (6), Psionic Combat Modes (7)" etc.  listed.  

Now, this is on my custom made stat block, so maybe I did something wrong with setting up my stat block info.  Any insight you have there would be welcome.


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## Davin (Nov 18, 2002)

EricNoah said:
			
		

> *I'm a little confused about what to do in the Class Editor with abilities that get more powerful over time.*



Well, you did everything perfectly except for the step that isn't in my editor yet.  Unfortunately, I don't yet have a comprehensive editor for handling special abilities that actually do things (right now it just allows you to add text entries for those).  To correct your situation you need use Access to go into the [lookup Feature Group] and add an entry for "Psionic Combat Modes".  Then go into [info Features].[Group] and put your new group's number there.  After that it should (hopefully) work correctly.

I'm sorry I haven't gotten to building a separate screen for handling this yet.

Out of curiosity, what do you think of the way I allow entry/editing of that list of class abilities?  I tried several methods and settled on this, but I wasn't completely happy that it was very obvious or friendly to use.  I haven't heard any comments on it specifically, either positive or negative, so I thought I'd ask around for opinions.


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## EricNoah (Nov 18, 2002)

Overall it is awesome.  I was able to build the DMG "Witch" variant, and as I mentioned I'll be able to do the non-powers related aspects of the Psion and Psychic Warrior.  It's a giant first step!  I can't wait to see an enhanced Feats editor and Magic Item editor.  

Speaking of building stuff, it looks like these items can be exported, but how safe/dangerous is it to import stuff that wasn't "intended" to be exported/imported?


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## Davin (Nov 18, 2002)

EricNoah said:
			
		

> *Speaking of building stuff, it looks like these items can be exported, but how safe/dangerous is it to import stuff that wasn't "intended" to be exported/imported? *



As long as the database tracks things with unique identifiers, everything works pretty well.  However, some of the new export tables don't have unique numbers in them and thus pose a potential conflict when putting them into someone else's database.  DB Sets will warn you when you try to export such data.  (The ideal fix for this would be to add unique ids for everything to eTools, but failing that the best solution would be for a community-wide number management scheme.)

A secondary issue is that normally custom data is identified in a "set" that the author can name, thus keeping custom changes separate from the core rules.  But for things without set identifiers, it's up to the users to keep track of what's core material and what's been changed or imported from other places.  This can make removal of unwanted material problematical, for instance.

I've tried to leave room for the discussion of issues like these in the help file under construction.  If anyone would like to participate in that effort by contributing bits of text (or proofreading), please stop by the MSN forum and volunteer to work on something.


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## EricNoah (Nov 18, 2002)

Davin, do you have a "direct line" to the people doing the patching?  You are the ideal person to be communicating with WotC about bugs, enhancements, planning for the future (things like those unique ID numbers), etc.


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## Davin (Nov 20, 2002)

EricNoah said:
			
		

> *Davin, do you have a "direct line" to the people doing the patching?  You are the ideal person to be communicating with WotC about bugs, enhancements, planning for the future (things like those unique ID numbers), etc. *



_(Is this microphone live again??)_

Unfortunately not.  My last direct line of communication was with Eric Leaf.  For now, I'm pretty much in the same boat as everyone else -- submit requests into the darkness and hope something happens to them.


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## miraclemax (Jul 2, 2010)

So is it possible to make prestige classes with e-tools? I have the patch, but I can't seem to make a character w/ a prestige class or raise a character w/ the requirements a prestige class.


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## Remus Lupin (Jul 2, 2010)

Man this is some serious thread necromancy. I haven't used ETools in years! And I don't even think CodeMonkey is still in action. However, I think with various patches and 3rd party utilities, it is possible to make prestige classes and adjust existing ones.


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## miraclemax (Jul 2, 2010)

I haven't been playing D&D for a while, and just resurected my old campaign (talk about necromancy) for a friend that returned. I booted up the copy of e-tools to (I thought) quickly remake her old character she had lost. Then lo and behold I couln't get to the prestige classes.


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## tenkar (Jul 9, 2010)

heh... and here I thought WotC was reissuing E-Tools in Red Box Format - Essential E-Tools 

almost an 8 year long raise on this...


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## Badger1269 (Jul 12, 2010)

Note to all that posted on this thread in the year 2010: UNLESS you have some major "coding/scripting experience" its been my experience that The producers of Etools (CMP) (probably at the request of WOTC lawyers) made Etools so that actually MAKING your own or entering in new "classes, and PrC's" is damned near impossible....I mean you CAN do alot within the house rule's brown screens...but TRY making your own class features...I dare ya ! lol  sometimes you can borrow "old" class features (ie Sneak attack from the rogue, if your new PrC offers it at some level) but in the long run making all new, not already in Etools effects, is nigh on impossible w/o making Etools unstable as crap!

Just my observations of using Etools since its inception.

Badger
Badger1269@msn.com


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## Remus Lupin (Jul 13, 2010)

Honestly, there was not a single product in the 3.x lineup that was as poorly conceived, executed, and supported as etools. A shame too. It could have been so good and useful.


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## Glyfair (Jul 15, 2010)

Remus Lupin said:


> Honestly, there was not a single product in the 3.x lineup that was as poorly conceived, executed, and supported as etools. A shame too. It could have been so good and useful.



Honestly, I think DDI and E-Tools had similar development.  There were some significant differences that have made DDI a success.

Both had the problem early on of not being sure what they were.  I remember someone from WotC stating "Master Tools" (the early name for eTools) was not going to be a tool intended for use at the table or online.  Then when the sneak peaks began we suddenly saw comments about how they were working hard on developing 3D pictures of characters and including sounds for monsters!  Apparently someone didn't get a memo.  

To me it seems they spent a lot of energy developing too many things, and then round of of money (or patience of WotC upper level types) and they forced it out the door, in a very incomplete state.  Too much time was wasted on non-essential things like monster sounds.

DDI went though a similar phase.  A lot of development went into things that ended up not appearing initially, like the Virtual Table Top.  At least this time we didn't have someone saying that DDI wasn't going to be for running D&D online.  Still, a lot of development dollars went into designing parts that still haven't seen the light of day years later on a complete state.

However, DDI did have solid support in some areas.  Also, when certain things clearly weren't going to be ready to go out the door, WotC refocused there efforts in time to get the products close to being ready out the door in a pretty polished state.


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## DMFTodd (Jul 15, 2010)

>> Honestly, I think DDI  and E-Tools had similar development. There were some significant differences that have made DDI a success.

The monthly subscription so that they had a never-ending supply of money to throw at the problem? A new license agreement that assured they'd have no actual competition to their often delayed, incomplete offerings?

>> A lot of development went into things that ended up not appearing initially, like the Virtual Table Top

Ahhhh, that's a nice bit of revisionist history. It's not that they were incapable of delivering what they promised, it's that, uh...., nobody actually wanted it!

>> Also, when certain things clearly weren't going to be ready to go out the door, WotC refocused there efforts in time to get the products close to being ready out the door in a pretty polished state

Uh, they kept working on the non-existent VTT for months after the release date. The Character Builder wasn't available at the start. Your faint praise is comical (products "close" to being ready in a "pretty" polished state).


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## Dire Bare (Jul 16, 2010)

DMFTodd said:


> >> Honestly, I think DDI  and E-Tools had similar development. There were some significant differences that have made DDI a success.
> 
> The monthly subscription so that they had a never-ending supply of money to throw at the problem? A new license agreement that assured they'd have no actual competition to their often delayed, incomplete offerings?
> 
> ...




Wow.  Somebody's cranky.

Jealous of WotC's success, despite lack of VTT?  What's wrong with making tons of money each month via subscription?  And, ah, he didn't "revise" history in the post, he just wasn't 100% accurate in his timeline of events from over two years ago.  Sheesh.  It's actually quite true that a lot of development went into the VTT that ended up never getting released.  What's revisionist about that?


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