File Release Notes and Changelog
Notes:
DataMonster v1.0
copyright 2004 Darel Finkbeiner, GPL license, see the file COPYING
Currently an alpha version. Requires readline and libxml2 (which also needs ctypes).
Windows versions for those items can be obtained, if you need them. Check out
http://sourceforge.net/projects/uncpythontools and http://users.skynet.be/sbi/libxml-python
It uses an xml file of the d20 3.5 srd monsters. It is named monsters.xml
Usage: $ python dmlibs.py
type commands at the prompt to do stuff.
Purpose: Manage player characters and enounters for d20 3.5. It also
includes an XP calculator.
Notes on usage -
When using the "gen <#> <name>" command to generate monsters, whatever name or alias
you use is used to name the monsters generated starting at <name>0.
So, even though the dm will find "Allip", "allip", "aLLip" and "AlLiP" in the database correctly as "Allip"
it will name the monsters *exactly* as you typed the name... i.e. you could have "aLLip0". Also, it
will replace monsters in the list that have the same name while generating new monsters. So, if you
"gen 2 allip" and then "gen 2 allip" again, it will replace the first ones. But, if you "gen 2 allip" and
then "gen 2 aLLip" you will have 4 of them.
Generated monsters can be renamed with the "ren <oldname> <newname>" command. Pretty obvious usage.
If you screw up a command, a generally unhelpful amount of abuse will appear. Also, there may be a hint
as to what you did wrong. I'll put in real help later. (Or someone can do that for me!! Open Source!! Yay)
Cross-references: Descriptor cross-references for the monsters are created on demand. If you change
the monsters.xml file, you need to delete the cross-reference file (monsters-xref.dat) so the script can
automatically generate a new one.
There is now a list of commands if you use the "?" command or "help" command. Individual commands will
show whatever help I've put in if you try to use it incorrectly.
Changes:
More bugs fixed. I seem to be doing a lot of this.
Biggest problem is that the ren command (for renaming monsters) was completely missing. That's a big time bug, but it works now.
