oStorybook - Topic #144

Help - Topic #144

Topic #144 - Assistant adds extra text
- by MetalMick99 31/07/2018 08:50

When I use "Assistant" in Linux version 5.04.01 I find extraneous text is added to the Assistant pane:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9jf3omikqq6q8d8/Screenshot_20180731_161108.png?dl=0

I also query the value of the Assistant, given the Attributes pane in the Character editor, which I've gotten into the habit of populated thus:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8yxlpvegxxek74x/Screenshot_20180731_162958.png?dl=0
I tend to find this quite useful, and it echos what other applications do; however the Assistant also allows for other attributes like religious beliefs, etc. Can I suggest that each of these get a separate box for text entry?
I've been absent from this forum for some time whilst I completed my previous novel (in different software), but In that time, it looks as if oStorybook has made some great progress. It is now looking to be a very, very useful application.

Answer n° 1
- by favdb 31/07/2018 13:47

Hello Michael,

First of all thank you for your positive appreciation on the possibilities offered by oStorybook.

The Wizard is an additional tool that allows you to better define different elements, such as characters. Using the Wizard does not prevent you from using the Attributes as you use them. It is simply an additional collection of rather standardized questions and informations.

You can create your own wizard based on the basic file. So for French I made a more complete version of the file. If you are interested here is the link of this version https://git.tuxfamily.org/ostorybook/code.git/tree/src/storybook/assistant/Assistant_fr.properties The only constraint, if you want to translate the file, is to get the special character codes from French. I will try in the coming days to make such a complete English version.

Of course, when you use attributes systematically you will not necessarily need the Wizard.

oStorybook's goal in this area is to offer you things. You can then use these proposals or create your own information.

The Wizard tab currently shows the raw content of what is stored. In the near future, instead of this raw content I propose to give a more understandable content. So, for your example, it would look like this:

Code :

Person
  Physic
    Eyes=Green
    Hair=Red
    Mouth=Narrow
    Nose=small
    Ears=prominent
    Hands=Fine
    Body=round-shouldered, stocky
    Heavyweight=Slight paunch

(Note: I composed this answer in French then I used Deepl to get the translation)

Answer n° 2
- by MetalMick99 02/08/2018 06:53

Thanks for the quick reply - I'm sorry I took so long to get back here to see it.
Quotation : favdb

The Wizard is an additional tool that allows you to better define different elements,

I understand, and I think the more general items such as religious beliefs are where the wizard excels. The drop-down boxes of the "Attributes" are not suitable for such wordy information.
Thanks for the info on how to create a wizard - I'll look into it.
I understand too, your comment about oStorybook's goal...to offer things. I like it, because not everyone will want to work in the same way. Your proposal though it terrific and will help a great deal.
Some applications - Freewriter and Bibisco - deliver a lot of categories and these can be a bit overwhelming at times. I've found that although I tend to be exhaustive in my character creations, even these applications tend to leave me a little drained after a couple of characters.
I like very much the idea of being able to create my own categories, and with the wizard, I think this might well make a fine balance between usefulness and completeness.
Cheers,
Michael P

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