Importing Creator files=error??

[The Monster]

OK, I'm stumped. I must be doing something wrong (I assume it's me 'cuz so far I've been having a great time with Designer - I'm still on the learning curve for prefabs and such. Great stuff!)

I tried to bring an old Creator file into Designer. I go and RTFM, and give it a shot. I move the file into Creator. The I open the file in Creator. I click "Save As" and sure enough hd.flt shows up as an option.

Question, though: which option do I pick for hd.flt to work? RTF? HTML? (both give me the same result so far, btw)

I save the file, and even go in through "My Computer" (I'm using XP) to make sure the new filename suffix is ".hdc".
Now I open Designer, and open the converted character. It shows up as an option - Powerfist.hdc

When I open it, however, all I get is an error.
"An error occurred retrieving the template used for the saved character. Using "Standard Super" template."
I click OK (confused, since I never edited stuff like that in Creator).
Now it tells me "An error occurred loading the template. Data loss may occur if you save. Please shut down Hero Designer and restart."
More confused and concerned, I click OK.
Designer opens under the filename "Powerfist.hdc" onto a blank Standard Super template.

I'm really hoping I don't have to build a dozen or more PCs (never mind NPCs) all over again for my upcoming convention games and ongoing campaigns.

I'm no programmer, not even a power user, but I've done a bit of fiddling over the years. Can someone please give me guidance here?

[rjcurrie]

Is there an option in Creation Workshop/Hero Creator/Metacreator for saving your filtered file as plain text (.txt)? If so, I suspect that it is the option you would use, because Hero Designer save files (.hdc) are plain text.

Rod

[Derek Hiemforth]

Originally posted by The Monster
Question, though: which option do I pick for hd.flt to work? RTF? HTML? (both give me the same result so far, btw)Filtered text, as Rod suggests. With the character you want to convert open, select File...Save As...Save As Type (Filtered Text). In the next window, choose hd.flt as the filter. Then once you've saved that, rename the file from <character>.txt to <character>.hdc. Open that file in Hero Designer. :)

[The Monster]

:( :( :( :( :mad: :mad: :( :( :(

Now it won't even offer to open the file I've renamed as .hdc

Perhaps I do need the whole process spelled out in monosyllables

[Derek Hiemforth]

Originally posted by The Monster
Now it won't even offer to open the file I've renamed as .hdcWhat "it?" Metacreator or Hero Designer?

[The Monster]

Designer

[Simon]

Then it's not ending in a .hdc extension....that's the only filter that HD has. Most likely, you're not changing the extension, but the name of the file, ending up with "TestCharacter.hdc.txt"

[The Monster]

I was just logging back in - I finally figured it out. I KNEW it wasn't a Designer flaw!

For some reason, my viewing options got set to hide certain file extensions - including .txt
So those converted files which showed "Powerfist.hdc" were really "Powerfist.hdc.txt" only it didn't show me that.
Resetting, I made the changes and it looks like it works!

Sometimes it takes me a while, but I usually eventually muddle through.
Thank you for all your help and patience - now I can start converting all those old characters! wOOt!