BeyondLinkViaChrome

Beyond Link Via Chrome Plugin

This unofficial TaleSpire plugin for transferring data from D&D Beyond to Talespire in near real time.

While the Beyond Link Plugin uses a General Data Parser for allowing data from different sources, it

does not parse D&D Beyond Data well because the JSON data has a list of features that are part of the

character but not the stat totals. This means the parser needs to perform calculations to obtain the

totals. The Beyond Link Via Chrome Plugin changes that. It uses a Chrome Extension to get at the final

results on the character sheet as opposed to calculating the totals. While written specifically for

D&D Beyond character sheets the logic of the Chrome Extension can be modified to support other sources.

This plugin, updates current HP, max HP, AC, used HD, total HD, inititive and speed.

The design uses a 3 component solution: the Chrome Extension, the Beyond Link Server and the actual

TaleSpire BeyondLinkViaChrome plugin. The Beyond Link Server is mostly transparent to the user. It is

started by the plugin and closes itself automatically if TaleSpire is stopped. However, this 3 component

implementation means that the TaleSpire plugin portion is never waiting for data. The data exchange is

done between the Chrome Extension and the Beyond Link Server. Since the Beyond Link Server runs outside

of TaleSpire (stand alone), if the communication fails or is slow it will not have any direct impact

(i.e. block) on TaleSpire GUI (beyond general device resources). The Beyond Link Server makes any data

changes available to the plugin via local files which means any failures to update statistics will just

make the plugin use the old value and pick up the new value on the next pass.

The Beyond Link Server also searched through installed and active plugins for any plugins which contain

LinkData handlers. These handlers are used to teach Beyond Link Server how to make specific files needed

by these other plugins so that these plugins can use the gathered information. Examples of plugins, that

provide a LinkData handler so that they can be used with the Beyond Link data, are Dice Selection plugin

and Rule Set 5E plugin. However, if other plugins want to use the Beyond Link data they can add their own

LinkData handler and Beyond Link Server will be able to serve them.

Install

• Use R2ModMan or similar installer to install this plugin.
• Open Chrome to the address chrome://extensions/
• Ensure Developer Mode is on
• Use the Load Unpackaged option to load the Chrome Extension from the BeyondLinkChromeExtension folder

of the installed plugin

Note: The Chrome Extension has, intentionally, not been packaged so that the user can see and potentially

edit what the extension does.

Customization

The R2ModMan configruation for the plugin has settings for the stat names (single string separated by

commas) and settings for which files are used to populate each of the stats. Each setting is a string

of two files names - the current value and the max value. The files are generated by the Beyond Link

Server based on the Chrome extracted data. Any data that is not determined to be a DSM roll is converted

into a file (using the same hierarchy name as in the JSON file extracted by Chrome) and be used by this

setting to assign it to one of the 8 stats. If a value, such as AC, does not have a current vs max, just

use the same file twice since each setting must specify a file for the current and max value. Only numeric

data can be stored in stats. Leave slots blank in order to not use them.

Usage

There are two mode of using this plugin: Basic and Advanced.

Basic Mode involves using this to update the current HP, max HP, AC, used HD and total HD, initiative and

Speed on minis.

Advanced Mode involves also using the plugin, in conjunction with the Dice Selection Plugin, to make rolls.

Basic Mode

• Start TaleSpire
• When the plugin starts a new window will appear. Do not close this window, just Alt-Tab (or otherwise)

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