Looking for a spell database...

[MidKnight]

Just wondering if anyone has made or come across a program which would allow you to:

1) Keep a master list of all spells in a given campaign.
a) Show spells in a abbreviated form (list form)
b) Show full details of any particular spell (including full description)
c) Sortable. List must be sortable by school, domain, class, level... etc.
2) Keep track of each spellcaster's spellbook or known spell list.
a) Print out caster's spellbook (in long or short form)
3) Expandable. Must be able to EASILY add more spells to the campaign lists.

I'm not looking for a list that already has tons of spells in it. I just need one that has the database framework in place and maybe the PHB spells. I can add all other spells from other sources.

Thanks,
MidKnight

 

[Eternalknight]

You could have a look at DM Buddy which you can find here With a bit of work, it could do nearly everything you want (with a bit of copying and pasting). About the only thing it can't do is show a full description of all spells.

 

[MidKnight]

Unfortunately, the full description is something I'm really looking for.

The ultimate goal is to be able to have the normal abbreviated spell list with your spellcaster and also have a complete spellbook that would be kept on the side for reference. It gets VERY tiring having to lug around five or six extra books just in case you need the spell descriptions...

Guess I'm just going to have to cook something up.

Thanks anyways though
MidKnight

 

[Greg Dickens]

You might look in the Enworld download section for Steve's 3e spell sheet. It is in excel so you do need it to open the file once unziped.

 

[javapadawan]

MageLab

I'm working on a program which does some of the things you're looking for, called MageLab. Unfortunately, it's not yet complete... I'd put it at about the halfway point. When finished, functionality will include:

Item Creation, which will calculate costs for creating scrolls, potions, wands, wondrous items, rods, staves, rings, arms and armor.
(Currently only scrolls, potions and wands are implemented.)

Spell Research, which allows a detailed search of spells in the database, addition of new spells, and editing of existing spells. Export and import of spell information is probable as well, but most likely not in the first release.
(Currently everything but import and export is implemented. The sources available in the database at this point are: Player's Handbook, Defenders of the Faith, Song and Silence, Tome and Blood, Masters of the Wild, Dragon Annual #5, and Dragon #275. I'm continually adding new sources as time permits. Both long and short descriptions for all spells are included.)

Spellbook Management, which will allow saving of spell lists for export in various formats (text and html to start, perhaps more in future releases) and with customizable amounts of information. In other words, you'll be able to choose which fields you want displayed on your exported spell list.
(This is the piece I'm working on now.)

Screenshot of the search options:

Screenshot of detailed spell view:

Sorting functions are something I haven't looked into, although combining the search capabilities with spellbook management would be a workaround that would allow this. I'm also revamping the GUI and I plan on adding support for configurable "allowed sources", so that if you only want to see spells from the PHB and Dragon mag for example, you can set that.

At any rate, like I said above, it's only about halfway done. However, once I finish revamping the GUI and coding the spellbook management part I'll probably put the unfinished version up on my site for download, in case anyone is interested in helping with testing. That should be in a month or two. I'm also willing to share my spell database (which is in MS Access 2000). If you're interested in that just e-mail me at javapadawan@yahoo.com since I don't check this board as often as I'd like.

~Chris

 

[MidKnight]

Javapadawan -

Looks Great!! Between your description and screen shots, you have hit on most of the stuff I was looking for. I would love to help out with the testing when you're ready.

I had just spoken with a family member here about setting up an Excel sheet that would allow me to do what I was looking for - she promptly told me that I would be better off using Access due to the complexity of what I wanted. (insert loud groan here) But I know NOTHING about Access at all and was fearing that I would be taking a crash course in order to make this happen. But if you have already started on pretty much the same project then I will patiently await it's completion!

Thanks a ton!
MidKnight

- Email me if you need any help with data entry or other such things... I'm sure I could figure out that part of it.
cnondorf@charter.net

 

[javapadawan]

Thanks for the compliment... I've finished redoing the GUI interface, so all that's left is the spellbook management, which I don't forsee any complications with. I should have version 0.6 ready by the end of June. Some of the item creation functionality will be missing, but all the rest will be there. I'll post here and email you when the download is ready. By the way, it's written in Java, so unfortunately you would need the latest JRE from Sun's website installed on your machine. Note that if you have PCGen installed and running then you don't have to worry about it, since the same JRE is required for PCGen too. I'll have complete installation instructions un my site when the time comes.

Chris

 

[MinscFan]

One thing I don't see in the spell database

One thing I don't see is a screenshot of a place to enter your own spells, or those from d20 supplements.

Will this be included?

Also, I would be willing to beta the software when you have it ready.

 

[javapadawan]

Good question... the answer is yes, absolutely. I just didn't want to clog up this thread with a ton of pics. As I get closer to finishing the first release of MageLab I'll be putting up a whole bunch of screenshots and detailed instructions on my website. I'll post a link here in a couple weeks when that's done. And thanks for the offer to test... once I put it up for download I'd appreciate any and all input.

 

[MidKnight]

Hey Chris!

Anyway you could share the coding format for the spells?

I'm just wondering because I'm planning to add several books to the list which you have posted and I would like to get a start on them. The FRCS, Magic of Faerun and Relics and Rituals are among the list. None of these books are very small and could take quite some time for me to enter and any early start I could get on them would help in the end.

Thanks,
MidKnight