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Handouts represented by Tokens

Description of (minor) problem: As a DM, sometimes when preparing maps for a game, you like to give a more detailed description of a particular location.  Usually I have those notes printed up in front of me, or in a word document on another screen.  When there are many things going on, however, sometimes finding that particular description can be a hassle and takes time away from gameplay ("One second guys, I had something really cool for this!").   For very quick descriptions, I have used the text tool in the GM layer, but sometimes the description is too long or too unwieldy for the space.  For sure, there are various workarounds - such as creating more space on your maps to devote a section of it for description -- but the solution I am proposing is really simple and intuitive and uses tools already mostly in place in roll20.  Solution:  The possible solution to this is to use the handout section that has already been implemented in roll20 and expand its capabilities to include being able to be represented by a token.   What I have in mind is a token that I would put on the map, that I would link to a handout already prepared in advance that simply has the description already written up.    I would double click on the token, and the handout would appear. If players wanted to go back and reread a certain portion of the description, and if they had the necessary permissions, they could also click on the token and view it at their leisure.    Thanks for considering
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Edited 1439371406
Why not just use the handout as a handout, or put the text in a macro that either whispers it to you or posts it to the players? Alternatively, if you really want a token, you could create it as a character, write the text in the bio section, and then shift+double-click the token to make the sheet pop-up.
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Edited 1439409463
Those are all good workarounds. The handout as a handout would be good, but if i have 5 descriptions of things in a room, even if i organize them in folders it will still take time to find it.  The macro idea is good, but again, i have to find the appropriate macro, and sometimes a wall of text is easier to see on a handout then the chat screen i have thought of using a character sheet to do that. That would work for me, but not for quickly showing it to other players. If i did give permissions for everyone to see it i would leave my players with the same issue of looking in the folder section for that particular entry.  I could work around that by giving players control over that specific token so they could also shift double click on it, but then they could move it around, edit it etc. there is a petition to have a read only character sheet only, and i have upboted several of these types of proposals.  so you are right in there are good workarounds.  But the handouts are best in that they are read only, pop up in a new window, have a place for a big jpg, etc.  they are just missing that token functionality. Its not even a token in the character sheet sense more of a clicklable icon. hope this all makes sense
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Edited 1439420725
Gold
Forum Champion
Marcin K. said: Those are all good workarounds. The handout as a handout would be good, but if i have 5 descriptions of things in a room, even if i organize them in folders it will still take time to find it.&nbsp; ... i have thought of using a character sheet to do that. That would work for me, but not for quickly showing it to other players. If i did give permissions for everyone to see it i would leave my players with the same issue of looking in the folder section for that particular entry. &nbsp;I could work around that by giving players control over that specific token so they could also shift double click on it, but then they could move it around, edit it etc. there is a petition to have a read only character sheet only, and i have upboted several of these types of proposals.&nbsp; Adding on a technique that can help with the workaround being discussed... Your Suggestion is still valid, so in the meantime if you explore the workarounds, try the [Link To Your Handout Name] method. &nbsp;It's called "Link Between Journals", here is the Wiki Documentation, <a href="https://wiki.roll20.net/Journal#Link_Between_Journ" rel="nofollow">https://wiki.roll20.net/Journal#Link_Between_Journ</a>... Note hand-in-hand with this: You Can currently make a Read-Only Character Journal Bio Tab. &nbsp;It's only the "Character Sheet Tab" that is currently not able to be shared read-only. &nbsp;The BIO Tab can be shared to Visible To: All Players, and it will be Read Only. Also it will have a "Show To Players" button for the GM, so you don't even need to give players the Token to shift-doubleclick... the GM can shift-doubleclick the token, and press Show To Players. From there the Players CAN click themselves on any of the Handout Links from the [Link Between Journals] method. Although this is not the intuitive method that you ask in your Suggestion (having a Token FOR a Handout), I hope this will be a way for you to achieve a similar result of getting your Players directly to the Handouts from the Map-Token area without scrolling through folders. Example: Token on Map... Shift-doubleclick, opens up a "Character" Bio Journal that says Welcome To The Marcin Tavern Rooms in the Tavern you can click to view their handouts: [Tavern Room 1] [Tavern Room 2] [Tavern Pantry] [Tavern Stairwell] [Tavern Fancy Room] What you write inside the [brackets] is the exact name of the Handout. &nbsp;It will create a hyperlink (blue, underlined, clickable) that opens to the Handout with that name. Again, emphasizing, you are writing the above on the BIO TAB of a "Character" which has a Token on-map, and the "Character" is: Marcin Tavern. &nbsp;This "character" is set to Visibility: All Players, Controlled By: (put nothing here, the GM automatically has control). Example 2, Welcome To The Jobs And Quests Board [Job A] [Job B] [Job C] [Quest X] [Quest Y] [Quest Z] With this method, yes, the GM still has to organize it. But you do not need to organize it in Folders and then make your Players hunt within folders. &nbsp;You can just organize it as text title [Links] within a single Character Bio, which the GM can "Show To Players" and from there they can click to access any of the linked Handouts you want to provide. Hope this helps in the meantime!
Hey gold,&nbsp; This is a good workaround. &nbsp;The token's bio information would have various links to handouts using the linking technique. &nbsp;As a GM I would then open up the link that I want, opening up the handout, which I can then share out to everyone at will. &nbsp;All I would do is keep adding links to a particular zone and keep adding tokens, maybe even providing numbered tokens via a roll table. &nbsp;As you say, its not as easy as directly going to the handout, but its a definitely a start.&nbsp;
I've been wondering about this issue as well. &nbsp;I have a quite limited understanding of the nuts and bolts of a system such as roll20, but is it technically possible to just create some sprite or something which is only a hyperlink to the handout? You could simply drag a handout to the map where it would make a pre-set (or changeable) sprite to be placed as needed. Boom. One click access. Gold, thanks for your ideas -- as I type I'm thinking if I create a few "master" handouts for them to use they can much more easily access them. Maybe I won't need a sprite hyperlink.&nbsp;
The workaround that gold suggested was good, but as you say, it takes quite a bit of work to get everything organized. It would be much simpler for a handout to simply be able to be a token, and I think its very possible with all the tools at roll20's disposal already. Practically speaking, I have really just prepared a master sheet for myself in my dungeons. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find it / refind it, but so far my players are patient and are willing to wait. I still rely on handwritten notes as well. The problem with Gold's idea is that sometimes I have descriptions of things in a room, that would require an investigation to get at, so I can't show the players the sheet with the links to all of the descriptions for that room until they find everything... and sometimes they don't. If you like my idea, go ahead and vote on it and maybe we can get the ball rolling a little bit.
I've been hoping for roll20 to implement something like this as it would also be useful for less common uses of maps, such as relationship maps (tokens that link to handouts for the detailed description of an organization or similar). It obviously would also help with more standard maps and possibly would also be useful for people looking to play boardgames on roll20. A possible implementation would be to allow for linking tokens to handouts similarly as how character sheets work right now and implementing an easier shortcut for than the existing SHIFT+Right Click (something like "hover on the token and press L" maybe?) that also works on tokens players have no control over. Well you got my vote but I dunno if that will make the post less buried.
+3 I duplicated this request, so will go get rid of mine now. &nbsp;Definitely. &nbsp;This. &nbsp;Please. :)
Had this idea, looked to see if there was a way to do it, and was disappointed. &nbsp;I already put numbers on my maps that correspond to the area description elsewhere, but I just want to be able to doubleclick those numbers and have them bring up a handout for that area's info. &nbsp;Workarounds are nice, but a handout linking token would be great.
Agreed. Being able to drag and drop handouts (with their image) onto a location map would be extremely helpful and quick.
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Tony R.
Pro
Sheet Author
I would really appreciate this feature. I use tokens on my world map to display towns and other named locations; I use handouts to store information about these towns and locations.. Being able to link a token to a handout could be very useful. The workarounds work, but not ideal.
1510449176
Brian C.
Pro
Marketplace Creator
Compendium Curator
This is essentially a duplicate of the following feature request which has more votes. <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/4664065/map-pins-linked-to-handouts" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/4664065/map-pins-linked-to-handouts</a>
hey if someone said it better and its the same thing i'm all for it
1510606043
DarkDeer
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
Compendium Curator
As this is a redundant suggestion as linked by Brian C. above, I am closing the thread to refund votes. Please put your +1's on the linked thread above :)