New here...Some project questions for building a DnD 5e system with the API...

Hey guys, I just purchased the API and Server functionality and I had some questions...First a primer on what I am trying to do. I would like to go electronic with all of my gaming groups roleplaying info. E-files, electronic tracking of all custom monsters, weapons, NPCs, spells, etc. I had been initially building this as a relational database with a basic form-based front end (Access or something similar). I have done all the data modeling on the entities associated with 5e already. Here are my questions: 1.) Is there already a means to import electronic files such as character sheets into roll 20? Is it a straight pdf import or do I need to convert to some specified xml schema and process with javascript, sql, etc? 2.) Do I need my own database to house this information? Can I transmit data between roll 20 and a outside app like an access db exporting xmls? 3.) Do you provide the schema associated with your file import functions? I accidentally posted this is the wrong forum. If possible, can you close my thread in the character sheet forum?

There's currently no way to import or export characters outside of or into roll20 except by copy/pasting text in some format and parsing through it with an api script. There's also no external access via the api to any other app.

Thanks. Is there a concept of a character sheet in roll 20 and can the api interact with it at all? 

There are 2 currently maintained sheets, the shaped sheet has a statblock parser

Devin D. said: Thanks. Is there a concept of a character sheet in roll 20 and can the api interact with it at all?  Yes to both.

The Shaped sheet's companion script has the capability to import monsters and spells from a custom JSON database into the character sheet. If you can convert whatever your data is to the format used by the companion script, you can perhaps make use of this.

@Jakob is spot-on. You'd need to write your own API parsers to bring in PCs, items, and so on. Which then begs the question: Is that worth the effort? You can have all your custom monsters, character sheets, weapons, items etc in roll20, with the ability to move these things between campaigns. Yes you don't control the storage and if roll20 suffers a catastrophic event and ceases to exist, it might all be gone. At the same time, you don't have to spend your time writing API scripts to import data from your custom DB.

Ok thanks gents. It sounds like i need to familarize with roll 20 out of the box features before spending any time extending it