External database compatible with Compendium to character sheet drag and drop

Please excuse an ignorant question/suggestion. Would it be to possible to build a personal external database that would be compatible with the existing D&D 5th Edition sheet that could take advantage of the drag and drop features of the compendium/5th ed sheet? One that is not necessarily maintained or stored on the roll20 database? My thought process: The DND character sheet has the ability to accept simple drag and drop pictures, text, etc from outside sources like windows file folders. It also has the ability to recognize small enveloped "sets" of data being drug and dropped from the game compendium to areas of the PC sheet (including items, spells, feats, proficiencies, etc) or NPC sheet (entire monster stat blocks). What is the form that these enveloped data sets take when passing from the compendium to the sheet? Is there a way to see/manipulate this form and pull it in from an outside source like a windows folder? I am envisioning some kind of CSV file or a text file system. In this way, diligent DM's who create their own home-brew database of characters, spells, classes and backgrounds could maintain there own "compendiums". They would take the obvious risk that any external file pulled into an existing character sheet could ruin the sheet, but I think we take this risk anyway when we upload anything to the server. Thoughts? Arguments?

The simple answer: no, it's not possible to do this natively. Roll20 has the interface locked down, and its not possible to interact with sources outside of roll20 from within roll20. It is probably possible to build a browser extension to do this, but you wont be using roll20 tools to do it. The forums wouldnt be able to help you figure out how to do it, as its a completely different skillset, and also off-topic for the forum as it's discussing third-party tools, not roll20 directly. I also wouldn't be surprised to see roll20 staff shutdown such discussion quickly due to security concerns and how such an approach challenges the roll20 business model.

GiGs, Thanks for a quick response! As a sheet author, I feel pretty confident in your knowledge about it. Truthfully, I kind of figured the case would be that it’s not available. I was hoping for more of a: it’s not available “ ye t” scenario. One way or another, it wouldn't be me that figured it out, my specialty is not writing code. I am not interested in using third party software to do something that Roll20 would not endorse on their own site. I agree that to have a discussion of that nature here would be both ill-advised and in bad form. That being said, I have a different view on what Roll20's business model is and how this idea would potentially dovetail with it, offer increased convenience to the user and expand their market share. As such, I believe the discussion could remain on topic for the forums and, respectfully, I hope that you will agree and remain to continue it a little longer. My apologies if this is too much for the casual reader, but my persuasive speech professor would be proud. My perception of Roll20's model is: to profit by offering a convenient and powerful online engine to support users of VTT games and to promote the use of VTT . I see them doing this by staying informed of what their public wants through the use of forums, enticing the user to purchase worthwhile functionality for an increased fee through Plus and Pro memberships, selling convenience in the form of Roll20-ready compendiums and adventures from well know publishers that users desire, and by maintaining a functioning site as evidenced by addressing user feedback and pushing out increasingly effective upgrades. The items in the marketplace are not strictly there for our information, it is a set of data for the user’s convenience within the Roll20 engine. Roll20 pays for the ability to have the content, and we purchase the content from them. They earn a profit on the repackaging for their own framework. The user has other avenues that are potentially more economic and functional to purchase the RP content should they want it. Roll20 already offers the ability to include outside information at the cost of labor intensive data entry. The idea of supporting an external database for an increased fee to the Plus or Pro user doesn't hurt Roll20’s business model from these perspectives, it helps it to grow. There are similarities between this suggestion and the way Roll20 incorporates user constructed API script privileges at the elite level. I hazard a guess that they earn more from annual memberships then they do from the sale of compendiums and adventures. This idea does not negate the sale of marketplace items. If this is all true, then the business model is based on the idea that users will always pay for convenience. There will be existing users who are not interested in maintaining an external library they will purchase convenience in the marketplace. There will be users who upgrade from Base to Plus to Pro to use the added convenience of what I am proposing. It seems to me, based on the previous response, a significant drawback to this is the security issue. I am not versed enough to make that argument, but I imagine one of the wonderfully smart people who already operate the site or speak on the forums could help me out there?

There are several roadblocks to this. One is the protection of copyrighted material. In order to secure licensing agreements, licensers must demonstrate a commitment to the protection of the IP. Allowing an uncontrolled interface that could be an avenue for wholesale piracy would be detrimental to securing licensing, and likely would preclude the practice altogether. Another concern is support. The Compendium is not simple. At all. It also changes structure from time to time. Roll20, if it were to provide this service, would need to provide documentation and continuing support, a large sink of manpower for very little direct compensation. It's possible that it would increase subscription, but unlikely that such gains would be significantly different from maintaining a marketplace, where they control the content and its presentation, and can guarantee a certain degree of quality.