Is there a schema for interpreting xml files from the D&D4 Monster builder?

Question

I wanted to build an app to read .monster files exported from the D&D 4E builder, joining the data in some fashion, and rendering them for print. I've heard one complaint about the system is that you can only print one monster stat per page. Apart from this, it looks like a good project.

I was wondering where is the XML schema to interpret the files, though, if there's one, or if I have to interpret the content myself. Is this as bad as the situation in this question about hacking dnd4e files?

EDIT Frabjous day! power2ool now can adjust monster powers! And it's free!

Answer 1

Given the lack of support from WotC, your best bet for self-interpretation is to write the app in a language that makes working with XML trees as easy as possible so you can rapidly detect weird things and outrun the changes that are made. Python or Scala would probably be good choices--Python has better XML support, but Scala is better for building robust and flexible programs. If you're familiar with either of these already, I'd say just grab PythonXML (for Python) and go! If you're not, the learning process will probably make it not worthwhile unless you have other reasons to learn one of these.

Answer 2

WOTC has little reason to release the DTD/Schema files, and plenty of reasons to not do so.

1. Wizards is apparently under orders to minimalize the impact of the GSL and OGL.
2. A public schema would support 3rd party apps.
3. A public schema would support 3rd party supplements.

Those, in combination, would reduce demand for D&D Insider, which is their stated prime income from 4E.

Don't expect one soon; when you see it finalized and released, expect 5E soon.

Answer 3

I did something similar that addresses the printing part of your question rather than the question itself. Instead of editing the xml, I copy plain text from DnD Insider and highlight bits and pieces of it with a script. This method has the advantage that you don't have to use WotC software to get the monster files. Just use the site and copy whatever you need.

Here's a link to the script on github: https://github.com/sagotsky/.dotfiles/blob/master/scripts/4E2latex.pl

It's a perl script, but I don't think I used any weird libraries. It produces latex output, which I convert into pdf using pdflatex from Debian's texlive-latex-extra package. I have no idea how to do any of this on Windows or OS X, but I'm pretty sure it can be done.

Here's a page with the output: http://files.sagotsky.com/sysadmin.pdf It could be prettier, but it works for me and doesn't use a ton of color ink.