Portals

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[Context: HL Kit … Basic Concepts and Terminology … Visual Building Blocks]

Overview

Portals are the finest level of control within a visual presentation. They provide access to individual fields within things and picks. Fields are hooked up to portals, thereby allowing the user to view and/or modify the contents of those fields. For example, a "label" portal could be associated with the "damage" field for a weapon, thereby allowing the contents of the field to be displayed to the user via that portal. If an "edit" portal were used instead, then the contents of the field could potentially be modified by the user.

Each of the different types of portals is summarized in the sections below. Complete details on each portal type will be found within the Kit Reference section of this documentation.

Label Portals

Labels are the simplest type of portal and allow the display of information to the user. There are different types of label portals, depending on what the label contains and how it is to be displayed to the user.

Literal Literal label portals display a fixed string of text.
Field-Based Field-based label portals show the contents of a specific field.
Script-Based Script-based label portals synthesize their contents via a script, with the results being displayed.
Titles Title label portals present their contents with special formatting for use as a title.

Image Portals

Image portals enable the display of images to the user. There are different types of image portals, depending on what the portal contains and how it is to be presented.

Literal Literal image portals always display the same, fixed image.
Field-Based Field-based image portals show the image dictated by the contents of a specific field.
User User image portals present the image that has been selected by a user.
Reference Reference image portals allow a user-added image to be dynamically adapted for use at run-time (such as using a tiny version of the first character portrait on the Tactical Console).

Edit Portals

Edit portals enable the user to edit the contents of a specific field. There are different types of edit portals, depending on what the portal contains and how it is to be presented.

Simple Simple edit portals provide direct editing of a numeric or text field.
Date Date edit portals offer structured editing that ensures the contents of the field always subscribe to specific rules (e.g. four digits for year, two digits for month, etc.).

Incrementer Portals

Incrementer portals provide the ability to edit the contents of a specific numeric field. An incrementer includes visual elements like a "+" and "-" button that allow the user to easily increase and decrease the value shown within the portal. Incrementers are typically used for attribute values, damage tracking, charges, and other similar mechanisms.

Checkbox Portals

Checkbox portals allow the user to toggle the state of a specific field between values of zero and one. The user sees the portal as an either/or toggle state.

Menu Portals

Menu portals enable the user to select one choice from a list of available choices. There are different types of menu portals, depending on what the portal contains.

Literal Literal menus present a choice from a set of options that are pre-defined and fixed. They are suited for situations like the gender of a character and the method used for selecting ability scores in the d20 System.
Array Array-based menus use a script or other technique to synthesize the list of valid choices the user can select from.
Things Thing-based menus dynamically identify a group of things from which the user can select. They are useful when choosing a weapon type or spell type to assign a skill bonus.
Picks Pick-based menus dynamically identify a group of picks from which the user can select. They are ideal when you need apply an adjustment to something that is restricted to what the character possesses, such as choosing a weapon that the character has.

Chooser Portals

Chooser portals allow the user to select a thing from a table of options that include full descriptions. Once the thing is selected, it is added to the character as a pick and becomes an integral part of the character. Chooser portals are perfect for selecting a race or an alignment, since exactly one selection must be made for the character, and the user will want to be able to review the details associated with each possible choice.

Action Portals

Action portals are presented as buttons that trigger a specific action when interacted with by the user. There are many types of action portals, depending on what action is desired.

Delete Triggers the deletion of a pick from the table that added it.
Info When clicked or the mouse is moved over the portal, full details on the pick are displayed.
Edit Triggers editing of the gizmo associated with a pick by bringing up a suitable form for the purpose.
Form Triggers the display of a specific tab panel as a form, such as is used to directly apply damage to actors from within the Tactical Console.
Trigger Invokes a script, such as when applying damage to an actor or resetting the accrued damage.
Notes Displays a form where arbitrary notes can be edited for a pick.
Load Switches to the actor associated with the specified pick, such as is used on the Dashboard and Tactical Console.
Lock Transitions the character into a locked state for the purposes of advancement.
Unlock Transitions the character into an unlocked state for the purposes of advancement.
Master Switches to the actor that is the "master" of the current actor.
Minion Switches to an actor that is the "minion" of the current actor.
Manage Gear Displays a menu through which the user can move gear between different containers.
Get Gear Displays a menu through which the user can move gear between actors.
Start Combat Begins a new combat within the Tactical Console.
End Combat End the current combat within the Tactical Console.
New Turn Starts a new combat turn within the Tactical Console.
Initiative Change Incorporates any direct initiative changes made by the user within the Tactical Console.
Integrate Integrates any pending actors into the current combat.
Sort Dashboard Triggers a re-sort of the actors shown on the Dashboard.

Region Portals

Separator Portals

Table Portals

Special Portals