Deckcards NPM | npm.io

= Deckcards

Deckcards is a command line tool used to generate game's cards from a template and a Google Spreadsheet. It is currently operational for card prototyping.

== For non-developers

Deckcards needs somes basics knowledges in HTML/CSS and the use of command lines.

== Disclaimer

It's an early version that barely comes out of the furnace. If you want to improve this project you can contribute by submitting https://github.com/mrpierrot/deckcards/issues[an issue] or propose a https://github.com/mrpierrot/deckcards/pulls[pull request]

Currently, works fine with nodeJS 6.9.1 and should work fine with nodeJS 6.4.0 and above.

PS: My English can be poor. If you see an incorrect sentence, please report it to me, I won't take it the wrong way :-)

== Install

https://nodejs.org[NodeJS] is required to install Deckcards. You must install it.

Install with npm:

npm install deckcards -g

== Get started

=== Create a project

First, use this command to create a project with default content in the directory "project_name":

deckcards setup <project_name>

Next, go to the directory "project_name"

cd ./<project_name>

The project contains the following files :

=== deckcards.json

The default deckcards.json

source, json

{ "templates": { "default": "templates/default.hbs" }, "layouts": { "basic": "layouts/basic.hbs" }, "gsheet":{ "sheetId":"1QJm95kTdpR9XT6fC7sirsPRVFjOOri74-jH3mSd1gf8", "credentials":null }

}

==== Description

options="header,footer" |============================================ | Name | Description | templates | The HTML templates path. It's a dictionnary with sheet name as key | layouts | Layout system : usefull to manage differents printers | output | The directory where final HTML files are generated | gsheet.sheetId | The Google Spreadsheet's ID. It can be found here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QJm95kTdpR9XT6fC7sirsPRVFjOOri74-jH3mSd1gf8/edit?usp=sharing | gsheet.credentials | The credentials file path (i.e. "./credentials.json"). Set it to null if you use a public Google Spreadsheet. |============================================

=== Configure Google authentication

For private and public Google Spreadsheets, follow the instructions from https://github.com/theoephraim/node-google-spreadsheet#authentication[node-google-spreadsheet]

If you use private Google Spreadsheet, you get a JSON file with credentials. Copy this file into the project directory and rename it credentials.json

In deckcards.json, define the credentials.json path like this:

source, json

{ ... "gsheet":{ ... "credentials":"./credentials.json" }

}

=== Google Spreadsheet Format

You can find an example https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QJm95kTdpR9XT6fC7sirsPRVFjOOri74-jH3mSd1gf8/edit#gid=2092230795[here]

The first line contains the variable names (here: NAME and DESC) and the next lines store the values.

You can define several sheets, each of them generating its own HTML page.

==== Meta Variables

In the first line, you can define Meta variables used by the Deckcards engine

=== Build

Finally, to generate cards use this :

deckcards build

=== Watch

deckcards watch

You can watch templates and data files : when there are modified, the watcher build the cards

== Reference

=== Setup command

deckcards setup <project_name>

=== Build command

deckcards build

=== Fetch command

deckcards fetch

=== Watch command

deckcards watch

=== Template/Layout management

Deckcards can manage template with ou without layout

==== Work without layouts

This is a example of template without layouts : All the content are in an unique template

source, html

==== Work with layouts

If you want to print with a basic printer machine for prototyping, you want a différent format for printing house. Layout help to work with differents this print format.

This is a basic layout :

source, html

You can note the

source, html

{{>card card=.}}

This is a basic Handlebars partial name card The current card data is pass to this partial

And your template look like this now :

source, html

==== Layout in deckcards.json

Basic configuration :

source, json

{ "templates": { "default": "templates/default.hbs" }, "layouts": { "basic": "layouts/basic.hbs" }, "gsheet":{ "sheetId":"1QJm95kTdpR9XT6fC7sirsPRVFjOOri74-jH3mSd1gf8", "credentials":null }

}

Advanced configuration with layout overrides :

source, json

{ "templates": { "default": { "template : "templates/default.hbs", "layouts" : { "basic" : "layouts/basic-overridden.hbs" } } }, "layouts": { "basic": "layouts/basic.hbs" }, "gsheet":{ "sheetId":"1QJm95kTdpR9XT6fC7sirsPRVFjOOri74-jH3mSd1gf8", "credentials":null }