copyToken

copyToken() Function

Note: This function can only be used in a Trusted Macro

• Introduced in version 1.3b51

Creates one or more copies of a Token and returns the id of the created copy. This function is used to copy Tokens into the current map, the Tokens you are making copies of can reside on any map. Note: prior to MapTool v1.5.7, making changes to the copies required special techniques to ensure the changes were kept. See copyToken legacy page.

Usage

copyToken(tokenRef)
copyToken(tokenRef, numCopies)
copyToken(tokenRef, numCopies, fromMap)
copyToken(tokenRef, numCopies, fromMap, updates)
newId = copyToken(tokenRef, numCopies, fromMap, updates)

Parameters

tokenRef - Either the token id or Token Name of the token to copy.
numCopies - The number of copies to create, defaults to 1
fromMap - The name of the map to copy from, defaults to the current map.
updates - a JSON Object that contains updates to be made to the copied Tokens.

Token IDs are unique, but Token Names can be duplicated. Using Token Name when more than one token has the same name can produce unexpected results.

You can use an empty string ("") for fromMap for the current map as of b54.

The return type of this function is determined by the number of copies that you are making. If you are only creating a single copy of the token then a string containing the Tokens id, if you are making more than one copy then a JSON Array containing the Token ids of all the newly created Tokens is returned.

Updates parameter

updates is a JSON Object that can contain one or more of the following fields. Field names are case-sensitive.

name - The name of the new Token.
label - The label for the new Token.
gmName - The GM name for the new Token.
layer - The layer for the new Token. By default, changing the layer of a new token will also change its shape. Tokens changed to the Object or Background layer will become top-down tokens. For tokens moved to the Token or Hidden layer, MapTool will attempt to determine their shape based on their image.
forceShape - when the layer field is set, setting this to false(0) will disable the automatic change of shape.
x - The X Co-ordinate for the new Token. Default is 0.
y - The Y Co-ordinate for the new Token. Default is 0.
useDistance - 1 (true) or 0 (false). Determines if the "Distance Per Cell" measurement for the map is used for the x,y coordinates. Unused if neither x nor y is specified. Default is false. Use 1 (true) for tokens that are not snap-to-grid and must be placed by pixel position instead of grid cell position.
facing - Sets the facing for the Token. If the Token is on the background or object layer this sets the rotation.
size - Sets the size of the Token. The list of sizes is dependent on the type of grid.
delta - Use relativeto instead of delta starting in 1.9.0. 1 (true) or 0 (false). Indicates whether the x,y coordinates are relative to the position of the original token. Added in 1.3b77. To be considered deprecated in 1.9.0
relativeto - A string defining what the x and y parameters should be relative to. Can be "map" for absolute positioning, "source" for the token to be copied, or "current" for the Current Token. Defaults to "map". To be added in 1.9.0
tokenImage / tokenPortrait / tokenHandout - Changes the coresponding image. Value can be either an assetId or an image token name. Added in 1.3b77.

The values for all of these fields are evaluated so all text within {} or [] goes through the standard macro processing. There is currently no way to modify the new token from inside these macro commands, however.

When the name is not changed using the updates parameter, the new name for the token follows the naming method for cut and paste. This function can copy Tokens in the token, hidden, object, and background layers. If you do not override the destination using the layer field of updates then the new copies are made in the same layer as the source. Likewise if x and y are not specified then these locations are the same as the source.

Examples

Make a single copy of the Hero from the current map.

[h: copyToken("Hero")]

Make a single copy of the Hero from another map.

[h: copyToken("Hero", 1, "Green Room")]

Or if you are playing paranoia and want to create six clones.

[h: copyToken("Hero", 6, "Clone Vat")]

But as a PC the new tokens don't get new names so we could give each of them a new name in b54+ using the following.

[h: cloneNo = 0]
[h: updates = json.set("{}", 
        "name", "Hero Clone - [r: cloneNo = cloneNo + 1]"
)]
[h: copyToken("Hero", 6, "Clone Vat", updates)]

This will copy all our clones to the current map but spaced out along the X axis.

[h: cloneNo = 0]
[h: x = 0]
[h: updates = json.set("{}", 
        "name", "Hero Clone - [r: cloneNo = cloneNo + 1]",
        "x", "[r: x = x + 2]",
        "y", 0
)]
[h: copyToken("Hero", 6, "Clone Vat", updates)]

Or combining rotation

[h: x = 0]
[h: facing = 0]
[h: cloneNo = 0]
[h: updates = json.set("{}", 
        "name", "Hero Clone - [r: cloneNo = cloneNo + 1]",
        "x", "[r: x = x + 2]",
        "y", 0,
        "facing", "[r: facing = facing + 40]"
)]
[h: copyToken("Hero", 6, "Clone Vat", updates)]

And now we have tumbling clones:

The source token was configured as a Top Down token for this effect, otherwise the facing setting would produce a facing arrow for Tokens on the token or hidden layers.

Tumbling Clones using Round Tokens and Facing Arrows

This example shows using the new relativeto parameter available in 1.9.0. Specifying "map" means all x,y coordinates are treated as absolute coordinates on the map. Specifying "source" places copied tokens relative to the position of the token that is beingc copied. Specifying "current" places copied tokens relative to the Current Token. x and y are measured in grid cells if useDistance is false (the default) or in pixels if true.

[h: x = 0]
[h: updates = "{ 
    x: '[r: x = x + 2]',
    relativeto: 'source',
}" ]
[h: copyToken(currentToken(), 3, "", updates)]

Make three copies of the currently selected token on the current map. Place the first copy two grid cells to the right of the original token. This used to be accomplished using "delta": 1,.

[h: x = 0]
[h: updates = "{ 
    x: '[r: x = x + 2]',
    relativeto: 'current',
}" ]
[h: copyToken(currentToken(), 3, "", updates)]

Make three copies of the currently selected token on the current map. Place the first copy two grid cells to the right of the Current Token.

also

moveTokenToMap(), moveTokenFrom()

changes

1.3b54 - Added optional updates parameter.
1.3b77 - Added tokenImage, portraitImage, handoutImage, and delta to updates.

1.5.7 - Token copies can now be modified within same macro, and tokenPortrait and tokenHandout can now be used instead of portraitImage and handoutImage.
1.9.0 - The positioning system for copied tokens has been altered to be more straightforward. delta is now a deprecated parameter which has been replaced with relativeto