fountain2fdx
Convert Fountain screenplay files (.fountain) to Final Draft XML format (.fdx).
Available as both a CLI tool and a VS Code extension.
Installation
CLI (global)
npm install -g fountain2fdx
VS Code Extension
Search for "Fountain to FDX" in the VS Code Extensions Marketplace, or install from the command line:
code --install-extension briday1.fountain2fdx
CLI Usage
fountain2fdx <input.fountain> [output.fdx]
| Argument |
Description |
input.fountain |
Path to the source Fountain file |
output.fdx |
Path for the FDX output (optional – stdout if omitted) |
Options:
| Flag |
Description |
-h, --help |
Show help |
-v, --version |
Show version |
Examples
# Convert and save as my-script.fdx
fountain2fdx my-script.fountain my-script.fdx
# Convert and print to stdout
fountain2fdx my-script.fountain
# Pipe output
fountain2fdx my-script.fountain | xmllint --format -
VS Code Extension Usage
- Open a
.fountain file in VS Code.
- Either:
- Open the Command Palette (
⇧⌘P) and run Fountain to FDX: Convert File, or
- Right-click the
.fountain file in the Explorer and choose Fountain to FDX: Convert File.
- The converted
.fdx file is saved alongside the original. A notification offers to open it.
| Element |
Syntax |
Supported |
| Title page |
Key: Value at document start |
✅ |
| Scene heading |
INT. LOCATION - TIME |
✅ |
| Forced scene heading |
.LOCATION |
✅ |
| Action |
Plain paragraphs |
✅ |
| Forced action |
! prefix |
✅ |
| Character |
ALL CAPS before dialogue |
✅ |
| Dialogue |
Lines after character |
✅ |
| Parenthetical |
(text) in dialogue block |
✅ |
| Dual dialogue |
CHARACTER ^ |
✅ |
| Transition |
CUT TO: / FADE OUT. / > text |
✅ |
| Centered |
> text < |
✅ |
| Lyrics |
~ text |
✅ |
| Bold |
**text** |
✅ |
| Italic |
*text* |
✅ |
| Bold italic |
***text*** |
✅ |
| Underline |
_text_ |
✅ |
| Sections |
# / ## / ### |
✅ (parsed, not in FDX) |
| Synopsis |
= text |
✅ (parsed, not in FDX) |
| Page break |
=== |
✅ (parsed, not in FDX) |
| Boneyard |
/* text */ |
✅ (stripped) |
| Notes |
[[text]] |
✅ (stripped) |
Library Usage
const { fountain2fdx, parse, convert } = require('fountain2fdx/src');
// High-level: fountain text → FDX XML string
const fdxXml = fountain2fdx(fountainText);
// Low-level
const parsed = parse(fountainText); // { title_page, tokens }
const fdxXml = convert(parsed);
Development
# Run tests
npm test
# Run the CLI locally
node bin/fountain2fdx examples/example.fountain
License
MIT
