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Fred Slota

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Everything posted by Fred Slota

  1. Suggestion - a new, boolean field to indicate whether a given book has actually hit the street, vs. has been solicited or announced but not yet shipped. And a visible effect for the grid, like, say, grey text, or italic text, or grey background, maybe only in the Issue number column, but something that visually clues you in to the fact that it does not exist yet as you peruse the grid.
  2. New laptop, new install, new configurations... Twice now, my system has hung up for several minutes shortly after closing ComicBase. Mouse pointer doesn't move, YouTube video playing stops, nothing reacts for like 3 minutes. Both times, I clicked Ctrl-Alt-Delete to bring up the Task Monitor (with even bringing up the menu for that selection waiting until the pause ends). When activity resumes, mouse is responsive, YouTube restarts playing, and the Task Monitor opens, the 7-zip Standalone package is running at some double-digit processor load, compacting a database backup, I believe. My operating database is located on my local SSD drive, but my backups directory is located in a OneDrive folder, with settings of 5 copies, Compression and Save to Cloud. I thought this was the better way to balance live performance with multiple backup options, and was not expecting total system temporary lockup. Thoughts?
  3. Thank you for your reply. Obviously, I would love to have perfect behavior, and I understand why that might be impossible/out of your hands. But I think we should at least be trying to get consistent behavior. For example, in the preferences window in "New Pref Right.jpg", why is the text neither all 'tiny' or all 'normal', but instead is a mix of 'tiny' and 'regular'? This makes me think that some of the Check Boxes and Radio Buttons have a "do not resize for Windows Scaling" text setting enabled and are being shown at native, 'tiny' size, while other have the setting disabled and are being allowed to be resized and appear at 'regular' size. I think this setting needs to be hunted down and made consistent, at least across similar elements on a window, if not across the whole program.
  4. Just picked up... The UPC 7 59606 21190 6 06511 currently is associated with a CB entry of "The Amazing Spider-Man: 65 Deaths" #1. The indicia reads "The Amazing Spider-Man No. 65.DEATHS, March 2025" and is part of the storyline "The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man". As ComicBase apparently doesn't support an issue number of #65.DEATH, I suggest that this should be entered as "The Amazing Spider-Man (6th Series)" #65.1 with notes indicating the proper issue number is 65.Deaths.
  5. Summarizing with more understanding: Original Setup, all three screens have roughly equal physical pixel size, about 0.01"x0.01". The new laptop has a physical pixel size of about 0.0062"x0.0062". With all the original laptop and side monitors operating at 100% scale, the interface looks consistent and 'normal' across the entire main window and the entire preferences window, regardless of which screen it is on. When the new laptop is running on its own at 100% scale, the interface looks consistent and 'tiny' across the entire main window and the entire preferences window. When the new laptop is running on its own at 150% scale, the interface looks consistent and 'normal' across the entire main window and the entire preferences window. With all the new laptop and side monitors operating at 100% scale, the interface looks consistent across the entire main window and the entire preferences window, but the text looks 'normal' on the side screens and 'tiny' on the main screen. However, With the new laptop at 150% scale and the side monitors at 100% scale, this is where weird things happen. You would expect that text would be consistent across the entire main window and the entire preferences window, and further expect that it would look 'normal' regardless of which screen it was on. Instead, I get inconsistent text sizing on the same window. On the laptop in the main window in the grid, it looks like most data columns are scaled at 150% and look 'normal', but the header row and the Issue number data column are scaled at 100% and look tiny. I also think that the windows menu text, the ComicBase menu Text and issue information look 'larger' than I expected, (maybe double scaled?), but the Comic Book Title ("Absolute Batman") looks 'normal', so 150%. The preferences screen appears to be a combination of some text at a 'tiny' 100% and a 'normal' 150%. I agree, this is occurring because my system is operating with multiple scale settings. However, I believe that this is the proper configuration for my system, so that I have a roughly equal text size regardless of which monitor a given window is on. The frustrating thing is, ComicBase is behaving what I would call 'correctly' on parts of the various windows. Most of the grid is producing text at what I think is the expected size; why is the grid header and issue numbers in the same grid not being scaled? The ComicBook Title appears to be properly sized; why is the rest of the interface being over-scaled? Some of the preference labels and data are producing text at what I think is the expected size, why are the other labels and data on the same window not being scaled? It would be one thing if the text was consistent across the window but looked different from screen to screen. But what I'm seeing is text that is inconsistent across the window, and consistently looking inconsistent in the same way from screen to screen.
  6. New Computer Laptop Monitor - Scale 100%, Resolution 1920x1200 (Recommended) Left Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Right Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Opened ComicBase, which appeared full screen in the Laptop Monitor (New Main Laptop 1.jpg) Opened Preferences, which appeared in the Laptop Monitor (New Pref Laptop 1.jpg) Moved ComicBase to the right monitor, full screen (New Main Right 1.jpg) Opened Preferences, which again appeared in the Laptop Monitor (New Pref Right (on Laptop) 1.jpg) Moved Preferences to Right, closed, reopened, continued to reopen in Laptop, so no difference.
  7. New Computer Laptop Monitor - Scale 150% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1200 (Recommended) Left Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Right Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Opened ComicBase, which appeared full screen in the Laptop Monitor (New Main Laptop.jpg) Opened Preferences, which appeared in the Laptop Monitor (New Pref Laptop.jpg) Moved ComicBase to the right monitor, full screen (New Main Right.jpg) Opened Preferences, which again appeared in the Laptop Monitor (All appeared the same as New Pref Laptop, no pic taken, sorry) Moved Preferences to Right, closed, reopened and it showed on right (New Pref Right.jpg) So, now let's see what happens with Laptop 100% scale...
  8. Original Computer Laptop Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1366x768 (Recommended) Left Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Right Monitor - Scale 100% (Recommended), Resolution 1920x1080 (Recommended) Opened ComicBase, which appeared full screen in the Laptop Monitor (Orig Main Laptop.jpg) Opened Preferences, which appeared in the Laptop Monitor (Orig Pref Laptop.jpg) Moved ComicBase to the right monitor, full screen (Orig Main Right.jpg) Opened Preferences, which again appeared in the Laptop Monitor (Orig Pref Right (on Laptop).jpg) All text was sized as usually expected. Text in all columns in the Grid were equal sized, Labels on the Preferences screen sere all equal sized.
  9. Ah yes... the old .PNG pong.
  10. Part of what has me confused is that the unusual text sizes aren't consistent on the same screen. Why should the text in one column of the grid be different from all the other columns in the grid? Why are the labels for most of the check boxes and radio buttons on the Preference screen be tiny, but yet four of the options for Automatic Backups look top be the expected size. I agree, it appears that there is some odd reaction to some odd setting, but ComicBase appears to also be able to produce the expected appearance in some areas, regardless of the odd setting. I'll do some digging to help identify the differences between the two setups, but I think the real focus should be identifying why ComicBase is having two different reactions, and modifying the oddly performing sections of display interface to operate the way the correctly behaving sections of the interface are coded.
  11. Recently migrated to a new laptop, but running the same multi-monitor setup that I've been using for years. I've noticed that there are unusual and inconsistent font sizes being used in various places. My main screen, the text on top ("Comic Books", "View", Find", as well as the book info) looks larger than I'm used to seeing, while in the grid, the Titles are shown in a larger font than the other information. (Main Screen 1.jpg) When I first pulled up the Preferences screen, the text was overly large, to the point that the last check box for whether to download oversized pictures could not be seen, it was overwritten by the preliminary art checkbox. I could not tell what state the last check box was in (the only check box I was interested in). I did not think to get a capture of that screen at that time. Now, when I open the preferences screen, the text is much smaller than I expect. (Preferences 1.jpg) What information would you like to know about my setups? I can provide information about when I use my old laptop, which has not had the text issues, as well as when I use my new laptop.
  12. Nit-picky clarification - "NOTE: it can be anywhere in the grid area. It does not have to be on a specific line in the grid area." If your grid is of a search result, where there could be rows from different titles, it needs to be dropped on a row of the right title. Additional note - Be careful if dragging multiple covers onto search results, things can go awry. Suppose you have title A #2, 3, 4, 5 and title B #1, 2, 3, 4. If you drag scans for title B #1, 2, 3, 4 and drop them onto an entry in title B, If I remember correctly, I believe the results will be that #1 and 2 will go to B, but #3 and 4 will go to A. After copying #2 to B, the thumbnail will be incorrectly updated for A #2, moving the focus to A #2, at which point #3 and 4 will be copied to A. I update my cover scans with the help of a search result, and only drop to the first title in the list and refresh my search to avoid this problem.
  13. I drag-and-drop for comic cover scans al the time, but haven't done anything with books... I just tried with "Dune: The Butlerian Jihad", and it worked for me. In my pictures folder, "T", "Tor", I navigated to the folder "Eye of the World, The (Tor)" and dragged HC.jpg and dropped it into CB focused on "Dune: The Butlerian Jihad" and it created "Dune- The Butlerian Jihad" and deposited a copy of the jpg I dropped, and the image is now showing in the grid. Question: What edition of CB are you running?
  14. Except, reprints don't always use identical, or even similar, covers. Logically, #1-2 implies the existence of a first print #1. In cases where there was no #1-1, I think this causes avoidable confusion. Functionally, #1-2 will sort ahead of #1/A, which I think also argues against using that instead of #1/A-2
  15. So, you own an near mint and a poor copy of a given issue. Rather than have a single entry with a quantity of 2, you duplicate the issue, assign NM and P conditions and quantity of 1 each. Wouldn't it be nice to have ComicBase support separate cover scans of these two different condition issues? What if you have 3 copies poor copies of the same issue? Wouldn't it be nice to support custom scans for all three. to see the differences? Does AtomicAvenue support separate scans for separate selling items of identical status?
  16. First question - so, how many users of ComicBase maintain their own scans vs. operate only with official scans? Of those who have their own scans, how many operate with two sets of directories of scans, one official and one personal (I operate this way)? I can see at least three ways to implement cover scan maintenance while maintaining the CB Hippocratic oath: ComicBase grows to support operating with two directories of cover scans, Official and Personal. Official is completely under ComicBase control, downloading new and updated covers as well as moving, renaming and deleting subdirectories and images as needed; Personal is under your control. CB could allow showing both scans, or flipping between the two with a toggle button. ComicBase provides an opt-in option to allow the automated maintenance of moving, renaming and deleting subdirectories and images as needed. After all, we already have the "Automatically download larger pictures when viewing items" option, which, if selected could overwrite personal cover scans. The Maintenance operations could be a separate, manually accessed feature separate from the automated downloads. As to the nuts and bolts of actually performing the maintenance, it just seems to me that if a list can be made each week stating "Add/rename this folder, move this images from x to y, delete these images from z" it wouldn't be that hard to automate this process.
  17. Isn't it about time that ComicBase update its Cover Scan delivery system to be able to delete misnamed/obsolete images and directories? Haven't Greg and Steve earned a break?
  18. Opinion: First Issue Ashcan Editions are not more important than #1 or #1/A issues, and should not be listed first. For example, "Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham" #1/Ash should not be listed ahead of #1/A. Titles have various special handlings to customize the sort order into a more friendly order... ignoring of initial An, An, The; Series and Volumes sorted to appear after the plain title, Abbreviations like Dr. and Mr. sorted as if they were spelled out as Doctor and Mister. I would like to suggest that issues should also have a customized sort order. Primary Key: Type in Custom Order Regular Issue Annual Other Secondary Key: Issue Number Tertiary Key: Variation in Custom Order Regular Issue Variant A-Z, V27-V143 Other Quaternary Key: Printing First Issue Ashcan Editions are not more important than #1 or #1/A
  19. Given - DC recently no longer identifies a main cover. Given - ComicBase identifies all DC issues starting at Variant A, and so does not have a plain regular issue. Question - Should a reprint be of a regular issue, or a Variant A? For example, take "Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham" issue 1. The original has 9 variants, #1/A through #1/I. And then, there is a second print, which ComicBase has entered as #1-2. Which is sorted ahead of #1/A, is at the top of the grid, and is thus the initial cover shown for the title. Do I have any support that this should be listed as #1/A-2, a second print of #1/A?
  20. That's to the second question - what about the first? Is the current listing for 1/F, a gold background with Deadpool card, an actual first-print-with-card variant, or a zombie listing mashing a second print that never had a card with a 1/B Deadpool card?
  21. Poke
  22. Again, my suggestion is not being understood. I'm glad that the system prevents data pollution from mis-focused UPC scans, but that wasn't the main part of my request. I was primarily asking that the software recognize that this was a mis-focused UPC scan for search purposes and actually perform the search that was being attempted.
  23. My 2 cents Visually: While both use a similar Batman logo, Batman (2nd Series) #50 variants, from 2016, almost all have the DC Comics Logo of that time, the D peeling away from a C. Batman (3rd Series) #50 variants, from 2018, almost all have the DC Comics Logo of that time, the blocky DC with a circumscribed circle. UPC: Batman (2nd Series), most recorded UPCs in ComicBase are 7 61941 30649 7, #50 with the next three digits 050, and the final 2 for variants. Batman (3rd Series), most recorded UPCs in ComicBase are 7 61941 34182 8, #50 with the next three digits 050, and the final 2 for variants. I say most, because there appear to be a few outliers in the database with UPCs that don't fit the pattern.
  24. Or, when you click the Title button, as the window opens, it could check to see of the Find Results display is open, and change the highlight in the list to the title of the currently focused item in the Find Results list. See, as a user, it really doesn't matter to me if the Find Results display is temporary or not. When I'm using it, it is the only thing visible in the interface. The bottom grid is Find Results, and the top info is the issue that is selected in that grid. So, at least to me, it just seems like the natural consequence when I'm focused on an issue in a title, that clicking the Title button will be focused on that Title. Of course, when in a Find Results mode, there's little need to scroll through the other Titles i the Titles list, or to use the Prev/Net Title button... Maybe a more natural functionality when in Find Results mode, would be to disable the Prev/Next Title Buttons, and change the functionality of the Title button... instead of clicking the Title button and getting the full Title List, maybe in Find Results mode, clicking on the Title Button just directly opens the Title Info window for the selected Title.
  25. Thank you. I agree that process would accomplish my goals for the stated case. I do still feel that given the presentation of ComicBase, one would expect that the Title Search button clicked while looking at search results would focus on the Title you are actively looking at in the search results, and not the Title that you can't see hiding behind the search results.
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