What's new?

Multiple small tweaks to your Connect software today, improving both the Edit Comic screen and the Add Comics screen.

Editing pick list fields: checkbox multiple values in one go

The Edit screen is where many users are spending most of their time, so we’re always trying to make your editing life faster and easier.
Today, we improved all multi-value pick lists fields (e.g. Genres, Tags) by letting you add multiple values in one go. In the Select Value screen we have introduced checkboxes now, that let you checkbox multiple values and add them instantly.

This is now available for the following fields:

• Genres
• Signed by
• Tags

Adding Comics by Barcode: instant adding to queue

Previously, when you searched by barcode (either by typing or scanning), the barcode instantly disappeared from the search box, but only appeared in the queue when the search was complete. Also with no “loading” indicator showing in the meantime. Not a problem when searches are instant, but it could lead to confusion in situations where it took a bit longer for the search to complete.

So we got to work and made it better: after hitting search, the barcode now instantly appears in your queue, showing a “Searching” indicator. This gives you instant feedback the barcode was accepted and is searching. Then, when the search has completed, the queue entry is filled in with the comic details and cover image.

The above tweak also applies to the opening of the screen while you still had some barcodes in the queue. This saved queue list will now populate faster.

This update fixes an issue with the sync where it would always re-upload the custom front/back covers if such a comic had any change at all. This resulted in many unneeded re-uploads of custom front/back covers.

Important: After updating to this version:

• the program will run a process to index your custom covers
• all comics with custom front/back covers will re-upload

Both processes might take a while!

Fixed:

• Custom front/back covers were re-uploaded too often
• Quick Search: using arrow buttons and clicking results wasn’t working correctly

Fixed:

• Sort title of a series was not generated correctly during adding/editing of a series.

Fixed:

• Folder counters weren’t always visible
• Grade couldn’t be set to N/A for single comics
• Template could show a random “a” near the Value Details
• Updated the about screen
• Updated the installer image

New:

• You can now folder group on 4 extra fields:
• Cover Date Year
• Release Date Year
• Read Date Year
• Purchase Date Year

Fixed:

• Rare incident where timeouts occurred during CLZ Cloud sync.
• Main list cells now show release date instead of cover date.

New:

• You can now folder group on 4 extra fields:
• Cover Date Year
• Release Date Year
• Read Date Year
• Purchase Date Year

Fixed:

• Rare incident where timeouts occurred during CLZ Cloud sync.
• Main list cells now show release date instead of cover date.

We are one week into 2020, so it’s time for Comic Collector 20! Today in v20, we’re bringing you 2 super useful and time-saving improvements for the folder panel, plus a brand new Statistics screen.

Read more

New in Comic Connect: a Collection / Wish List summary bar for comic series!

To see the summary bar, make sure your folder panel is set to show Series folders, then select a folder. The summary bar will then appear above the list panel, showing a compact overview of the issues you own and the issues that are on your wish list.

BTW: if you don’t want this panel, you can disable it through the Settings screen.

Small but time-saving tweak to the Comic Connect software today:

When opening the Add Comics screen, the “By Series” tab now automatically searches for the series that was active in your main screen, and even expands it for you:

A couple of fixes today for Comic Collector macOS:

Fixed:

• Last Modified date wasn’t set correctly when updating values from GoCollect
• Printing a list while in dark mode would print a black page

A useful and fun new option in Comic Connect software today!
By default, the folders in your folder panel are sorted alphabetically. But as of today, there is another option: sort your folder panel by the numbers, that is by the number of comics contained.

Sorting by the numbers is a nice way to find the most important Series, Publisher, Creators, etc.. in your collection.

Switch between the Alphabetical and Number sorting using the new toggle to the right of the search box:

The year “twenty-twenty is coming up, so here’s Comic Collector v20 for macOS!

In this release we added support for the macOS Dark/Light Mode.

Read more

Roughly a month ago we introduced the ability to use multiple levels of folders in the folder panel. At the time, limited to several built-in field sensible field combinations.

Today we’re giving you the next logical step: the ability to create and save your own multi- and single-level favorites for the folder panel.

The Favorites are shown at the top of the Folder menu, with the single-field options still available at the bottom.

Read more

Two updates for your Connect software today. An improved Statistics screen, with cool new charts and lists, plus a re-designed toolbar that clearly shows your currently selected folders and filters.

Read more

Fixed:

• Add by Barcode: For older barcodes sometimes the wrong issue would be pre-selected
• Custom images were uploaded too often

Fixed:

• Add by Barcode: For older barcodes sometimes the wrong issue would be pre-selected
• Custom images were uploaded too often
• The amount of items for each pick list could be wrong

A very cool and useful addition to your Comic Connect software today: the folder panel on the left now allows multiple levels of folders!

This is a powerful way to browse your comic collection, e.g by Publisher, then by Series, or by Creator then Series.

Read more

Changed:

• Add by barcode: Swipe to remove a single barcode wasn’t working. To remove a single barcode now, just press and hold on it!

Fixed:

• When changing a cover, the list and images view wasn’t updated correctly
• Date pickers weren’t showing correctly
• Some colours were wrong (tabs/switches)

As you probably know, macOS Catalina (version 10.15) was released earlier this week.
In Catalina, Apple has made two major changes, that will affect all software that you run on your Mac:

• All programs you use need to be 64-bit. No more support for 32-bit applications!
• All programs you download outside the App Store need to be notarized (=approved) by Apple.

Of course, our Comic Collector software has been a 64-bit application since version 18.1 (April 2018). And this week, we got it approved and notarized by Apple too!

So today, we released Comic Collector 19.2, 64-bit and notarized, so fully Catalina compatible!

Instead of working on new features, we decided to take a few weeks to look at existing screens and functionality and see where things could be improved, of course all based on your feedback.

Today’s update brings you new iOS 13 style “sheet” screens and a batch of user interface improvements we implemented (more coming up!):

Read more

Instead of working on new features, we decided to take a few weeks to look at existing screens and functionality and see where things could be improved, of course all based on your feedback.

Today’s update brings you the first user interface improvements we implemented (more coming up!):

Easier to find Edit and Remove buttons on comic details screen (phone only)

Easier editing of pick list fields, especially multi-value fields

• Selected/checked values are now always at the top
• For multi-value fields (like Genre), check/uncheck multiple values in one go!
• Easier to find big button at the top for adding NEW values..

Complete Re-design of Manage Pick List screen

• Easier to find big button at the top for adding NEW values.
• Remove Unused and Merge action have now been moved to action (…) button top right.
• Easier to use Merge mode.

Add by barcode: New Clear Queue button and new “Scanning tips” popup

Other tweaks:

• Re-introduced a “sync changes pending” icon to the “Sync with CLZ Cloud” menu item

Fixed:

• In some cases the recent purchases list in the statistics screen was incorrect.
• Cover price was not downloaded when adding/updating from Core.

Last week, we released CLZ Comics 5.0, of which the most popular new feature was the new automatic comic values tool.

After the release, we immediately started getting questions from many users “Okay, I see the values now, but where can I see the TOTAL value of my collection”?

Of course, we were way ahead of you! Planned for inclusion in the v5.0 release was a cool new Statistics screen, with charts, totals, everything. Sadly, we had to skip this feature because of time constraints, as we really wanted to make our planned v5 deadline.

However, 10 days later, the Stats screen has been finished now, waiting for you in version 5.0.4!

New Statistics screen

A cool “infographic” style screen showing totals and statistics about your comic collection. Find your biggest series, your most recent purchases, your most valuable comics and the value by series and of course, the total value.

Last week, we released CLZ Comics 5.0, of which the most popular new feature was the new automatic comic values tool.

After the release, we immediately started getting questions from many users “Okay, I see the values now, but where can I see the TOTAL value of my collection”?

Of course, we were way ahead of you! Planned for inclusion in the v5.0 release was a cool new Statistics screen, with charts, totals, everything. Sadly, we had to skip this feature because of time constraints, as we really wanted to make our planned v5 deadline.

However, 10 days later, the Stats screen has been finished now, waiting for you in version 5.0.4!

New Statistics screen

A cool “infographic” style screen showing totals and statistics about your comic collection. Find your biggest series, your most recent purchases, your most valuable comics, the value by series and of course, the total value of your collection.

Fixed:

• Purchase store could display twice in the details template

We found an issue with syncing user plots: they didn’t sync correctly. All fixed and good to go now!