1. Clean Up¶
The first step is to clean up the imported comics. This part is quick, but there are quite a few small steps.
To make it easier, we use eight smart lists, with each list handling a small part of the overall process.
Folder Structure
1.1 Commit Proposed Values¶
Download smart list: 1.1 Commit Proposed Values.cbl
When importing comics, the first step is to commit the proposed values. Whenever a comic is added, ComicRack tries to guess some of the metadata based on the filename and file properties. These values should be committed to the file so they can be used for tagging later.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Proposed Values |
Action
Right-click -> Automation -> Commit Proposed Values
Scripts
None
1.2 Page Count Too Low – Delete¶
Download smart list: 1.2 Page Count Too Low - Delete.cbl
When you get a comic bundle from Humble Bundle or similar, it often comes as a large zip file with folders, covers, PDFs, and more.
I simply extract everything into my 0day folder, then let ComicRack help clean it up.
Any file with a very low page count is deleted.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Pages |
Action
Delete files
Scripts
None
1.3 PDF Files – Delete¶
Download smart list: 1.3 PDF files - Delete.cbl
If I find PDFs, I delete them.
I expect all PDF comics to either have a CBZ/CBR copy or be something I don't need. I still check them manually before deleting.
Column Layout
| State | Series | File Format |
Action
Delete files
Scripts
None
1.4 Missing Name – Remove and Rescan¶
Download smart list: 1.4 Missing name remove and rescan.cbl
If a comic has no name, then step 1.1 Commit Proposed Values failed.
The files should be removed from ComicRack, then ComicRack should be restarted and the folder rescanned.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Title |
Action
Delete files from ComicRack, restart ComicRack and rescan.
Scripts
None
1.5 Remove Leading Numbers¶
Download smart list: 1.5 Remove Leading Numbers.cbl
Some files have dates or other numbers at the beginning of their titles, which I remove using this list.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Title |
Action
Right-click -> Automation -> Remove Leading Number
Scripts
None
1.6 Remove Language¶
Download smart list: 1.6 Remove Language.cbl
Sometimes ComicVine fills in the Language field, sometimes it doesn't.
I have comics in multiple languages, but I never sort or search by language.
To keep things consistent and avoid issues with scripts that use this field, I remove the language from all new comics.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Language |
Action
Right-click -> Info -> Delete language
Scripts
None
1.7 Remove Covers¶
Download smart list: 1.7 Remove Covers.cbl
Some comics I've bought come with multiple alternative covers stored as separate files.
You can either:
- Merge the extra covers into the correct comic file manually (open zip/rar, add covers, repackage).
- Delete the extra covers.
I always choose to delete the extras.
Column Layout
| State | Series | Cover | Pages |
Action
Delete Files
Scripts
None
1.8 Convert to CBZ¶
Download smart list: 1.8 Convert to CBZ.cbl
I prefer CBZ as the standard format for comics. It's ZIP-based, widely supported, and easy to work with.
I convert all comics to CBZ.
Column Layout
| State | Series | File Size | File Format |
Action
Right-click -> Export -> Export as CBZ
Scripts
None