Comments on: I want to scan my comics, in a non-pirating way.

Question: I want to scan my comics, in a non-pirating way.

Jonsnews — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:54:15 -0800

I would like to be able to scan in the bar codes on all the comics of my collection into a software that will track and allow me to manage my collection. Scanning being the main requirement.

I know there are several software packages out there like collectorz.com that will allow me to track and manage my comic collection, but has anyone used one that will allow me to scan in the barcode with a barcode scanner? I allready have the scanner, and just need the software piece. If anyone has experience with intelliscanner and can tell me that its worth the money, I would even be willing to rebuy a scanner. FWIW I use windows xp.

By: beaucoupkevin

beaucoupkevin — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:04:46 -0800

ComicBase supports bar codes.

By: winston

winston — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:09:14 -0800

Well, many barcode scanners just send the text to the computer the same way the keyboard does. With one of these, you wouldn't need any software (or even drivers) to use the scanner itself. You'd just put the cursor in the place you want the text to go and it will appear there when you scan, just as though you typed it. Are the barcodes for the ISBN (or EAN) number, or is it for the UPC number? There are a number of software packages for tracking book collections that will grab all the info from Amazon, etc., when you enter the ISBN or EAN. I think something that uses the UPC database would probably be expensive.

By: idiotfactory

idiotfactory — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:33:39 -0800

You mean like Delicious Library? There is a Windows version called MediaMan.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:34:59 -0800

Depending on how and where you get your comics, they probably dont all have bar codes. Only ones packages for retail, non-comic shop, do. Or at least did.

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:43:18 -0800

Most scanners look like keyboards as far as the computer is concerned. If all you want to do is find out whether your scanner is able to pick up the bar codes, open Notepad and try doing some scans. You should see the numbers under the bar code being typed into the Notepad window.

Your scanner will have come with a manual full of mysterious proprietary bar codes used for programming it to do various things. To scan EAN/ISBN numbers properly, you might need to work through the EAN settings section of that manual and program your scanner with the options you want.

Some scanners can translate a 13-digit EAN code with a 978 prefix into the corresponding 10-digit ISBN. Modern cataloging software will probably accept the EAN code directly, but if your software doesn't understand ISBN-13 yet, you might want to turn that translation on.

By: mattoxic

mattoxic — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:20:55 -0800

Scanner is really just a keyboard, what flabdablet said...

Just use excel or ms access or (ew) filemaker for the database. Dont' need to buy anything specific

By: Jonsnews

Jonsnews — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:25:16 -0800

Right. I understand the scanners as keyboard thing. I want it to look up all the comic info from some existing database when I scan the barcode. I do not want to manually enter it all.
Also, Does anyone have any idea what I need to enable on my scanner to get it to read the entire barcode on a comic book, or the upc on a regular book? For some reason it scans the first part, but drops the last 5 digits.

By: Jonsnews

Jonsnews — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:25:53 -0800

Argh. NM, Flabdablet allready answered the second part.

By: clearlydemon

clearlydemon — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:40:25 -0800

Librarything accepts data from CueCat scanners, it should work with any other scanner. More information here.

By: FlyingMonkey

FlyingMonkey — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:27:59 -0800

Seconding Librarything. If you have more than 200 items you want to catalog, it'll cost you a whopping $25 or so, but it's worth it. . . .