Scanners

Note that any scan will never be part of INDUCKS! We don't want to infringe any copyright laws. Any programs or tools are not part of INDUCKS either.

Next are the rules for scan file names, as defined (2001-05-12) by Roy Kooij-man (text slightly edited by Harry Fluks).

In the whole filename only lower case characters are allowed.
<separator> = the underscore (_) character.

<country> = country code abbreviation based on the ISO standard
example : de,dk,no,fr,it,nl,us

<entrycode> = the Inducks entry code with some changes, see below
rule 1 : All capital characters are converted to lowercase ones.
rule 2 : only these characters are allowed:
_0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz all other characters are converted to an underscore (_) (under which the dot and the ampersand). Spaces follow a different rule:
rule 3 : spaces which follow a previous space are replaced by a zero (0)
examples : DD1950-01a --> dd1950_01a WDC 1-00 --> wdc_001_00

<page> = page number of the Inducks entry.
rule 1 : 3 digits, even if there's only 1 page it still becomes 001
rule 2 : no pagenumber given means page 001
rule 3 : dailies, half pages etc. are counted as 1 page.

<file extension> = usually .jpg but can be something else like PNG,BMP or GIF or any other "exotic" file extension.

Big example from an issue from the united states.

WDC  99-14   2 pages
WDC  99-32   half page
WDC 100-00   1 page (cover)
WDC 100-01   1 page 
WDC 100-02  10 pages
WDC 100-03   8 pages

If we scan "all" pages a directory output could look like this:

us_wdc_099_14_001.jpg
us_wdc_099_14_002.jpg
us_wdc_099_32_001.jpg
us_wdc_100_00.jpg (because pagenumber 1 doesn't have to be given)
us_wdc_100_01_001.jpg 
us_wdc_100_02_001.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_002.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_003.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_004.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_005.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_006.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_007.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_008.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_009.jpg
us_wdc_100_02_010.jpg
us_wdc_100_03.jpg (because pagenumber 1 doesn't have to be given)
us_wdc_100_03_002.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_003.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_004.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_005.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_006.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_007.jpg
us_wdc_100_03_008.jpg

Some more examples of filenames:

dk_aa1999_09a_001.jpg
nl_bv_001a_001.jpg
nl_bv_001b_001.jpg
nl_bv_001b_002.jpg
nl_bv_001b_003.jpg
nl_bv_001b_004.jpg
nl_dd2001_19a_001.jpg
it_tl_0001a_001.jpg
it_tl_0001b_001.jpg
it_tl_0001b_002.jpg
it_tl_0001b_003.jpg

In all this time discussing there were a lot of (Q)uestions and (A)nswers. I made up a list and added some more from my own experience to make a Q&A for "Filenames for scans"

Q: What is an Inducks entrycode?
A: Read all about Inducks at: Bolderbast
A: And especially: the page about entrycodes

Q: I have an unknown item in an issue, what to do?
Q: What if entrycodes change?
A: Save all entries correctly according to you and notify Inducks of this new entry!
A: If the entry is between dd01a and dd01b, the NEW entry could be named dd01ab. Sorts ok and is allowed but this is not neat. Besides Inducks should be updated too.

Q: What if we reach issue 10, 100 or 1000?
A: Rename the files. Basically this won't happen soon IMO.

Q: Why an entrycode and not a storycode?
A: Reprints can be redrawn or otherwise coloured or censored or etc.
A: Each entrycode is a unique print.

Q: Why not use storycode AND entrycode?
A: For filename length limitations on some operating systems.
A: entrycodes can be matched to storycodes with the help of the Inducks.

Q: Why is the pagecount based on entrycodes instead of the exact page of a issue?
A: A cover doesn't have to have a pagenumber so the printed 1 can be the third page of the issue. This would be confusing.
A: Sometimes extra pages are added in the middle over a few issues to glue together as one special issue, these are numbered differently. This would be confusing.
A: On one page of the issue there can be more items.
A: There is no match between the issue page numbers and entrycodes.

Q: Why is the pagenumber 3 digits?
A: There are a few stories which are longer than 100 pages.
A: It's more easy to NOT have to look up how long a story is to save the files correctly.
A: Sorts better (otherwise it would look like 1 10 11 12 13 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9)

Q: I have a 1 page story but it's divided over two pages, what to do?
A: I don't know yet! maybe be creative, for example page 001a and 001b...

Q: Why can the first page be saved in two ways, like xx_001.jpg and xx.jpg?
A: Done for compatibility reasons with an older filenaming system.
A: Some cover sites really don't need these extra characters. Covers are usually 1 page.

Q: Why is the seperator a underscore (_) and not another character?
Q: Why use only lower case characters?
Q: Why are - and . changed to an _?
A: Due to limitations on different operating systems.

Q: Which characters are allowed in the filename?
A: _0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Q: Why are all multiple spaces not replaced by only one space?
Q: Why are all spaces which follow a previous space renamed to an zero instead of a _?
A: For readability and sorting matters.

Q: If a poster or such is printed sideways, how to scan it?
A: Doesn't matter, I personally scan it the same way as the other entries in the issue. People just have to turn their head or their monitor!

Q: How are two halfpagers on the same page saved?
A: The same except for the filename. I for myself scan these entries once (no filename standard for this) and copy this scan to two new files and put a red blur over the wrong part in each file, leaving the whole unedited page "somewhere" too.

Q: I have a backcover and a frontcover which belong to each other. I save the frontcover as page 1 and the backcover as page 2. If I now view page 1 and then page 2 the images look like they are in the wrong order. Is there a solution for this?
A: No, there is no option in the filenames for this.

Q: Why is there no image quality part in the filename?
A: Too much variables. (scandepth, colours, DPI, resized etc...)

Q: I want to have thumbnails (or other sized files), how do I save these filenames?
A: In another directory is the only option. There is no way to put this in the filename.

Q: Is there a preferred DPI and size?
A: No, that's why you need directories if you have more types of one image.

Q: Do rules for directory stuctures exist?
A: No (not yet), besides the image could be on a website.

Q: Who wants these scans and what for?
A: Some people like to compare versions.
A: Some people like to exchange unidentified scans/ rare versions.

Q: Are they a part of Inducks?
A: Nope, it's a standard using their issue abbreviations and entrycodes.

Q: Is there a list of wanted but unscanned items?
A: No, but some intelligent searching in Inducks could do the trick for this.

Q: Where are scans published?
A: I don't know. There is no list known.

Q: I don't like the filenames this way, do I have to use it?
A: No. It's voluntary.

Q: Why does this filename ruling exist at all?
A: I really don't know anymore ;-)

And now, as Eta once said to me: "all we really need to do is making good scans, I believe... :-)"