Indexing Offline

NOTE: This FAQ is in need of updating. Most of the information here is simply a copy from our old Formatting Document and needs to be updated for the use of the Upload/Download tool. Use the information here as a starting point, but not as a strict guideline.

1.1: What is indexing Offine?

In the old days, before there was an Online Interface to index comics with at the GCD, all indexes had to be done offline. The offline versions of the indexes consisted of text files with tabs that were then compiled together and distributed. File-submission indexing lets indexers prepare index files offline using spreadsheet or text editor programs, and submit these files to the GCD as e-mail attachments.

1.2: How do I get started? How do I reserve comics to index Offline?

Search the database using the search form at http://www.comics.org. If the series you want to index is not listed in the database or if the issues are shown in white when you check the "See index matrix" link, then they should be available for you to make a reservation.

Send an e-mail to Reservation Coordinator Matthias Hofmann at the following address: [[email protected]] specifying the issues you would like to index and including the information needed to add them to the database if they are missing (see Series Skeleton Requirements).

1.3: What is the format for indexing Offline?

Although the distribution has changed, the format of the offline index is still available for indexers who don't have steady Internet access or for other reasons would prefer not to use the Online Index. There is a tutorial at http://www.quantumzone.org/GCDTutorial which is somewhat out of date (especially in terms of the format document), but is still quite useful.

Some samples

A small sample file of the GCD submission format is available at http://www.comics.org/format/sample.txt

Sample submission file (Big Fat Kill)

Sample submission file Excel (Cutey Bunny)

Excel template for indexing Indexing Offline FAQ

The following table shows the function of the 18 fields for both cover and feature records, and which information is required if applicable (R) and Optional (O). R/O Cover Feature (R) 1. Issue Number 1. [Blank: issue number for cover] (R) 2. Publication Date 2. [Blank: publication date for cover] (O) 3. Type [always "Cover"] 3. Type (O) 4. Genre 4. Genre (R) 5. [Cover] Feature 5. Feature (R) 6. Title [Usually blank for cover] 6. Story Title (R) 7. [Cover] Pencils 7. Pencils (R) 8. [Cover] Inks 8. Inks (R) 9. [Usually blank, see notes for exceptions: script field for stories] 9. Script (R) 10. [Cover] Colorist 10. Colorist (R) 11. [Cover] Letterer 11. Letterer (R) 12. Editor 12. [Usually blank: editor field for cover] (R) 13. Total Comic Page Count 13. Page Count for feature (R) 14. Cover Price 14. [Blank: price field for cover] (O) 15. Character Appearances 15. Character Appearances (O) 16. Notes/Comments [cover and whole book] 16. Notes/Comments for feature (O) 17. [Usually blank: synopsis field for stories] 17. Short Synopsis of Story (O) 18. Reprint info 18. Reprint Info

More detailed notes and examples for each of the fields:

The Submission Format is the format used to add new indices to the GCD (either series which have not yet been indexed or series where you are indexing issues not yet included in the GCD). It is divided into two parts, the Series Line (information that applies to every issue) and the Issues information (specific data for each separate issue). It's much easier to understand if you get the sample files available.

The Series Line

Each series indexed begins with a single line containing information (^T represents a tab, everything should be on a single line when submitted) with the following 14 fields:

>>series<< ^T BookName ^T Publisher ^T Imprint/PubNotes ^T

SeriesBegan ^T SeriesEnded ^T FirstIssue ^T LastIssue ^T Tracking

^T Format ^T CountryCode ^T LanguageCode ^T Notes ^T Indexer

A typical line would read:

>>series<< ^T Fakebook ^T GCD Comics ^T ^T 1994 ^T 1996 ^T 1 ^T

10 ^T ^T Color comic; 10 issue miniseries ^T us ^T en ^T Non-

existant book created as an example. ^T Bob Heer

(notice that Imprint/Pubnotes and Tracking are blank fields in this example, but the tabs are left for them so the other fields are in the right place)

A brief explanation of each field, where (R) is for required data (if applicable) and (O) is optional. Note that while data is sometimes optional, the format for the data is not. And if a field is left blank please include the empty field (ie, have consecutive tabs) so the other fields match up (note that some software won't do this if you try to save a text file, so check carefully).

The Issues Information

After the Series line, there should be a single blank line followed by the heart of the index, the detailed breakdown of the contents of each issue of the series. This data should be formatted in 18 fields per line as follows (again, ^T represents a tab):

Issue ^T PubDate ^T Type ^T Genre ^T Feature ^T Title ^T Pencils

^T Inks ^T Script ^T Colors ^T Letters ^T Editing ^T PageCount ^T

Price ^T Characters ^T Notes ^T Synopsis ^T Reprints

Since some information is common to the entire book (Issue, Pubdate, Price), those only have to be listed once for each issue, in the first line for that issue. That line is also used to index the cover, and is handled differently in some other ways as well.

The following example is for a single issue of a book with two interior stories. The "first line" etc. tags are for illustrative purposes, and don't appear in the actual submission.

first line1 ^T March 1994 ^T Cover ^T Superhero ^T Fakeman ^T

^T Jack Kirby ^T Joe Sinnott ^T ^T ? ^T ? ^T Julius Schwartz; E.

Nelson Bridwell (assistant) ^T 36 ^T 2.95 ^T ^T ^T ^T ^T

second line ^T ^T Story ^T Superhero ^T Fakeman ^T ^T Curt Swan

^T Murhpy Anderson ^T Cary Bates ^T Anthony Tollin ^T Todd Klein

^T ^T 24 ^T ^T Fakeman (origin); Dr. Badguy (villain,

introduction) ^T ^T An attack on Supercity by Dr. Badguy brings

Fakeman out of retirement. ^T

third line ^T ^T Story ^T War ^T Sgt. Phoney ^T ^T Joe Kubert

^T Joe Kubert ^T Robert Kanigher ? ^T Anthony Tollin ^T ? ^T ^T 4

^T ^T Sgt . Phoney; New Recruit (dies) ^T ^T ^T from ? [probably

Spurious Adventures circa 1955]

(Note first two fields blank for all but the first line of each issue)

When preparing indexes using the online indexing program, indexers have to work out the KeyDate for themselves and enter it in the KeyDate field on the online indexing form. For offline indexes prepared using spreadsheet or text editor programs, the KeyDate is added by the upload tool, but should be checked by the editors after the index has been submitted into the database.

This would be followed by the information for the next issue indexed (no blank line between issues). Please note that any fields left blank still have the tabs in place so that subsequent fields are in the right place. Notice also that the first two fields are blank for everything but the line for the cover.

1.4: How do I submit a file?

In the old days, the answer would have been to send the index file as an e-mail attachment to the GCD Data Coordinator at: Ken Lemons (email [email protected]) or L. Jámal Walton (email [email protected])

Now, your best bet is to enter a message at http://maelstrom.walton.uark.edu/bugzilla, telling the editors that a flat-file needs to be uploaded. One of the editors will contact you and get the flat-file from you for upload.

Are there any tools that will help?

Not sure if it is still supported at all, but there is an offline tool at http://testimony.sourceforge.net/. Also there is the upload/download tool that is for editors only. If you are an editor and want to try it out, send an email to the editor's list and someone should be able to get it to you.