Merging Databases

ComicBase has the ability to add the quantities in stock for the data you’re importing to your current database, as opposed to replacing the data you’ve already got with the data you’re importing.

It all sounds like an obscure point (and to some level it is: that’s why you’re reading about it in a tech tip as opposed to a press release ;-). The practical upshot of this change, however, is that it’s now possible to merge data from a different source into your ComicBase. This can come in useful if you want to load in, say, a list of comics you’ve just purchased, or even merge exported data from a different ComicBase database into your main database.

The key to doing this is a new option under the File > Import command, “Add to existing quantities of matching issues”. Basically, whenever the data you’re loading in matches an existing issue in the database (with an exact match on its title, issue, and condition), this option lets you add the quantity in stock for that issue to the quantity you’ve already got on hand. (When this option is unchecked, anything you import replaces what was there before).

Note that this option only applies to the quantities in stock: if other fields (such as costs or custom fields) are different in the new data you’re importing, they’ll replace your existing issue’s data if you choose to import those fields.