ComicBase Interchange Files (.cbit for text-based, .cbix for XML based) are designed to allow ComicBase users to exchange information with other E-Commerce platforms, via either 3rd party connectors or the platform’s native import tools. These files contain information on all the user’s inventory in a standardized format, and can contain links to named image files which are packaged with the ComicBase Interchange File to provide photo reference for each of the items to be sold.
In the .cbit format, the interchange file is tab-delimited by field, with returns separating each record.
{Date} fields are in ISO format: e.g. 2014-07-02 meaning July 2nd, 2014
Header Section
<Header>… </Header>
- DatabaseFileNameWithPath {string, up to 256 characters} – The complete source path of the originating database
- DatabaseFileName {string, up to 256 characters} – The file name (without path) of the source database
- DatabaseID {guid} – A (theoretically) unique ID number for the given database
- IncludesImages {bit} – 0 if the file does not include linked images, 1 if it does.
- Copyright {string, up to 2000 characters} – A MANDATORY copyright line, which must be shown on any pages containing data from this file.
Body Section
<Body>… </Body>
- MediaType {8 bit integer} – The media type this item belongs to: 0 = Book, 1 = Comic, 2=Magazine, 3 = Newspaper. 4-99 = Reserved
- ItemID {32 bit integer} – the ID number of the exact record in the user’s originating database. Including this in the data you load into the E-Commerce system allows you to connect it via the ComicBase E-Commerce APIs to deduct any sales against the exact record in the database when the sale is processed.
- Title {string, up to 255 characters} – The series title the item belongs to (e.g. “Adventures of Luther Arkwright, The”)
- DisplayTitle {string, up to 255 characters} – The title, rearranged into a more conversational form (e.g. “The Adventures of Luther Arkwright”). Note: This is not the official title for API matching purposes in ComicBase, but may be more convenient to work with for purposes of display on a 3rd party E-Commerce system.
- Publisher {string, up to 255 characters} – The publisher of the series in question
- ItemNumber {string, up to 40 characters} – The item number designation (including any variant, printing, type codes) in that title. E.g. “236” for issue #236, “Anl 2020” for the 2020 Annual, or “3/A-2” for issue #3, Variation A, 2nd Printing.
- DescriptiveItemNumber {string, up to 100 characters} – A more conversational name for this item, e.g. “#151 Gold Cover – 2nd Printing” for an item whose item number might be “151/GO-2”
- ItemDescription {string, up to 2000 characters} – Blank, or if included, notes which help designate this particular item, E.g. “Red Royal Variant Cover by George Perez”
- Condition {string, up to 20 characters} – The abbreviated condition of the item, e.g. “VF” for Very Fine, or “NM” for Near Mint
- DescriptiveCondition {string, up to 80 characters} – A more conversational description of the condition, e.g. “Like New” instead of the abbreviated “LN” for a book item, or “Near Mint” instead of “NM” for a comic, magazine, or newspaper.
- Qty {32 bit integer} – The quantity of the item available for sale
- Price {floating point} – The price per copy of that item, in the condition stated
- GradingNotes {string, up to 2000 characters} – Blank, or if included, notes on the details of the condition (e.g. “2 inch, color-breaking bend in upper-left corner; off-white pages”)
- Notes {string, up to 4000 characters} – Notes on the item, e.g. (“Signed by John Cassaday”)
- Writer {string, up to 4000 characters} – One or more writers for this item, separated by commas (e.g. “Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison”)
- Artist {string, up to 4000 characters} – One or more artists for this item, separated by commas (e.g. “Paul Grist, Jock”)
- CoverArtist {string, up to 2000 characters} – The cover artist (e.g. “Dave McKean”). Multiple cover artists are separated by commas
- UPC {string, up to 20 characters} – UPC code for the item
- AltUPC {string, up to 20 characters} – Alternate UPC code for the item
- ISBN {string, up to 20 characters} – The ISBN (or ISSN) number, as appropriate for the type of media
- ASIN {string, up to 20 characters} – The ASIN number for this item
- DiamondOrderCode {string, up to 20 characters} – The Diamond Comics order code for this item
- DiamondStockNum {string, up to 20 characters} – The Diamond Comics stock number for this item
- CoverDate {Date} – The cover date for the item, or blank if it doesn’t exist/is not known.
- CoverPrice {float} – The cover or list price of the item
- CoverPriceCurrencyCode {string, 3 characters} – The currency that the cover price is stated in (e.g. “USD” for US Dollars)
- CustomCheck1 {Boolean} – The user’s custom check 1 field — user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomCheck2 {Boolean} – The user’s custom check 2 field — user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomCheck3 {Boolean} – The user’s custom check 3 field — user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomField1 {string, up to 2000 characters} – The user’s custom field 1– user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomField2 {string, up to 2000 characters} – The user’s custom field 2– user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomField3 {string, up to 2000 characters} – The user’s custom field 3– user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomField4 {string, up to 2000 characters} – The user’s custom field 4– user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomDate1 {Date} – The user’s custom date 1 — user-defined in ComicBase
- CustomDate2 {Date} – The user’s custom date 2 — user-defined in ComicBase
- EstShipWeight {float} – The estimated (usually programmatically computed) weight of the item in ounces
- ShipWeight {float} – The measured weight of the item in ounces, if known
- PictureFileName {string, up to 255 characters} – The file name of the picture (without path) associated with this item. Pictures will be automatically generated into an accompanying folder when saving a ComicBase Interchange File