News: all updates for our software and apps (page 2)

This is CLZ Alwin, with your CLZ News for August 2023.
This month we completed the huge project of “customizable cast/crew” for movies and “customizable creators/characters” for comics (and of course the ability to sync your customized lists). Most of the CLZ team has been working on this for over 3 months!

But with that project completed, the team is being freed up for other stuff. This is already showing in several improvements for the Connect web-based software (for printing, exporting and importing), and more updates for the Windows editions.

Here’s the full list for today’s newsletter:

• Comic Connect + CLZ Comics: Modify your Creator and Character lists
• Comic Collector: Cloud-sync your customized Creator and Character lists
• Connect/Cloud: Printing / Exporting a selection is now much easier
• Connect/Cloud: Improved Import from CSV/TXT screen
• Book/Music/Game Collector: Simplified Sort Name editing for all pick list entries
• Two Factor Authentication (2FA) now available for your CLZ Account

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After the introduction of the Two Factor Authentication (2FA) we have received soooo many emails about 2FA, with questions, confusion, annoyance and even anger…. that I feel I have write a better explanation and give you the answers to the most common questions.

Here we go:

What is Two Factor Authentication (2FA)?

2FA is a commonly used method for better protecting user accounts against unauthorized logins. It is called two-factor authentication, because apart from the usual “first factor” of entering a username/password, the user is also required to enter an extra security code that only he/she has access to.
So even when a potential hacker has acquired your username and password, he will still not be able to access your account, because he cannot determine the required security code.

The required security code is different each time you try to login and is usually sent to your phone in a text message or retrieved from a special Authenticator app.

Read more

Today, a nice update for the Book Collector software, that will make your cataloging life a bit easier again.
In this version, we simplified the editing of Author Sort Names (and other person entries).

In the past an Author entry had editable sub-fields First Name, Last Name and “The”, which worked together to automatically generate a SortName.
Now it is much simpler and easier. The First, Last and The fields are gone and have been replaced with a simple directly editable Sort Name.

Read more

We have simplified the database structure and editing of person pick list items and other pick lists with sort names. In the past you had editable fields like First Name, Last Name and “The”, which worked together to generate a SortName.
Now it is much simpler and easier. There is just a Display Name and Sort Name for each of the pick list fields.

This change makes it easier to set Sort Names for your entries AND this simple database structure better matches the database structure of CLZ Cloud and CLZ Games, resulting in more accurate data syncing.

Today, a nice update for the Music Collector software, that will make your cataloging life a bit easier again.
In this version, we simplified the editing of Artist Sort Names (and other person entries).

In the past an Artist entry had editable sub-fields First Name, Last Name and “The”, which worked together to automatically generate a SortName.
Now it is much simpler and easier. The First, Last and The fields are gone and have been replaced with a simple directly editable Sort Name.

Read more

Fixed:

• For unlinked comics, the add button was sometimes missing from the Edit Comic screen

The CLZ development team has just finished a huge project, something we have been working on for several months: the ability to modify a comic’s creator and character lists, for both the Comic Connect web-based software and the CLZ Comics mobile app.

Of course, your Comic Collector desktop software has allowed you to modify your creator and character lists for many many years. But still, the project we just completed has resulted in a big v23.7 update for Comic Collector too, which introduces FOUR new features:

• Cloud-sync your customized creator and character lists to the CLZ Cloud and the CLZ Comics mobile app
• A quicker and easier way to add new creators and characters, by searching our Core lists
• Simplified Sort Name editing for all pick list entries
• Improved database and display format for characters

Read more

First, what is Core?

CLZ Core is our central online comic database, that is the database that you search when adding comics by barcode or title, the database that provides you with automatic issue details like variant, variant description, release dates, cover art, creator lists, character lists, etc…

(Not to be confused with CLZ Cloud, which is your database, stored in the cloud. Cloud is what you sync with, to make online backups of your data and to sync your data between devices.)

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After the CLZ Comics 8.5 release, we have seen some common questions, by email and in this group. So let me answer the most common ones here:

Q: Will my changes to creators/characters automatically affect Core?
A: No, they will not. Just like with any other change or correction you make: if you want to change it in Core too, you need to use the Submit to Core command.
In version 8.5 of the app, the Submit to Core feature has been expanded to also upload your custom creator/character list to the Core submit form.

Read more

Fixed:

• When using Update from Core it would keep coming back with updates (even though there weren’t any further updates)

Fixed:

• When tapping “Edit” the app could crash

I know it was a long wait, but here it finally is: CLZ Comics 8.5, with the long awaited editing tools for your creator and character lists!

The entire CLZ development team has been working on this major feature for several months. A huge project that we have been postponing for many years, because of the complexity and the enormous amount of work. But today we can finally go public with it, resulting in a major 8.5 update for the CLZ Comics mobile app:

As of today, it is finally possible to modify the CREATORS and CHARACTERS lists of your comic entries! And of course, to sync your customized lists to and from the CLZ Cloud.

Read more

The entire CLZ development team has been working on this major feature for several months. A huge project that we have been postponing for many years, because of the complexity and the enormous amount of work. But today we can finally go public with it, resulting in a major update for the Comic Connect web-based software:

As of today, it is finally possible to modify the CREATORS and CHARACTERS lists of your comic entries!

Also, once the upcoming version 8.5 of the CLZ Comics app is live (early next week), it will be possible to sync those customized cast and crew lists to the CLZ Comics mobile app.

Read more

Continuing with our quest to revamp and re-design features and screen of the Connect web-based software. Today we took on the Import from CSV/TXT screen.

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Connect and CLZ Cloud users often ask us about printing or exporting only a part of their collection, e.g. “how do I print just my wish list?” or “how do I export a list of just my Blu-rays?”.

Now, this was possible, but it took a few steps that were not intuitive for many users. You had to:

1. Make the selection in the main screen first, e.g. by using folders, the collection status filter or the search box
2. Checkbox all movies in the selection, using the checkboxes in the list
3. Then use the Print or Export button on the special blue action toolbar above the list

With today’s update, we are making this a lot easier. And while we were at it, we also freshened up the user interface of the Print to PDF and Export to CSV screens.

Read more

Connect and CLZ Cloud users often ask us about printing or exporting only a part of their collection, e.g. “how do I print just my wish list?” or “how do I export a list of just one artist?”.

Now, this was possible, but it took a few steps that were not intuitive for many users. You had to:

1. Make the selection in the main screen first, e.g. by using folders, the collection status filter or the search box
2. Checkbox all albums in the selection, using the checkboxes in the list
3. Then use the Print or Export button on the special blue action toolbar above the list

With today’s update, we are making this a lot easier. And while we were at it, we also freshened up the user interface of the Print to PDF and Export to CSV screens.

Read more

Connect and CLZ Cloud users often ask us about printing or exporting only a part of their collection, e.g. “how do I print just my wish list?” or “how do I export a list of just one platform?”.

Now, this was possible, but it took a few steps that were not intuitive for many users. You had to:

1. Make the selection in the main screen first, e.g. by using folders, the collection status filter or the search box
2. Checkbox all games in the selection, using the checkboxes in the list
3. Then use the Print or Export button on the special blue action toolbar above the list

With today’s update, we are making this a lot easier. And while we were at it, we also freshened up the user interface of the Print to PDF and Export to CSV screens.

Read more

Connect and CLZ Cloud users often ask us about printing or exporting only a part of their collection, e.g. “how do I print just my wish list?” or “how do I export a list of just one series?”.

Now, this was possible, but it took a few steps that were not intuitive for many users. You had to:

1. Make the selection in the main screen first, e.g. by using folders, the collection status filter or the search box
2. Checkbox all comics in the selection, using the checkboxes in the list
3. Then use the Print or Export button on the special blue action toolbar above the list

With today’s update, we are making this a lot easier. And while we were at it, we also freshened up the user interface of the Print to PDF and Export to CSV screens.

Read more

Connect and CLZ Cloud users often ask us about printing or exporting only a part of their collection, e.g. “how do I print just my wish list?” or “how do I export a list for just one author?”.

Now, this was possible, but it took a few steps that were not intuitive for many users. You had to:

1. Make the selection in the main screen first, e.g. by using folders, the collection status filter or the search box
2. Checkbox all books in the selection, using the checkboxes in the list
3. Then use the Print or Export button on the special blue action toolbar above the list

With today’s update, we are making this a lot easier. And while we were at it, we also freshened up the user interface of the Print to PDF and Export to CSV screens.

Read more

Now available: Protect your CLZ Account by activating Two Factor Authentication (2FA).

You can enable 2FA for your account in your my.clz.com account page. From then on, when you log in to My.CLZ.com, Cloud or Connect, you will be asked for a personal security code, created with your favorite Authenticator app (Google, Microsoft, etc…).
Enabling 2FA is optional, but highly recommended.

How to enable Two Factor Authentication

• Go to my.clz.com

and log in.

• At the top, to the right of your username, click the “my account” link.
• On the Account page, under Two-Factor Authentication, click the “enable” link.
• Start your Authenticator app and click the “+” icon to add a new profile.
• Then either:
• Scan the QR code on your computer screen.
• OR: Copy the “Manual Entry” key and paste it into your Authenticator app.
• Find the code that shows in your Authenticator app, and enter it into the Security Code box on your computer.
• Click Enable

Don’t forget, as soon as 2FA is enabled:

• You will need to enter an Authenticator code EVERY time you log in to my.clz.com
• You will need to enter an Authenticator code when you log in to Cloud or Connect on a new browser/computer (but only ONCE).

There we go, with a loooonnnnggg CLZ Newsletter for July 2023.
Three subjects this months: one big project finished (cast/crew editing for movies), one similar project almost done (creator/character editing for comics) and one ready for launch tomorrow (2FA for CLZ Accounts!).

At the CLZ HQ, we’re still planning around the well-deserved vacations of CLZ team members. But we are still managing to get updates out the door, albeit a bit slower than usual.

These are the big projects for this and next month:

• For Movie Connect and CLZ Movies:
  Modify the Cast and Crew lists of your movie entries and Sync them to/from the CLZ Cloud
• For Movie Collector:
  Cloud-sync your customized cast and crew lists + an easier way to add actors, directors, producers, etc…
• Coming up: Creators / Characters Editing and Syncing for Comic Connect, CLZ Comics and Comic Collector
• Coming up tomorrow: Two Factor Authentication for your CLZ Account

Read more

Thanks to various user reports we’ve now been able to find and fix the following bugs in the latest version:

Fixed:

• Cast/Crew: When searching cast/crew, persons could show up more than once.
• Episodes: When adding cast/crew to TV-episodes, database corruption error could occur.
• Crew: When editing a “User Credit” role for a movie, the program could give an Access Violation error.

Thanks to all who reported the bugs!

Fixed:

• In some cases the original image of an actor/crew member could be overwritten when adding the actor/crew to your movie.
• The “Edit Actor/Crew member” screen was not high enough to show all the fields (URL/image was missing).

In the last version, a couple of buttons went missing in the Edit Screen. Through reports we found and fixed all of them with this build!

Fixed

• Several buttons in the edit screen were missing

The CLZ development team has just finished a huge project, something we have been working on for several months: the ability to modify a movie’s cast and crew lists, for both the Movie Connect web-based software and the CLZ Movies mobile app.

Of course, your Movie Collector desktop software has allowed you to modify your cast and crew lists for many many years. But still, the project we just completed has resulted in a big v23.3 update for Movie Collector too, which introduces THREE new features:

• Cloud-sync your customized cast and crew lists to the CLZ Cloud and the CLZ Movies mobile app
• A quicker and easier way to add new cast and crew members, by searching our Core lists
• Simplified Sort Name editing for all pick list entries

Read more