Frequently asked questions

phpGrabComics features

My cron job did not start or did not execute properly. How can I recover the comics that I have lost?
At the present time, Webcomics Collector does a better job in this context, because it allows you to download older comics. phpGrabComics does not allow you to do that. If you have not downloaded a comic, it cannot be downloaded the next day (unless is still the strip of the day).

Can I use phpGrabComics to download all the comics that are in a web site?
At the present time, no. phpGrabComics can download only the daily strip. If you want to download all the past comics you can use a generic download software as Teleport Pro (or any free alternatives that you may find), or you can use Webcomics Collector.

When will the next version of phpGrabComics be released?
phpGrabComics server is tested at www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics and released as soon as known bugs are corrected. phpGrabComics stable versions are usually released two or three times per year. Usually the development is carried on during the holidays (Christmas, Easter and July to August). phpGrabComics ports are released less often.

How long does it take to install phpGrabComics server?
For an installation of phpGrabComics server you need to consider around 30 minutes.

Which version of phpGrabComics should I install?
phpGrabComics is now quite mature and developed with more attention than at the beginning (in 2001!). At the present time, stable versions should not give many problems to the users, while alfa and beta versions will require more effort from the user to install. Nevertheless, please consider that stable versions might be quite old, and many comics might not be working any more. Basically, you should be always using the last version if you want to have support.

I have seen that at www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics there are more features than in the version available for download. Why?
The version at www.baravalle.it/phpGrabComics is a development version that usually has more features, more strips, more bugs and is released to the public after testing.

I want the latest phpGrabComics beta version. Is it possible?
phpGrabComics beta versions are available for developers. If you contribute to phpGrabComics with code or graphics, you will gain access to beta versions. Otherwise, you can download the last development version using CVS.

Is phpGrabComics optimised for any specific platform?
Yes. phpGrabComics is optimised for Unix-like systems (Linux, FreeBSD, etc.) running Apache web server.

Can phpGrabComics run on Windows?
Of course! The main difference is that in Windows you usually cannot use cron to set daily updates, but Windows itself has similar features.

Which version of PHP is required?
phpGrabComics requires PHP version 4.3 or better, including the GD module and support for the MySQL database. PHP needs to be installed as module and not as CGI.

I have an older version of PHP. Can I run phpGrabComics?
If you are using an older version of PHP, or if you do not have all the modules installed, you will need to rewrite part of the code of phpGrabComics. Early versions of phpGrabComics have lower requirements, but are totally unsupported and unmaintained.

Is phpGrabComics optimised for any browser?
Yes. It is optimised for Mozilla and Firefox, but should work with any web browser.

I do not like the layout/appearance of phpGrabComics. How can I modify it?
phpGrabComics layout has been coded with Macromedia Dreamweaver, a proprietary WYSIWYG editor for web pages. All the pages are based on a single template, available in the folder Templates of your distribution. If you are using Macromedia Dreamweaver or any other editor using the same format for templates (like NVU), you can update the layout very easily. Otherwise, you will have to find a different way to do it.

I am using phpGrabComics and it is not working any more. Can you help me?
First of all, download and install the last version of phpGrabComics, be it stable or beta. Many problems are just solved in the newer releases.

I cannot make phpGrabComics work. Is there any support available?
First of all, read the whole phpGrabComics documentation. phpGrabComics is supported through the forums and bugs should be reported using the bug tracking system.

I see a message that says that my site is banned. What does it mean? Can it be unbanned?
Banned sites are sites that are using old versions of phpGrabComics for nuke and do not expose the required phpGrabComics banner. Update your phpGrabComics for nuke to the last version if you experience any problems.

I am using phpGrabComics for nuke and I see a message that says that there is an error, instead of the comic strip. What does it means?
The message appears when you are using a phpGrabComics port and you do not expose a banner. The system will automatically stop serving images, and will automatically restart when you show the banner. Update your phpGrabComics for nuke to the last version if you experience this problem.

I cannot install phpGrabComics. Can someone install phpGrabComics on my server?
You can ask any PHP developer with some experience. phpGrabComics is quite easy to install.

I have lost my phpGrabComics password, what can I do?
Edit the file inc/config.php, set both user name and password to an empty string. Now you can log in and set your new password. Or, more secure, generate a new password with the web interface to the md5 function at admin/md5.php and edit your configuration file writing the md5 hash of your new password.

I used to read WHATEVERCOMIC and now it is no longer available in phpGrabComics. Why?
If your comic strip is not being published any more, it will not be included in phpGrabComics. If the strip is still published in the web, report the problem in the forums .

My problem is not described in the documentation. What can I do?
If your problem is not described in the documentation you can use the forum or the bug tracking system.

I want to contribute to phpGrabComics. What can I do?
First of all, subscribe to phpGrabComics mailing list. Then read the documentation for developers. Any kind of help (new modules, art, documentation or whatever) is welcome.

I have developed a new feature for phpGrabComics. Can it be included in the official phpGrabComics?
Submitted features are checked and usually included in the next release. Authors are thanked in the release notes.

I would like to commit to the development of phpGrabComics. When will I be included in the official list of developers?
I do not have any objection on new developers to join the project, but first of all, submit your work...