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ComicLibraryQML

Program Icon, currently the same as for Peruse

ComicLibraryQML is a lightweight program designed for reading comics efficiently, with minimal RAM and storage space requirements. It is built using the QT/QML framework and C++, making it fast and resource-efficient.

✅ Cross-Platform Compatibility

This project has been updated and verified to work on both Windows and Linux platforms:

  • Windows: Tested with Qt 6.9.1, Visual Studio 2022, and CMake
  • Linux: Configured for Ubuntu/Debian, Arch Linux, and other distributions
  • Automated deployment for both platforms
  • Validation scripts included for easy setup verification

Preview

Watch the video

Features

  • Thumbnail Generation: Automatically generates thumbnails for each comic in your library, enhancing the browsing experience.
  • Bookmarking: Automatically saves the last opened comic and the page where you left off, allowing you to resume reading from where you stopped.
  • Comic Information Management: Stores comic metadata, including the number of pages and reading progress, in JSON format for easy retrieval and management.
  • Low Resource Usage: Designed to consume minimal RAM and storage space, ensuring smooth performance even on low-spec devices.

Usage

  1. Select Comic Folder: Choose the folder containing your comic collection within the program.
  2. Thumbnail Generation: The program will automatically generate thumbnails for comics in the selected folder if they haven't been created yet.
  3. Thumbnail View: Browse through your comics using the thumbnail view, which displays the contents of the selected folder.
  4. Comic Selection: Click on a thumbnail to select a comic for reading.
  5. Bookmarking: The program automatically saves your progress for each comic, allowing you to resume reading from where you left off.

Requirements

  • Qt 6.9.1 or later with the following components:
    • Core
    • Gui
    • Qml
    • Quick
    • Pdf
    • Widgets
  • CMake 3.21.1 or later
  • C++17 compatible compiler
    • On Windows: Visual Studio 2019 or later
    • On Linux: GCC 9+ or Clang 10+
  • Git (for cloning submodules)

Installation

Quick Start (All Platforms)

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/steveway/ComicLibraryQML.git
cd ComicLibraryQML

# Initialize submodules
git submodule update --init --recursive

# Build
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build .

# Deploy (optional - creates standalone package)
cmake --build . --target deploy

Platform-Specific Instructions

Windows

  1. Install Qt:

    • Download Qt 6.9.1 or later from qt.io
    • Make sure to include the Pdf module
    • Install Qt Maintenance Tool for easy component management

  2. Build with Visual Studio:

mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64
cmake --build . --config Release

# Create deployment package
cmake --build . --target deploy
  1. Run the Application:
    • The executable will be in build/Release/CLCApp.exe
    • The deployed version with all dependencies will be in build/deploy/

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

  1. Install Dependencies:
# Install Qt6 and development tools
sudo apt update
sudo apt install qt6-base-dev qt6-declarative-dev qt6-quickcontrols2-dev libqt6pdf6-dev qt6-tools-dev cmake build-essential git

# Or install Qt via the official Qt installer or aqt tool
  1. Build:
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make -j$(nproc)

# Create deployment package
make deploy
  1. Run the Application:
./CLCApp

Linux (Arch Linux)

  1. Install Dependencies:
sudo pacman -Syu qt6-base qt6-declarative qt6-quickcontrols2 qt6-tools cmake git
# Note: Qt6 Pdf module might need to be installed separately
  1. Build:
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make -j$(nproc)

Other Linux Distributions

  • Install Qt6 development packages through your package manager
  • Ensure Qt6 Pdf module is available
  • Use the same build commands as above

Running the Application

After building, you can run the application:

Windows:

# From build directory
./Release/CLCApp.exe

# Or from deployed directory
./deploy/CLCApp.exe

Linux:

# From build directory
./CLCApp

# Or from deployed directory
./deploy/CLCApp

Deployment

The project includes automated deployment:

  • Windows: Uses windeployqt to collect all required DLLs and plugins
  • Linux: Creates a directory with the executable and symlink

To deploy:

cmake --build . --target deploy

The deployed application will be in the build/deploy/ directory.

Validation Scripts

The project includes validation scripts to ensure your environment is properly set up:

Windows:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\validate_crossplatform.ps1

Linux:

chmod +x ./scripts/validate_crossplatform.sh
./scripts/validate_crossplatform.sh

Full validation with build test:

# Windows
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\validate_crossplatform.ps1 --build

# Linux
./scripts/validate_crossplatform.sh --build

These scripts will check for:

  • Required development tools (CMake, compiler, etc.)
  • Qt installation and required modules
  • Git submodules initialization
  • CMake configuration
  • Optional build and deployment testing

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Qt not found:

  • Make sure Qt 6.9.1 or later is installed
  • Ensure the Pdf module is included
  • Set Qt6_DIR or QT_PREFIX_PATH environment variable if Qt is not in default location

Missing DLLs on Windows:

  • Use the deployment target: cmake --build . --target deploy
  • Run the application from the build/deploy/ directory

Build fails on Linux:

  • Install all required Qt6 development packages
  • Ensure Qt6 Pdf module is available (may need separate installation)
  • Check that all git submodules are initialized

Submodule issues:

git submodule update --init --recursive

Getting Help

  • Check the GitHub Issues for known problems
  • Run the validation script to diagnose environment issues
  • Ensure all dependencies are properly installed

Contributing

Contributions to Comic Library Reader are welcome!

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later (GPL-2.0+).

Support

For any questions or issues, please open an issue on GitHub.