This topic on fixing your covers part of our Customizing your list section and Tools and Tips section. Blink!  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Download] [Report bug / Request feature] [Tracker] [Manual] Updated November 6, 2016 MAL switched particular API URL to HTTPS, which the app has no support for. That should be fixed at the price of two more libraries added near the file and hours I spent to put it all together. Please redownload the latest version! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a new covers generator I wrote. It's well suited for people who update their lists with new titles frequently because it's rather fast: typically it should be less than 5 seconds for lists between 400-600 (the actual speed depends on MAL servers and internet speed; for me, it's ~5 secs for lists with 2 000 entries). The UI is simple (nothing superfluous) and straightforward. If you already know what covers generator is for, you should be able to figure out everything you need. If you need help, try Shishio-kun's tutorial, or my tutorial Blink is free and open-source. The whole (Qt 5) project is available on my GitHub Known bugs: * Sometimes MAL reports incorrect information about your totals, and therefore your progress maximum may display more titles then there are actually in your list. This is MAL's bug and there is probably nothing I could do without making app slower which I don't want to do. |
VeriTiNov 6, 2016 9:01 AM
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| Here is my tutorial on using Blink- Step 1: Find what kind of cover CSS your list has Before you use the generator you should know what kinda CSS your list uses for showing covers from an import. You can use this quick topic if you want to learn what it is: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1161751 Or simply generate different kinds of CSS with the generator for your list, and see which one matches the selectors in your cover CSS. To see the selectors in your cover CSS, use step 1-3 from the tutorial I linked above. Step 2: Download and open the generator Go to the official page for Blink! and download it from the green links at the bottom: https://github.com/VeriTi/blink/releases/tag/v0.1.3 If the page is missing or has dead links, check the official topic for a download link: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1133533 It will download in .zip format. Your computer should have Winrar or a similar program on it to extract the files. Right click the file that downloaded and choose "Extract to blink..." to put the program in its own folder. And if you can't extract the program on right click, then you need to Google and install Winrar. Its free and safe- one of the most widely used programs. Step 3: Start generator and generate the right CSS for your list Look in the new folder made in step 2 for the program named blink (lightning bolt icon as seen here). Click on it and run the program. Enter your MAL username in the top box next to Username, and check the box next to what list(s) you're making this for. In the Save as box, choose a name for the CSS file you're making with the text .css at the end. Something like "AnimeCovers.css" for your anime list covers and "MangaCovers.css" for your manga list covers. Whatever names you want is fine, as long as they end in ".css". Next to Selector you must choose the type of cover CSS your list uses. If you don't know, you can try to ask in this thread, see if the original topic for your layout says, or use my tutorial on finding your cover CSS type, it is very fast: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1161751 Now its ready to generate your files when you click the Blink! button at the bottom of the program. Here's an example of a properly filled out program if I was going to make More CSS for my lists: http://i.imgur.com/IgNJ6rN.jpg Remember, your list may use a different CSS type (you should know this after step 1). The CSS will be saved to your computer. You need to be able to find it- but its probably in the folder with the Blink! startup icon. If you still can't find it, click the Browse... buttons before generating again and choose your Desktop as the destination for your generated file. Remember there are two browse buttons. Generated files will be placed there. Step 4: Open a Dropbox account, upload the CSS and get a direct link to it Go to Dropbox.com and make an account. Its free. Upload the CSS file you generated to the home page there. Right click the newly uploaded file. Choose the option "Share Link" (circled below) and go to the new tab it opens. http://i.imgur.com/3xN1zxZ.jpg Close the pop up window with the X on it, shown below. This isn't for what we're doing. You need to copy the URL address after closing the pop-up, as boxed in red. This is what we need. http://i.imgur.com/rGrh4gs.jpg Step 6. Paste the direct link URL into your CSS edit box and make it a proper import Once you've copied the URL from the page you got to in step 4, paste it to the top of your list's CSS edit box here on Myanimelist. The CSS edit box is where you put your past list codes. The URL will look something like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ngev6jhh6zsc641/MyCovers.css Do this part really carefully. Delete the www and replace it with dl. It goes in front of the period before dropbox (don't delete that period before dropbox). Add usercontent after dropbox but before .com. Now add @import " to the front, and "; to the back. I color coded them to make it clear where they go in the example below. It should look like something like this then: @import "https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ngev6jhh6zsc641/MyCovers.css"; Make sure you did it exactly right, if even one character is wrong you will have to start step 5 over. When you're done, the import should look something like this in your CSS edit box: http://i.imgur.com/T409hWJ.jpg Remember, your import link will be similar but won't be exactly the same since it links to a different file in your own dropbox. You should also take this time to delete any old imports you're replacing, like default cover CSS imports. They can clash with the news ones you're putting in. Done. Save, and check list. When you're done, save your CSS and the imported CSS should be visible on your list. Make sure you deleted any old import you're replacing (like default cover CSS imports for example) otherwise you may be linking clashing CSS and have problems later. Check your list to see if the CSS worked. If not, see Problems below. You can also try the Troubleshooting section in the Import tutorial: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=411779 To update your covers in the future, and if any single covers go dead Simply repeat just step 3 to create a new CSS, upload it to Dropbox and replace the previous file. It will update the covers on your list here! Its that simple and fast! More problems? Questions? If your import link isn't working right you probably misread a step in this tutorial. Make sure you have the right CSS type for your list (more or animetitle) as outlined in step 1. Also make sure you generated CSS for the correct list you're customizing (anime or manga list). If all your covers go dead, then the link may have been changed within your CSS, make sure it is still correctly coded as in step 6, and that your cover CSS file still exists and is in the same place in your Dropbox. If not, generate and upload a new one. If its still not working you can ask in this topic! |
Shishio-kunMay 26, 2014 4:07 PM
| The 64-bit version won't work on 32-bit Windows and this is the only invalid combination, that's why I tell to download 32-bit one if the user is not sure. 64-bit seems a bit faster though. I'll move it myself probably. Besides, the latest release link is the following: https://github.com/VeriTi/blink/releases/latest |
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Rokumi said: This works well. Is there any way to generate covers for every anime on MAL with this program? If not, is there any program that can do that? I don't recall if Blink can, and normal Genku can't, but "Genku for developers" can: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=659977 |
Rokumi said: Shishio-kun said: I don't recall if Blink can, and normal Genku can't, but "Genku for developers" can: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=659977 I've taken a look at that, but I don't think it generates #more CSS, so it doesn't work with my list. It doesn't make specific CSS types. It just generates all the cover links when you put in a number that exceeds the number of anime on MAL (20,000?) - you'll know it exceeds it whenever it begins to produce errors. You delete all the error lines from the bottom of the produced codes, then use Word document Replace option to convert the URLs and stuff to a #more CSS doc you can use. |
Rokumi said: Oh, I see, thank you. Although, I put the maximum number in, and didn't see any obvious error codes when it generated. Would be nice if this program could have something more easier to generate all of them if possible. I think hes fixed this since then so it doesn't produce errors when it can't find any more covers. Cuz it stopped at 9727 twice, that seems about right cuz I see in the topic last January the titles were at 8600 or so (20,000 was way off, this is probably for manga). And its pretty easy to use this for #more CSS lists like yours, just make the CSS and replace "http" with {background-image: url(http so it turns the whole document into a #more CSS document and save it. You use the Replace function in any word program. You can do a similar thing with other CSS types. |
Angius2644 said: Hi, i have a problem. If i run this program, when i click on Blink button, an error come out with this message: "Failed to launch the animelist writer" I run windows 10 64 bit. I have Win10 x64 as well, and it seems to run without problems. If you have UAC turned on (which is default), try running Blink from different locations (e.g. "Documents" folder or the root of the second drive, if you have any) or with administrator rights. |
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Keepo said: Kaspersky is deleting blink because it thinks that it is a virus. Thanks for the heads up, I have submitted a false positive report to Kaspersky. In the meantime, it only seems to bother with 64-bit version, while 32-bit one is okay at a price of very slight slowdown, so grab that one. It's not a virus and nobody had that problem in two years when the last version was uploaded. Besides, it's source is open and the app can be easily built yourself using Qt Creator. |
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| This program is no longer working for me. Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." What should I do? |
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FusionSpectre said: This program is no longer working for me. Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." What should I do? Same problem for me |
FusionSpectre said: This program is no longer working for me. Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." What should I do? It seems like the problem has been fixed |
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| To help me with organizing all these generator topics the author's name has been added to the title and links to all generators have been placed in the OP |
Indrug said: Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." SAME! |
As for science, it may be negative. However, do not forget the thing that there is a scientific side in all the one. The important one is true. Of me the ruler of my fate, and me also the commander of my soul. |
Indrug said: Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." blazerdrive09 said: Indrug said: Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." SAME! These should be fixed in the latest version. Please try it out! |
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VeriTi said: Indrug said: Every time I click the "Blink!" button, it says "Network error: reported 'Moved Permanently'" and "Expected ' ', but got '>'." These should be fixed in the latest version. Please try it out! That it is, Thanks! |
As for science, it may be negative. However, do not forget the thing that there is a scientific side in all the one. The important one is true. Of me the ruler of my fate, and me also the commander of my soul. |
| Thank you! I'm using this tool since it's been released and it would be hard to keep my covers in check without it ;) |
| Does it not work anymore? |
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iwsifakismag said: Does it not work anymore? The latest version (1.0.0) works. |
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| When i try it, it says "network error: reported" do you know what can i do to make it work? |
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iwsifakismag said: When i try it, it says "network error: reported" do you know what can i do to make it work? Maybe you haven't installed it properly. The libraries "ssleay32.dll" and "libeay32.dll" should be in the same folder as executable "blink.exe". Or maybe you're behind some proxy or firewall. |
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VeriTi said: Should i download it from the start or only the latest version, cause i tried it as you said but still it says the same.iwsifakismag said: When i try it, it says "network error: reported" do you know what can i do to make it work? Maybe you haven't installed it properly. The libraries "ssleay32.dll" and "libeay32.dll" should be in the same folder as executable "blink.exe". Or maybe you're behind some proxy or firewall. |
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iwsifakismag said: VeriTi said: Should i download it from the start or only the latest version, cause i tried it as you said but still it says the same.Maybe you haven't installed it properly. The libraries "ssleay32.dll" and "libeay32.dll" should be in the same folder as executable "blink.exe". Or maybe you're behind some proxy or firewall. The latest .7z, labelled "Build with SSL support" on download page, is the only thing necessary. I also have no idea which OS are you using, and whether or not you're behind a proxy, all of which might be causing the issue. |
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VeriTi said: Ok thank you, i will try it from my pc if that is the case hopufully it will work out (because i do most of my work from my laptop.)iwsifakismag said: Should i download it from the start or only the latest version, cause i tried it as you said but still it says the same. The latest .7z, labelled "Build with SSL support" on download page, is the only thing necessary. I also have no idea which OS are you using, and whether or not you're behind a proxy, all of which might be causing the issue. Edit: At my pc it worked well so it semms there is a problem with my laptop.Thank you for your help (^_^) |
iwsifakismagDec 25, 2016 9:15 AM
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| I'm having recent trouble with Blink. I have the latest version yet it fails to update all my covers. As seen on my list currently: https://myanimelist.net/animelist/Sinnermighty There a few that fail to get downloaded at all like; 2wei Herz, Arise - Border:3 and a few others and then there a few that have distorted images like; Arise - Alternative Architecture, Arise - Border:2 I have tried redoing them with Blink multiple times and the same results happen, but it is different anime each time that these two issues appear in. My anime and manga list both use the "more" method, and the mangalist updates just fine and I see no issues with it. |
Sinnermighty said: and then there a few that have distorted images like; Arise - Alternative Architecture, Arise - Border:2. They are upscaled. In MAL not all covers have the same height, and your list is set to upscale the cover to make sure the image fills the box leaving no empty spaces, possibly resizing the image. The relevant part of your code is: /* COVER AREA The surrounding area containing each cover pic which appears when you point to a row (requires #more CSS). Left and top adjust the position it appears on screen. Control the height and width of the pic with height and width. Remove only the border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; lines to take the rounded corners away. Increase height and width to make the pics bigger. Delete border-style: solid; to remove the border. */ .hide { background-size: cover; Changing background-size to "contain" will change the scaling to "fit the box, maintaining aspect ratio, but only scale up to until there's no space either to left and right, or to top and bottom", which is, given that MAL covers have fixed width, can mean no scaling at all - but you'll need to make more list adjustments for that to look good enough. Sinnermighty said: There a few that fail to get downloaded at all like; 2wei Herz, Arise - Border:3 and a few others Those show up just right for me right now. If you can pin-point it to a few titles and leave it as-is, I can check it then. It's also possible that your browser just dies because of horrendous resource hog of snowflakes and sheer number of HTTP requests for images it has to do when opening your list, or some problems with caching or MAL itself. |
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| Changing to "contain" seems to have fixed both issues. Also got rid of the snowflakes since it's not christmas anymore :P Thank you very much for your help, and your wonderful program! |
| I get (Expected " ", but got ">") error. Anyway I can fix this, or is this related to the recent changes in MAL API? |
DelusionX said: I get (Expected " ", but got ">") error. Anyway I can fix this, or is this related to the recent changes in MAL API? Probably, but I don't know, it's best to use solutions under here for now https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=439897 |
| I kinda expected this :) Well, thanks for confirmation. |
Smokk said: There is already a solution how to import image ? I need program similar to Blink. https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=439897 |
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