Quick start guide

YACReaderLibrary is the collection manager in the YACReader suite. It keeps track of the comics stored on disk, lets you browse them in different views, and opens the selected comic in YACReader or in a third-party reader if you configure one.

This guide focuses on the main workflows. For keyboard shortcuts, open the Shortcuts dialog from the menu or the settings dialog and customize the bindings there.

Create or open a library

• Create a new library by choosing the top-level folder that contains your comics.
• You can also open an existing library, pack covers, or unpack a previously exported covers package.
• YACReaderLibrary creates and maintains a hidden .yacreaderlibrary folder inside the library root. It stores the database and generated covers, so it should not be edited by hand.
• If you use ComicInfo.xml metadata from other tools, review the related option in the settings dialog before importing new content.

Browse your collection

• Use the folders section in the sidebar to move through the library tree.
• Use the lists section for smart lists such as Favorites, Reading, and Recent, and for your own labels and reading lists.
• The content area can show comics in different views, and it also shows folder content when a folder has subfolders but no direct comics.
• The root and folder content views can include Continue Reading banners, depending on your settings.
• Open a comic to continue reading it in YACReader, or configure a third-party reader command in settings.

Keep libraries up to date

• Use Update current folder after changing files in the selected folder on disk.
• Use Update library when you want to rescan the whole collection.
• You can drag and drop files or folders into the current folder, the folder content view, or the folders tree to copy content into the library.
• Automatic updates can be configured in the Libraries tab of the settings dialog.

Organize and enrich your comics

• Edit metadata for one or multiple comics, including custom covers.
• Mark comics and folders as read or unread, rate comics, and assign their type.
• Use labels, favorites, and reading lists to build your own browsing views without moving files on disk.
• Comic Vine integration can help fill metadata if you configure your API key in settings.

Search, views, and settings

• Use the search box to filter content and jump quickly to folders or comics.
• Switch between the available comics views depending on whether you prefer a grid, detailed information, or a flow view.
• The settings dialog includes language selection, appearance and themes, shortcuts, automatic updates, grid background options, Continue Reading visibility, and third-party reader configuration.
• Like the reader app, YACReaderLibrary supports system light/dark mode, built-in themes, and custom themes.

If you only want to read a single comic without managing a collection, open it directly in YACReader.

More information about the project is available at https://www.yacreader.com.