I got my publisher script to handle the last must-have step to publish the comic, which is invalidating the image cache. I also copied my publisher script and my comic reserves to Harpo, a Linux server I made out of a lunchbox.
After that, I set up a cron job that runs the publisher script at 10pm every Sunday. Put this all together, and this comic now publishes without my intervention. I can die, travel or whatever and the next two comics will come out on Sunday at 10pm, provided Harpo is still on and running. I’ve got three more weeks ready to add to Harpo’s queue.
My auto-publish script does not write a blog post telling you that new comics are out. That’s a whole thing that’s on my list. I want a blog post that displays the actual panels. I want it posted to social media. I want it emailed to everyone on a subscription list. It’s on my to-do list, but it’s not the very next thing.
There are also a bunch of steps that have to be done to get my panels ready for the queue. I’ve got two scripts that do most of the work, but I’ve still got to make a snapshot and run those two scripts.
I want to change that to one script with simpler parameters. Then all I’d have to do is draw the panels, make the snapshot and run the script.
I’m a software developer. This industry is a magnet for lazy people who will put in the work to become even lazier people.