Init Manga v1.5.3: Batch Upload – bulk chapter upload made clean & secure

Why Batch Upload?

• Save hours: one ZIP = many chapters, with progress logs per folder.
• No Media Library mess: images are copied directly into uploads/init-manga/<manga_id>/<chapter>/, no extra sizes generated.
• Secure workflow: zip-slip protection, symlink blocking, system junk filter; cleanup with realpath guard to delete sandbox only.
• Admin-only: available to Administrators only, preventing misuse.

How it works

• 1 ZIP containing chapter folders directly: each folder = 1 chapter.
• Securely extracted into a temporary sandbox: uploads/init-manga-batch/<manga_id>/zip_…/.
• Chapter images are copied into the final path: uploads/init-manga/<manga_id>/<chapter_number>/0001.png, 0002.png…
• Chapter content is built automatically, then the sandbox and temp ZIP are cleaned up safely.

Chapter folder naming rules

• Valid: 12 or 12.5 - Title (integer/decimal, optional title after - ).
• Forbidden: special characters \ / : * ? " < > | (especially : is banned).
• Example ZIP structure:
  • 1/ (images…)
  • 2 - Chapter title/ (images…)
  • 12.5 - Extra/ (images…)

Security & safeguards

• Zip-slip protection: blocks absolute paths, ../, NUL bytes; validates parent paths with realpath() + trailing separator.
• Symlink blocking: ignores symbolic links based on external attributes.
• Junk filter: skips __MACOSX, .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, and hidden files.
• Zip-bomb defense: capped at 20k files and 5GB uncompressed size.
• Safe cleanup: deletes sandbox only; temp ZIP is removed after import.

3-step usage

1. Go to the Manga edit screen (must be Published) and open the Batch Upload Chapters metabox.
2. Select a .zip file with valid chapter folders → click Start Batch Upload.
3. Watch the log: each chapter shows its status and image count; done in minutes.

Practical notes

• Supported image formats: jpg, jpeg, png, gif, webp, avif.
• Slug collision: if a chapter number already exists, it will be skipped (no overwrite).
• Performance: direct copy (no resize), natural filename sorting, lightweight logging.

Quick Q&A

• Do images go into the Media Library? No. They’re copied directly into chapter folders without generating thumbnails.
• Can cleanup accidentally delete outside files? No. Cleanup uses realpath guard and only touches the sandbox.
• Can normal users see this metabox? No. It’s strictly Administrator-only.

Conclusion

With **Batch Upload (ZIP Only)**, bulk chapter uploads go from tedious to effortless. Clean, fast, secure — and under full control. Starting with **v1.5.3**, this is the standard way to import multiple chapters at once in Init Manga.