Add New: A New Way to Add Your Puzzles
Introducing a Powerful New Feature in IPDb Version 3.5 - The IPDB Assistant!
Margaret York
Last Update 9 months ago
IPDb Version 3.5 offers you the option to have the new IPDb Assistant help you extract all relevant information from photos of the puzzle box and any other images of the puzzle that have been added.
To ensure the best results, it is essential to include photos of all relevant parts of the puzzle box, as well as the finished puzzle, if available. The Assistant can only extract information from the images that you provide, so the more comprehensive your photo uploads are, the more accurate the extraction.
As always, high-quality images will be essential. Crisp, well-lit and sharp photos will give the IPDb Assistant has the best opportunity to extract as much useful information as possible.
How to Use the New IPDb Assistant Feature
When you press/tap 'Add Puzzle' from the main toolbar at the bottom of the app, the IPDb Assistant will now offer to help.
- If you choose ‘No’, the process continues as usual (see here)
- If you select ‘Yes’, you’ll be prompted to upload/ add your puzzle photos - just like before, but with the Assistant ready to assist.
Cropping your Images
After selecting and adding images, you are given the opportunity to crop each image; read more about cropping here.
This step is especially important when using the Assistant: cropping out irrelevant areas helps highlight the key parts, improving both the image quality and the accuracy of the extracted data.
Choosing Image Types
Next, you’ll be asked to specify the type of image you're uploading.
This is crucial - the IPDb Assistant uses this information to guide its data extraction, so adding a type to each image will make a difference.
For best results, try to include:
- One clear photo of the front of the box (limit box type selection to the best front of box image you have)
- One or more side or back of box images (which contain crucial info, then using the Misc Icon to select type for these.)
- One poster image (if available)
- One fully completed puzzle (if completed)
Final Upload & Assistant Processing
Once your images are selected and labelled, you’ll reach the upload screen where you can make final adjustments before hitting the tick/check mark to confirm your upload.
Then, sit back while the Assistant works its magic…
You’ll be taken to the Add form, now (hopefully!) pre-filled with extracted details.
Verifying the Results
Before saving, double-check everything. This is most important, as the Assistant may occasionally misinterpret details, so your review ensures IPDb stays accurate and reliable.
Sometimes the assistant will misunderstand the orientation of the puzzle and consider it landscape when it actually is Portrait or vice versa. The best way to recover from this mistake is to change the Shape as this will automatically swap the width and height.
Rate the Assistant
After saving, you’ll be asked to rate how helpful the Assistant was.
Your feedback helps us improve future versions—so please consider:
- Did it save you time overall?
- Was the extraction wait worth it?
- Did everything run smoothly?
Rate the IPDb Assistant on the scale below
Disabling or setting the IPDb Assistant as default
- Ask - you will be prompted about using the IPDb Assistant every time you enter a new puzzle
- Disable - will disable the IPDb Assistant feature, and you can proceed with entering everything manually instead
- Enable - will ensure that the IPDb Assistant will always be active and scan your images to extract and pre-fill fields for you.
What kind of information can IPDb Assistant extract?
The IPDb Assistant will attempt to pick up the following information:
- Puzzle Name (from either box front, side or back if images are provided)
- Alternative Puzzle Names (titles in different languages if printed on the box, or secondary titles)
- Brand
- Barcode (most often side or back of box images)
- Manufacturer id (most often near the barcode)
- Categories (based on image interpretation)
- Piece Count (as printed on the box)
- Tags (descriptors based on image interpretation)
- Dimensions (as printed on the front/side or back of the box). If you get the result in inch, when wishing for cm, or vice versa, go to your account setting and change your "System" setting to your preference.
- Artist (as printed on the front/side or back of the box)
- Name of Collection (as printed on the front/side or back of the box)
- Puzzle Shapes (based on dimensions of the puzzle)
- Material (if mentioned on the box)
- Puzzle cut (if mentioned on the box)
- Special Features: (as mentioned somewhere on the box)
- 3D
- Double-Sided
- Glowing
- Multi Puzzles
- Piece Size
- Poster Included
- Holographic/Foil
- Whimsies
- Relief (4D)
- Mystery
- Mounting base included
As you can see, having not only clear images of the box, but also front, side/ back box images, will dramatically decrease the chances of needing to add much information manually.
Multipuzzle Detection & Data Accuracy
If the puzzle is recognised as a multipuzzle, the IPDb Assistant will also attempt to extract the names and piece counts for each of the individual puzzles in the box.
Keep in mind:
Some details are easier for the Assistant to detect than others. For example, puzzle names and collection names can sometimes be confused or misinterpreted—and we understand that even you might occasionally be unsure.
Most important of all:
Please take the time to carefully review and verify the information provided by the IPDb Assistant. While it’s designed to help, it’s not perfect, and your attention ensures the accuracy and integrity of the database.