diff --git a/scripts/find_dupes.py b/scripts/find_dupes.py
index bf6f94e..24b8d8e 100755
--- a/scripts/find_dupes.py
+++ b/scripts/find_dupes.py
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ def main():
 	for filename in filelist:
 		ca = ComicArchive(filename, settings )
 		if ca.seemsToBeAComicArchive() and ca.hasMetadata( style ):
+			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 			fmt_str = u"{{0:{0}}}".format(max_name_len)
 			print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( filename ) + "\r",
 			sys.stderr.flush()
 			comic_list.append((filename, ca.readMetadata( style )))
-			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 
 	print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( "" ) + "\r",
 	print "-----------------------------------------------"
diff --git a/scripts/inventory.py b/scripts/inventory.py
index 07c8756..f7192cb 100755
--- a/scripts/inventory.py
+++ b/scripts/inventory.py
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ def main():
 			#make a list of paired filenames and metadata objects
 			metadata_list.append((filename, ca.readMetadata( style )))
 	
+			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 			fmt_str = u"{{0:{0}}}".format(max_name_len)
 			print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( filename ) + "\r",
 			sys.stderr.flush()
-			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 
 	print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( "" ) + "\r",
 	print "-----------------------------------------------"
diff --git a/scripts/make_links.py b/scripts/make_links.py
index c99167e..e56c4a4 100755
--- a/scripts/make_links.py
+++ b/scripts/make_links.py
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ def main():
 
 			comic_list.append((filename, ca.readMetadata( style )))
 			
+			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 			fmt_str = u"{{0:{0}}}".format(max_name_len)
 			print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( filename ) + "\r",
 			sys.stderr.flush()
-			max_name_len = max ( max_name_len, len(filename))
 
 	print >> sys.stderr, fmt_str.format( "" )
 	print "Found {0} tagged comics.".format( len(comic_list))