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Éric Fréour
Your .ivc catalogs are not lost. Scrapbook transcribes them directly into its .sbpixixel format, preserving the essentials: Sets, labels, ratings, keywords and links to the originals.
How do I import an iView catalog (.ivc)?
Three equivalent ways: drag the .ivc file onto the window, double-click it from the Finder, or use the menu Libraries → Import an iView catalog (shortcut ⌘⇧O). Scrapbook rebuilds a .sbpixixel library in memory and never writes into the original .ivc.
What happens if some originals can't be found?
The thumbnails stay visible with an "orphan" badge in the grid. You can filter the library to see only the orphans, and a right-click → "Find the original" launches a system Spotlight search to recover the file (useful after a folder move or a new external drive).
What does the transcription keep?
Sets and hierarchy · color labels · star ratings · IPTC keywords and descriptions · links to the originals · embedded thumbnails (even for lost links). GPS coordinates and EXIF data stay attached to the original files — Scrapbook reads them in read-only mode.
Is there a limit during the trial period?
Yes: up to 5 iView transcriptions during the 30-day trial (counter visible at the bottom left of the window). Beyond that, the €29.99 purchase unlocks unlimited transcriptions. A library that has already been transcribed remains usable indefinitely without a new transcription, even after the 5 uses.
How does the color palette work?
Open a full-screen preview (Space). The palette bar appears at the bottom with the 8 dominant colors extracted automatically. Click a swatch to see details (HEX, CMYK, RAL). You can copy each value with one click, or export the full palette as an Adobe .ase file. Use the eyedropper (+) to manually pick a color from anywhere on your screen.
Are my files sent to the internet?
No. Scrapbook Pixixel works entirely locally. No data is sent to any server. The only network connection is for purchase verification through Apple StoreKit.
How do I restore my purchase on another Mac?
Use "Restore Purchases" in the preferences. Your purchase is linked to your Apple ID and can be restored on all your Macs.
How do I export and import a library?
Use ⌘S (whole library) or ⌘E (selected folder): Scrapbook asks for a destination folder and creates two files there — a .sbpixixel file to restore your library in the app (drag and drop or double-click), and an open, readable CSV file (folders, labels, colors) you can reuse in a spreadsheet or any other software. ⌘I imports a .sbpixixel file.
Are EXIF/IPTC metadata modified?
No. Scrapbook reads EXIF/IPTC metadata in read-only mode on your original files. Your enrichments — title, keywords, description, copyright, custom fields, ratings, labels — are stored in the app's local catalog. You can export them as standard XMP sidecars (readable by Lightroom, Capture One, Bridge) without ever touching the original file.
How does AI indexing work?
Launch ⌘⇧J or open the menu View → AI Indexing. Scrapbook analyzes your images with Apple's Vision.framework, locally, on your Mac: visual auto-tags (animals, landscapes, objects…), face count, sharpness score, perceptual hash for duplicate detection and FeaturePrint vectors for visual similarity. No image leaves your Mac. You can pause, resume, or reset the index at any time.
What is natural-language search?
⌘⇧N opens natural-language search. Type a phrase like "beach sunset dog" and Scrapbook searches across AI auto-tags, your keywords, IPTC and your metadata edits. Combine several concepts in a single query. The more images you have indexed (⌘⇧J), the richer the results.
How does duplicate detection work?
⌘⇧D opens the duplicate detector. It relies on a perceptual hash (not a simple binary comparison): it finds duplicates even when resampled, recompressed or cropped. You can adjust the tolerance threshold, restrict the search to a library, a Set or the selection, and see the similarity score for each pair.
What is the SHA-256 integrity watchdog for?
⌘⇧K opens the integrity watchdog. Scrapbook computes a SHA-256 fingerprint of your files and compares it to previously recorded fingerprints: it thus detects any silent alteration (bit rot, disk corruption, accidental modification). This is the DAM discipline described by Peter Krogh in The DAM Book. Read-only on your originals.
Which features are limited during the trial?
The 30-day trial gives you access to all evaluation features: grid, navigation, local AI, search, duplicates, integrity, GPS map. Two limits to prevent mass extraction: you can transcribe up to 5 iView catalogs (.ivc) during the trial, and XMP sidecar export is reserved for the paid version (HTML, PDF and MP4 exports remain available in the trial). The €29.99 purchase unlocks everything, for life.
What macOS version is required?
macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later.