The following should address any questions or concerns you may have about Artwork Tracker for Mac. I’ll be updating this post as new questions arise. Let me know if I’ve missed anything!

1. When will Artwork Tracker be available? When will it hit the Mac App Store?

Artwork Tracker for Mac is currently available for download from my website and on the Mac App Store. You can learn more about Artwork Tracker for Mac here.

2. What Mac OS X operating system do I need to be able to run Artwork Tracker for Mac?

The app works on Lion (OS X 10.7.x), through to Ventura (macOS 10.13).

3. I already have Artwork Tracker on my iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Do I have to buy it again for the Mac?

Yes, if you would like to run Artwork Tracker on your Mac, you’ll need to purchase it direct from my site, or from the Mac App Store. The Mac version includes some additional features over and above the iOS version, including enhanced search and printing capabilities. While it does re-use some code from the iOS version, the app had to be substantially re-designed and re-written for the Mac platform. Unfortunately porting the app to the Mac wasn’t as simple as you might think!

4. I’m not sure if Artwork Tracker for Mac will suit my needs. Is there a free trial version available?

Yes, it’s available for download here. The app is initially in an unregistered trial mode, limited to 5 artworks with 5 photos each, 5 clients, and 5 submissions. It will also only allow a single database window, and database import is disabled. That should be enough to give you some idea of whether the app will work for you. Purchasing a license either within the app or via my website unlocks full functionality. You may also purchase via the Mac App Store.

5. Is it possible to sort the artworks by artist, rather than title?

Click the Preferences… line on the Artwork Tracker menu and select the “Sort artworks by artist” checkbox under Sort Options. Close the window and you’ll find all artworks are now sorted by artist. Repeat these steps to sort by title again.

6. How do I re-order the photos on the Artwork Info screen?

After the artwork entry has been saved, double-click on it and then click on the All Photos section. This will show all the photos associated with the Artwork. Click and hold the mouse button on the photo (or photos) you’d like to organize on the Info screen, and move the mouse to where you’d like the photos to be arranged. Release the mouse button when you’re done.

To move a photo into one of the primary photo slots on the Artwork Info screen, arrange the photos in the All Photos section. The primary photo slots will now reflect the new order.

7. How do I add text captions to my photos? How can I hide them to take a closer look at the photo?

Double-click on the photo you’d like to add a caption to in the All Photos section of the Artwork Info window. Click the word balloon icon at the top of the window, then in the text box that appears, type in the text caption you’d like to associate with that photo. Click on the photo to end editing the caption. The new or modified text caption will now be displayed. Note that only the first few lines of the caption will be superimposed over the photo. To hide the caption, click once on the photo. You can scroll between the photos by clicking the left and right arrow buttons, and zoom-in by resizing the photo window.

8. I have an Artwork Tracker database on my iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. How do I transfer it to Artwork Tracker for Mac?

You’ll need all devices on the same local WiFi network as your Mac. Then follow these steps:

(1) Tap the Backup Database button on the Tools screen within the app on your device.
(2) Create a new database within Artwork Tracker for Mac and save it to your Documents folder.
(3) Click the Import Database button in the document window toolbar within Artwork Tracker for Mac. This is the button next to the printer button. The button has an arrow pointing to the right, away from the device icon. You can also select the Import from -> Artwork Tracker Mobile App item in the File menu.
(4) The Import Database window will appear. You should see your device shown in the Devices section. If it isn’t there, double-check that you’ve selected Backup Database (or Export Database) on the Tools screen within Artwork Tracker on your device. Check the Messages box in Artwork Tracker for Mac for helpful information.
(5) Select the device you want to import from, then select Restore Complete Database in the Import Options section. You may also choose to Import Artworks and Clients, Import Artworks, or Import Clients.
(6) Once you’re satisfied with the selected device and import options, click the Import button.
(7) After the progress bar completes, an alert will appear indicating whether the import was successful. Click OK.
(8) The database in Artwork Tracker for Mac should now match the database on your device.

Note that the above steps will completely replace the contents of the database within Artwork Tracker for Mac, unless you’ve chosen not to restore the complete database. In that case, you may see duplicate entries in your database after the import is complete.

9. I have a database in Artwork Tracker for Mac I’d like to transfer to Artwork Tracker on my iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. How do I accomplish this?

The steps are similar to question 8 above, except you must select either Restore Database or Import Database on your device, and click the Export Database button in the document window toolbar within Artwork Tracker for Mac. This is the toolbar button with the arrow pointing toward the device icon. When the export is complete, you should consult the pop-up alert on your device for further instructions.

10. I have an iPad, an iPhone, and a Mac. How do I keep the databases in sync between all of these devices?

Artwork Tracker currently doesn’t have a simple means of keeping databases synchronized on separate devices. However, it is still possible to transfer the database between devices manually. You first need to backup the database from the device with the most current copy to your computer (or from your computer to the device). The steps for achieving this are shown above in questions 8 and 9. A good workflow is to use your Mac as a hub for the database, updating that after you’ve made changes on your device.

11. I have the Artwork Tracker trial version and just bought the full version. How do I transfer my data from the trial version?

When you purchase the full version you’ll be provided with license details to unlock the app. The trial version and the full version are the same app – there is nothing further to download. All of your data will be accessible the next time you run the app.

If you’ve purchased via the Mac App Store, you’ll need to save the database from the trial version to somewhere you can easily locate (the Documents folder, or your desktop, for example), and load it within the Mac App Store version. The trial version of the app may then be deleted once you’ve transferred the database.

12. I have a whole spreadsheet of data I’d like to import into the app. How can I do that?

Provided your spreadsheet program can export to CSV format and allows you to specify comma separators and dates in a particular format, you should be able to import it into the app. Artwork Tracker expects to receive CSV data according to the CSV template file, available in the Downloads section of this site.

13. Can you incorporate some new fields into the app? Can I change the names of any of the data fields?

Incorporating new fields may be possible, but keep in mind that any changes will also need to be made to the iOS app version, where screen real estate is very limited. I’ve tried to select fields that would be useful for most people using the app, and have tried to minimize clutter as much as possible. The Notes field may be used to log information that isn’t captured by any other field. Sorry, the names of the data fields cannot be changed.

14. What is the X icon in the toolbar used for?

The ‘X’ icon (next to the ‘+’ icon in the toolbar) is used to delete a particular artwork, client, or submission. It has no effect until you select an item from the list. Clicking on one of the rows in the table will select that row and highlight it in a brown colour. To delete the highlighted artwork, client, or submission, click the X icon in the toolbar. Alternatively you may select Remove Item from the Edit menu.

15. How do I use the artwork report feature? How do I view the artwork report?

The artwork report shows a summary of your collection, followed by the data and photos for every artwork in your collection. This report can be useful for inventory or insurance purposes, and may be printed from within your web browser.

Click the Export To -> HTML Report lines on the File menu.

(1) Select the Report Folder where you’d like to store the report and the corresponding photos.
(2) Enter a filename in the Report File field. Note that the photos will be stored in a sub-folder of the same name with a _photos suffix.
(3) Select whether you’d like to export a report with Small photos, Medium photos, or Large photos, then click the Export button.
(4) A progress bar window will appear, followed by a popup when the export is complete.

To view the report, locate the Report Folder you specified in (1) using the Mac Finder, and double-click on the Report File you specified in (2). On OS X Snow Leopard, your web browser will load the artwork report.

On OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion, a warning will appear asking if you are sure you want to open the file. Since you have generated the file yourself using the app, click the Open button. Your web browser will then load the artwork report. If you ever want to relocate the artwork report, be sure to move the similarly-named folder with the _photos suffix. This will ensure the report file will still know where to find the photos.

16. I have questions, feature requests, or concerns that aren’t listed above. How can I contact you?

You can reach me via email (ArtworkTracker@andrewnicolle.com), on the Artwork Tracker Facebook page, or on Twitter (I’m @andrewnicolle). I can usually respond to queries within 24 hours. If you like Artwork Tracker for Mac, please spread the word. Thanks!

Tags: Artwork Tracker for Mac, FAQ, Frequently Asked Questions