Material Ingest for macOS · Business archival work
Comedy Archive
Bring selected local files, Google Drive material and Gmail together on an encrypted drive, with a record of where each original belongs.
Material Ingest is the macOS capture and review app for Comedy Archive, operated by Van Robichaux for archival work with existing business contacts. Each account owner authorizes access to their own material and controls what is selected for capture.
Interested in using Comedy Archive?
Contact us about accessLocal files
Choose source folders, review their inventory and select what to copy. Verify saved bytes, reopen earlier capture sessions and review coverage reports for unsupported or unavailable items.
Google Drive
Browse existing files in a list or folder tree, select a folder and its contents, and preview supported files before capture. Download selected files or export supported Google Docs to the encrypted archive, retaining original Drive identifiers and links.
Gmail
Search by words, sender and date, filter for attachments, and keep selected messages beside your search results. Preview messages and supported attachments, inspect file-sharing links, and capture selected emails with their attachments.
Why the app requests Google access
Read-only Drive access enables discovery, preview and capture of existing files across your account. Read-only Gmail access enables message search, message and attachment previews, and email capture. Account identity distinguishes your connected Google accounts. You can connect several accounts and choose Drive, Gmail or both where each service is available.
Sign in through Google's consent screen in your normal browser. Signing in saves an encrypted authorization; it does not itself download your files or emails. Inventory and search retrieve metadata or message headers. An explicit preview retrieves the chosen item's content into a temporary cache on the encrypted drive. Capturing your reviewed selection saves the selected material to the archive. File-sharing destinations are shown for review and open only when you choose to visit them.
Your originals and your control
The Google connection is read-only: the app does not add collaborators, edit or move documents, send mail, or delete account data. Captures are snapshots with references to the originals. A Google Doc remains in Google Drive as a Google Doc, and an original email remains in Gmail. You can revoke access through Google Account connections.
Captures, application state, preview caches and encrypted Google grants stay on the encrypted external drive. The desktop app connects directly to Google; this website does not receive Google tokens, documents or email. Google account content is not sent to AI services. The privacy policy explains access, use, storage, retention, deletion and revocation in detail.
To connect an account, open Material Ingest on the encrypted drive and choose File → Connect Google Source. This website provides app information and privacy disclosures; account authorization takes place through the macOS app and Google.
View captured material
Comedy Archive is the companion macOS browser for your saved captures. Search titles, senders, source accounts and original locations across imports; filter by source or import; and preview supported documents, images, audio and video. Read saved emails, preview supported attachments and inspect sharing-service links without reconnecting Google. Both apps use the same archive on your encrypted drive.
Open an original Google location in your browser or reveal a local original in Finder when you choose. Notes and Pages exports require a separate manual step. Search currently covers metadata; searching document contents, transcription and continuous synchronization remain future work.
Using the macOS apps
Both apps support Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 13.5 or later. The current apps are locally signed and are not notarized. Follow the included guide and rehearse with the synthetic Practice Files before capturing approved material.
Interested in using Comedy Archive?
Email Van Robichaux to discuss your material, your archival workflow and access to Material Ingest for macOS.
Copy this address into the email service you use.
Open your email app (if configured)
Read the privacy policy and terms of use. For questions or an access-removal request, contact van@van.media.