Features and updates

[etele]

Hello Harry,

First I would like to wish you happy and succesful new year! It was a long time I did not touch the program - other tasks sorry. But I am missing so much a collection of my valuable data (they are now in different excels, pocket PC applications, etc.) - I decided to start again.

I see you made a lot of improvements on the program and made it available on Windows Mobile too Will it be later available for older mobile platforms (particularly for Pocket PC 2003) too? We have such OS based devices and would be great to use with your progi

So I installed the newest Windows version and started to learn how to make types and fields Hungarian before filling in.

Doing so I noticed that a couple of (new) things on GUI are not localized - so I am ready to translate the newest version - pls just send it to me in an e-mail. Pls put the accounts too - I will do this extra job and translate it as somebody did for German accounts, if you are ready to distribute

Found a few "bugs" in views, in the hungarian translation there are text boxes cut off with "...".

Sorry, I cannot give up to try to convince you to revise the present database usage possibilies.

1) I am not an expert, and - I hope - not too stupid, but I could not set up a LockCrypt MySQL file on a free server to use with LockCrypt.
And even if I could, I would prefer not to use something web based - not just because of the possible theft of data (I know the strong encryption , but in some cases internet can be unavailable when I need my data on my computer.

2) I would prefer to have LockCrypt databaseS on my USB pen + an installed LockCrypt at home and at work, or a portable LockCrypt on the USB.
AND LockCrypt should be opened accessing the desired database file.

This method would give a chance to have a few different databases:
- different personal databases for my wife, for my sons and for me
- one common "family" database for all of us

- personal "mobile" databases for everybody - if I would like to have not all, but just the selected set of data on the mobiles for quicker access when standing at the ATM Or even better to have a checkbox in the account settings if this account is to be exported on the mobile or not...

This association-based database opening would be a good solution - just open the database folder on the USB pen, access desired file > LockCrypt opens the file, asks the password, etc.

Easy, portable. In case if there is no Lockrypt (and Java) on the PC where I am - it is just a couple of minutes to get it (them) from the net (or install from the USB, or have a portable version installed on the USB - with Java(?!)) and that's all.

I hope my suggestions are not too hard to realize - if you think they are valuable
Or if you have another suggestions how to make my data portable + accessible even if there is no internet + have a couple of different databases for the family members + "light" versions for the mobile phone - pls let me know, I am open and willing to solve this...

Other ideas: would be also great to have a possibility to export accounts one by one (or by groups) to a non-encrypted "exchange" file and read it back in another database (e.g. to send just selected data for my wife, sons, etc.)

Would be great to have Excel export of the full database > it could be also encrypted and put in an archive for securitiy pusposes.
Tried CSV - doesn't work with eastern characters and no way to put data back to LockCrypt - except of cell by cell copy-paste
Text export looks good (if put in Excel), eastern characters are OK, but again - no way back to LockCrypt
XML is OK to save a snapshot of data, put it in a safe place and recover if needed, but it cannot be easily read by the user AND it isn't encrypted! Somebody finds it and gets all valuable data with almost no work!

So a well working Excel archive with a password seems to me the best = encrypted, well organized, easy to understand. Just needs a backway to LockCrypt in case of a necessity to recover failed database (or easily and quickly organize your data in an Excel and read it in the LockCrypt database).

Even better would be to have a feature in LockCrypt - archive to a timestamped Excel file on a regular basis or on request. Excel file would be encrypted with the same password as the Lockrypt database, or user should set password when saving - doesn't matter...

Why do I insist on this database "problem" so much - it is a hard work to enter a lot of data into the application! And there should be a way to easily recover data instead of retyping each time if there is a problem.
And problems occur: trying to make database "USB portable" I managed almost each time to corrupt my database when I tried to open it on another PC. So my first dummy data has disappeared a few times last days. It is not a bad luck, but I would get a heart attack to send up in smoke my full database - collected from the pocket PC, Excel, papers, saved Firefox logins, etc.

Sorry for the long e-mail, I was thinking on this since last June, just had no time to share with you. Hope it helps you to make your program even better. Sorrily I am not a programmer to help you doing so But ready to help with test and other "good" ideas

Waiting for the files to translate and your opinion about the above - write your comments directly to my mail with different color, if you think it worth to discuss.

Thanx and regards,
Attila

[Harry Jennerway]

Hey,
Cheers for the suggestions, I've emailed you a spreadsheet for the Hungarian translation. To translate the account types (and fields), you just need to edit them and click File->Export to XML and check only the 'Account Types' checkbox. If you email it to me I'll upload it for everyone.

There are certain things older versions of Windows Mobile don’t support (context menus for one) which are pretty vital to LockCrypt.

1) To use MySQL, you need a MySQL server and to have created a user and a database to use. I’ve tested it and it works. You don’t need to use MySQL, but it’s designed to allow people to use the same database from home/work. Everything’s encrypted on the server anyway.
2) I could automatically associate it to open .lce files. I’ll add the for the next version. It’s not possible to automatically download it though. The association would need to be created by the installer, so if you’re using it from a pen drive it wouldn’t (couldn’t work).
3) Excel isn’t a machine readable format. XML has a structure and can be exported and read back. I could add an encrypted XML export though.

[etele]

Hi Harry,

The translation is done, sent it in an e-mail.

I’ve translated (and a bit reorganized accounts too. Exported as you described, but I cannot open the resulted xml file, hope you can.

Testing the accounts I noticed a „bug” – when an account contains many fields, calling the „New account” option opens a window which doesn’t match the screen size. The bottom hides below the bottom line of the screen and doesn’t let access OK button - even using slidebar. First I have to resize the „new account” window (dragging top border down), then move the whole window up – it helps. see pic1

090115 pic1.jpg (42.7 KiB) Viewed 904 times

If you know how to size the window less tall or matching to the visible part of the desktop – it is welcome And – if no problem, pls make the window wider horizontally too – field names are not visible with this horizontal size and the window needs to be resized manually every time.

These are little and acceptable workarounds, but you will see if you can easily fix them or not.

Opening an existing account I would prefer to see top part of the contents first – as I understand now the account’s center is placed into the center of the screen and as a result of it a „many-field” account’s top is hidden. see pic2

090115 pic2.jpg (36.86 KiB) Viewed 904 times

The same happens when I choose a „many-field” account type to add.

Moving between fields using tab/shift+tab it should be automatic to move slidebar when a selected field is out of the window (sometimes it works, but most of the time doesn’t)

About MySQL: Is there a detailed description in any forum topics how to create the database correctly? I tried to find, but did not succeed. What did I do: registered on a free MySQL site, created a database and put its data to LockCrypt > but when LockCrypt tries to save the database it hangs showing: "Saving settings"

MySQL settings - see pic4

090115 pic3.jpg (28.2 KiB) Viewed 904 times

Did I miss something or this should be enough? Or I should use another (free) site with the same method?

About the txt database: I think I managed to make my USB text-database portable. Pls do not laugh – it was hard for me
I installed LockCrypt on a couple of PC’s at work, but at the start of LockCrypt I do not type any password, just select the existing database from the USB drive – that’s all. Now I can open the same actual database from any PC, edit it and see changes or even edit on other PC.

Sometimes simple things are difficult…

I’ve found a little workaround for the requested „multiuser” version too: I made a few copies of the database and named them as family members. Now at the opening of LockCrypt - before typing the password - I change the database, change the password and personalize the database. This way I can choose which database to open and they can be different for different family members.

Would be more convenient to have a checkbox in Settings:
- if txt database type is selected:
> single user > LockCrypt opens with the default txt database (default can be set)
> multiuser/ > LockCrypt lists all available databases from the default database directory and user can select what to open. (default dir can be set)

Your opinion? This could replace the association-based access, but also that way of opening a database is useful

And from here there is just one step to achieve the top of my wishes > put a checkbox on all accounts and make available: export database for mobile phones – selected only

Thank you for this great progi and hope you find my ideas useful.

I hope not just me need these improvements – concerning multiuser version and reduced mobile phone export – and you will find time to satisfy us.

Dear Forum Members, pls vote if you find that these ideas should be met in near-future versions of LockCrypt!

Regards, etele

[Harry Jennerway]

You need a MySQL server to use MySQL, there's a short section at http://wiki.lime49.com/index.php?title= ... MySQL_Mode , but it doesn't cover setting up a MySQL server. There's a guide at http://developedtraffic.com/resources/m ... tabase.php but I haven't read through it, it was listed when googling "mysql install configure database".

For opening different databases, you could just create a shortcut to the directory you keep your databases in.

I'll add selective export to the list of features to add.

Thanks for your reply.

[etele]

Hi Harry,

Sory, I am not really happy: I wrote you that I found the solution to have databases portable - today I wanted to open them and start to fill up with real data - no way, I get incorrect password error. Tried many things - did not help even the reinstall.
But after reinstall I've lost my Hungarian accounts - tried to get them back from the xml - see the result:

090120 xml import error.jpg (46.58 KiB) Viewed 899 times

So now I am in a trouble: first to get back my own Hungarian account types, second to be sure I will be able to open my databases even after they will be filled up with a lot of work.

To help you find out what happened with the previous install I did next:
- Reinstalled Lockrypt on my PC, created a database mbi1, copied to mbi2 and put two shortcuts to the desktop.
- Changed the contents to make databases different: mbi1 contains one, mb2 - two accounts.
- Changed their passwords to the database names accordingly.
- Up to this step I could use shortcuts to open databases on this PC, passwords worked well, everything seemed to be OK.
- Then I went to other PC, created same shorcuts on the desktop and tried to open mbi1 with the shortcut - got the message - incorrect password. Opened Settings and changed default database file to mbi1 - I got two error messages then it opened.
- Closed the mbi1 and wanted to open mbi2 using shortcut - did not open, because Autotype helper was still running. Closed manually - LockCrypt opened, but again incorrect password. To open mbi2 again had to change default database file to mbi2. It opened with no error messages (next time I will try to catch them
- To open the desired database I have to change default database all the time. When the dafeault is mbi2, but I try to use mbi1's shortcut and type mbi1's password - incorrect password. Typing mbi2's password it opens an empty database.
- Went back to my PC and tried to open mbi1 using the shortcut - incorrect password (checked the deafault database = mbi1!!!???)
- mbi1 can't be accessed any more - whatever I do i get wrong password messages on both PC's, but I still can open mbi2 - also on both PC's making it deafult first.

So I am sorry, I know I am not a beloved user, but would appreciate if you could help:
1) To get back my Hu Accounts (sent you th xml).
2) To make sure that I can start filling up the database with no risk of data loss.
After all I would be satisfied (for the first time with only one portable database and could forget about family databases - just want to be sure - it will work well. MySQL is not my solution, sorry.

Kind regards,
Attila

[Harry Jennerway]

Sorry to hear about that. It appears to be a bug in 2.16, but I've patched it for 2.20. What I think may have been happening was the file you tried to load using the shortcut couldn't be found. You need to specify the full path (C:\whatever\lockcrypt.lce), not just lockcrypt.lce.

A message will now be shown if the file cannot be found, I've also added a status bar to the main window to show the location of the current database.

Regarding the Hungarian account types - I'm really sorry, I honestly thought I'd fixed the UTF8 (foreign characters) bug, but there was a typo which meant characters in the names of fields weren't encoded properly. If you exported an account type which contains special characters on a version less than 2.20, there is no way to re-import. This has been tested and fixed in version 2.20.

Again, I'm really sorry but if you do want to translate the account types again I'll be happy to upload them.

Thanks,
Harry

[etele]

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the prompt reply. It is a bad luck that I have to start the translation again, but I will try to extract my ideas from the xml and reuse them - I hope I will be able to do that.
You are talking about 2.20 version where the problem is fixed - I found 2.16 as the latest version, so I have no chance to start the translation before I get the newest one

The path looked like this:

090121 path.jpg (18.29 KiB) Viewed 897 times

Anyway I think the best way would be to have associations of *.lce filetype with the preinstalled LockCrypt and then one could open any database with just one click (having shortcuts directly to the databases, like I do now for a couple of excel files on my desktop) - don't you agree?

For me particularly it means that I have to install LockCrypt on every PC's where I want to use it, but leave txt database path empty (or default) and use my USB database(s). Then I put a thick beside every account which I would like to have with me on my mobile and export them And I am satisfied for a while, other ideas will come only after I really start using the program, don't worry

So, now I stop and am waiting for the 2.20 version to appear on the site. Or you can e-mail me if you don't want to put it yet to the download folder, but it is stable enough to start with the xml export of HU characters.


Attila

PS: Why to stop? Pls correct me if I am wrong but as I remember the account types should be translated first and just then to be used for creating accounts. In other case titles wouldn't be changed for the first entries, just for the entries created after the translation. Right?

[Harry Jennerway]

Added in version 2.20.

You should be OK to start translating when you're ready.

[etele]

Great! I will try do my best - hope this weekend will have time.

I like your improvements. Will test them and let you know if bug found. Sorry, here is the first one: OK to open using shortcut, but opening from the explorer is OK just if Autotype is turned off. When it is turned on, get a message:

090121 starting autotype error.jpg (52.3 KiB) Viewed 894 times

Press OK and goes forward, but without Autotype.

More will be later, I am in a hurry.


Attila

[Harry Jennerway]

Until I can fix the image uploads, could you let me know what the error says?

[etele]

Oooops, maybe not just the picture upload is wrong: I've sent a reply to you yesterday, but cannot see in the post.

So first the message on the picture (translated from Hungarian):
Error 204# starting Auto Type Helper is failed: path (original path of the install package, not the place where it is installed)...Cannot run program path.. Create process error=2, the system cannot find the file

And now my yesterday post again:

Hi Harry,

Today – on the train to work – I’ve figured out two new ideas which would be welcome in LockCrypt. Pls read and decide if they worth your time

Here are the rough “specifications”

A) PIM alert from LockCrypt – “your document expires”, “bring the car for inspection”, “bring your cat to the veterinarian to get next injection”, etc.

Put a new option in settings: “Would you like to send appointment requests from LockCrypt to your PIM (so called PIM alerts)”

If yes is chosen –
1) in settings: pls specify the e-mail address where the PIM alerts should be sent: …
( I guess here should be specified how LockCrypt will be able to send e-mails – SMTP, etc.)
2) show a checkbox in the account view (if the feature is disabled in settings – hide): PIM alert
3) leaving LockCrypt check if any of PIM alert has changed since the program start. If yes – ask for the permission to send PIM alert messages to the default e-mail address > send STANDARD appointment requests in separate e-mails (Vcard? Or is it for Contacts only?)
4) user next time opens PIM and acknowledges incoming PIM alerts – they will occur in PIM Calendar + in case if phone is periodically synchronized – also on the phone…

In accounts:
If the checkbox is ticked LockCrypt pops up a window to specify the date and time + sound alert time + shows the message that will be sent:
“You have set a PIM alert for a LockCrypt account [account/group/database]. Pls open LockCrypt and find details!”
Possibly here would be good to have an additional info field to send as body text of the appointment – only characters for wide compatibility – figure out


B) Hyperlink to the concerned file, folder on the PC

In many cases all the sensitive info cannot be put inside LockCrypt because of its character (amount of data, tables, etc).
But if they are kept in well encrypted files (Word/Excel, etc.) it would be great to have a hyperlink in LockCrypt which was capable to open the file (it is simple if you are at your default PC or your data is kept on your USB. Maybe the solution is to specify different paths for different PC’s and user can specify on the opening which one to use, or LockCrypt checks the paths one by one until the success?)

On the file opening the application will ask for the password – I guess Autotype will be able to handle this if password is set in the LockCrypt account

+ a change suggestion

It was very quick you solved the “export selected only” feature and it works well but a bit inconvenient, sorry
My intention was to have a checkbox inside every account (maybe similar to the above mention: when in settings “mobile phone export – selected only" is on, it is visible, if not, all the accounts will be exported).

It would help to set up just once which accounts to send to the phone, not every time when there is a change in the database and you want to make it up to date with your phone.

Imagine how many ticks you should put if LockCrypt already has hundreds of accounts in dozens of categories. And my intention is to make LockCrypt my default knowledge keeper

Maybe it would be a quicker and a bit easier solution to use present window, just select not on the account, but on the group basis. This way user could quickly decide if to send just Bankcards, Documents groups, etc, and not send all Firefox links, Business Cards, etc. (?)

I am sure that your great progi – using your user’s feedbacks and your programming experience – will become the “Swiss knife of the secure personal data management” and will become as popular as let’s say Totalcommander, or IrfanWiev in their categories. And I am proud that could add a little to this

Kind regards, etele


And now a bug report - found yesterday evening: I brought home the Firefox passwords from my work PC. At home I exported my home passwords to LockCrypt too, deleted duplicates (made a full set of my passwords in LockCrypt to harmonize them on both PC's)
Then I deleted home passwords in Firefox and reimported the new list of accounts from LockCrypt.
Since then I cannot get filled in login windows if LockCrypt is not running - even if the extension is disabled. Seems that reimport to Firefox broke something in Firefox itself.
The same I found at work PC today morning. E.g. there is an upcoming window to log in to the proxy to have internet access - cannot autofill with Firefox, but LockCrypt also doesn't fill it up.
Tried when LC was enabled and disabled, when account was available in LC only and when in both Firefox and LC - nothing. Then I saved it again with Firefox and since then - OK. LC window to catch up the password did not come up at all...

One more thing - a few pages don't want to work with LockCrypt. When the extension is enabled I can choose from the list of saved account to use, LockCrypt fills in the fields, but submitting the page it returns with the original window with not filled in fields - asks for the login again.
When LC fills in the fields and I submit just after that LC is disabled - webpage opens correctly. Triple checked. Pls think what LockCrypt "blocks" after the fields are filled and what is released when it is disabled. (suggestion from an incompetent )

An idea - is it possible to open a login-webpage directly form the LockCrypt account? Let's say Firefox is set as the default browser in LC settings. Then LC sends a request to it when I ask to access my desired webpage, fills up fields and I just have to submit... (?)

Pls let me know when you get tired of my problems and I will stop In other case I will let you know all of my findings and you can decide if they should be fixed and when or not.

Cheers, etele

[Harry Jennerway]

I'm really not sure why you're experiencing that error, I can't reproduce it.

I responded to most of your suggestions at viewtopic.php?f=15&t=507 yesterday.

I could add a way to launch the default browser to an account URL in the next version. Thanks for your suggestions.

[etele]

Hi Harry,

I am sending you a webpage, username and password in a private e-mail to see the problem I sent in the video.

You will see: LC fills up the username and password, but submitting the page the login page comes back, is filled up again, and again, and again... (in some other pages it just hangs)

But when LC is disabled after the fields are filled up - page opens with no question.

This occurs not only on this page, but it is less sensible and I can send you its details

Is it really just my problem? Again something special with our strange charaters? But there are no special characters in the username nor in the password...

So I hope wou will be able to repeat and understand why it happens.

Regards, etele

[Harry Jennerway]

I can confirm this, it looks to be a problem which occurs when 'Prompt to save' is checked. Unchecking it fixes the problem but obviously is not ideal. I'm working on a fix.

[etele]

Hi There,

Thanks, unchecking 'Prompt to save' really is an acceptable workaround - tried on a few problem pages and they open OK. The fix will be welcome in one of next releases

Cheers, etele