Import and Export
fpwdman can import and export a simple text format. fpwdman outputs files in exactly the format it expects on import. Upon import, one needs to specify the end of line format of the text file. Windows uses "carriage return / line feed", while Unix uses only "line feed". If you are not sure which format you have, it is quite helpful to have an editor that can display end of line characters that are normally non-printing. One such editor is SciTe.
Upon export, the output file will be called "pwdman.dat.txt". fpwdman will then warn you that you have exposed secret information in plaintext:
An example file was exported in text as follows:
----- Amazon http://www.amazon.com User-uHmNPW kXeG7IoQ try not to spend too much ----- Amazon, detailed http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/home/home.html/104-6419005-0239104 John Doe a really long URL ----- DMV 5400 Telegraph Road your name your driver's license number example of non-Internet data ----- Jupiter, admin Windows on Jupiter Administrator Ti03EnEU ----- ----- Jupiter, root Linux on Jupiter root RDZ33aJv ----- P2P http://www.openp2p.com User-hKpuGA ZBwbyOS2MO lots of hype. dubious content. ----- |
fpwdman follows some simple rules for the format.
- The file must start with exactly five dashes, followed by an end of line. Any space or tab before or after the dashes will cause fpwdman to reject the file as invalid. An empty line at the start is invalid.
- There are five lines for each entry. They can be anything, including five dashes, or an empty line. The "Jupiter, admin" entry has five dashes as the comment. The "Jupiter, root" entry has an empty line as the comment, as does the "Amazon, detailed" for the password.
- Between each entry is a separator: exactly five dashes, followed by an end of line. Any space or tab before or after the dashes will cause fpwdman to reject the file as invalid.
- The file must end with exactly five dashes, followed by an end of line. Any space or tab before or after the dashes will cause fpwdman to reject the file as invalid. An empty line at the end is invalid, and five dashes without a final end of line is also invalid.
If you run into trouble, it is quite helpful to have an editor that can display end of line characters that are normally non-printing. One such editor is SciTe. It is free, it is open source, and binaries are readily available for Windows and Unix. With the "View --> End of Line" menu item checked, this is an example of what SciTe looks like editting the above file.
