You are here

KeePass Professional Portable 2.14 Development Test 2

30 posts / 0 new
Last post
thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
KeePass Professional Portable 2.14 Development Test 2

Application: KeePass Professional
Category: Security
Description: KeePass is a free open source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way.

Download KeePass Professional Portable 2.14 Development Test 2 [3MB download / 3.5MB-4.5MB installed]
(MD5: 607efac5d80c972aeb4fdf5502195d14)

Release Notes:

Development Test 2 (2011-02-02):

  • fixed error in AppInfo

Development Test 1 (2011-01-11):

  • updated package to 2.14
  • used Launcher 2.1 Beta 2 for XML
  • included all languages as option in installer

Development Test 2 (2010-08-01):

  • changed app name and app ID (automatic upgrade will not work; install app, move Data directory, and delete original app)

Development Test 1 (2010-07-17): Initial release

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Purpose of Separate Versions

I know that some of you are going to ask why there are two versions, one with Mono and one without.

To put it short, I developed the one with Mono to explore the possibility of using Mono to replace .NET for at least some of our apps. I developed the one without for a request.

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

Soulmech
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2010-03-03 10:52
How would this work? Is Mono

How would this work? Is Mono an open-source version of .NET?

SWAG

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Yes

Mono is an open-source version of .NET developed by Novell. KeePass explicitly supports it.

My hope is that this can be a true portable app because of Mono, and that one day Mono ends up in CommonFiles. Apparently not, see below.

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

Lukong
Lukong's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2011-12-23 15:06
Thank you

I was saying the same thing... except with a Launcher and being able to choose where to Put Portable Java & Mono, making a Portable shortcut with a bat file or something and put a note in the file path that the file is somewhere else.

An Idea - P.A. Shortcut Grounds

  • Runs in the Background
  • Starts when USB stick is insert [Use this for P.A. Platform]
  • Make a shortcut of folder, program or L.O.T.
  • L.O.T. Shortcut; Look over there, which if a program is look for a folder and not a shortcut then L.O.T. would say I'm a folder named so and so with this files
  • P.A. Shortcut Grounds launches shortcut for you

Reference

  1. How to create shortcuts with a relative path for use on USB drives
  2. That relative paths are controlled by programs rather than or through the Desktop.ini (Which would be so an awesome Idea; File use this File, Extensions open with this Program, Folder go Here, All together under This) and that the program has to be running
  3. This means the path is relative to either from the Program meaning
    X:/7zip/7z.dll, 7zFM.exe = from 7zFM.exe/7zip/X: then X:/7zip/7z.dll

(I didn't write it in code because I don't think a Developer or Hacker would deem it )

Other Info

  1. Whitecloudsoft - Shortcuts Pool
  2. This came close, but what I tried to do to make it so I didn't have to click so much was dropping it in the Root/Starting/First Click on the drive page of my USB stick and to make it look clean [I'm on another computer right now, so that why I could] I though I could hide the files, but the program couldn't find its own files when hidden.
  1. SmithTech - Shortcut Creator 4U3
  2. Its only for U3 Smart usb sticks
  1. Forty-Three of The Best Free Windows Enhancements That You Should Know About
  2. Fences; This gives me idea for the PA Platform to have its own explorer like 7zip.

But remember I'm a User of Computer so this ideas are a exterior to that of a Hacker or Developer and I meant that in a thinking car's faster based on the outside...but by thinking a little harder its become more like aerodynamics thinking...but I'm still scratching the surface...or digging...with a shovel.

Someone once told me its not copy and paste...that is true, but I'm trying to say is, to bring a lot of good ideas into one place like Cheat Engine & MHS, one user friendly, but another can work without Admin Rights, though I don't have to keep both.

Rank: User of Computer [Level 1/3]
Type: Thinker, Doesn't Complain & Search for Solutions
Con: Exterior Thinker, Grammar & Overly Chatty
USB: Kingston DT1/4GB
Computer: 15min Express Library Computer

8ball
Offline
Last seen: 10 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2010-02-01 21:08
With/Without

If I download the small one (3.1MB) I will need NET.Framework , right ?

Sometimes making love is just not enough, you have to step it up!

J Neutron
Offline
Last seen: 1 week 3 days ago
Joined: 2008-06-10 19:26
Yes

And it has to be .NET 2.0 or better.

neutron1132 (at) usa (dot) com

Mark Sikkema
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 6 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2009-07-20 14:55
Mono is interesting !

Regshot is clean, and seems to work fine (but I haven't really used it extensively).
Just, it would be a good idea to put the [LanguageStrings] section in, it's not working without it for at least Dutch, PortugueseBrazilian & probably others !

Could you have ago on making Mono install into the CommonFiles ?
I wonder how many . NET apps would work with Mono ?

BTW: thanx for letting me know about using the XmlCustomCode

Formerly Gringoloco
Windows XP Pro sp3 x32

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 2 min 43 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Patent Issues

The problem is that MONO includes parts of .NET (Windows.Forms) that are not covered by the ECMA standard nor a part of the part of .NET that Microsoft has said it won't sue people for patent infringement over under their non-binding community promise. Novell has a specific patent agreement with Microsoft (which is impossible for anyone else to now strike with Microsoft as the GPLv3 specifically disallows it) so they are allowed to distribute MONO. Anyone else who distributes MONO may be sued for patent infringement by Microsoft. Novell says they will attempt to workaround or invalidate any other patents that may get them into trouble, but they won't defend you against a patent lawsuit on any patents that MONO is/may be violating right now and that you become a party to violating just by redistributing MONO.

The FSF has advised against coding any free open source software in C# due to the likelihood of patent lawsuits from Microsoft in the future. Fedora is removing MONO and all MONO-requiring apps from their distribution. Debian doesn't allow MONO or any MONO-requiring software into their default distribution.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Oops

I'll take the download link down, since it apparently violates both the GPLv3 and the .NET patent.

I assume Portable.NET is also unsuitable due to the same reasons.

My question is, if we aren't able to support .NET apps at all, then why do we even have it in the format?

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

Darkbee
Darkbee's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2008-04-14 09:41
Apps ok, Platform not

I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong but because some people don't consider the dependency on .NET to be an issue (they use a limited set of computers known to have .NET installed). There's nothing to stop you distributing the app itself (license permitting), you just can't distribute a .NET platform with it.

It's been heavily debated whether .NET apps should be considered portable or not, and most "lay users" don't care because in there experience they've typically found .NET to be available. For "portable purists" the experience/reality may be different. It all comes down to your definition of portable and how you intend to use the apps.

8ball
Offline
Last seen: 10 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2010-02-01 21:08
Portable or not portable, that's the Q.

Vista and Win7 has .NET pre-installed, so if you are at college/work and you know they have Vista/7 then it's portable.

if you are going on a vacation, you have no guarantee.

most people use Portable Apps at College/Work and usually computers have the same OS.

so most users will benefit from this, check out the comparison between V1 and V2, you can always have both on your stick, it's only ~3MB.

Thanks for making this Portable.

Sometimes making love is just not enough, you have to step it up!

RogerL
Offline
Last seen: 2 weeks 10 hours ago
Joined: 2007-03-14 09:17
Beware

you would have to maintain 2 parallel databases as KDBX files created by KeePass 2.x and KDB files created by KeePass 1.x are not compatible

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 2 min 43 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
True

Most people forget about this. KDBX files also are incompatible with KeePass ports to other platforms like Android (though the latest version has beta-level partial read-only support for it).

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Not Even Backwards-Compatible

The worst thing about 2.x is that it's not backward compatible (you have to import into a .kdbx file and export as a .kdb file in order to maintain parallel databases).

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Yes, I Use It

I do use 2.x personally, it's just that I don't see it being truly portable as long as a majority of the world's PCs use XP, which does not come with a default installation of .NET (and for which it's not even a required update).

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

Darkbee
Darkbee's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2008-04-14 09:41
Out of Curiosity

But do you use the features of 2? I guess for me, I don't know what I'm missing since I've never used it, but I don't see the point. 1.x does exactly what I want it to so I have absolutely no motivation to move to a version that might be rendered useless on some PCs I encounter.

I had a really hard time recently trying to explain to somebody why they shouldn't "upgrade" to 2.x. They naturally assumed that 2.x was a newer version and so figured they'd upgrade, but then tried using their database with the "old" version and were confused as to why it wouldn't work. I persuaded them (I think) just to stick with version 1.x.

Quite frankly, I think the developers of Keepass really dropped the ball on this one, what were they thinking. They should have made the versions clearly distinct. I know they debated over it for a while but it's a real mess IMHO.

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
They Do, But Not Enough

They do have edition names, but apparently people focus on the version numbers more.

I'll look at the list of features tomorrow and see which ones I do use.

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

johnlgalt
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2008-03-07 02:14
The synchronization features

The synchronization features alone of 2.x make it invaluable. I don't have to manually copy my databases from one device to another to another, and worry about "Oh, did I put new entries in more than one device, if so, how am I going to combine into the single database - if I copy from one to the other it will overwrite the changes I made there, and vice versa..."

I work on numerous computers every day, week, month and year. I can safely say that I have not encountered an XP computer that does NOT have .Net in hte last year and a half. However, to protect myself, I always keep my laptop with me (running 7) just in case I ever do.

I have been, until now, manually copying the non-install ZIPped version of KeePass 2.x over the PA install on my PA drive so I could use the 2.x version. I moved to 2.x permanently as soon as I saw the synchronization feature, which was (as of then) lacking in the 1.x branch. Now that my Android KeePass app allows for 2.x KDBX file viewing, I am set, b/c I can synchronize my home (desktop) PC, PA drive, DROID, and backup UFDs easily, without having ot copy and paste and all of that rot.

Trying to hunt down an changes in a database of 400+ passwords, keys, and other secure info (although none of my financials are in there) is tedious at best and a nightmare at worst. I keep software keys for my clients, my own personal keys as well as my Technet keys (yes, all of them that are important to me, all servers, OSs, apps, etc), and numerous other things as well standard passwords for websites and programs.

I simply cannot go back to 1.x b/c of the synchronization feature.

@sc - Dominik added names after all the fuss - originally there were only the version number distinctions.

__

JG

Darkbee
Darkbee's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2008-04-14 09:41
If it works...

Fair enough, if that's a system that works for you then sobeit. An argument could be made perhaps for having only 1 database on a USB drive, but for the sake not starting a flame war I'm just happy to accept that some people don't mind using .Net. I'm just not one of them.

consul
consul's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 months 2 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-05-02 13:47
1 file with multiple catagories ...

is the way I go so it's 1 database as well.

I guess the multiple databases is so you can import/export to the Android or to other users?
I can see how the synchro would help out there. Does it works b/w usb/usb or just b/w usb/harddrive?

I ask because the usb port may change, and I don't know if the synchro would be able to tell if the usb ports would change or not.

Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Maximum Compatibility and Features

To get both maximum compatibility and features, you need 2 databases: 1 .kdb and one .kdbx which are synchronized regularly (can only be done by import/export, I believe). That way you can use 1.x in a pinch, but 2.x if you're able to.

Synchronization doesn't make a difference since you can't sync between 1.x and 2.x AFAIK.

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

johnlgalt
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2008-03-07 02:14
In Addition to SC's comments:

Synchronization is between 2.x databases only. Since the Android client now has 2.x read capabilities, I can simply synchronize my main database on my computer to my phone's database whenever I need to, ensuring both are up to date.

As far as synchronization, it's database file to other database file - as long as you can get access to it, it can synch. The only exception *may* be to FTP / URL, I know it was talked about in the past adding this, but at this point I only do local file to local file syncs.

__

JG

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
Development Test 2 Posted

I have posted Development Test 2 above. The main change was a change of app ID and name as suggested by John. This will break automatic upgrade capability, so you will manually need to backup and restore your options file from the Data directory.

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

thesupremecommander
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 4 months ago
Joined: 2010-07-03 14:58
2.14 Released

Updated KeePass Pro to 2.14. In the process, I grabbed a copy of PAL 2.1 and used it for XML language switching.

And thus the eternal dev test continues... Blum

My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)

"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us Blum

johnlgalt
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2008-03-07 02:14
2.15 out...

It seems to work just fine when just replacing the files with the new ones from the .ZIP....

One odd behavior, though, and this has been ongoing since I started using this testing build with 2.14 - every now and again when I press the link for the KP Pro Portable link, nothing happens, and I have to click it again to get the app to work.

Windows 7 x64 Ultimate, with M$ Security Essentials, MalwareBytes AntiMalware registered and WinPatrol as my security.

Any ideas?

__

JG

3D1T0R
3D1T0R's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 8 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2006-12-29 23:48
PAL's Recovery Cycle?

If this uses PAL 2.0, or PAL 2.1 Beta 2 (I haven't used it, so I can't be 100% certain) then there is a cool feature implemented which runs a Recovery Cycle when the launcher crashed last time it was run.
Basically what it is is that PAL keeps track of how it exits (properly [after cleaning up after the app], or improperly [without having cleaned up after the app]), when it starts, the launcher checks to see if it was exited improperly (e.g. it crashed, or was killed) last time it ran, if it was that means that anything that it was supposed to clean off of the Host PC is still there (whether that be some of your personal information, or simply garbage the program might leave behind) and that time, it will clean up the host computer rather than running the app.
It's a great feature, unfortunately the current version doesn't tell you what it's doing during the Recovery Cycle (it just opens up the launcher, cleans it up, and closes, after which you have to run it again to actually start the app) but I believe Chris Morgan said he would add an explanatory message in a future release, and other than that current lack of explanation it's seems well implemented, I think this is probably what's happening for you.

It might be a good idea for you to check how this is closing/being closed, is the Launcher (e.g. KeePassPortable.exe) perhaps crashing, or being forcibly closed for some reason? if you're using some other program to close it, make sure you tell it to close the app itself (e.g. ...\KeePassPortable\App\KeePass\keepass.exe), not the launcher (e.g....\KeePassPortable\KeePassPortable.exe).

Hopefully this helps you.

~3D1T0R

johnlgalt
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2008-03-07 02:14
Ahhh, that makes perfect

Ahhh, that makes perfect sense then. Hopefully when 2.0 goes RTM, we'll see notifications of improperly closed apps. I'm almost positive that is the case here, as I often use my task manager (Process hacker) to close a multitude of apps when I switch over to gaming mode.

Thanks for the explanation!

EDIT: Added the following:

But I am 100% positive that I am killing the app, not the launcher - AFAICT, the launcher is no longer running on my system once it starts the app....

__

JG

3D1T0R
3D1T0R's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 8 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2006-12-29 23:48
Careful Please:Running in background;Some apps not so forgiving…

If you're using the "KeePass Profesional Portable" package linked to from this page then …\KeePassProPortable.exe (the Launcher) stays running in the background till …\App\KeePassPro\KeePass.exe (The App) exits, after which it moves …\App\KeePassPro\KeePass.config.xml to …\Data\KeePass.config.xml (other apps often leave things behind on the computer that need to be cleaned up, but this one just moves one file internally) so as to follow the PortableApps.com Format Specifications (Data: contains all the user data for the application…) and to make backing up the users data easy (especially when using the PortableApps.com Backup solution [part of the PortableApps.com Platform]), thus please be certain every time you close a Portable App in a nonstandard way (e.g. with another program [like a task manager], or any other way that's not the program exiting itself) that you do NOT close (or politely or forcefully) the Launcher (i.e. …\KeePassProPortable.exe), but rather the App itself (i.e. …\App\KeePassPro\KeePass.exe)

Note: This post is specifically regarding this package; since my last post I downloaded the package available from this page to make sure I knew what I was talking about.

~3D1T0R

johnlgalt
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: 2008-03-07 02:14
I think it is starting to make sense to me....

My issue with that, however, is that if the launcher app were running in the background, I should see it *somewhere* in my system resources. I see it nowhere, not when using the default Task Manager in Windows 7, not when using SysInternals' Process Explorer and not when using Process Hacker (my choice for TM replacement). Hence, my thought was that such a TSR did not exist.

However, if I understand it better now, the launcher app actually *does* terminate itself, and then is called back up again if I exit KeePass normally, to perform the final tasks, whereas my method of closing (killing) the KP task via my TM is not allowing the launcher to run its final tasks, correct?

That is the only way it can make sense - because I can show you more than a few pics of how KeePass is running from the portable branch of my USB drive and how the only item listed with KeePass is the KeePass executable itself, and there is absolutely no app with portable in it anywhere.

Of course, that leads to another thought - I did replace the default v2.14 with the executable from 2.15 that I DL'd from the KeePass site, so that, in and of itself, may be the inherent problem?

__

JG

Log in or register to post comments