What is proper procedure to just restore 1P from a backup on a freshly installed computer?

jaydisc

(Note: I don't use any sync technologies)

I would have thought that I could have grabbed the 1p4_zip backup from Preferences -> Backup -> Show Files and then restored it on the new computer, but it's not that simple.

1. Why does the setup wizard not accept a 1p4_zip as an existing keychain?
2. Why can't the Restore command restore from an arbitrary location? Am I really expected to install the new version, find it's strangely located Backups folder, put my backup in there, and THEN use the Restore command?

thightower

@jaydisc

re:
1. I cannot say. The staff would need to comment.
2. I have always had to do just as you noted when I tried it myself.

Sorry I don't have better info for you. Maybe the staff will have a better idea ?

I am gonna follow this discussion, for that exact reason.

jaydisc

I should add that I'm referring to the MAS version. I suspect there will be a difference due to Containers vs. Application Support.

thightower

Yes indeed there is a complete world of difference. I deduced it as Mac App Store when you said :

find it's strangely located Backups folder

To me thats a dead give away.

MikeT

Hi @jaydisc,

Why does the setup wizard not accept a 1p4_zip as an existing keychain?

Because it is not a keychain, it's a backup file. You have to go to the File Menu > Restore to restore from your backup file. However, it was supposed to ask you to select a file to restore from.

We have a request in our tracker to let the setup wizard know that it's a backup file and to switch over to the restore process. I don't know when we'll do this yet but we'll improve this to make it an automated and effortless method of restoring from backups.

Why can't the Restore command restore from an arbitrary location? Am I really expected to install the new version, find it's strangely located Backups folder, put my backup in there, and THEN use the Restore command?

It is supposed to let you do this but I think we changed something due to sandboxing issue, I'll ask the team for more information but in the meantime, we'll work on letting you select a specific file to restore from instead of this weird workaround.

jaydisc

Thanks Mike. Out of curiosity, with the current version, how can you even create an .agilekeychain or .opvault?

MikeT

Hi @jaydisc,

The .agilekeychain is now a sync format we use for the Dropbox/Folder sync in 1Password 4. You just have to enable the sync for a specific vault in 1Password 4 (the 1Password Menu > Preferences > Sync) and it'll export that file.

1Password 4 now uses an internal database file based on the SQLite 3 format, you can find it as onepassword.sqlite in the 1Password 4 directory.

.opvault will be the new extension we'll use for the sync formats in 1Password 4 but it's not yet implemented. When we finished releasing 1Password 4 for all platforms first, we will replace the older .agilekeychain format for the Dropbox/Folder sync with this new .opvault format. iCloud/Wi-Fi sync already uses the same structure as .opvault.

jaydisc

Thanks Mike. As a Wi-Fi only sync user, I don't have an .opvault. Is the idea that if I was to sync a second Mac (can I even do that?), that 2nd Mac would have an .opvault?

MikeT

Hi @jaydisc,

You can't sync between Macs using Wi-Fi sync, it's something we'd like to do in the future but no promises yet. Right now, you have to transfer the .agilekeychain file instead using Folder Sync and use your own sync tool to copy it over to the other Macs.

Do you use any tools like that or how do you usually share files between Macs?

jaydisc

But as a Wi-Fi only sync user, I don't have an .agilekeychain. You've confused me.

jaydisc

Oh, I get it. Folder Sync CREATES the .agilekeychain. Thanks.

jaydisc

Perhaps that is the solution for someone wanting to do a fresh install? Use Folder Sync to create an .agilekeychain as a backup, and then on the fresh computer, let the setup wizard import (or sync?) the .agilekeychain, and then disable Folder Sync?

jaydisc

Sorry, I'm probably starting to ramble here, but you've inspired some though here.

Could Folder Sync be used as a sort of 1Password server solution? As in, on the first computer, you setup Folder Sync to sync to a folder on a share point, and then on other Macs, you configure them to Folder Sync to that same remote mount point?

How would 1P handle the Folder Sync on a remote volume that isn't always available? Does it poll? Would it sync when available? Would this work?

MikeT

Hi @jaydisc,

That's is the goal of Folder sync, so that 1Password can use it as a source/destination point to monitor for changes. It's meant to let you use any sync services including network shares you want without us having to code support for it.

Although the Folder Sync would be restricted to computers since mobile devices doesn't have that flexibility but that's what the Wi-Fi sync can do instead. You'd use Folder Sync between computers, and Wi-Fi sync on the Mac to sync with your iOS devices.

How would 1P handle the Folder Sync on a remote volume that isn't always available?

If it is not available, it doesn't do anything until it becomes available again. Once it is available, it'll sync based on the timestamps of the items within the data file.

Would this work?

Yes.