Change the sync from iOS to Dropbox
Hello, I've searched all related Blogs, Helping Sections, Tutorials, etc., but I could found any advice that may help on this question. I use 1PW for approx. 1 year on my iOS devices (iPhone 4s and iPad2) and both are running on the actual iOS 7 latest version. Over this time I just use iCloud for the sync processes. As of week 44/2013 I started to use 1PW on my Windows 7 PC and on all platforms I've already installed Dropbox as I use Dropbox for other purposes 'till today. I already imported my keychain from the iOS DEVICE to my Windows PC via iTunes manually. QUESTION: What are the best process steps to switch the actual sync process from iCloud to Dropbox in order to avoid crashes or other obstacles that may occur, if I don't consider special process flows? Probably it's not a problem at all, but I want to make sure that I keep my keychain after the change on all platforms completely and reliable. Hope you can help on that. Regards, Michael
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It's stored on the following path
D:\User\Username\Own Documents\1Password\1Password.agilekeychain
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Thanks for the follow-up!
If I understand correctly, all your Logins and other saved items are present in 1Password for Windows, but it's not sync'ing with 1Password on your iPad and iPhone, which are using iCloud to share 1Password data between them. In other words, you've got two "copies" of your 1Password data: one on your PC and one that's on both your iPad and your iPhone. Is that correct?
If so, you can simply move the 1Password.agilekeychain folder (the whole folder, not just its contents!) from the D:\User\Username\Own Documents\1Password folder to your Dropbox root folder (something like D:\User\Username\Own Documents\Dropbox\1Password). The next time you launch 1Password, it should detect that your 1Password data is under Dropbox control and ask whether you want to open it. You'll need to do that at least once to get 1Password to write out a tiny bit of informal that'll be needed by 1Password on the iOS devices.
Once Dropbox has finished copying all your 1Password data up to your Dropbox web site, you can set up 1Password on your iOS devices to use Dropbox sync'ing rather than iCloud syncing.
If I've misstated any of the assumptions in that first long paragraph above, please let us know so we can provide steps that apply to your specific situation.
Please let us know how it goes!
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Yes, your assumptions are correct. The main intention of my question was: What should I, do after I've moved the path of the 1PW from the Windows to Dropbox, on my iOS devices? Shall I disable the iCloud sync first and delete the complete "iCloud" setup on the devices, than switch to Dropbox sync and start the necessary steps? Or can I leave the 1PW data on my iOS Devices and just disable the iCloud sync option? For your info, the 1PW data on Windows is the newer one and I don't want to have double entries or incorrect data after the switch. In the meantime I've created some backup of my 1PW data on my Windows PC (just in case).
Thanks and Regards,
Michael0 -
Backing up your 1Password data (especially on the platform with the set of items you want to keep) is a great idea, Michael!
I think the instructions above will do what you want: copy all your Dropbox-sync'ed 1Password data from your PC to your Dropbox web site, from which your iOS devices will get it, once you've switched both of them from iCloud sync'ing to Dropbox syncing. (You won't be just discontinuing the iCloud sync'ing; you'll need to enable Dropbox sync'ing, too.)
I hope that makes sense, Michael. Please let us know how it goes, or if you have any other questions.
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Many thanks for the reply! To resume: I move the 1PW data from my PC to Dropbox, finalize the sync procedure on Dropbox, launch the 1PW on my PC again to enable Dropbox tiny data creation needed for iOS devices, open 1PW on my iOS devices, toggle the sync switch to enable the Dropbox sync, give access to the Dropbox application (passwords, etc.) to enable the Dropbox sync finally, the iCloud sync on the iOS devices will still remain (no need to disable the iCloud sync) and everything needs to work well, right?
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A couple of clarifications:
You're not really moving your 1Password data from your PC to Dropbox; you're moving the 1Password.agilekeychain folder on your PC into the Dropbox folder on your PC.
Once you're sure Dropbox sync'ing is working as expected each of your iOS devices, you can turn off iCloud sync'ing on that device. It'd be redundant (though presumably harmless).
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Time for feedback. I've followed the steps as suggested: moving the 1Password.agilekeychain from the PC to the Dropbox folder, closed and relaunch the 1PW application on my PC to complete the Dropbox data entries, open the iOS Devices and enable the Dropbox sync (iCloud sync still enabled) to check whether Dropbox sync is working well. PROBLEM: double data entries within single account details, e.g. triple web addresses. After some trial by error steps I would like sharing my experience on that:
If you like to switch from iOS sync to Dropbox (in case of syncing a Windows PC with iOS devices) but you have 1PW on iOS only, the following steps seems to be feasible.
Workaround:
- Install 1PW for Windows on your PC
- Copy the 1Password.agilekeychain from your iOS device to your PC via iTunes data release process
- Import the 1Password.agilekeychain previously copied, into 1PW for Windows - CREATE THE 1st BACKUP of your 1Password.agilekeychain on your PC directly
- Install Dropbox on your PC and create an Account (in case you don't have one). If your already have installed Dropbox on your PC - perfect!
- Move the storage location of the 1Password.agilekeychain from the PC to Dropbox (the "How to" is already available in the FAQs)
- Close and relaunch 1PW on your PC to finalize the Dropbox 1Password.agilekeychain movement
- Before you open the 1PW on your iOS device, go to Settings -->General -->Usage -->Admin Storage -->Docs & Data and delete the 1PW data from your iOS device (not the App itself) - DONT FORGET TO CREATE THE BACKUP BEFORE, MENTIONED AT STEP 3.!!!!
- Go back to Settings -->iCloud -->Storage & Backup -->Admin Storage -->Backups -->Backup Options and toggle the switcher of the 1PW to off (there's no need to have double backups as the master backup is now on your Windows PC and the load of redundant backup may have an impact your data - certain time issues of different backup locations)
- Install Dropbox on your iOS device and Login with your Account created at step 4. (In case you don't have Dropbox on your device)
- Launch the 1PW APP on your iOS device. The App will ask whether you're already a 1PW user
- Choose Dropbox for the sync and grant access for 1PW to Dropbox
- Login to 1PW with your Master PW, the sync process should run automatically. If not, go to Settings -->Sync options and toggle the Dropbox sync switcher
That's it!
These are the steps that helped me to change the sync process from iCloud to Dropbox. I'd like to point out that these steps are at own risk. In case something (for what reason ever) crashes here, you should have your backup on your PC and the last version on Dropbox. Otherwise your data is lost and you have to create all iOS settings from scratch!
Thank you for the perfect support!
Michael0 -
Well, thanks for sharing your observations, Michael! I'm glad to know that it worked for you.
I need to reiterate for any readers, though, that you do take these steps at your own risk. We haven't tested them here, I'm not familiar with the iTunes data release process, and you don't actually need to install Dropbox on your iOS device to use Dropbox sync'ing of your 1Password data.
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you don't actually need to install Dropbox on your iOS device to use Dropbox sync'ing of your 1Password data.
correct, but… having the Dropbox app on your iOS device makes it a whole lot easier to turn on Dropbox sync in 1Password for iOS.
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I need to reiterate for any readers, though, that you do take these steps at your own risk.
At own risk for the data deletion at iCloud, or? That's what I tried to express. In case if security I expect 1 PW will be still secure in any way, regardless of the sync process change. Can we say that?
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Hi, @madmax24.
That procedure may be very useful to your fellow users, so thanks again for sharing it with us! My point was mainly that we haven't tested the procedure, so it's not an "official" recommendation.
I agree, though, that any problem associated with the steps shouldn't have anything to do with the security of one's 1Password data.
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Sounds good! Again, thank you for your support on that! Probably this will be found in the FAQs after successfully tested :) . Everything's running well 'til today! Regards, Michael
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Great! Let us know if you have any other questions, Michael.
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