How to "Sync" 1Password [without Dropbox]

ajahn

I use DropBox to sync my 1Password on my Mac at home, my iPad, iPhone, and on my Windows (XP and 7) at work. Today, our company disabled access to DropBox (security issues). I still have my DropBox folder (for now, and hopefully they won't remove it from my PCs).

Is it possible to copy the required files (in my DropBox at home) to a USB stick and physically copy it to the DropBox folder on my PCs at work? I would only do this on occasion when new accounts are added..

Please advise. If there is a better way, please let me know.

Thanks

DBrown

There is, indeed, @ajahn.

1. On your Mac, locate the 1Password.agilekeychain file in your Dropbox folder hierarchy; copy that entire .agilekeychain folder to the removable drive.

2. On your PC, copy the entire .agilekeychain folder to a location of your choosing; launch 1Password, choose File > Open 1Password Data Folder, and choose the .agilekeychain folder.

Important things to remember:

• Copy the entire .agilekeychain folder, NOT just its contents.

• Do not copy a .agilekeychain folder on top of another existing .agilekeychain folder; the "merged" results will not be a usable data set.

• Be sure to retain the .agilekeychain extension; otherwise, 1Password for Windows will not recognize the folder as a valid data set.

• Don't add new Login items to 1Password on the "copied-to" PCs, because they won't make the return trip to the Mac.

  This isn't really sync'ing, at all. (That's probably obvious, but I don't want the thread title to mislead other folks reading the thread.)

I hope that helps, @ajahn. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help.

ajahn

So basically, I can remove DropBox from my PCs at work, then just create a .agilekeychain folder somewhere. Then point 1Password to it. When I want to update it, I just re-write it with a new copy. Sound right?

DBrown

It does, but please be sure to delete the old .agilekeychain folder from the PCs before you copy the new one (from the Mac) to them. Copying one "over" another will mess up the metadata so that your 1Password data won't be right.

ajahn

In my Dropbox folder (on my Mac), I have a folder named "1Password". Inside that folder I have 3 items; ".dropbox", "Icon?", and "1Password.agilekeychain" (a folder). I assume when you said "file", you meant "folder". If I get the whole "1Password.agilekeychain" folder and copy it on Windows, it should ask me if I want to "override" the other one (if I already have one). I don't think it will "add to" the existing folder, but I get what you are saying; the folder (and all it's contents) need to be the same as on my mac.

Thanks for the help!

DBrown

To be REALLY clear, @ajahn, what I'm saying is:

1. Exit 1Password on your PC.

2. Delete the entire 1Password.agilekeychain folder on your PC.

3. Put the entire 1Password.agilekeychain folder copied from your Mac in the same place as you just deleted the old one.

All of this takes place completely outside of 1Password, which must be closed while you do this copying and pasting of folders. 1Password WILL NOT ask you about anything you do in the Windows file system.

Please carefully follow the steps, and observe the cautions, in my post above.

ajahn

Ok, I think I got that. I've copied the 1Password.agilekeychain folder to a new location, but I still have the one in my Dropbox folder. Should I just un-install Dropbox? I also am wondering about my browser plugins. How do I deal with those? Do I need to remove them from the browser then re-install them?

Thanks

ajahn

After launching 1Password, I selected File->Open 1Password Data Folder... and selected the new one. Does this mean that from now on it will be looking at the new location? Even if I keep Dropbox around for now?

DBrown

If you uninstall Dropbox from your PC and delete the Dropbox folder hierarchy, you'll no longer have Dropbox or Dropbox-sync'ed files (including your 1Password data) on your PC.

If you just uninstall Dropbox, you'll still have the Dropbox folder hierarchy, but it will act as "just another folder" on your PC.

1Password may recognize the presence of a 1Password data folder (that is, a folder with a .agilekeychain extension) in a folder named Dropbox and offer to open that 1Password data folder. If it does, just click "no" and you should be able to proceed with the one you last used.

You can prevent that prompt, if you like, by renaming the Dropbox folder to something else, like "UsedToBeDropbox" or "Dropbox_disconnected" or whatever makes sense to you. (You can also enable the "don't ask again" option in the window that asks whether you want to use that folder.)

I hope that helps, @ajahn.

Headelf

I have the same problem as my company has also blocked access to Dropbox. I am wondering if it is possible to use Dropbox sync with my Mac, iPad and iPhone and then Wi-Fi sync my passwords from the iPhone to the Windows PC? This way I can still have my passwords on my iPhone and PC in sync.

svondutch

I am wondering if it is possible to use Dropbox sync with my Mac, iPad and iPhone and then Wi-Fi sync my passwords from the iPhone to the Windows PC?

1Password version 4 supports this.

DBrown

@Headelf, if you can use Dropbox to sync your 1Password data among your Mac and iOS devices, why would you not simply use it on your PC, too? Is it an issue with the PC being at work and your being prohibited from using Dropbox there?

Headelf

@DBrown yes the PC is at work and the Mac is at home. Dropbox is prohibited from being used at work. The Dropbox folder no longer updates and I can't even get to Dropbox.com. Work even blocks access to iCloud so that isn't an option either. This is why I was wondering if I could use both the Dropbox and Wi-fi sync.

DBrown

You will be able to do that, @Headelf, but not until you're using 1Password 4 for Windows, currently in beta development.

You can express your interest in the beta program by signing up here: https://agilebits.com/beta_signups/winnewsletter.html

Headelf

@DBrown I have signed up for the Windows Beta. I already participate in the Mac Beta and would be happy to join the Windows one as well.