Tips & Tricks - the short list

[tanstaafl]

Greetings! This Forum is for sharing your PM (PasswordMaker) Tips & Tricks. Some of you have found creative ways in which to use PasswordMaker - ways the authors themselves didn't even think of! Others of you have found and solved bugs or problems on your own. We'd love to hear those tales here.

I'll try to keep the decriptions short and sweet, with a link to the original post for details. Feel free to reply to any of the individual posts to 'vote' for adding it to this list if it isn't already here.

1. 'Defaults' vs. Custom Accounts - When & How
A detailed tip on how and when to use the 'Defaults' settings, and when/why to create and use a Custom Account for any particular site.

2. Super Security Tip/Trick
As discussed in detail here, but originated here: how to prevent someone who somehow gets their hands on *both* your Master Password *and* your RDF file from being able to determine your account passwords - great tip, thanks owlbebak and Thibros!

3. Convert FireFox Password Manager Passwords
Manual method for converting passwords saved in FireFox's Password Manager over to those generated by PASSWORDMAKER (thanks to Tyrantmizar)

4. Multiple Logins for single domain with different sub-directories

------------------------------

The following are Tips that used to be in The List, but have been obsoleted by new, native Passwordmaker functionality..

[*]/ - Manually Synchronize PM RDF file via FTP (windows only?) (obsoleted by version 1.?)
This is a manual way to keep your PM settings synchronized between different computers/profiles. Direct support for this is planned for a future version. (thanks to quixin)
[*]/ - Save Custom Password for an Account/Site (obsoleted by version 1.?)
This simply lets you manually specify a Password for an Account/Site *other* than the one PM generates automatically. (thanks to quixin)
[*]/ - Command-line PasswordMaker (script) (windows and *nix versions available here as of (date?)
... until the true command-line version is released. (submitted via email by Pete S.)[/list]

[Eric H. Jung]

Hi,

Can we update (1), (2), and (3)? There're not really necessary anymore because:

1. PasswordMaker support FTP natively now
2. PasswordMaker supports user-defined passwords as of version 1.5, and even stores them encrypted (unlike the tip/trick posted here)
3. There is a command-line version for windows and *nix now.

Thanks,
Eric
p.s. I think just striking through (like this) the tip/trick with a reason why would be sufficient--no need to delete them!

[benwaynet]

Can you point me to the new feature that replaces #2

Thank you.
jb

[Eric H. Jung]

Hi benwaynet,

Go to Account Settings->Advanced Auto-Populate and set "field type" to password:



(Click to enlarge)

[major4579]

Hi benwaynet,

Go to Account Settings->Advanced Auto-Populate and set "field type" to password:



(Click to enlarge)

Eric,

I think it's easier to use the original workaround.
# Put your current password in the Prefix field
# Change the Generated Password Length field to the length of your current password

It's fewer steps and easier to change - the main downside, I believe, is that the password is not encrypted - or am I wrong about that?

Question: if you did use the Advanced Auto-Populate and set the "field type" to password, is this more secure than the original workaround?

Thanks,

[Eric H. Jung]

is this more secure than the original workaround?

Yes, because the password is stored encrypted in the settings file. Password prefixes and suffixes aren't encrypted.

[tanstaafl]

Yes, because the password is stored encrypted in the settings file. Password prefixes and suffixes aren't encrypted.

Hmmm... at first reading, I thought you were saying that the .RDF file was now encrypted, but I guess that is not the case...

Personally, Eric, I think you could eliminate a lot of confusion, and set the stage for some functionality that has been discussed previously, if you added a new field for an Account: 'Current Password'. PWM would then just use this password unless/until you changed it to one generated by PWM. It would fit quite nicely next to (to the right of) the 'Username' field in the Advanced Settings - the Username field really doesn't need to be that long does it?

You could then simply (I know, I know - its easy for ME to say 'simply', since I don't have to write the code   ) add a new right-click choice - 'Populate with Current Password' (or 'Old Password'? or 'Original Password'?).

Then, just a few more lines of code (ducks as Eric executes a beautiful reverse round-house), and you can add a new PWM function: 'Change Password'. This new function can be used to not only change from your old passwords to ones generated by PWM, but it could also be used when changing passwords, for example, when you have selected to be reminded/prompted to change your password (once that ability is added).

<whew>

Ok, I survived that burst of keyboard activity - hope you did too Eric...

Should I add that as a FR? Or is it over the top?

Hi,

Can we update (1), (2), and (3)? There're not really necessary anymore because:

1. PasswordMaker support FTP natively now
2. PasswordMaker supports user-defined passwords as of version 1.5, and even stores them encrypted (unlike the tip/trick posted here)
3. There is a command-line version for windows and *nix now.

Thanks,
Eric
p.s. I think just striking through (like this) the tip/trick with a reason why would be sufficient--no need to delete them!

Done...

But, without me spending an hour or two trying to figure out when each of these was done, can you give me an estimate? I already made the changes, but need to fill in these missing bits...

[Eric H. Jung]

if you added a new field for an Account: 'Current Password'. PWM would then just use this password unless/until you changed it to one generated by PWM. It would fit quite nicely next to (to the right of) the 'Username' field in the Advanced Settings - the Username field really doesn't need to be that long does it?

Excellent idea. Please add to the FRL. Shouldn't be difficult to do.

and you can add a new PWM function: 'Change Password'. This new function can be used to not only change from your old passwords to ones generated by PWM, but it could also be used when changing passwords, for example, when you have selected to be reminded/prompted to change your password (once that ability is added).

I don't really understand this.

But, without me spending an hour or two trying to figure out when each of these was done, can you give me an estimate? I already made the changes, but need to fill in these missing bits

I'll need to thumb through all the release notes and get back to you.

Thanks,
Eric

[tanstaafl]

Excellent idea. Please add to the FRL. Shouldn't be difficult to do.

Done...

and you can add a new PWM function: 'Change Password'. This new function can be used to not only change from your old passwords to ones generated by PWM, but it could also be used when changing passwords, for example, when you have selected to be reminded/prompted to change your password (once that ability is added).

I don't really understand this.

I know - I haven't actually created the request yet, and although this functionality has been discussed casually a few times, there has not been anything real specific requested or detailed. I'm working on that though.

I'll need to thumb through all the release notes and get back to you.

Thanks,
Eric

Aargh - don't do that... I can do that myself. I just thought maybe you could give me some guestimates. I'll take care of it.

[LkonKbd]

Tanstaafl,

Ref: http://forums.passwordmaker.org/index.php?...t&p=1277759

And I thought I was long winded and rambling, BAG!!  Good idea, I have copied and saved this page so I can study what is being discussed here.  Maybe later on I can have some Longer winded input, if that will HELP!! any.

 
Edited by LkonKbd> 9/24/06 1124Hrs.

"Tanstaafl,"

#1. "It would fit quite nicely next to (to the right of) the 'Username' field in the Advanced Settings - the Username field really doesn't need to be that long does it?"

You must be referencing "PasswordMaker Account-Specific Settings"/Tab "Extended"/"UserName".

#2. ". . . 'Populate with Current Password' (or 'Old Password'? or 'Original Password'?)."

Or add a field to Copy/Paste the password you are using at this time to be encrypted.

#3. " . . . and you can add a new PWM function: 'Change Password'."

This function would be NOT needed and it will NOT really change the PW on the site until you go in and DO IT!!

#4. " . . .QUOTE(tanstaafl)
if you added a new field for an Account: 'Current Password'. PWM would then just use this password unless/until you changed it to one generated by PWM."

This ability is presently here, to create a PW Copy/Paste to the field mentioned in #2. above.

Just some suggetions or thoughts from a thoughtless person.

Thank you for reading my post,

[freilly]

Yes, I just posted a question elsewhere, but I just noticed this so I had to post another: 

2. PasswordMaker supports user-defined passwords as of version 1.5, and even stores them encrypted (unlike the tip/trick posted here)
3. There is a command-line version for windows and *nix now.

Where can I get more information about the two features mentioned above? 

Thanks!

[Miquel 'Fire' Burns]

For number 2, there's a tab that's called "Advanced Auto Populate" and that's what is used. There's actually another tip that has not appeared in the public forum in which makes the password protected by your master password anyway, but it's really advance, and not really for the faint of heart.

For number 3, under downloads, you should see command-line edition. There's a desktop edition that was released not too long ago, but needs more work before it can really compete with the Firefox Edition.

[Eric H. Jung]

There's actually another tip that has not appeared in the public forum in which makes the password protected by your master password anyway, but it's really advance, and not really for the faint of heart.

Eh?

[Miquel 'Fire' Burns]

It deals with editing the character set. I think it's only useful for when you don't have control over what the password is.