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OS X version is hard to use

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lm4989

24 Oct, 2014 09:56 AM

Hi,
came across this app and instantly liked its concept. As an IT pro I have access to multiple devices so I started testing this on an iPad first. The app here feels great, easy to use and everything.
Next I tried on OS X: appears to be working in a similar way, but at least on my MBPro running OS X 10.9 and for my somewhat ageing eyes it's VERY hard to read anything on the screen as everything is white characters on a light grey background. I agree that someone peeking over my shoulder will have a very hard time to read anything they (don't) see, but that's true for me as well. >> please make a change here, or give us the option to change colors ourselves, if possible
The Android Beta isn't too bad really, maybe a few things are missing but I feel that I already could use it.
The hardest part however is a Windows PC (Win7): unfortunately I'm not a Java expert so I'm wondering how I can find this .jar file's main .class file to be started through my Java runtime.
Finally: somewhere on your web site it is mentioned that I can export one set of data from one installation and import this on a different device. While I found the export option on all of my test installations I cannot find the import one. Any hints?
Many thanks in advance,
Lothar

1. 1 Posted by Lothar on 24 Oct, 2014 10:27 AM

   

   Update to my previous post: OK, I finally found out how to start the Java gui, so that is solved for now. However there doesn't seem to be a way to store my sites like I can do on all the other platforms. Or can I?
   But apart from that: I rapidly start to really love this concept!
   All the best,
   Lothar

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2. Support Staff 2 Posted by Maarten Billemo... on 24 Oct, 2014 02:18 PM

   

   Dear Lothar,

   I'll try to reply to each of your questions, one by one.

   it's VERY hard to read anything on the screen as everything is white characters on a light grey background.

   Thanks for pointing this out. I find it important that the app is user-friendly for all users, including yourself. While I don't have your eyes to test various concepts and their effect on different people in different buildings under different light environments (eg. dark room, sun-lit), I'll try to come up with some design improvements that should hopefully assist in this regard.

   The hardest part however is a Windows PC (Win7): unfortunately I'm not a Java expert

   I have to definitely agree with you on this one: The Java GUI was always a quick implementation intended to ensure the broadest cross-platform support for the algorithm, though Java doesn't play very will with the OS in the sense that it's all very "different". There are some people working on native Windows implementations for Master Password. As soon as something official becomes available, I will announce this on our Google+ stream:
   https://plus.google.com/+Masterpasswordapp/posts

   While I found the export option on all of my test installations I cannot find the import one

   The Mac OS X application should have an import option in its drop-down menu, right below export.... The iOS application can import export files by tapping on them. This usually involves sending the export file to yourself via email and then tapping on it from your Mail app, but with the latest update, you can also use Dropbox, Box, Drive, and other apps to get to your export file. Unfortunately, the Java GUI doesn't yet support importing the export file since it doesn't have support for site history.

   However there doesn't seem to be a way to store my sites like I can do on all the other platforms.

   Sadly, this is true. The Java version doesn't yet support saving a list of previously used sites. I'm a one-man shop, and I'm having difficulty finding the time to really update the Java client to match the feature-set of the other apps. There's a lot of work, a lot of demand and very little time (this is not my main job).

   If you have any more questions, concerns or ideas, be sure to let me know!

   Maarten.

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3. Maarten Billemont closed this discussion on 24 Oct, 2014 02:18 PM.

4. Lothar Mueller re-opened this discussion on 24 Oct, 2014 04:33 PM

5. 3 Posted by Lothar Mueller on 24 Oct, 2014 04:33 PM

   

   Hi Maarten,

   Let me tell you that I really do appreciate your efforts, and that I'm
   fully aware that you must be doing all this in your free time. So be
   assured that these are not complaints or something ;)

   re: OS X display: I've seen a screenshot on one of your web pages where the
   OS X interface appears in the size of a dialog, whereas at my OS X desktop
   its appearance is nearly full-screen, half-transparent with the edges being
   more transparent than the center parts. I'm currently not sitting before my
   MAC, so I can't check, but I don't think there are the usual controls to
   minimize the app. - I esp. found it quite difficult to read the "buttons"
   at the lower edge. I think I could adjust to, but would prefer somehow
   higher contrast...

   re: Java: not a big deal, really, although it would be very nice if there
   was a proper application with site history and all, of course. But as long
   as we don't have it the simple export file generated from one of the other
   GUIs will do just fine ;)

   re: import: right, I saw that on my Mac but was missing it on iOS and
   Android. Makes sense. However, I didn't get the file to open on Andoid:
   tapping on "open" from the mail attachment would just offer me the usual
   suspects like the default browser plus a text editor and an HTML viewer. Do
   you happen to know whether this is something I can configure?

   Finally back to the export file itself: I tried adding a couple of sites by
   typing them in, trying to follow the pattern from the sites that were
   exported; I created the export file "the safe way" then sent it to my PC
   where I'm editing it using a standard ASCII editor. Then when I tried to
   open the altered file in iOS I was told "Error - The import doesn't look
   like a Master Password export". So I assume it is not an option to quickly
   collect a greater number of sites, or is it?

   All the best, and have a nice weekend!
   Lothar

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6. Support Staff 4 Posted by Maarten Billemo... on 24 Oct, 2014 05:14 PM

   

   Hey Lothar,

   I've seen a screenshot on one of your web pages where the OS X interface appears in the size of a dialog,

   That was the old beta version.

   I esp. found it quite difficult to read the "buttons" at the lower edge. I think I could adjust to, but would prefer somehow higher contrast...

   Noted.

   However, I didn't get the file to open on Andoid:

   Are you using the Android Master Password app from the Play Store? That one is not mine, I haven't built or used it, and I can't really offer any help or support there. The Android beta from the homepage doesn't actually support saving or importing sites yet. It is more basic.

   then sent it to my PC where I'm editing it using a standard ASCII editor

   It should definitely be possible to edit the file using a text editor. Were you editing the file on Windows? It possible the file got saved using Windows line-endings which would make it unreadable by Master Password. If that isn't the problem, look in your Master Password logs after you try importing the file to see if there's a hint. Alternatively, send the export file (or one from a fake user) to me so I can have a look.

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7. Maarten Billemont closed this discussion on 24 Oct, 2014 05:14 PM.

8. Lothar Mueller re-opened this discussion on 26 Oct, 2014 08:59 AM

9. 5 Posted by Lothar Mueller on 26 Oct, 2014 08:59 AM

   

   Hi Maarten,

   just a quick update regarding the re-import o a site file:

   you were right: I had been testing this on a windows machine; yesterday I
   gave it a try on OS X, editing an exported file using the standard text
   editor. Result: your app is not complaining, but neither is it importing
   anything at all. What I did was:
   - edit the export file and duplicate the last line
   - modify the copied line in aspects of date / time, and site name, then
   saved it
   - logged in to masterpassword app then went to the import dialog

   Result is as mentioned above: no changes, and no aditions to the site list.
   Any idea what be wrong here?

   Where would I find the logs mentioned in your last reply (both on windows
   and on OS X)?

   Have a nice day,
   Lothar

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10. Support Staff 6 Posted by Maarten Billemo... on 26 Oct, 2014 02:36 PM

    

    Hey Lothar,

    The iOS app has a Logs tab; for the Mac client you'll need to look at the Console app. The Windows app will show logs on the console as well, but you'll probably have to start the Java app from the terminal to see them:

    java -jar masterpassword.jar

    I'm not sure it logs anything useful at this point; but exception messages if something goes wrong.

    When you say "no changes on import", what were the messages that pop up during the import process?

    Again, I can help most if you actually provide me with an import file to test locally; I can attach the debugger and walk through the code to see if something is going wrong.

    Cheers,
    Maarten.

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11. Maarten Billemont closed this discussion on 26 Oct, 2014 02:36 PM.

12. Maarten Billemont re-opened this discussion on 26 Oct, 2014 02:49 PM

13. Support Staff 7 Posted by Maarten Billemo... on 26 Oct, 2014 02:49 PM

    

    Also: were you importing these sites on an iPad? If such, you might be the person that caused the crash I have logged. In this case, you probably just entered an invalid password type number in the import file.

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14. 8 Posted by Lothar Mueller on 26 Oct, 2014 04:18 PM

    

    No, was trying to do the import on my MacBook. At leastI didn't see any
    crashes or messages or wahtever; it just didn't happen.

    What do you mean by "... the crash I have logged"? The app isn't sending
    out crash logs to you, or is it?

    So I just created a "test user" on my Mac, entered a couple of sites, then
    exported these. Next I edited that site file by adding a new site. Then
    re-imported the modified file and - voila! - I could import it. Hmm.

    Next I went to my iPad, did an export there and sent it to my mail account.
    Then on my MacBook detached the site file and tried to import it. This time
    I received the prompt for my master password. After clicking OK
    MasterPassword crashed without a notice, just disappeared from the Mac's
    top bar. I could reproduce this over and over.

    So I retried this by creating the same test user as above on my iPad, added
    box.comand droppbox.com then exported the file and sent it via Mail to
    myself.
    Again on my MacBook, I switched to the test user (which only contains one
    site) then imported the File just received by mail, and - same thing
    happening: 1. asking for my passwort (btw telling me that I had 0 sites
    stored), then 2. crash.

    Attached you find that file sent from iPad to MacBook

    If you tell me how to get to the logs I'll be happy to provide them.

    All the best,
    Lothar

    • Test_User__2014-10-26_.mpsites 752 Bytes
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