Feature Request: Multiple Data Files

Ingenious

<div class="IPBDescription">Manage more than one data file at a time</div>As I have used 1Password for some time, I have a sprawling mix of both Personal and Business logins, passwords and account credentials accumulated. In the past we have used a very simple and frustrating group network password manager to keep all of the passwords those of us in IT require for management of various software, hardware and network systems.



I would love a method of keeping separate the personal and business 1Password information while ensuring everyone that needs it can access it if I were to "Win the lottery" so to speak. As it stands now I manually manage the information to ensure it's accessible and it does the job, although inefficiently.



This relates to many other topics mention on the forums, such as managing [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/4144-suggestion-multiple-identities/page__p__23521__hl__multiple__fromsearch__1#entry23521"]multiple identities[/url] and [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/1405-multiple-database-option/page__p__10026__hl__%2Bliving+%2Bwill__fromsearch__1#entry10026"]multiple database[/url] options. It also plays into the tracking of digital assets as [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/4189-using-1password-to-track-digital-assets/page__p__23781__hl__%2Bonline+%2Bbank__fromsearch__1#entry23781"]discussed here[/url].



I do understand that these types of requests are simple in discussion and difficult when implemented. But, these types of things are a natural extension of increased adoption of the software (which means you guys did a great job). It also reflects the desire for all of us to use 1Password beyond its original scope through our natural desire to keep everything in one trusted place on our desktops/laptops for important information.



Anyway, I didn't find the answer I was looking for, but saw enough related posts that I thought might be worth considering the common thread between them.



Dropbox works great in keeping things synced between all users, and the Windows version of 1Password now allows use throughout the enterprise. If there is a way to adopt multiple user or multiple 1Password file/instance support it would be a huge win. I don't think anyone does this as well as you folks right now (in terms of UI and breadth of browser/data type support. I have tried a number of network password managers which generally have poor UI and limited implementation scenarios.



Just a suggestion and a vote for consideration.

[Deleted User]

Hi Ingenious,



First of all, welcome to the forums, it's fantastic to see so many users join our little community here and post their feedback and thoughts on how we can make 1Password better.



I can't give much more detail right now, but we are looking into a solution to allow users to manage a mix of personal and business, or to be more specific private and shared, 1Password data more effectively. I'm not sure that multiple data files is the way to go, this could get really messy really quickly and we'd rather avoid that.



Thanks for your feedback, given what we're looking into it's good to get an idea of how many users want to see this type of feature. Once we have more details we'll likely be posting in the forums or on our blog over at http://blog.agile.ws so everyone can enjoy the news.









[quote name='Ingenious' timestamp='1301760791' post='23787']

As I have used 1Password for some time, I have a sprawling mix of both Personal and Business logins, passwords and account credentials accumulated. In the past we have used a very simple and frustrating group network password manager to keep all of the passwords those of us in IT require for management of various software, hardware and network systems.



I would love a method of keeping separate the personal and business 1Password information while ensuring everyone that needs it can access it if I were to "Win the lottery" so to speak. As it stands now I manually manage the information to ensure it's accessible and it does the job, although inefficiently.



This relates to many other topics mention on the forums, such as managing [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/4144-suggestion-multiple-identities/page__p__23521__hl__multiple__fromsearch__1#entry23521"]multiple identities[/url] and [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/1405-multiple-database-option/page__p__10026__hl__%2Bliving+%2Bwill__fromsearch__1#entry10026"]multiple database[/url] options. It also plays into the tracking of digital assets as [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/4189-using-1password-to-track-digital-assets/page__p__23781__hl__%2Bonline+%2Bbank__fromsearch__1#entry23781"]discussed here[/url].



I do understand that these types of requests are simple in discussion and difficult when implemented. But, these types of things are a natural extension of increased adoption of the software (which means you guys did a great job). It also reflects the desire for all of us to use 1Password beyond its original scope through our natural desire to keep everything in one trusted place on our desktops/laptops for important information.



Anyway, I didn't find the answer I was looking for, but saw enough related posts that I thought might be worth considering the common thread between them.



Dropbox works great in keeping things synced between all users, and the Windows version of 1Password now allows use throughout the enterprise. If there is a way to adopt multiple user or multiple 1Password file/instance support it would be a huge win. I don't think anyone does this as well as you folks right now (in terms of UI and breadth of browser/data type support. I have tried a number of network password managers which generally have poor UI and limited implementation scenarios.



Just a suggestion and a vote for consideration.

[/quote]

Tommy R

This is an important request for me as well. I used Keepass before and it was good in a sense that you could have several password databases open as different tabs (as in the browsers). I had private passwords and those for work.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the feedback, Tommy, it's good to know you'd find this feature useful.



[quote name='Tommy R' timestamp='1302071864' post='24046']

This is an important request for me as well. I used Keepass before and it was good in a sense that you could have several password databases open as different tabs (as in the browsers). I had private passwords and those for work.

[/quote]

Examinus

I use 1Password at home and at work, both with separate keychains and different data. Is there any way to switch between the two using the 1Password app?



Thanks.

shirtpocket

Install application DropBox on both Computers and you have immediate availability, and sync, to both or a merged version of your 1Password.agilekeychain. I use DropBox (free) to have my 1Password available between two iPhones, three iPads, three Macs at home, two PC's at the office, two Macs at the office, and two VMware Virtual PC's.

Examinus

[quote name='shirtpocket' timestamp='1302692573' post='24750']

Install application DropBox on both Computers and you have immediate availability, and sync, to both or a merged version of your 1Password.agilekeychain. I use DropBox (free) to have my 1Password available between two iPhones, three iPads, three Macs at home, two PC's at the office, two Macs at the office, and two VMware Virtual PC's.

[/quote]



I already use Dropbox but the two keychains need to be kept separate as one is for work and the other personal. I would use the Dropbox anywhere feature, but each Dropbox account is protected with a 1Password!



I presumed that holding down Alt while opening 1Password would prompt to choose a different Keychain, but no such luck.

khad

Hey folks, I have merged two threads together here. Please see above and let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thanks! <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />

nextstepTV

[quote name='stu' timestamp='1301764423' post='23789']

...we are looking into a solution to allow users to manage a mix of personal and business, or to be more specific private and shared, 1Password data more effectively. I'm not sure that multiple data files is the way to go, this could get really messy really quickly and we'd rather avoid that.

[/quote]

Add me to the growing list of people who would like multiple data files.

I know what you mean by getting "really messy"! But if there were an unmessy way to do it,

I would like a File menu item named "Open..." that would enable me to switch to a different

file. In my case, one file that contains my personal accounts, and one file that contains my

business-related accounts, that I could share with my colleagues. (They, of course, would

license their own copies of 1Password.)

[Deleted User]

Is there a recommended method for creating new 1P keychains? Preferences > General > [b]Data File[/b] only let's you "Choose Another…" but I don't see any way to [i]create[/i] another directly from the app. Seems the only ways to do it require renaming the active 1Password.agilekeychain or making a copy outside of 1P, forcing a new one to be created or to allow selection of a copy, with neither being the most desirable solution.

khad

[quote]Is there a recommended method for creating new 1P keychains? Preferences > General > Data File only let's you "Choose Another…" but I don't see any way to create another directly from the app. Seems the only ways to do it require renaming the active 1Password.agilekeychain or making a copy outside of 1P, forcing a new one to be created or to allow selection of a copy, with neither being the most desirable solution.[/quote]

We did allow holding down the Option key (like in iPhoto or iTunes) to bring up the Welcome Screen where you could create a new data file, but the ability to so has since been removed due to the excessive support it demanded. (You would be amazed by how many people use keyboard shortcuts involving the Option key to launch 1Password and the number of users who just held down the key accidentally and panicked. It was not pretty.) Since 1Password is designed more as a "database-driven" rather than a "document-based" application, it has been designed with that in mind. This is why you don't see the traditional accouterments of a document-based application in 1Password (i.e., New, Open, Close, Save etc.). It behaves much more like Address Book or iCal in this regard which also do not allow you to easily switch data sources on the fly. (We do have [url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password3/create_new_keychain.html"]instructions to create a new data file[/url] in the user guide, though.)



I think [url="http://forum.agile.ws/index.php?/topic/4008-feature-request-data-sharing/"]data sharing[/url] is a much better solution which solves not only the root problems "multiple data files" attempts to solve — segregating data, different security levels — but also allows the data to be easily shared with other users. This is certainly not an announcement of such a feature in 1Password, but my understanding is that this is the direction we will likely take rather than trying to make using multiple data files easier.



To go back to the iCal as an example, the reason no one complains about the lack of an easy mechanism to switch data sources in iCal is that you can simply add another calendar within your existing data source. Additionally, you can subscribe to others' calendars. Unchecking a calendar removes it from view, and selecting only a single calendar will narrow your focus. This allows for both data segregation [i]and[/i] simplifies the path to data sharing. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />



Again, this is not an announcement of any upcoming feature, but I hope it gives an idea of our angle of approach to this problem.



Cheers!

Victor

I need this feature for all versions of 1Password including mobile devices.

brenty

[quote name='Victor' timestamp='1304698937' post='26427']

I need this feature for all versions of 1Password including mobile devices.

[/quote]



Thanks for letting us know, Victor! Hopefully we can add this at some point. But not unless it's done right. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />