Sharing 1Password file with Mac/iOS

dvo llc

Hello everyone.



I want my wife to have access to the same 1Password file I use. I currently run 1Password on my MacBook Pro and iTouch.



What configuration options do I have if I bring 1Password for Windows into the fold?



Ease of execution is high on the value chain. With this in mind, I am willing to limit data entry to the MacBook Pro and iTouch and have the Windows laptop simply a reader.



Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[Deleted User]

Hey dvo,



As you wish to use the same 1Password data file, [i]and[/i] you already use 1P on your Mac and iPod Touch, I recommend Dropbox syncing.



I use the Dropbox method to sync a single 1Password data file across my Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. When I make a change of one device, the update is synched to all four other devices.



Since [i]ease of execution is high on the value chain, [/i]I believe Dropbox is the best solution for you with regards to 1Password. Dropbox has a lot of other great uses too, but you can find out about those later.



If you want to [i]try before you buy[/i], please setup Dropbox on your Mac and sync it to your iPod Touch. After you've done that, download the 30-day free trial of 1P for Windows and follow the Dropbox setup procedures for your laptop. Your 1P data should sync immediately, and you don't have to worry about using the laptop simply as a reader.



In order to get started, please see these help guides:



[url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password3/cloud_syncing_with_dropbox.html"]1P for Mac: Automatic Syncing Using Dropbox[/url] (this will help you set up Dropbox on your Mac and iPod Touch)

[url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password_Windows/setting-up-Dropbox-sync.html"]1P for Windows: Setting up Dropbox Sync[/url] (this article will help you set up your laptop)



Please let me know how it goes.



Cheers!



Brandt



P.S. Dropbox is free for the first 2GB of storage use. I use the service primarily for 1P syncing, and I've never come close to using 2GB. You can read more about Dropbox here: [url="https://www.dropbox.com/help"]Dropbox - Help - Simplify your life[/url]

DBrown

Brandt, thanks for that helpful (as usual!) reply to dvo's post.



I would only add that Dropbox is more than the suggested solution—it's the [i]only[/i] solution. 1Password for Windows doesn't include any other sync options.



Here's the official information on setting up Dropbox and 1Password for Windows to share and sync your 1Password data among PCs, Macs, and mobile devices (iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7).



The "big picture":

[list]

[*][url="http://help.agilebits.com/1Password3/cloud_syncing_with_dropbox.html"][i]Automatic Sync'ing Using Dropbox[/i][/url]

[/list]

Windows-specific instructions:

[list]

[*][url="http://help.agilebits.com/1Password_Windows/getting-started.html"][i]Getting Started[/i][/url]

[*][i]Tutorials[/i] - [url="http://help.agilebits.com/1Password_Windows/tutorials.html#setting_up_dropbox_sync"][i]Setting up Dropbox sync[/i][/url]

[/list]

[Deleted User]

[quote]I would only add that Dropbox is more than the suggested solution—it's the [i]only[/i] solution. 1Password for Windows doesn't include any other sync options.[/quote]

David,



As always, thank you for fine tuning my advice! My reply certainly could lead someone to believe there were other options. This is not the case.



To expand on David's comment:



First, unlike 1P for Mac, 1P for Windows does [b]not[/b] support Wi-Fi syncing: [url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password_Windows/wi-fi-sync.html"]1P4W: No Wi-Fi For You![/url]



Second, since the intention is to sync 1P desktop versions [i]and[/i] [b]iOS devices[/b], your options drop to only one: Dropbox. The following quote is from 1Password data file sync solutions help guide: [url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password3/sync_solutions.html#other_sync_solutions"]Other Sync Solutions[/url]



[quote]If you need a solution to [b][i]sync[/i][/b] with [b][i]1Password[/i][/b] on your [i][b]iOS device(s)[/b][/i], [b][i]Dropbox[/i][/b] is currently [b][i]the only option[/i][/b].[/quote]

Luckily, Dropbox is the recommended option for 1P users, and the service has a great track record across the Mac, Windows and iOS platform.



Thanks again David for pointing this out. Likely, you saved someone from wasting a lot of time trying other 3rd party sync options that would never work in the OP's scenario.



Cheers!



Brandt

DBrown

[quote name='bswins' timestamp='1308003402' post='29119']

...since the intention is to sync 1P desktop versions [i]and[/i] [b]iOS devices[/b], your options drop to only one: Dropbox. The following quote is from 1Password data file sync solutions help guide: [url="http://help.agile.ws/1Password3/sync_solutions.html#other_sync_solutions"]Other Sync Solutions[/url]



[quote]If you need a solution to [b][i]sync[/i][/b] with [b][i]1Password[/i][/b] on your [i][b]iOS device(s)[/b][/i], [b][i]Dropbox[/i][/b] is currently [b][i]the only option[/i][/b].[/quote][/quote]

This confuses me mightily. If I have only 1Password for Mac and the 1Password app for iOS devices, I can use Wi-Fi to sync my 1Password data among them.



It's only the addition of 1Password for Windows that requires Dropbox.



I can't think why the 1Password for Mac user's guide says Dropbox is the only solution if you want to sync with iOS devices. That's just not correct.



Don't get me wrong: I like Dropbox and use it to sync my 1Password data among my Mac, PC, iPhone, and iPad. I just wish I understood that statement in the 1Password for Mac user's guide. <shrug>

[Deleted User]

David,



Since the Mac supports Wi-Fi synching between the desktop and iOS devices, I believe the quote in the Mac user guide is meant in the context of [i]3rd party sync options[/i]...not as the one and only way to sync a Mac and iOS devices. The help guide from which I quoted is primarily discussing computer > computer syncing options. Since 1P does [i]not[/i] support [i]desktop > desktop[/i], [i]laptop > desktop[/i], etc., the guide discusses the use of 3rd party apps to get the job done. The desktop > iOS comment is mentioned only that one time.



My understanding of options for synching the 1P desktop/laptop app > iOS devices is:



Mac > iOS devices = Wi-Fi or Dropbox

Win > iOS devices = Dropbox only



Of course, things could have changed since the manual was written, or I may have misinterpreted the guide. I'll ask around and update the thread with anything I find out.



Brandt

DBrown

[quote name='bswins' timestamp='1308023029' post='29143']

Since the Mac supports Wi-Fi synching between the desktop and iOS devices, I believe the quote in the Mac user guide is meant in the context of [i]3rd party sync options[/i]...not as the one and only way to sync a Mac and iOS devices...[/quote]

You may be right, Brandt, that that was the intended meaning. Unfortunately, the page just says:

[indent]

If you need a solution to sync with 1Password on your iOS device(s), Dropbox is currently the only option.

[/indent]

...which just isn't true; and "Wi-Fi" doesn't appear on the page at all, which I still find confusing. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />



[quote]

My understanding of options for synching the 1P desktop/laptop app > iOS devices is:



Mac > iOS devices = Wi-Fi or Dropbox

Win > iOS devices = Dropbox only

[/quote]

I believe that is correct.



Thanks again!

[Deleted User]

[quote name='DBrown' timestamp='1308098247' post='29203']

You may be right, Brandt, that that was the intended meaning. Unfortunately, the page just says:

[indent]

If you need a solution to sync with 1Password on your iOS device(s), Dropbox is currently the only option.

[/indent]

...which just isn't true; and "Wi-Fi" doesn't appear on the page at all, which I still find confusing. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[/quote]



I think you're both right, the page needs a tweak, the sync solutions page is written with regards to syncing the actual 1Password data file, so the 1Password.agilekeychain file, rather than just the 1Password data.



Wi-Fi syncing doesn't actually sync the .agilekeychain file with the iOS devices, it's a direct sync between 1Password for Mac and the iOS apps so there's no file sync going on.



I'm thinking the rewording should be:



[indent]

If you need a solution that allows you to keep your 1Password data in sync across multiple Macs and your iOS devices then currently Dropbox is the only option

[/indent]



Grammar correction welcome of course <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />

DBrown

On about the third re-reading, Stu, I realize that you've said "multiple Macs," and that does take Wi-Fi off the table, leaving Dropbox as the only sync solution.



I still find it confusing, though, because adding "and your iOS devices" obscures the real issue, because you can use Wi-Fi to sync your 1Password data with your iOS devices.



The real point is that [color=blue]Wi-Fi enables you to sync 1Password data between a specific Mac and one or more specific iOS devices. Adding a PC to the sync mix requires you to use Dropbox. Likewise, you need 1Password on a Mac or PC to act as the "middle man" to sync 1Password data, using Dropbox, between two or more iOS devices.[/color]



That's how I'd rewrite it.

Hagni

If i may add a comment: It is possible to wifi sync several MacOs with one iOs. I use my iPad to sync a Mac and MacBook. Though i don't know if it is possible to sync several iOs with one MacOs. But i doubt it.

jpgoldberg

Hi Hagni,



Somehow I suspect that our discussion of the confusion within our documents didn't really clarify things for you.



[quote name='Hagni' timestamp='1308154900' post='29249']

If i may add a comment: It is possible to wifi sync several MacOs with one iOs. I use my iPad to sync a Mac and MacBook. Though i don't know if it is possible to sync several iOs with one MacOs. But i doubt it.

[/quote]



Both are possible. And both are possible using either Dropbox or Wifi Sync. [b]But[/b] if you are syncing more than two systems, Dropbox syncing will be enormously simpler. If you use WiFi syncing you have to carefully manage to explicitly sync things with your "hub".



So for WiFi syncing, you would need a mix of Macs and iOS devices (at least one of each). If you have multiple Macs, than you would need to pick one of your iOS devices to be the "Hub". That is to sync between, say an iMac and a Macbook, you would sync both with your iPhone, and all data going from one Mac to the other would go via the iPhone. If you have an iPad and an iPhone and one Mac, then you would treat the Mac as the hub. If you have multiple Macs and multiple iOS devices, then you have a nightmare. (It's possible to get it all to work with WiFi sync, but gets much more complicated.



Even if you are just syncing a single Mac with a single iOS device, Dropbox syncing is the better option. It is more robust and less restricted about what conditions need to apply for syncing. With WiFi syncing, your 1Password needs to be fully unlocked at the same time on both systems and a local network that doesn't have certain kinds of internal firewalls set up.



And, of course, WiFi syncing of 1Password data isn't available for Windows. So if 1Password for Windows is in the mix, then Dropbox syncing is it.



Cheers,



-j

Hagni

Hello and sorry.



I was referring to



[quote name='DBrown' timestamp='1308150875' post='29248']



The real point is that [color=blue]Wi-Fi enables you to sync 1Password data between a specific Mac and one or more specific iOS devices. [/color]

[/quote]



and thought i could contribute to the thread by explaining that wifi sync enables you to sync not only one specific Mac and one or more iOS devices but several Macs and one iOS device, too. Something that i actually do. Obviously my response didn't match very well, and i'm sorry for that.



Regards

DBrown

[quote name='Hagni' timestamp='1308243716' post='29313']

I..thought i could contribute to the thread by explaining that wifi sync enables you to sync not only one specific Mac and one or more iOS devices but several Macs and one iOS device, too.

[/quote]

It was a great point, Hagni, and I've edited my suggested rewording of the 1Password for Mac user's guide.



Thanks for your contribution!