Configuration of iKeePass
Contents
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Summary
This document provides instructions for configuring iKeePass for the first time using a database located online.
The database used in these instructions is a demo account (i.e., a sample database) created for the purpose of demonstrating the functionality of iKeePass.
Demo Account Information
The location and password for the demo account are as follows:
Location: http://www.ikeepass.de/test_database.kdb
Password: password
To open and use the demo account, please follow the instructions under the heading “Opening a Database from an Online Server” below.
Opening a Database from an Online Server
Step 1. Start iKeePass
Upon startup of iKeePass, the following screen will appear:
Figure A: Start-up Screen
Step 2. Change Server Name
To open a database, you must first change the server name by following the below steps:
- Press the „Edit“ button.
- Enter the name of the server where your KeePass database is located.
For the demo account, the server name is: http://www.ikeepass.de - Press „Done“ to apply your settings.
Step 3. Add Database
To add a new database, take the following steps:
- Press the “+” button to bring up the edit field shown in Figure “B”
- Enter the name of the database into the edit field.
For the demo account, the database name is: test_database.kdb - Press “OK”
Note: Since there is no file browser you have to enter the full name of the database manually. Be sure that the database exists on the server.
Figure B: Enter Database Name
Step 4. Enter Password
After entry of the database name, a password entry field will appear automatically, as shown in Figure C.
Take the following steps to enter the password and open the database:
- Enter the password for the database.
For the demo account, the password is: password - Press “OK”
Figure C: Enter Password
| Attention: |
| Database name and password are case sensitive. Be aware of upper and lower case letters. Make sure that the database file extension is „.kdb“. |
| Make sure that the iPhone word correction does not change the upper or lower case or the database file name! |
Step 5. Open Database
Press the “Open” button to open the database.
If you see your database entries (such as those shown in Figure D) you have successfully started your iKeePass application.
Figure D: Open Database Screen
Opening a Database from a Local Server
If you do not want to store your database on an online server, you can open your database from a local server using your Mac PC or Windows PC.
Mac Users
- Enable the option „Web Sharing“ in the Sharing Settings.
- Copy your KeePass database file into the directory „Web Sites“ (it is in your user home directory).
- Set the server name in your iKeyPass application to your ip adress, e.g.: http://192.168.0.1
Windows Users
- Install e.g. XAMP or Apache Friends to install a local Apache Server.
- Copy your KeePass database into a shared directory.
- Set the server name in your iKeyPass application to your ip adress, e.g.: http://192.168.0.1
Opening XML files instead of kdb files
You can open XML files instead of kdb files. XML files must be exported by the application keepassx, Windows KeePass exported XML files are not supported. Your XML database filename must end with .xml
Important Notes
Local Storage of Databases
The first time a database is opened in iKeePass, the database is downloaded from the server and stored locally on the iPhone. By default, iKeePass is set to download the latest version of the database from the server each time the database is opened.
To prevent iKeePass from downloading the latest version of the database from the server, set the switch “Use local database” to the “On” position. This will force iKeePass to use the version of the database stored on the iPhone.
Warning: If the “Use local database” switch is set to the “Off” position, any local database with the same file name as that on the server will be overwritten!
Editing of Databases
In the current beta version of iKeePass, databases can be viewed on the iPhone, but cannot be edited. Editing and adding new entries on the iPhone will be part of future versions.
Database Versions Supported
iKeePass can only open the latest version 1of KeePass database (those with a file extension of “.kdb”). Older database versions are not supported. Version 2 kdbx files are currently not supported.
[...] now have a short beginners document about the iKeePass start dialog. In this dialog, you can configure your iKeePass databases, [...]
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Tested this tonight, and works as indicated. I easily downloaded a database file from my website. My only disappointment was that the “notes” field does not contain all the information I had entered in KeePass. Since I want to store additional information in the notes field, this product currently does not meet my needs. Hopefully this fiels will be enlarged in the future.
DAvid
Loaded this today. We use Keepass for Windows w/the Blackberry app. I have been playing with the IPhone and have missed the convenience of having Keepass on my mobile device. This Iphone app work’s ok, but I ran into an issue. Our Windows database is .kdbx, and IKeepass will only recognize the older .kdb files. When I export the entries to the older .kdb version, I get an error KDB3: This file format doesn’t support database descriptions, and alot of the entries do not export. Anybody have any ideas?
*iKeePass can only open the latest version of KeePass database (those with a file extension of “.kdb”). Older database versions are not supported.*
Is the latest version not “.kdbx” files from version 2.09? I had to export my kdbx (2.X) to KDB (1.X) for this app to load it. Attempting the kdbx indicates the file is corrupt.
@Tony You have to do an export out of KeePass Version 2 to get a kdb file. Renaming a kdbx file to kdb is not enough.
What’s the deal with the database versions? The latest KeePass database is .kdbx, but ikeepass only supports .kdb database versions? I’m confused!
RT: Adam
For everyone having problems getting your database from a website, check out this (free) piece of software:
http://www.rejetto.com/hfs/
It’s a single (Windows Only) executable which you run and it acts as a web server. Simply add your password database to it, and you can download from your local PC (on Wi-Fi of course) without installing software!
(By the way, I have no affiliation with HFS, just used it myself as it is an easy way to accomplish what is being tried here)
karsten,
I have been watching and waiting for you to come out this is iPhone app, as I love keePass on my windows box,… but your app needs better explanations and help… I followed you steps above to no avail. The application does not provide enough feedback on what’s going on, like after your “database open” dialog, I type the little icon in the lower left and iKeePass ask for my password, ok I type it in and I get nothing in return from your app… no “password is wrong or right or anything”
ALSO you have me very confused on the whole KDB and KDBX database extentions… I am using the latest version of KeePass 2.09 which create a KDBX extention NOT a KDB. So which extention should we be using?? And if iKeePass supports the latest version of the DB, then why would we need to export it.
Thanks
I get the password prompt but never get the “OPEN DATABASE” option.
Ideas?
I also get the password prompt but never the OPEN database option.
Thank you,
Lee
@Lee, @Daniel Smith,
Had the same problem with the test DB provided; Database file name is case sensitive. Watch out for leading CAPS in the file name.
Peter
I cannot get iKeePass to work with my apache server configuration.
I have created a trigger in KeePass2 to export kdbx to kdb and place it on the apache server, but iKeePass just won’t connect. Not sure what I’m doing wrong. The feedback is useless… Getting the sample DB works fine.
So a couple of questions:
1) Does iKeePass support Apache Basic Auth with username and password?
2) Does iKeePass support HTTPS?
Such a huge disappointment so far!!!
Suggestions:
1) Start using KDBX format — IT IS THE LATEST VERSION!!
2) If it does not support HTTPS, please add that support ASAP.
3) If it does not yet support Basic Auth with username and password, please fix this ASAP.
Thank you, alann
Com’on guy… a reply would be nice… I paid for your app and it just do NOT work. I enter my password and get no feedback from your app, no password list or anything and now no response for you!
I’m having the same problem as Ryan. I understand the different versions, I have both of them on my computer for this very reason. I exported the data from v2 to a kdb file, then opened it in v1, changed the name and password, then re-saved it. Uploaded it using the software that Josh recommended, worked like a charm. I did not get a prompt for the password, so i just used the open arrow on the bottom left. This worked just fine for the test DB, but all I get for mine is the “opening database” message that goes away before I really even have a chance to see what it’s doing.
I would also agree with some of the other comments, a little more detail in the instructions would be nice. I’m no dummy, and I figured out what I needed to do, but some more information on what and how to set it up would make the experience a lot better. Just my $0.02
Found one problem with loading the DB remotely. First, make sure that the “use local DB” slider is “off” or it seems to not want to go get the remote one and will fail silently.
Second, the app seems to not be able to deal with files which are not in the root directory of the webserver. For example,
http://somewhere.org/~username/
and
testdb.kdb
will not work. the app truncates the ~username/ and resolves the URL like this
http://somewhere.org/testdb.kdb
instead. That’s a plain old bug, the root directory of a webserver is a lousy place to put anything, let alone a file of encrypted keys. I suggest just having one entry field for a complete URL rather than trying to kludge together filename and rest of the URL. From a security standpoint, https is a must have, but let’s get one step at a time.
However, even when I get the .kdb file into the iPhone and decrypted, I can see my groups, but touching them does not expand into subgroups or actual entries as it does with the test database – unless the group has an entry. A group containing subgroups only does not open, but putting a dummy entry into a group lets me get to the subgroups and their real entries just fine. Again, smells like a bug.
Lastly, the “comments” field is empty, which is a big fail for all my entries where I store actual information in that text field.
The .kdb file was made on linux with KeePassX 0.4.1 (the current version).
Same stupid problem – CANNOT load my database using xampp – I feel really ripped off at this point – DON’T BUY THIS APP UNTIL IT WORKS
Same issue here as others. The database (Database.kdb) file loads but when I touch “general” there is nothing in it. Nothing happens. Your app is completely broken!
Using the recommended software (hfs – from Josh), I was able to load my database from my laptop to my iPhone
On my iPHone – I found it listed My Groups but I could not get to my Subgroups. So I could not get to my entries which had my passwords. BUT I did find that the Backup Group contained all of the Entries I had previously modified but the data was too old.
SO… I went back to KeePass (on my laptop), deleted all the entries in the Backup Group and manually updated EVERY single entry I had (93) so that they would appear in the Backup Group. I then re-loaded my KeePass database to my iPhone and NOW my entries are visible in the Backup Group with the current info BUT I still can’t get to any of my Groups or Subgroups….
Any ideas as to why…???
Using KeePass v1.17 on laptop
I’m able to connect to my test.kdb file but unable to load it on the iphone, same problem others are having. After I enter my password a message pop’s up quickly and disappears. The message says:
Open Database
Cancel
Again like I said it disappears quickly and takes me back to select a .kdb file.
I even created a fresh new test.kdb (w/KeePass v1.17) file and added a few records but the same thing happens. The sample database that came with the app. works fine.
iPhone software v3.1.2
iKeePass v1.2/2008-2010
KeePass (windows) v1.17
Just got it all setup and it works well.
I’m using the latest version (2.x) of KeePass to build the main .kdbx file. I then export that as a secondary .kbd file and upload it to our web server and place it in a http accessible folder, not FTP. It’s not a super smooth process (such as the Dropbox method) but works for us as we rely on the desktop application (FTP) and will use the iPhones as an on-the-fly tool for password retrieval not entry.
Example:
Server: http://www.example.com/somefilename
– No trailing forward slash
Use local database: OFF
– You want the most recent .kdb unless you know the update schedule or have a different system (iFile, etc)
Databasename (‘+’ icon): yourdatabase.kdb
Delete the test_database.kdb
The link line under the Use local database button should read exactly how you would enter the address in a browser. In fact put that whole address into a browser and see if it finds the file. If not, check your spelling, path name, and that it is a .kdb not .kdbx file. If you can see it in a browser, you should be good to go.
Nice piece of software – thanks. Looking forward to full .kdbx support if that’s even possible.
I can open my .kdf file fine. But… I can’t open my General group. It appears empty. I do have old entries in my Backup group which opens just fine.
My opinion is the author stole our money for this app. Myself aNd many others have written him with no help. He (and the apple apps store) should hang their head in shame for charging for this worthless bug ridden app.
Consider & Retain your iPad for No charge! -> http://bit.ly/cFBuis
My difficulty in getting the keepass application to open its database had nothing to do w/ the keepass instructions; it was trying to find out where the Apache document root was on my macbook/pro. I’m an Apache newbie so it took a while, but once I found it and copied my keepass database file there, it readily opened from my iPad.
I have tried everything I can think of , but I cannot get my iKeePass to recognize or find my database file that I placed in my Site directory on my Mac.
HELP!!!!
joomla 1.5 is free, download it, if you don’t have a website the download Xamp and apply on computer as localhost, once installed there’s tutorials in the data thats downloaded with it. Theres a good video on joomla site about how to install Xamp, (with the mysql and Apache etc stuff) just watch each step clearly and precisely.
I tried to use iKeepass 1.2 on my iTouch today and it suddenly isn’t working. I get the password prompt, the opening database message and then… nothing. I’ve been using Dropbox with great success, but it won’t work now. Also tried downloading the database from my ftp server, but that didn’t work. Tried myKeepass and it works just fine. Any ideas? Did something change with the iTouch or Dropbox?
Great app. I’m using it in a Ipad and sincying with Dropbox.
First this app only works with keepass 1.x (.kdb file/database)
- export the database to Dropbox;
- copy the database to the public folder and the copy the public link;
- follow this tutorial, but remember to leave the use local file in OFF mode.
The only drawback happens when there is a change to the database in the dropbox folder, as it is NOT synced with the file in the public folder.
Bug: it only reads entries in the root folder, it doesn’t accept subgroups.
When will the search functionality be working? Ever?