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KPCLI(1)	      User Contributed Perl Documentation	      KPCLI(1)

NAME
       kpcli - A command line interface	to KeePass database files.

DESCRIPTION
       A command line interface	(interactive shell) to work with KeePass
       database	files (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KeePass).  This program
       was inspired by my use of "kedpm	-c" combined with my need to migrate
       to KeePass. The curious can read	about the Ked Password Manager at
       http://kedpm.sourceforge.net/.

USAGE
       Please run the program and type "help" to learn how to use it.  Run the
       program with --help as a	command	line option to learn about its command
       line options.

PREREQUISITES
       This program requires these non-core modules:

       "Crypt::Rijndael" - libcrypt-rijndael-perl on Ubuntu 10.04

       "Term::ReadKey"	 - libterm-readkey-perl	on Ubuntu 10.04

       "Sort::Naturally" - libsort-naturally-perl on Ubuntu 10.04

       "File::KeePass"	 - libfile-keepass-perl	on Ubuntu 12.04

       "Term::ShellUI"	 - libterm-shellui-perl	on Ubuntu 12.10

       It is recommended that you install "Term::ReadLine::Gnu"	which will
       provide more fluid signal handling on Unix-like systems,	making kpcli
       robust to suspend, resume, and interrupt	- SIGSTP, SIGCONT and SIGINT.
       That module is in the libterm-readline-gnu-perl package on Ubuntu.

       You can optionally install "Term::ReadLine::Perl5", which is often
       preferred on platforms without GNU readline (MacOS, Windows, etc.)

       You can optionally install "Clipboard" and "Tiny::Capture" to use the
       clipboard features; http://search.cpan.org/~king/Clipboard/ and
       libcapture-tiny-perl on Ubuntu 10.04.

       You can optionally install "Sub::Install" to use	the --timeout feature.

       You can optionally install "Data::Password" to use the pwck feature
       (Password Quality Check); libdata-password-perl on Ubuntu 10.04.

       You can optionally install "Data::Password::passwdqc", which is
       preferred by the	pwck feature if	it is available. That module is	not
       commonly	packaged and its list of dependencies is quite long, but
       cpanminus installs it nicely on Linux Mint. It appeared that all	of its
       upstream	dependencies were packaged in Linux Mint and so	I apt-get
       install'ed them first, and then cpanminus only installed
       "Data::Password::passwdqc". Because it is a binding to a	C library,
       "Data::Password::passwdqc" is much faster than "Data::Password" and
       also seems to have a bit	more stict password rules.

       You can optionally install "Crypt::PWSafe3" in order to import Password
       Safe v3 files (https://pwsafe.org/). The	dependency list	of this	module
       is hefty	and it is not packaged in many distros,	but cpanminus installs
       it nicely on Linux Mint (https://cpanmin.us/).

       You can optionally install "Math::Random::ISAAC"	in order to use	a more
       secure rand() function. Package libmath-random-isaac-perl on Debian.

       On MS Windows, you can optionally install "Win32::Console::ANSI"	to get
       ANSI colors in Windows cmd terminals. Strawberry	Perl 5.16.2 was	used
       for the kpcli port to Windows and, using	cpanminus, one can install all
       of kpcli's dependencies,	sans Term::ReadLine::Gnu which is optional for
       kpcli and not supported on MS Windows.

CAVEATS	AND WORDS OF CAUTION
       The main	author of kpcli	primarily interoperability tests with KeePassX
       (http://www.keepassx.org/) and primarily	uses KeePass v1	(*.kdb)	files.
       Support for KeePass v2 (*.kdbx) files in	kpcli is substantial, and many
       people use it daily, but	it is not the author's primary use case. It is
       also the	author's intent	to maintain compatibility with v1 files, and
       so anyone sending patches, for consideration for	inclusion in future
       kpcli versions, is asked	to validate them with both v1 and v2 files.

   Some	versions of Term::ReadLine::Perl5 are incompatible
       "Term::ReadLine::Perl5" versions	1.39-1.42 are incompatible with	the
       "Term::ShellUI" module, which is	core to	kpcli. There is	information
       about this in kpcli SF bug #18
       (http://sourceforge.net/p/kpcli/bugs/18/). The "Term::ReadLine::Perl5"
       author submitted	a "Term::ShellUI" patch	to resolve the issue
       (https://rt.cpan.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=105375) and he also
       released	"Term::ReadLine::Perl5"	version	1.43 which resolves it.

   No history tracking for KeePass 2 (*.kdbx) files
       Recording entries' history in KeePass 2 files is	not implemented.
       History that exists in a	file is	not destroyed, but results of entry
       changes made in kpcli are not recorded into their history.
       Prior-to-change copies are stored into the "Recycle Bin." Note that
       File::KeePass does not encrypt passwords	of history entries in RAM,
       like it does for	current	entries.  This is a small security risk	that
       can, in theory, allow privileged	users to steal your passwords from
       RAM, from entry history.

   File::KeePass bug prior to version 2.03
       Prior to	version	2.03, File::KeePass had	a bug related to some
       "unknown" data that KeePassX stores in group records. For File::KeePass
       < v2.03,	kpcli deletes those unknown data when saving. Research in the
       libkpass	(http://libkpass.sourceforge.net/) source code revealed	that
       what early versions of File::KeePass classifies as "unknown" are	the
       times for created/modified/accessed/expires as well as "flags" (id=9),
       but only	for groups; File::KeePass handled those	fields just fine for
       entries.	 I found no ill-effect from dropping those fields when saving
       and so that is what kpcli does to work around the File::KeePass bug, if
       kpcli is	using File::KeePass < v2.03.

BUGS
   Using Ctrl-D	to Exit
       Versions	of Term::ShellUI prior to v0.9.	do not have the	ability	to
       trap Ctrl-D exits by the	client program.	I submitted a patch to remedy
       that and	it made	it into	Term::ShellUI v0.9. Please upgrade if kpcli
       asks you	to.

   Multiple Entries or Groups With the Same Name in the	Same Group
       This program does not support multiple entries in the same group	having
       the exact same name, nor	does it	support	multiple groups	at the same
       level having the	same name, and it likely never will. KeepassX does
       support those.  This program detects and	alert when an opened database
       file has	those issues, but it does not refuse to	save (overwrite) a
       file that is opened like	that. Saves are	actually safe (no data loss)
       as long as the user has not touched one of the duplicately-named	items.

AUTHOR
       Lester Hightower	<hightowe at cpan dot org>

LICENSE
       This program may	be distributed under the same terms as Perl itself.

CREDITS
       Special thanks to Paul Seamons, author of "File::KeePass", and to Scott
       Bronson,	author of "Term::ShellUI". Without those two modules this
       program would not have been practical for me to author.

CHANGELOG
	2010-Nov-28 v0.1 - Initial release.
	2010-Nov-28 v0.2 - Encrypt the master password in RAM.
	2010-Nov-29 v0.3 - Fixed master	password encryption for	saveas.
	2010-Nov-29 v0.4 - Fixed code to work w/out Term::ReadLine::Gnu.
			   Documented File::KeePass v0.1 hierarchy bug.
	2010-Nov-29 v0.5 - Made	find command case insensitive.
			   Bugfix in new command (path regex problem).
	2010-Nov-29 v0.6 - Added lock file support; warn if a lock exists.
	2010-Dec-01 v0.7 - Further documented the group	fields that are
			    dropped, in	the CAVEATS section of the POD.
			   Sort	group and entry	titles naturally.
	2010-Dec-23 v0.8 - Worked with File::KeePass author to fix a couple
			    of bugs and	then required >=v0.03 of that module.
			   Sorted "/_found" to last in the root	group list.
			   Fixed a "database changed" state bug	in cli_save().
			   Made	the find command ignore	entries	in /Backup/.
			   Find	now offers show	when only one entry is found.
			   Provided a patch to Term::ShellUI author to add
			    eof_exit_hook and added support for	it to kpcli.
	2011-Feb-19 v0.9 - Fixed bugs related to spaces	in group names as
			    reported in	SourceForge bug	number 3132258.
			   The edit command now	prompts	to save	on changes.
			   Put scrub_unknown_values_from_all_groups() calls
			    back into place after realizing that v0.03 of
			   File::KeePass did not resolve all of	the problems.
	2011-Apr-23 v1.0 - Changed a perl 5.10+	regex to a backward-compatable
			    one	to resolve SourceForge bug number 3192413.
			   Modified the	way that the /Backup group is ignored
			    by the find	command	to stop	kpcli from croaking on
			    multiple entries with the same name	in that	group.
			    - Note: There is a more general bug	here that
				    needs addressing (see BUGS section).
			   An empty title on new entry aborts the new entry.
			   Changed kdb files are now detected/warned about.
			   Tested against Term::ShellUI	v0.9, which has	my EOF
			    hook patch,	and updated kpcli comments about it.
			   Term::ShellUI's complete_history() method was
			    removed between v0.86 and v0.9 and so I removed
			    kpli's call	to it (Ctrl-r works for	history).
			   Added the "icons" command.
	2011-Sep-07 v1.1 - Empty DBs are now initialized to KeePassX style.
			   Fixed a couple of bugs in the find command.
			   Fixed a password noecho bug in the saveas command.
			   Fixed a kdb_has_changed bug in the saveas command.
			   Fixed a cli_open bug	where it wasn't	cli_close'ing.
			   Fixed variable init bugs in put_master_passwd().
			   Fixed a false warning in warn_if_file_changed().
	2011-Sep-30 v1.2 - Added the "export" command.
			   Added the "import" command.
			   Command "rmdir" asks	then deletes non-empty groups.
			   Command "new" can auto-generate random passwords.
	2012-Mar-03 v1.3 - Fixed bug in	cl command as reported in SourceForge
			    bug	number 3496544.
	2012-Apr-17 v1.4 - Added key file support based	on a user contributed
			    patch with SourceForge ID# 3518388.
			   Added my_help_call()	to allow for longer and	more
			    descriptive	command	summaries (for help command).
			   Stopped allowing empty passwords for	export.
	2012-Oct-13 v1.5 - Fixed "help <foo>" commands,	that I broke in	v1.4.
			   Command "edit" can auto-generate random passwords.
			   Added the "cls" and "clear" commands	from a patch
			    with SourceForge ID# 3573930.
			   Tested compatibility	with File::KeePass v2.03 and
			    made minor changes that are	possible with >=2.01.
			   With	File::KeePass v2.03, kpcli should now support
			    KeePass v2 files (*.kdbx).
	2012-Nov-25 v1.6 - Hide	passwords (red on red) in the show command
			    unless the -f option is given.
			   Added the --readonly	command	line option.
			   Added support for multi-line	notes/comments;
			    input ends on a line holding a single ".".
	2013-Apr-25 v1.7 - Patched to use native File::KeePass support for key
			    files, if the File::KeePass	version	is new enough.
			   Added the "version" and "ver" commands.
			   Updated documentation as Ubuntu 12.10 now packages
			    all	of kpcli's dependencies.
			   Added --histfile command line option.
			   Record modified times on edited records, from a
			    patch with SourceForge ID# 3611713.
			   Added the -a	option to the show command.
	2013-Jun-09 v2.0 - Removed the unused Clone module after a report that
			    Clone is no	longer in core Perl as of v5.18.0.
			   Added the stats and pwck commands.
			   Added clipboard commands (xw/xu/xp/xx).
			   Fixed some long-standing tab	completion bugs.
			   Warn	if multiple groups or entries are titled the
			    same within	a group, except	for /Backup entries.
	2013-Jun-10 v2.1 - Fixed several more tab completion bugs, and they
			    were serious enough	to warrant a quick release.
	2013-Jun-16 v2.2 - Trap	and handle SIGINT (^C presses).
			   Trap	and handle SIGTSTP (^Z presses).
			   Trap	and handle SIGCONT (continues after ^Z).
			   Stopped printing found dictionary words in pwck.
	2013-Jul-01 v2.3 - More	readline() and signal handling improvements.
			   Title conflict checks in cli_new()/edit()/mv().
			   Group title conflict	checks in rename().
			   cli_new() now accepts optional path&|title param.
			   cli_ls() can	now list multiple paths.
			   cli_edit() now shows	the "old" values for users
			    to edit, if	Term::ReadLine::Gnu is available.
			   cli_edit() now aborts all changes on	^C.
			   cli_saveas()	now asks before	overwriting a file.
	2013-Nov-26 v2.4 - Fixed several "perl -cw" warnings reported on
			    2013-07-09 as SourceForge bug #9.
			   Bug fix for the cl command, but in sub cli_ls().
			   First pass at Strawberry perl/MS Windows support.
			    - Enhanced support for Term::ReadLine::Perl
			    - Added support for	Term::ReadLine::Perl5
			   Added display of expire time	for show -a.
			   Added -a option to the find command.
			   Used	the new	magic_file_type() in a few places.
			   Added generatePasswordFromDict() and	"w" generation.
			   Added the -v	option to the version command.
			    - Added the	versions command.
	2014-Mar-15 v2.5 - Added length	control	(gNN) to password generation.
			   Added the copy command (and cp alias).
			   Added the clone command.
			   Added optional modules not installed	to version -v.
			   Groups can now also be moved	with the mv command.
			   Modified cli_cls() to also work on MS Windows.
			   Suppressed Term::ReadLine::Gnu hint on MS Windows.
			   Suppressed missing termcap warning on MS Windows.
			   Print a min number of *s to not leak	passwd length.
			   Removed unneeded use	of Term::ReadLine.
			   Quieted "inherited AUTOLOAD for non-method" warns
			    caused by Term::Readline::Gnu on perl 5.14.x.
	2014-Jun-06 v2.6 - Added interactive password generation ("i" method).
			    - Thanks to	Florian	Tham for the idea and patch.
			   Show	entry's	tags if	present	(KeePass >= v2.11).
			    - Thanks to	Florian	Tham for the patch.
			   Add/edit support for	tags if	a v2 file is opened.
			   Added tags to the searched fields for "find -a".
			   Show	string fields (key/val pairs) in v2 files.
			   Add/edit for	string fields if a v2 file is opened.
			   Show	information about entries' file	attachments.
			    2014-03-20 SourceForge feature request #6.
			   New "attach"	command	to manage file attachments.
			   Added "Recycle Bin" functionality and --no-recycle.
			   For --readonly, don't create	a lock file and	don't
			    warn if one	exists.	2014-03-27 SourceForge bug #11.
			   Added key file generation to	saveas and export.
			    2014-04-19 SourceForge bug #13.
			   Added -expired option to the	find command.
			   Added "dir" as an alias for "ls"
			   Added some additional info to the stats command.
			   Added more detailed OS info for Linux/Win in	vers.
			   Now hides Meta-Info/SYSTEM entries.
			   Fixed bug with SIGTSTP handling (^Z presses).
			   Fixed missing refresh_state_all_paths() in cli_rm.
	2014-Jun-11 v2.7 - Bug fix release. Broke the open command in 2.6.
	2015-Feb-08 v2.8 - Fixed cli_copy bug; refresh paths and ask to	save.
			   Fixed a cli_mv bug; double path-normalization.
			   Fixed a path	display	bug, if	done after a cli_mv.
			   Protect users from editing in the $FOUND_DIR.
			   Keep	file opened, read-only,	to show	up in lsof.
			   Added inactivity locking (--timeout parameter).
			   Added shell expansion support to cli_ls, with the
			    ability to manage _all_ listed entries by number.
			   Added shell expansion support to cli_mv.
			   Added [y/N] option to list entries after a find.
	2015-Jun-19 v3.0 - Added Password Safe v3 file importing; requires
			    optional Crypt::PWSafe3 from CPAN.
			   Added $FORCED_READLINE global variable.
			   Attachments sanity check; SourceForge bug #17.
			   Endianness fix in magic_file_type();	SF bug #19.
	2016-Jul-30 v3.1 - Added the purge command.
			   Added Data::Password::passwdqc support to the
			    pwck command and prefer it over Data::Password.
			   Minor improvements in cli_pwck().
			   Applied SF patch #6 from Chris van Marle.
			   Addressed items pointed out in SF patch #7.
			   In cli_save(), worked around	a File::KeePass	bug.
			    - rt.cpan.org tik# 113391; https://goo.gl/v65HKE
			   Applied SF patch #8 from Maciej Grela.
			   Optional better RNG;	SF bug #30 from	Aaron Toponce.

TODO ITEMS
	 Consider adding /shadow_copies/<entries> feature, where kpcli
	 will write "shadow copies" of the database, one for each entry,
	 using the path/password in the	url/password fields.

	 Consider broadening shell_expansion support beyond just mv and	ls.

	 Consider adding a tags	command	for use	with v2	files.
	  - To navigate	by entry tags

	 Consider supporting KeePass 2.x style entry history.
	  - There are potential	security implications in File::KeePass.
	  - Related, consider adding a purge command for that history.

	 Consider adding KeePass 2.x style multi-user synchronization.

	 Consider adding searches for created, modified, and accessed times
	 older than a user supplied time.

OPERATING SYSTEMS AND SCRIPT CATEGORIZATION
       Unix-like
	- Originally written and tested	on Ubuntu Linux	10.04.1	LTS.
	- As of	version	3.0, development is done on Linux Mint 17.
	- Known	to work	on many	other Linux and	*BSD distributions, and
	  kpcli	is packaged with many distributions now-a-days.

       Microsoft Windows
	- As of	v2.4, Microsoft	Windows	is also	supported.
	- Tested and compiled on Strawberry Perl 5.16.2	on Windows 7.

       "UNIX/System_administration", "Win32/Utilities"

perl v5.42.0			  2025-11-03			      KPCLI(1)

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