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Data Import and Export

You do not need to read this if you know how to drag-drop and copy-paste and use Window's other function. Just one remark:


Sending encrypted text in an e-mail (o any other file) that is HTML formatted (sometimes called Rich Text) you will most likely destroy the integrity of the message and the recipient will not be able to decrypt and read it. Therefore the default way of exporting encrypted text is to put it into a file of pure unformatted text.


You should only export encrypted messages as open text (i.e., not in a file) when you are 100% sure the formatting of the receiving document does not corrupt your text.


See here for certain detailed questions:


a) Import/Export Text and File from Main Form

b) Exporting with the Send button (i.e., into e-mail)

c) Key Export and Import





For beginners, here an introduction:


There are several ways to get text and files in and out of the program:



A.

Copy-and-Paste


B.

Drag-and-Drop


C.

Windows Dialogs


D.

Use the Mail button to export encrypted files into e-mail


A. Copy-Paste


Select the text or file. Then copy it with Ctrl+C or RightMouseClick | Copy. Go to the destination, then paste it with Ctrl + V or RightMouseClick | Paste. May not work everywhere, but most of the time.

In this program, Copy-Paste is supported for the text windows and the file windows.


B. Drag-and-Drop


Select a text or file, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the object to its destination; there you let the mouse button go. Works at fewer places and with fewer programs than Copy-and-Paste.

The Windows convention is:

      1. Ctrl = Copy: If you hold down the control key, the object is copied to the new destination, i.e., the original stays where it is and an identical copy is made at the destination.
      2. Shift = Move: If you hold down the shift key, the object is moved to the new destination, i.e., it disappears from where it came from and is fully reconstructed at the destination.
      3. Ctrl+Shift = Link: If you hold down control and shift keys, the object is stays where it ii; only a shortcut or link is made at the destination that points to the original object.
      4. InstantCrypt uses these conventions for the import of files.


Reliability warning: Unfortunately, it seems that drag-and-drop operations, although very convenient, are not always be 100% reliable when transporting text. This is critical for encrypted text, because the most minor change, even some change not visible to the eye, makes it undecipherable. So, if you feel that encrypted text has been garbled after a drag-and-drop operation, use copy-paste instead. But there are no known problems with dragging files.


You can drop files into the File Landing Pad at the bottom of the main form, and InstantCrypt will sort out what to do with the file.


C. Mail Button


To export an encrypted text or file, click on the button Mail. This is the fasted way to export the text or file into your e-mail program or into your Web mail.


D. With Windows Dialogs (for Files)


    1. The Add button on the main form lets you import files that need to be encrypted or decrypted.
    2. If you select a file in shown in InstantCrypt, rightclick, and then click on export, a copy of the selected file will be saved at a place of your choice.


E. DoubleClick (Files with Registered Extension)


If you registered the extension *.pgp and *.asc with Windows during the installation of the program, doubleclicking on files with these extensions will open these files in InstantCrypt.


F. Program Shortcut: Use Drag-Drop or Copy-Paste


If you put a shortcut to the program on the desktop (recommended: a shortcut to Start_InstantCrypt), then drag-dropping or copy-pasting files onto the shortcut will open these in InstantCrypt.