How to encrypt RedNotebook files with TrueCrypt

[nickbtheitguy]

Grab the PDF version here: http://www.nickbair.com/downloads/RedNotebook.pdf

Start by getting the latest version of RedNotebook located at http://digitaldump.wordpress.com/projects/rednotebook/ and install it.
Now grab the latest version of TrueCrypt located at http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads and install it.


Launch TrueCrypt and on the first screen select Create Volume.



Next select “Create an encrypted file container” and then Next.



Select the “Standard TrueCrypt volume” and then Next.



Create a location to store the file. You can use any file extension that you want. When done, click on Next.



On the Encryption Options you can select any Algorithm you would like. I chose AES because the Benchmark test on my machine showed AES as the fastest. When satisfied, click on Next.


Set the size of your encrypted file. Since RedNotebook stores everything in txt files you do not need a large file size. I chose a 10 MB file size.



On the Volume Password page, go ahead and create a password. Make sure you remember this because TrueCrypt does not have a password recovery tool. Then click Next.


Select the NTFS file system. Now you can have some fun! Move your mouse all over the TrueCrypt window as randomly as possible. When you are satisfied, click the Format button.



Congratulations! You have just created your encrypted volume. Now click on Exit.



Now we get to do something with RedNotebook right? Not yet. We need to mount this file now. This is the part that you will do when you want to access the RedNotebook in the encrypted file. Back on the main TrueCrypt window we will select the “Select File” option.



After the file has been selected and is listed in the drop down box, you can select any drive letter you want to use and then click on Mount, enter your password, and then OK.



You should now see your file mounted to the chosen drive letter.



Now that the hard work is done we can launch RedNotebook. Once in RedNotebook we will click on File and New Journal.



Now we can select the drive letter of our mounted file. You can either create a new sub folder or just click OK.



Now you should be able to browse out to that drive letter and see the files for RedNotebook.



When you are all done you can unmount the drive.


Nick
Also located at http://www.nickbair.com/blog/node/6

[jseipp]

Hey,
that's a brilliant HowTo! Thank you very much. I think it will be useful for many people as encryption has been an often requested feature. I'll link to it on the homepage.

[jwiltshire]

Jendrik, I've been giving this some thought recently: have you heard of pygpgme (python bindings for GnuPG Made Easy)? Symmetric encryption with a passphrase might be just right for both encrypting and password-protecting journal files.

It's (soon) on it's way into Debian and Ubuntu, but I don't know how portable it is to Windows yet.

https://launchpad.net/pygpgme

[jseipp]

Well, personally I don't really need encryption so I probably won't add that feature as a top priority. Also there is always TrueCrypt for those who want the feature.
Maybe i when time allows I'll give it a shot, but not in the near future. Ideally then the implementation would be portable.

Of course you're free to cook something up yourself if you want to...