#169 KeePass asking to save database for no good reason

[DNez]

1. I open up my database file
2. Copy one of my passwords to the clipboard
2a. I notice that the Last Access time has changed
which is ok.
3. The option to Automatically Save Database is NOT
selected.
4. When I close my database, it asks me to save
modifications. The only modification I have made is
accessing one of my passwords.

Recommendation:
I believe that items like Last Access and Last
Modification should not be considered a change by
KeePass, it should automatically save that information
to the database without asking the user to save the
database if that’s the only thing that was changed. If
somebody malicious opens up my database file and
access my password, the last Access timestamp will
change but the user can just exit without saving and
that Access date will vanish. The save warning should
only be displayed when passwords have been added,
removed, or moved around; not when they are just
accessed.

Another issue I’ve been having is that when I Maximized
KeePass and close it, it opens up in Windowed Mode
(Opposite of Maximize) with the whole screen filled up.
So it’s almost like its Maximized but really is not.

Recommendation: If KeePass closes Maximized, it should
open Maximized as well.

Thanks for making a really good app though. Keep up
the good work.

[Dominik Reichl]

Logged In: YES
user_id=853915

No, I want to leave it 100% to the user whether to save the
database or not. In some environments (of course not on
simple desktop one-user systems) this is required.

Best regards,
Dominik

[gk_net]

Logged In: YES
user_id=1113810

How about a compromise - have an option that allows the
user to decide if they want to be prompted whenever the last
access date/time is changed or if they only want to be
prompted when a change to a password entry is made. The
option could be (should be?) protected with the database's
password.

If the option were available, I'd certainly choose to be
prompted only when a password entry is changed and allow
KeePass to automaticlly save the last accessed date/time.

[Ryan Morgan]

Logged In: YES
user_id=1070980

The problem for several of us is that unless the database
has really changed (new entry, entry modification, etc.) we
don't want the file saved AT ALL. By doing this, Windows
updates the modification timestamp of the database file,
even though "nothing" really changed. This prompts one to
consider the worthiness of the last access field. If the
consensus is to keep this field, here's a possible solution.
When I'm prompted to save the database upon exit, I
oftentimes cannot remember whether I really changed anything
or not. Perhaps we can add a message in that prompt as such:

"The current file has been modified: Password entries were
[not] changed. Do you want to save the changes before closing?"

By including this information, the user knows that the
access times were updated and that entries were/were not
changed. For those of us who prefer to save ONLY when
passwords are changed, we can use this information to help
make that decision. For those that want to save no matter
what, they can use that option that already exists
"automatically save database on exit".

Or, possibly more user friendly, an option that reads "On
exit, only prompt to save when an entry has changed". This
way, if the access time changes but nothing else, we will
not be prompted, the file will not be saved, and the
modification timestamp will remain the same.

Either of these potential solutions follows what Dominik has
said, that he wants to leave it 100% up to the user whether
to save the file or not. I think that implementing the
latter option, along with the current option to
automatically save the database, would satisfy just about
every different scenario that has been discussed on the forum:
1. those that want to be prompted no matter what has changed
2. those that want to be prompted only when an entry has
changed
3. those that don't want to be prompted at all, just save
the damn thing!

Thoughts??

[Jim R]

Logged In: YES
user_id=979053

If Dominik would like this to be a 100% feature, I like the
comments Ryan added about clarifying why the file will be
saved. I'd like to add some thoughts that I posted in the
user forum:

If I may, I'd like to add some ideas to Ryan's. Directly
using wording from the program itself ... Access and
Modification ... perhaps when the user is prompted to save
the file upon exit, it could be clarified simply saying:

"Last Access Times Have Updated
Do you want to save changes before exiting?"

or

"File Modifications Have Occured
Do you want to save changes before exiting?"

If you read the prompt box that comes up now, it says: The
current file has been modified ... which would tend to imply
that a 'Last Modification' field somewhere in the database
would be updated ... but this is not the case. So, the use
of the word 'modified' is slightly misleading. Use of the
words 'access' and 'modification', just as they appear in
the program I think would clarify what will happen to the
data when the file is saved.

[Squeller]

Logged In: YES
user_id=999143

I have Keepass auto saving on exit. I also have an auto
ftp job uploading the db on any change.

- For people like me, the keepass recording last access is
annoying for that reason

My idea: An option to turn off the "last access" record. If
turned off, keepass should show date and time of "last
change" instead. Or just leave the field empty, its up to
dominic.

[Dominik Reichl]

Logged In: YES
user_id=853915

Hello all!

Okay, I see that this is a common wish, so I've implemented
such an option now.

Version 0.97a will have a switch in the options dialog "Mark
database as modified on last-access time change". So,
KeePass will store/update the last-access time as before,
but if you disable the option above, KeePass won't prompt to
save the database, just because a last-access time has changed.

If you are a developer: I've uploaded the latest sources to
CVS. Feel free to test the new feature :)

Thanks for all your constructive comments and best regards,
Dominik

[Nobody/Anonymous]

Logged In: NO

I would vote for a user enabled option where the last access
field is not updated period. No saving, no anoying prompting.
Saving would only be of concern when an entry is changed.

[Jim R]

Logged In: YES
user_id=979053

Dominik,
I tested operation of the 0.97a version you posted. Looks
good, appears to do what we asked.

It appears to be properly controlled by the option:
Options -> Files
Mark database as modified on last-access time change

My only suggestion is to change 'last-access' to 'Last
Access'. This way, it matches the text exactly as shown in
the program itself. Nowhere else is the text 'last-access'
used in the program. Just trying to help with clarifying
for the user what will/will not change.

I also noticed that this changed the file save options that
show up under the File menu ... as I would expect. With the
above option DISABLED (Last Access times are not marked as
modifications), the File -> Save Database... option remains
greyed out as long as the user is only accessing data (not
editing anything). This isn't a problem and is what I would
expect, just thought others might want to be aware of it.

If, someone still wanted to save the Last Access times, they
can still use File -> Save Database As...

Good work, Thanks.
Jim.