Safe Place FAQ

What encryption algorithm does Safe Place use?
How do I download Safe Place?
Can I access my data from two computers?
What updates do you have planned for the future?
Why do you insist on using my full name to register the product?
Why did all of my data disappear when I upgraded Safe Place?
What if my question isn't answered here?
Why does Safe Place tell me to run 4D Tools when I launch it?
 
Q: What encryption algorithm does Safe Place use?
A: Safe Place uses TEA, developed at Cambridge University in 1994. It uses a 128 bit key. You can read more about TEA here: http://www.simonshepherd.supanet.com/tea.htm
 
Q: How do I download Safe Place?
A: Just click the green arrow on the Download page.

If your browser displays a page full of meaningless characters, it means your browser isn't configured to properly handle Apple disk images (.dmg files). Although the ideal solution would be to configure your browser to save this type of file to disk and then open it with the Disk Copy application (located in your Applications:Utilities folder), a quick fix is just to hold down the Option key when you click on the download link. This will tell the browser (most of them anyway) that you want to save the file to disk. Control-clicking may also present you with a contextual menu allowing you to save the file to disk.
 
Q: Can I access my data from two computers?
A: If you have a shared volume that can be mounted on the Desktop, then it's possible to access your Safe Place data from multiple computers. For example, you could use Safe Place both at home and at the office. If you have a .Mac account, your iDisk works great for this.

Here's how to do it:

- Quit Safe Place if it's running.

- Mount your iDisk (or any other shared volume).

- Move (don't just copy) the "Safe Place.data" file from the "/Library/Application Support/Safe Place" folder to the shared volume. Make sure there's no longer a copy in the Safe Place folder. If you're using your iDisk, you'll need to put the data file in the Documents folder, since you don't have write privileges to the root directory of your iDisk.

- Launch Safe Place. It will display a dialog since it can't find the data file. Point it to the "Safe Place.data" file on the shared volume.

That's about it. On the second computer, install Safe Place and then delete the local "Safe Place.data" file. Then launch Safe Place and show it the shared data file.

You'll want to make sure the shared volume is mounted before you launch Safe Place on either computer. You'll also only be able to use the data file from one computer at a time. Although it's unlikely, there is a small possibility that you may damage your data file if you try to use it from two computers at one time.
 
Q: What updates do you have planned for the future?
A: We generally try to release a feature update about every 4 months. Some of the current ideas for future versions include:

- Automated backup
- A one-window interface option
- More preference & default options
- Ability to lock a record to prevent accidental changes
- Keychain support
- Favorites
- Blowfish encryption option
- Contextual menu support
- Automatically check for new versions of Safe Place

Please let us know what you'd like to see in a future release.
 
Q: Why do you insist on using my full name to register the product?
A: The goal of using your full name is to prevent software piracy. People generally are uncomfortable using software with somebody else's name in the startup screen. This policy also helps to make it clear that the software is registered to an individual rather than everyone at a single location.
 
Q: Why did all of my data disappear when I upgraded Safe Place?
A: First of all, don't panic. The Safe Place installer will never delete or replace an existing data file, so chances are you're just looking at a new empty data file. Your old data is still there - you'll just need to locate it.

The Safe Place installer expects to see your data file in the "/Library/Application Support/Safe Place" folder, and expects it to be named "Safe Place.data". If it doesn't find a data file there it will install a new data file. It also won't have made a backup of your data file in this case since it didn't know where to find it.

First, locate your data file. It's probably still named "Safe Place.data". Use the Finder's Find feature to locate it.

If you've moved your data file, you can either quit Safe Place then move it back to its default location (recommended), or you can hold down the Option key when you launch Safe Place and then use the Select File dialog that appears to locate your data file. In this case you should make a backup of your data file first, since the installer wasn't able to back it up for you.
 
Q: What if my question isn't answered here?
A: Check to see if it's answered in the Technical Support FAQ.
 
Q: Why does Safe Place tell me to run 4D Tools when I launch it?
A: This may happen if interruption occurs while the data was being written to your hard disk. The 4D Tools application can check your data file to make sure there's no damage.

Start by downloading it here: Download 4D Tools

- Unstuff the 4D Tools application using StuffIt Expander.

- Launch 4D Tools.

- An Open File dialog will appear. Select the Safe Place application.

- Click on the Repair tab.

- Click the Repair All button.

- 4D Tools will do its thing, then it will probably tell you that "Everything seems OK." Click the OK button and quit 4D Tools.

- Launch the Safe Place application. If all goes well, you can now enter your password and view your data. If you're still having problems, contact us and we'll help you get back into your data.
 


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