Mailing List Archive

Felix Karpfen <felkarp@pcug.org.au> writes:

> Following the directions in the GPG Manual slavishly, I have
> successfully exported my public key (in ACII format) to a file.
>
> The next step is to get it onto a Keyserver from which it can readily
> be copied by anyone interested. http://www.keyserver.net appears to be
> admirably simple. It displays an empty field and the instructions:

An easier method is to use

gpg --send-keys felkarp --keyserver http://www.keyserver.net

that exports and uploads your public key automagically!

>
> Select the key and chose `Copy'
> Paste into the field
> Press the `submit' button
>
> Or words to that effect.
>
> Could hardly be simpler.
>
> However, when checking what has been created created by the `gpg
> --export' command, the file, apart from the block of ASCII characters,
> also contains the following lines:
>
> -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.0.2 (GNU/Linux)
> Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org
>
> < block of ASCII characters>
>
> -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
>
> My question is:
>
> Does everything get copied to http://www.keyserver.net or only the
> ASCII characters block?

Copy everything, the "ASCII armoring" will get stripped off.

>
> I strongly suspect that the former alternative is correct and `adding a
> key to the key-ring' involves using what is needed from the
> submitted data and discarding the rest. However, given the importance
> of getting it right first time round, I thought it worth a query.

I'm sure the keyserver will whinge if you make a mistake...:-)

Regards

--
=========================================================
Gambling: A discretionary tax on | Anthony David
those who were asleep during high | Systems Administrator
school mathematics classes |

--
Archive is at http://lists.gnupg.org - Unsubscribe by sending mail
with a subject of "unsubscribe" to gnupg-users-request@gnupg.org

On Sun, 06 Aug 2000, you wrote:
> > http://www.keyserver.net appears to be
> > admirably simple.

> An easier method is to use
>
> gpg --send-keys felkarp --keyserver http://www.keyserver.net
>
> that exports and uploads your public key automagically!
>

Even simpler - if the command activates my sendmail daemon (which is
not loaded by default at login).

Many thanks for the help.

`gpg --send-keys' does not make it to the first chapter of the GPG
Manual, and I am going at it a step at a time. The Manual provided
much of the needed info - once I knew where to look.

I subsequently discovered that I had even more detailed info in my
downloaded `Keyserver FAQ' that I had not checked when I posted my
request for help. And I still do not understand it, now that I have
checked it. The info is listed below. I am posting this to gnupg-users
as well, since there may be other GnuPG Newbies that would also benefit
from a fuller explanation and the supplied FAQ answer has much wider
applications than just placing one's own key on a keyserver.

Felix Karpfen
--

The info reads:

A: The standard access method used by various versions of security
software is to use the HTTP protocol to connect to the host
search.keyserver.net on port 11371 to query this server. We provide
hereunder more detailed instructions on how to configure the most
common security applications:

GnuPG
To use a public keys server to locate or distribute your keys from
GnuPG, specify the "keyserver" option in your command line or into
your options file.

From the command line:
# ./gnupg --recv-keys --keyserver search.keyserver.net 0x81FCD7A0

From your options file ~/.gnupg/options:
# This is a comment
keyserver search.keyserver.net
...
and then
# ./gnupg --send-key 0x81FCD7A0

SNIP

Q: How this server works?

A: This server was written by Highware and like others, is free for public
usage. It can be reached with a browser from the Web, by Email ***and
by direct IP access from software such as GnuPG, PGP or SafeMail.***

--
Felix Karpfen
felkarp@pcug.org.au

--
Archive is at http://lists.gnupg.org - Unsubscribe by sending mail
with a subject of "unsubscribe" to gnupg-users-request@gnupg.org