The First Step
After much thought, doodling on paper, and some test code I came up with the following:
- a dictionary was all I need to hold all of the data
vault_context = \ { "vfilename": "vault_file.xx", # vault file name "vpassword": "crash bang", # vault encryption/decryption password "vault" : { "dbname" : "Password Vault", "update" : "January 1, 1970", "lastid" : 1, "entries": [ { "id" : 1, "name" : "amazon.com", "password": "goodboy", "note" : None } ] # end of entry list } # end of vault } # end of vault context
Note: at first I kept the context and vault separate, but it turned out combining them made things simpler. - in the "vault context" only the "vault" needs to be encrypted/decrypted.
- the "vault file name" and the "vault password" are temporary
and are lost when the program ends.
It is up to the users to remember them. - each entry in the "vault entry list" is a small dictionary.
- the encryption/decryption process is:
- convert the "vault" dictionary to a JSON byte string.
- encrypt the JSON byte string using the "vault password".
- write the encrypted bytes to the "vault file name".
- to decrypt reverse the process.
- the "vault context" is passed to every function in the code (it contains everything they need).
- At first the program is driven by a menu. The menu tests every function.
The menu program is then convert to use a GUI.
Note: I found Python encryption/decryption code on the web.
Three Useful Menu Functions
import user_interface as ui
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
# ---- query yes/no
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
def query_yes_no(p=' [yY]: '):
ans = ui.get_user_input(p)
if not ans:
return False
if ans[0] == 'y' or ans[0] == 'Y':
return True
return False
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
# ---- get vault db name
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
def get_vault_dbname(vault_context):
db = vault_context["vault"]["dbname"]
print()
print(f'The currrent vault\'s db name is ({db})')
tf = query_yes_no('Use this db name [yY]? ')
if tf:
return None
db = ui.get_user_input('Enter a db name: ')
if not db:
return None
return db
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
# ---- menu action - change vault db name
# -------------------------------------------------------------------
def change_vault_dbname_action(vault_context):
db = get_vault_dbname(vault_context)
if not db:
print()
print('no db name entered - no action taken')
return
vault_context["vault"]["dbname"] = db
print()
print(f'vault\'s db name changed to ({db})')
return
The Second step
Code the design
- what functions/actions are needed?
- do not overload functions with lots of things to do. (KISS)
- code so the menu and actions are as separate as possible.
This will help when converting to a GUI.
i.e. select a menu item which then call a function that does all of the work - the menu acts as "buttons" to call functions.
- what support function are needed by the "action" functions
- my menu actions
exit program
search primary name
search notes
search for ID
add entry
delete entry
modify entry
load a new vault (from file)
save current vault (to file)
create a new vault (use a builtin default "vault context")
output CSV file
vault stats
vault stats (also show entries)
change vault's password
change vault's file name
change vault's database name
renumber IDs
help
More Details
All searches use sub-string matches, and may return more that one entry.
The way to insure only one entry is returned is to do an ID search.
A unique ID (integer) is assigned to each entity when it is created. IDs start at 1 and incremented +1 each time.
Deleting entries will leave gaps in the range of IDs. They are no longer contiguous. This is not a problem, but just in case, a function is provided to renumber entries starting at 1. This will make the IDs contiguous.
