secret key

[Mark H. Wood]

On Wed, 16 May 2001, Sheriy Chang wrote:
> every time that I use gpg --default-secret-key schang@dm.co.cr
>
> it show a me this stupid message
>
> pgp: Go ahead and type your message
>
> What I suppose to do here? I type and type and I dont know how to finish
> this, please help me out.

Others have addressed that which is probably your actual need.  However,
to address your question directly:  gpg will continue to absorb what you
type until it receives an end-of-file indication.  Usually the way to do
that in interactive input is to enter control-D (on Unix) or control-Z (on
MSDOS or Windows).

Once you've done that, gpg will tell you that it found no valid PGP data,
because the default is to decrypt its input.  Adding the options '-s -e'
will cause it to sign and encrypt its input.  Now the command will spew
out binary encrypted gunk on your terminal.  This is probably not what you
wanted.  Adding '-a' will change the binary gunk to printable ASCII gunk,
which is probably still not what you wanted.  If you want the output to go
to a file called NAME, your best bet is to add '-o NAME'.

NAME could then, for example, be used as the body of an email message.
However, if what you want to do is send signed and/or encrypted email,
there are layered products which will do this much more simply by
directing gpg for you.

You need to study the gpg man page if you want to understand what gpg is
doing.  There are many options.  gpg is like the proverbial Swiss Army
knife:  a broad array of tools all riveted to a single handle.  You need
to tell it what kind of tool you want it to be today.

-- 
Mark H. Wood, Lead System Programmer   mwood@IUPUI.Edu
Make a good day.