File size support on Windows beta version

[Werner Koch]

On Thu, 8 Aug 2002 11:45:00 -0700, Erick Thompson said:

> A question on the beta for the 1.2 version of gpg. Will it support files > 2
> gigs on the Windows platform?

Lacking a Windows  machine with a > 4 gig partition I won't be able to
test it.  However any Windows version of GnuPG should be able to cope
with files of any size as long as you run gpg as a filter; i.e.

  gpg -e -r someone <foo >foo.gpg

This requires that the process running gpg and doing the redirection
(e.g. cmd.exe) is able to handle large files.

> Is there a list of new features for 1.2?

Basically all what you find in the development version:

    * The default configuration file is now ~/.gnupg/gpg.conf.  If an
      old ~/.gnupg/options is found it will still be used.  This
      change is required to have more consistent naming scheme with
      forthcoming tool.


Noteworthy changes in version 1.1.91 (2002-08-04)
-------------------------------------------------

    * All modules are now linked statically; the --load-extension
      option is in general not useful anymore.  The only exception is
      to specify the deprecated idea cipher.

    * When using --batch with one of the --delete-key commands, the
      key must be specified by fingerprint.  See the man page for
      details.

    * There are now various ways to restrict the ability GnuPG has to
      exec external programs (for the keyserver helpers or photo ID
      viewers).  Read the README file for the complete list.

    * New export option to leave off attribute packets (photo IDs)
      during export.  This is useful when exporting to HKP keyservers
      which do not understand attribute packets.

    * New import option to repair during import the HKP keyserver
      mangling multiple subkeys bug.  Note that this cannot completely
      repair the damaged key as some crucial data is removed by the
      keyserver, but it does at least give you back one subkey.  This
      is on by default for keyserver --recv-keys, and off by default
      for regular --import.

    * The keyserver helper programs now live in
      /usr/[local/]libexec/gnupg by default.  If you are upgrading
      from 1.0.7, you might want to delete your old copies in
      /usr/[local/]bin.  If you use an OS that does not use libexec
      for whatever reason, use --libexecdir=/usr/local/lib to place
      the keyserver helpers there.

    * The LDAP keyserver handler now works properly with very old
      (version 1) LDAP keyservers.

Noteworthy changes in version 1.1.90 (2002-07-01)
-------------------------------------------------

    * New commands: --personal-cipher-preferences,
      --personal-digest-preferences, and
      --personal-compress-preferences allow the user to specify which
      algorithms are to be preferred.  Note that this does not permit
      using an algorithm that is not present in the recipient's
      preferences (which would violate the OpenPGP standard).  This
      just allows sorting the preferences differently.

    * New "group" command to refer to several keys with one name.

    * A warning is issued if the user forces the use of an algorithm
      that is not listed in the recipient's preferences.

    * Full revocation key (aka "designated revoker") support.

    * The preferred hash algorithms on a key are consulted when
      encrypting a signed message to that key.  Note that this is
      disabled by default by a SHA1 preference in
      --personal-digest-preferences.

    * --cert-digest-algo allows the user to specify the hash algorithm
      to use when signing a key rather than the default SHA1 (or MD5
      for PGP2 keys).  Do not use this feature unless you fully
      understand the implications of this.

    * --pgp7 mode automatically sets all necessary options to ensure
      that the resulting message will be usable by a user of PGP 7.x.

    * New --attribute-fd command for frontends and scripts to get the
      contents of attribute packets (i.e. photos)

    * In expert mode, the user can now re-sign a v3 key with a v4
      self-signature.  This does not change the v3 key into a v4 key,
      but it does allow the user to use preferences, primary ID flags,
      etc.

    * Significantly improved photo ID support on non-unixlike
      platforms.

    * The version number has jumped ahead to 1.1.90 to skip over the
      old version 1.1 and to get ready for the upcoming 1.2.

    * ElGamal sign and encrypt is not anymore allowed in the key
      generation dialog unless in expert mode.  RSA sign and encrypt
      has been added with the same restrictions.

    * [W32] Keyserver access does work with Windows NT.




Salam-Shalom,

   Werner