can't work on armoured keyring

[Michael Nahrath]

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David Shaw wrote:

>>$ gpg -a --export 5B0358A2 99242560 > test.gpgkey
>>$ gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring ./test.gpgkey --list-keys
>>gpg: [don't know]: invalid packet (ctb=2d)
>>gpg: keydb_search_first failed: invalid packet

>>Seems like GPG (same behaviour in all versions from 1.06 through 1.2.2rc2)
>>is unable to deal with a keyring if it is ASCII-armoured.
>>
>>Is this	* a bug?
>>	* a known limitation?
>>	* technically neccesary?
> 
> 
> A known limitation, and (weakly) necessary in that it makes a lot of
> keyring management easier.  While everyone does it anyway, the keyring
> files aren't really intended to be used without using --import and
> --export.

Is thre any difference betwheen a working keyring and a (binary) exported
keyring?

If I do
$ gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring ./test.gpg --import ./bin-keyring.gpg
shouldn't ./test.gpg and ./bin-keyring.gpg be identical (assuming
./bin-keyring.gpg doesn't contain errors)?

> If you want to use an armored file as a keyring without --import-ing
> it first, use "gpg --dearmor" on it and then you can use it as a
> keyring.  When you are done, just use "gpg --armor --export >
> allmykeys.asc" to return it to armored form.

Thanks for this clarification.

So I guess you are right: We don't need to provide binary keyrings, but add
this tip at the download site.

Greeting, Michi

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