Using FAOPGP

Unprotecting (decrypting/verifying) Files using Windows Explorer

The advantage of using Windows Explorer to unprotect files over the FAOPGP GUI is that you can unprotect multiple files in one go without having to use archives.


Unprotecting Files

To quickly unprotect a file, just double-click on it.  Alternatively;

1.  Highlight the protected file(s) in Windows Explorer.

2.  Right-click and select 'Unprotect' from the FAOPGP menu.



On selecting 'Unprotect' files are restored to their original filenames and saved to the folder selected in the 'Default Settings' dialog.


Log File Window

FAOPGP displays a log of the files you have unprotected in a separate window:




Selecting will close the log file window.

Selecting  will display the log in a full browser page. If you want to save or print the log file, press this button and then select the appropriate action from your browser menu options.

Clicking on the hyperlink will display the unprotected file in its associated application.



Verifying Detached Signatures

To verify a detached signature you must first rename the .sig extension to .asc.  Then right-click on the .asc file and select 'Unprotect' from the FAOPGP menu. When a detached signature is successfully verified an "open file" dialog box will be displayed where you select the file for which the signature was computed.

NOTE : You need the sender's public key in your keystore before verifying detached signatures.  If you don't FAOPGP will display the message 'You can't check the signature for this text because you don't know the signer' and the "open file" dialog will not be displayed.



Error Messages

If you do not have the unprotect key for a file then FAOPGP will be unable to decrypt it.  The original filename cannot be displayed because it is encrypted, and who it was encrypted for cannot be displayed because that private key is not known.