Export/Import Oddities

Hi,

I needed to temporarily get rid of an item to test. I thought I knew how to do this: I export an item, delete it in 1Password, do my testing, and then import the item I exported to get it back.

I ran the 1Password Windows client, clicked on All Items, and sorted items by Title. In the search box I typed the name of an item so only that single item was displayed, then right clicked on the item, clicked on Export, selected a target folder, and clicked OK. However instead of exporting the single item, several other items following the selected item were exported. Unless I'm misunderstanding something this seems like a clear bug: I expect that the single item selected should be exported instead of other items. (I was able to export the correct item by clearing the search box and then selecting the item to export.)

I then did my testing and wanted to restore the item that I previously exported. I clicked on 1Password, then Import, and tried to select the file I previously exported. To my surprise the .txt file extension wasn't supported. I could force it by using the . mask, but importing it had no apparent effect. So it appears that Import and Export aren't inverses of each other. I'm guessing that there are good reasons to import the formats you import and export the formats you export, but to me it doesn't make sense that I can't export something and then later import it to restore the item. That seems like an obvious use of Export/Import and I can't recall another application where you can't import something you've exported.

At the end I realized I didn't need to use Export/Import at all, I could just delete the item and just retrieve it from the Trash. But I think there's a bug you should fix, and it would be a good idea if I could import what I export.

Mike


1Password Version: 7.2.581
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: windows 10
Sync Type: 1Password.com

Comments

  • MikeA01730
    MikeA01730
    Community Member

    Whoops, somehow I posted this in the wrong forum. I'll post it where it belongs in the Windows forum.

  • MikeA01730
    MikeA01730
    Community Member

    Hi,

    I needed to temporarily get rid of an item to test. I thought I knew how to do this: I export an item, delete it in 1Password, do my testing, and then import the item I exported to get it back.

    I ran the 1Password Windows client, clicked on All Items, and sorted items by Title. In the search box I typed the name of an item so only that single item was displayed, then right clicked on the item, clicked on Export, selected a target folder, and clicked OK. However instead of exporting the single item, several other items following the selected item were exported. Unless I'm misunderstanding something this seems like a clear bug: I expect that the single item selected should be exported instead of other items. (I was able to export the correct item by clearing the search box and then selecting the item to export.)

    I then did my testing and wanted to restore the item that I previously exported. I clicked on 1Password, then Import, and tried to select the file I previously exported. To my surprise the .txt file extension wasn't supported. I could force it by using the . mask, but importing it had no apparent effect. So it appears that Import and Export aren't inverses of each other. I'm guessing that there are good reasons to import the formats you import and export the formats you export, but to me it doesn't make sense that I can't export something and then later import it to restore the item. That seems like an obvious use of Export/Import and I can't recall another application where you can't import something you've exported.

    At the end I realized I didn't need to use Export/Import at all, I could just delete the item and just retrieve it from the Trash. But I think there's a bug you should fix, and it would be a good idea if I could import what I export.

    Mike


    1Password Version: 7.2.581
    Extension Version: Not Provided
    OS Version: Not Provided
    Sync Type: Not Provided

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @MikeA01730: Sorry for the confusion. Text/CSV export is for getting data out of 1Password, not into it, and into other apps which don't support 1Password's native open 1PIF format. Generally people exporting from 1Password are trying to put the data somewhere else instead. ;)

    Also, as it sounds like you realized, it isn't necessary to import data just because you exported it. Exporting does not remove the data from 1Password; it just lets you get it out to use elsewhere. Also, exporting individual (non-Login) items is not an option for Text/CSV export. You'd need to select specific Logins to export, or export all of them, as indicated in the export prompt.

    If you do want to save data outside of 1Password for portability and use it there later...just use an OPVault, which any recent version of 1Password can use, and which is encrypted. Plaintext exports are not secure, and are only recommended if you need unencrypted data so that it can be manipulated by something other than 1Password. Certainly we do want to add more export/import options in the future though. It just isn't necessary to do that for 1Password itself, since 1Password can already read its own data.

    Anyway, I hope this helps. Be sure to let me know if you have any other questions! :)

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @MikeA01730: It looks like you posted the same thing in two different places. I've merged them here to avoid confusion.

  • MikeA01730
    MikeA01730
    Community Member

    Brenty,

    Thanks for the additional information on export/import.

    In my second paragraph I describe what I think is a bug with export: the exported file contained information on the wrong item/items. Do you agree, or am I missing something?

    Thanks,
    Mike

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @MikeA01730: You're welcome, and thanks for getting back to me. I had thought you meant that originally, but when I couldn't reproduce what you described and I looked at your description again I thought maybe I'd misread you. Can you give me the exact steps to reproduce that? When I exported just now, I was able to get only the selected item, as I expected.

  • MikeA01730
    MikeA01730
    Community Member

    Brenty,

    I just tried it again on 2 PCs and can't duplicate it. Last night I did it several times to make sure I was documenting it correctly but it's not happening now. Maybe I documented the steps incorrectly, maybe it's an intermittent 1P problem, maybe I just made a different mistake, but in any case if it's not reproducible then there's nothing to do about it.

    Thanks,
    Mike

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @MikeA01730: Hey, no worries. We'll keep an eye out for it. Thank you for letting us know!

This discussion has been closed.