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diff --git a/doc/DETAILS b/doc/DETAILS index 0ab83ecdf..37475c6b5 100644 --- a/doc/DETAILS +++ b/doc/DETAILS @@ -231,6 +231,107 @@ Key generation Crypto '97 proceedings p. 260. +Unattended key generation +========================= +There is an experimental feature which allows for unattended +generation of keys controlled by a parameter file. +This feature is not very well tested and does only make sense for some +very special applications. Please don't complain if we decide to chnage +the behaviour of this command. + +To use this feature, you use --gen-key together with --batch and feed the +parameters either form stdin or from a file given on the commandline. +The format of this file is as follows: + o Text only, line length is limited to about 1000 chars. + o You must use UTF-8 encoding to specifiy non-ascii characters. + o Empty lines are ignored + o Leading and trailing spaces are ignored + o A hash sign as the first non white space character indicates a comment line + o Control statements are indicated by a leading percent sign, the + arguments are separated by white space from the keyword. + o Parameters are specified by a keyword, followed by a colon. Arguments + are speparated by white space. + o The first parameter must be "Key-Type", control statements + may be placed anywhere. + o Key generation takes place when either the end of the parameter file + is reached, the next "Key-Type" parameter is encountered or at the + controlstatement "%commit" + o Control staements: + %echo <text> + Print <text> + %dry-run + Suppress actual key generation (useful for syntax checking) + %commit + Perform the key generation. An implicit commit is done + at the next "Key-Type" parameter. + %pubring <filename> + %secring <filename> + Do not write the key to the default or commandline given + keyring but to <filename>. This must be given before the first + commit to take place, duplicate specification of the same filename + is ignored, the last filename before a commit is used. + The filename is used until a new filename is used (at commit points) + and all keys are written to that file. If a new filename is given, + this file is created (and overwrites an existing one). + Both control statements must be given. + o The order of the parameters does not matter except for "Key-Type" + which must be the first parameter. The paramtyers are only for the + generated keyblock and paramters from previous key generations are not + used. Some syntactically checks may be performed. + The currently defined parameters are: + Key-Type: <algo-number>|<algo-string> + Starts a new parameter block by giving the type of the + primary key. The algorithm must be capable of signing. + This is a required parameter. + Key-Length: <length-in-bits> + Length of the key in bits. Default is 1024 + Subkey-Type: <algo-number>|<algo-string> + This generates a secondary key. Currently only one subkey + can be handled. + Subkey-Length: <length-in-bits> + Length of the subkey in bits. Default is 1024. + Passphrase: <string> + If you want to specify a passphrase for the secret key, + enter it here. Default is not to use any passphrase. + Name-Real: <string> + Name-Comment: <string> + Name-Email: <string> + The 3 parts of a key. Remember to use UTF-8 here. + If you don't give any of them, no user ID is created. + Expire-Date: <iso-date>|(<number>[d|w|m|y]) + Set the expiration date for the key (and the subkey). It + may either be entered in ISO date format (2000-08-15) or as + number of days, weeks, month or years. Without a letter days + are assumed. + +Here is an example: +$ cat >foo <<EOF + %echo Generating a standard key + Key-Type: DSA + Key-Length: 1024 + Subkey-Type: ELG-E + Subkey-Length: 1024 + Name-Real: Joe Tester + Name-Comment: with stupid passphrase + Name-Email: [email protected] + Expire-Date: 0 + Passphrase: abc + %pubring foo.pub + %secring foo.sec + # Do a commit here, so that we can later print "done" :-) + %commit + %echo done +EOF +$ gpg --batch --gen-key -a foo + [...] +$ gpg --no-default-keyring --secret-keyring foo.sec \ + --keyring foo.pub --list-secret-keys +/home/wk/work/gnupg-stable/scratch/foo.sec +------------------------------------------ +sec 1024D/915A878D 2000-03-09 Joe Tester (with stupid passphrase) <[email protected]> +ssb 1024g/8F70E2C0 2000-03-09 + + Layout of the TrustDB ===================== |