Seahorse doesn't apply GPG passphrases anymore

Try this and see what you get (don't post the output because its your keys)

gpg --list-keys

--
Regards,
Vikram

On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 5:13 PM, Andy
<email address hidden> wrote:
> New question #91742 on Ubuntu:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/91742
>
> Since my upgrade to Ubuntu 9.10 seahorse doesn't jump in when gpg asks me for a passphrase anymore.
>
> Before the upgrade any time I used a gpg key, seahorse would ask me if it should use the remembered passphrase to use the key. No it doesn't ask anything.
>
> Also when trying gpg in the terminal, gpg itself will ask me for the passphrase.
>
> Would be really great if I got that working, since Enigmail isn't able to use my passphrase with the gpg key — why ever.
>
> Thanks a lot in advance!
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are an answer
> contact for Ubuntu.
>

Hei Vikram.

Thanks for your answer.

your mentioned command gets me the list of my installed public keys.

I can use gpg fully, but I always have to type my passphrase.

Did you check seahorse-preferences (system preferences)?
There you can enable the option to ask when a passphrase from cache should be used, how long it should be cached and so on.

That sounds helpful! Thanks.

But unfortunately I don't know where to find those preferences!

What is system preferences?

Thanks for helping my with that probably quite simple steps!

>What is system preferences?
See #7 here (needs javascript)
http://www.thecodingstudio.com/opensource/linux/screenshots/index.php?linux_distribution_sm=Ubuntu%209.10

Might be hidden in your menu.

system preferences -> encryption+keys (or alike, I've german locals)

You can open
system preferences -> main menu
navigate to the entry and enable it.

However, you can start the app from a terminal by typing:
seahorse-preferences

What is a terminal:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal#Starting%20a%20Terminal

Thanks very much man!

I already tried the Main menu settings, but there was no entry. I also tried seahorse-preferences in the run application, it didn't exist.

So terminal now suggested me to install seahorse-plugins, what I did.

The settings for GPG are (my translation):
* Always remember passphrase
* Ask before using passphrase

So it's exactly what I'd like to have, but it doesn't work. :(

Here's what gpg says:

>gpg --decrypt test.txt.gpg
>
>Du trenger en passfrase for å låse opp den hemmelige nøkkelen for
>brukeren: «Andy Pillip <email address hidden>»
>[…]

>gpg: gpg-agent is not available in this session
>Tast inn passfrase:

I also installed gnupg-agent now and started it using
>gpg-agent --daemon --write-env-file "${HOME}/.gpg-agent-info"

But it didn't change anything.

Is the gpg-agent needed? Or should seahorse itself be the gpg-agent?

Not sure, I didn't upgrade, but installed Karmic new and everything was there by default.
In system administration -> system monitor -> processes is no gpg-agent, but:
/usr/bin/seahorse-agent --execute gnome-session
and
searhorse-daemon
and
/usr/bin/gnome-keyring-daemon

which is related to
system preferences -> startup applications -> gnome keyring-service (or alike)
and -> searhorse-service

Just make sure everything related to seahorse is installed and activated, I'd update package management and reboot.

Hi again.

First of all: The problem is solved. Thanks a lot for your time!

I checked what you mentioned, and all the entries were there and the belonging processes were running.

When booting today I checked gpg --decrypt-files again and I had to type in my passphrase in a grafical dialog.
That would be gpg-agent. So it worked after restarting.

I deinstalled it, restarted again, and suddenly seahorse would ask for my passphrase and store it. =)

Great, I didn't learn anything out of that. :(