1 The server uses a protocol provided by libassuan to communicate with the
2 client. An OK response is returned when a command succeeds or ERR along with
3 an error code and description, if not. When a command requests data for
4 retrieval (e.g., GET) the output is prefixed with D then a single SPACE then
5 the actual data followed by a response. Read the libassuan docs for more info
11 OPEN <filename> [<key>]
12 Opens <filename> using <key>. If the filename is not found on the
13 file-system, then a new document will be created. If the file is found, it
14 is looked for in the file cache for an existing key. When found and no key
15 was specified, the cached key will be used for decryption (if encrypted).
16 When not found, pinentry(1) will be used to retrieve the key (see OPTIONS
17 below). You can also open a different file using the same connection. When
18 using an empty or NULL key and you want to avoid the pinentry dialog, set
19 ENABLE_PINENTRY to 0 (see OPTIONS below).
23 Writes the XML document to disk. The file written to is the file that was
24 opened using the OPEN command. If <key> is not specified then the
25 currently cached key will be used. If the file is a new file or the file
26 isn't found in the file cache, <key> will be used. If <key> is not
27 specified then pinentry(1) will be used to retrieve the key (see OPTIONS
28 below). If you want to use and empty key and want to avoid the pinentry
29 dialog, set ENABLE_PINENTRY to 0 (see OPTIONS below).
33 An OK response is returned if the specified file is found in the file
34 cache. If not found in the cache but exists on the filesystem,
35 GPG_ERR_NOT_FOUND is returned. Otherwise a filesystem error is returned.
38 CLEARCACHE [<filename>]
39 Clears a file cache entry. This will forget the timeout and key for all or
40 the specified file. Always returns an OK response.
43 CACHETIMEOUT <filename> <seconds>
44 Specify the number of seconds the specified file will be cached. -1 will
45 keep the cache entry forever, 0 will require the key each time the OPEN or
46 SAVE commands are used. Also see the "cache_timeout" configuration
47 parameter. Returns ERR if the filename isn't cached or if the timeout is
48 invalid. OK otherwise.
51 LIST [[!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]]
52 If no element path is given then a list of root elements is returned with
53 the data response. If given, then all reachable elements for the
54 specified element path are returned. Each element in the path is prefixed
55 with the literal '!' character when the element contains no "target"
56 attribute (See THE TARGET ATTRIBUTE below).
59 REALPATH [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
60 Resolves all "target" attributes of the specified element path and returns
61 the result with a data response.
64 STORE [!]element[[<TAB>[!]element[...]]<TAB>[content]]
65 Creates a new element tree or modifies the content of an existing element
66 path. If only a single element is specified, a new root element is
67 created. Otherwise, elements are TAB delimited and the content will be set
68 to the last TAB delimited argument. If no content is specified after the
69 last TAB then the content for the last specified element will be removed
70 or empty if creating a new element.
72 The only restriction of element names is that they not begin with a
73 punctuation character (the literal '!' character is an exception) or digit
74 and not contain any whitespace. There is no whitespace between the TAB
75 delimited elements. It is recommended that the value be base 64 encoded to
76 prevent XML and pwmd parsing errors.
78 PWMD reads the element path from the client via the Assuan INQUIRE
79 protocol response. The STORE command is sent by itself without arguments,
80 then the server responds with INQUIRE. The client then sends the element
81 path prefixed with a "D " data response. The element path may extend
82 multiple lines but each must be prefixed with the data "D " response. When
83 finished, the client sends "END" on an empty line. This is needed so an
84 element path and value can be more than 1000 bytes long, the Assuan
88 DELETE [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
89 Removes an element tree from the specified element path.
92 GET [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
93 Retrieves the content or text node of the specified element path. The data
94 is returned with a data response.
97 ATTR SET|GET|DELETE|LIST [<attribute>] [!]<arg1> [!][arg2]
98 ATTR SET attribute [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]] attribute_value
99 Stores or updates an attribute value of an element path.
101 ATTR DELETE attribute [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
102 Removes an attribute from an element path.
104 ATTR LIST [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
105 Gets a list of attributes from an element path.
107 ATTR GET attribute [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]]
108 Gets the value of an attribute from an element path.
110 The "name" attribute (case sensitive) cannot be removed with ATTR DELETE
111 if the element path is the root element. Although it can be SET to change
112 the root element name.
114 Also see THE TARGET ATTRIBUTE below.
117 XPATH <expression>[<TAB>[value]]
118 Evaluates an XPath expression. If no value argument is specified, it is
119 assumed the expression is a request to return a result. Otherwise, the
120 result is set to the value argument and the document is updated. If there
121 is no value after the <TAB> character, the value is assumed to be empty
122 and the document is updated.
125 IMPORT [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[...]] <content>
126 Like the STORE command (an INQUIRE), but the content argument is raw XML
127 data. The content is created as a child of the specified element path. If
128 an element of the element path does not exist, it is created.
130 Note that the new content must begin with an element node. Also note that
131 an existing child node of the same element name as the root node of the
132 imported content will be overwritten.
136 Shows the in memory XML document with indenting. To dump a specific
137 element tree, use the XPATH command.
141 Locks the mutex associated with the opened file. This prevents other
142 clients from sending commands to the same opened file until the client
143 that sent this command either disconnects or sends the UNLOCK command.
147 Unlocks the mutex which was locked with the LOCK command.
151 Retrieves the process id of the server.
154 GETCONFIG [filename] <parameter>
155 Returns the value of a pwmd configuration variable with a data response.
156 If no file has been opened then the value for the specified file or the
157 default from the "global" section will be returned. If a file has been
158 opened and no filename is specified, the value previously set with the SET
159 command, if any, will be returned.
161 If there is no such parameter defined, GPG_ERR_NO_VALUE is returned.
165 Returns the server version number with a data response.
169 Sets an option NAME to VALUE. See OPTIONS below for available options.
173 Resets option NAME to the value specified in the server configuration
174 file. Some options have no default and will be reset to NULL or 0
175 depending on the type.
179 Closes the connection disconnecting the client. Unless the SAVE command
180 had been sent, any changes to the document will be lost.
185 Commands that require a key that is neither cached nor specified will use
186 pinentry(1) to retrieve the key. Pinentry options can be set with the SET
187 command followed by the option name and value. Below are the available pwmd
190 NAME |VALUE |Description
191 -----------------|----------|----------------------------------------------
192 ENABLE_PINENTRY 0|1 When 0, disable use of pinentry. The default
194 PINENTRY_TIMEOUT <integer> The number of seconds before the pinentry
195 process will terminate while waiting for a
196 passphrase. The default is 20, 0 disables.
197 PINENTRTY_PATH <string> Full path to the pinentry binary. The default
198 is specified at compile time.
199 TTYNAME <string> Same as the --ttyname option to pinentry(1).
200 TTYTYPE <string> Same as the --ttytype option to pinentry(1).
201 DISPLAY <string> Same as the --display option to pinentry(1).
202 TITLE <string> Sets the title string of the pinentry dialog.
203 PROMPT <string> Sets the prompt string of the pinentry dialog.
204 DESC <string> Sets the error or description string of the
206 LC_CTYPE <string> Same as the --lc-ctype option to pinentry(1).
207 LC_MESSAGES <string> Same as the --lc-messages option to
209 ITERATIONS <integer> The number of encryption iterations to do
210 when the SAVE command is sent. An opened file
211 is needed when setting this option. The
212 CONFIG status message is sent after receiving
214 NAME <string> Associates the thread ID of the connection
215 with the specified textual representation.
216 Useful for debugging log messages.
218 When pinentry is used with the SAVE command the passphrase will be asked for
219 confirmation. If the confirmation fails, the process is started over again
220 until either the passphrases match or until Cancel is selected. The OPEN
221 command will only ask for the passphrase once without retrying on failure. It
222 is up to the client to retry the OPEN command. Empty keys are allowed. To
223 prevent pinentry asking for an (empty) passphrase, use SET ENABLE_PINENTRY=0.
225 To reset an option value string to its default, use the UNSET command.
230 Some commands send a status message to the client when successful or as a
231 progress indicator. Status messages begin with a KEYWORD (see below) followed
232 by the status description. What messages are sent, when, and how often, depend
233 on configuration settings:
236 -------------|-------------
260 KEYWORD |OUTPUT FORMAT
261 -----------|--------------------
263 Sent to each client after the file cache changes.
264 ENCRYPT <iterations so far> <total iterations>
265 DECRYPT <iterations so far> <total iterations>
266 COMPRESS <bytes so far> <total bytes>
267 DECOMPRESS <bytes so far> <total bytes>
268 XFER <bytes so far> <total bytes>
269 LOCKED When another thread owns a mutex lock that the current thread
270 needs, this is status message is sent and the thread will
271 block until the lock can be obtained.
272 KEEPALIVE Sent to each client after every configured amount of
273 seconds. It is important that this status message be sent to
274 test for client connectivity.
275 CONFIG Sent to each client after the configuration file has
276 been reloaded or has had a value changed that may affect other
278 CLIENTS Sent to each client after a client connects or disconnects.
283 There is a special attribute "target" (case sensitive) that can be set with
284 ATTR SET. The value of this attribute is an element path that is located
285 somewhere else in the XML document and are alot like how XPath treats
286 entities, but is needed do to how pwmd commands are implemented. The syntax
289 ATTR SET target [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[..]] [!]element[<TAB>[!]element[..]]
290 arg1^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ arg2^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
292 If the element path of the "target" attribute (arg1) doesn't exist, it is
293 created. This is the only time the ATTR command will create elements.
295 When a protocol command requests <arg1> as the element path, the remaining
296 elements after the element with the "target" attribute will be appended to
297 <arg2>. This is useful if you have elements that share the same data. If the
298 target is modified, the other elements "pointing" to the target will have the
299 same content. To get the real or literal element and ignore any "target"
300 attributes, prefix the element with a '!' character. Here's an example:
304 C> D host1<TAB>username<TAB>original username
309 C> D host2<TAB>smtp<TAB>username<TAB>someuser
312 C> ATTR SET target host1<TAB>username host2<TAB>smtp<TAB>username
315 Now host1's "target" attribute will be used:
317 C> GET host1<TAB>username
321 If you want host1's username, prefix the element of the "target" attribute
324 C> GET host1<TAB>!username
325 S> D original username
328 The target value (arg2) element can also have a "target" attribute:
330 C> ATTR SET target new_account host1
332 C> GET new_account<TAB>username
336 The value of the "target" attribute may also be prefixed with a '!' to set the
337 target to the actual element path and not a target of the element path:
339 C> ATTR DELETE target !new_account
341 C> ATTR SET target new_account<TAB>username host1<TAB>!username
343 C> GET new_account<TAB>username
344 S> D original username
347 The "target" attribute is considered for all commands that support an element
348 path. If the target element has been renamed or deleted afterwards, the
351 Clients should be careful of creating target loops. See the "recursion_depth"
352 configuration parameter for details.
355 XML DOCUMENT STRUCTURE
356 ----------------------
357 When importing an XML data file with the -I command line option, the document
358 should have the following DTD:
360 <?xml version="1.0"?>
362 <!ELEMENT pwmd (root*)>
363 <!ATTLIST root name CDATA #REQUIRED>
366 The "pwmd" element is the document root node while the first element of an
367 element path specified in protocol commands use the "root" element. So if you
368 specify the command "LIST isp", "isp" is really a "root" element that has a
369 "name" attribute with the value "isp". Any following elements are children of
378 The remaining <TAB> delimited elements (e.g., "LIST isp<TAB>SMTP") are regular
379 elements and are not treated specially in the XML document.
381 The DUMP command might be useful to show the document structure.
383 Ben Kibbey <bjk@luxsci.net>
384 http://bjk.sourceforge.net/pwmd/