Google Drive

monsignor

Hello all-

I installed BoxCryptor as recommended and want to use with Google Drive. Downloaded the desktop version of Google Drive. During the install BoxCryptor created a boxcryptor.bc folder within Google Drive (presumably the encrypted folder).

I moved a file (existing within Drive) to this folder and the file is still accessible via the web once it has synchronized.

How do I protect this document?

Long story short - I have created a form for internal use which is linked in our App and want to be able to password protect the Form within the app.

Thanks in advance!

Boris

Hello monsignor

You should not copy files directly to the boxcryptor.bc folder but you have to use the virtual drive which is created by BoxCryptor. During setting up the encrypted folder you can choose which drive you want to use (e.g. Z:).
If you copy your files to this drive BoxCryptor will automatically encrypt your files and after that they are uploaded to Google Drive.

Best regards
Boris

monsignor

Thanks Boris.

So I went to my "Z" drive and placed the form/spreadsheet there. What methodology works best to upload to Google Drive from my "Z" drive?

--Stephen
Monsignor

monsignor

I just went to Google Drive (via Chrome) and selected the UPLOAD feature; went to my "Z" drive and grabbed the file I wanted, uploaded and now it has an extension of file_name.gsheet

When I tried to open there was no preview...

Not sure what I am doing wrong?

Boris

Hello Stephen

if you use BoxCryptor you can't use your webbrowser to view your files anymore. Because BoxCryptor encrypts your files before they are uploaded the files can't be read. Only BoxCryptor can decrypt them with your password. So you always have to synchronize your files to your computer and decrypt them using BoxCryptor. To work with your files always use the BoxCryptor drive.

Best regards
Boris

monsignor

OK I uploaded a file from my "Z" drive to Google Docs via the GD upload feature... the file was renamed within the on-line folder (when uploaded) with a .gsheet extension. I then went to my Android tablet, and with the BoxCryptor app tried to open and view the file and nothing worked.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong?

CC

When you have installed BoxCryptor, you have defined

(1) a BoxCryptor Folder ( the location of encrypted user files / directories ).

(2) a BoxCryptor Drive ( default "Z" )

These definitions can be seen when you right-click BoxCryptor's icon in the system tray ( bottom-right of your Windows desktop ) and then select BoxCryptor's Preferences.

Each time you create an unencrypted user file / directory in the BoxCryptor Drive Z, BoxCryptor will create the corresponding encrypted user file / directory in the BoxCryptor Folder.

The BoxCryptor Folder mentioned in (1) will always be the encrypted view of the BoxCryptor Drive mentioned in (2).

The BoxCryptor Drive mentioned in (2) will always be the unencrypted view of the BoxCryptor Folder mentioned in (1).

The encrypted BoxCryptor Folder is actually the (encrypted) storage space of the BoxCryptor Drive Z.

Put your files / directories always in the BoxCryptor Drive.
Get your files / directories always from the BoxCryptor Drive.

Never put / create your user files and directories directly in the BoxCryptor Folder (1), the encrypted folder, BoxCryptor will do that.

Never upload your files from the BoxCryptor Drive, the unencrypted Z drive, the unencrypted view of your files / directories, to an online storage system like GDrive, because in that case you will upload your unencrypted files to GDrive.

In other words, again, the BoxCryptor Drive Z acts as a sort of filter, everything you store in it, is actually stored encrypted in the BoxCryptor Folder.

Everything you retrieve from BoxCryptor Drive is actually retrieved from BoxCryptor Folder, but can now be viewed / accessed unencrypted.

The only case where you use the encrypted BoxCryptor Folder mentioned in (1) is when using for example Google's Drive. You point the Google Drive to the _encrypted_ BoxCryptor Folder, never to the _unencrypted_ view as provided by the BoxCryptor Drive.

This way, all your files will be stored encrypted in GDrive.

Hope this has made it more clear, not more complicated ;-)

ehab

Thank you CC nicely explained.

monsignor

So...... I take a file (let's say Excel) and want it encrypted... I place this in the "Z" drive from my local machine.... then to upload to Google Drive I upload using GD (web) and select the file from the folder (not the "Z") drive.... then open/view with the BC App on my phone/tablet. Is this correct?

monsignor

I just tried to do what I described above and no luck... I placed an Excel sheet in the "Z" drive and there was no output into my encrypted folder (non-Z drive).

I'm sure it's not this difficult - I'm just not grasping it for some reason.

Is it safe to assume that the "Z" drive is the place to put files and they will always be unencrypted there?

After placing a file in the "Z" then it SHOULD be accessible and encrypted in the non-Z drive folder?

monsignor

OK - I lied... it's working. The file uploaded now has some galactically huge encrypted file name and has been uploaded to GD... I can see the file in GD but not view it... which is good, right?

Now when I go to my tablet and fire-up the BC app the file is not there? I have refreshed the app (deleted the data and such) and still not there. Is there a delay in the file appearing?

Thanks for everything so far!

monsignor

I'm a jelly head........ I *thought* I was uploading File #1 when in fact I was uploading File #2 - which is why I never saw #1 show up... FML...

I think all is well now......