README revision 8db30ca8 
1# README: Notes about X11-based passphrase dialog for OpenSSH
2# created 1999-Nov-21 jmk
3# autodate: 2000-Jan-07 04:53
4
5+-------------+
6| Description |
7+-------------+
8
9This is an X11-based passphrase dialog for use with OpenSSH.  It is
10intended to replace the Perl/Tk-based ssh-askpass dialog and
11GNOME-based ssh-askpass dialog which accompany OpenSSH-1.2.  These
12dialogs are intended to be called from the ssh-add program and not
13invoked directly.
14
15The features of x11-ssh-askpass are as follows:
16
17  - Configurable via the standard X resource mechanism
18    (/usr/lib/X11/app-defaults, ~/.Xdefaults, xrdb, etc.).
19    
20  - Require only stock X11 libraries (libXt, libX11, libSM, libICE).
21  
22  - Can be configured to grab the keyboard and/or pointer (grabs the
23    keyboard by default, not the pointer).
24
25The user interface is somewhat different than most password/passphrase
26dialogs and more similar to the X11-based passphrase dialog that
27accompanies the regular SSH distribution.  Instead of a text field that
28fills with asterisks or some other character as the user enters the
29passphrase, a series of LED-like areas light up one-by-one with each
30passphrase character entered, beginning from the lefthand edge of the
31dialog. When they reach the righthand edge, they go dark one-by-one
32again, and so on.  This gives the user feedback that passphrase
33characters have been entered, but does not provide onlookers with a cue
34as to the length of the passphrase.
35
36Pressing the `OK' button accepts the passphrase (even if it is empty),
37which is printed on the standard output, and the dialog exits with a
38status of zero (success).  Pressing the `Cancel' button discards the
39passphrase, and the dialog exits with non-zero status.
40
41The following keystrokes work as expected:
42
43  [Backspace] or [Delete]               Erase previous character
44  [Control+U] or [Control+X]            Erase entire passphrase
45  [Enter], [Control+M], or [Control+J]  Accept passphrase (OK)
46  [Escape]                              Discard passphrase (Cancel)
47
48+------------+
49| Installing |
50+------------+
51
52x11-ssh-askpass currently uses imake and xmkmf to build.  Here's the
53procedure:
54
55  xmkmf
56  make includes
57  make
58  make install
59
60x11-ssh-askpass installs by default in /usr/local/libexec/ssh/.  To
61install it somewhere else (for example, /usr/libexec/ssh/) use:
62
63  make install BINDIR=/usr/libexec/ssh
64
65Several different app-defaults files accompany x11-ssh-askpass:
66
67  SshAskpass-1337.ad    - small, dark, and gray
68  SshAskpass-NeXTish.ad - a look mildly similar to that of NEXTstep
69  SshAskpass-default.ad - the default look
70  SshAskpass-green.ad   - somewhat green
71  SshAskpass-motif.ad   - a bit like the look of the Motif toolkit
72
73If you wish a look other than the default, perform the following
74commands before building (for example):
75
76  rm -f SshAskpass_ad.h
77  make includes APP_DEFAULTS=SshAskpass-NeXTish.ad
78
79+-----------------+
80| Where To Get It |
81+-----------------+
82
83x11-ssh-askpass is available at:
84
85  http://www.pobox.com/~jmknoble/software/x11-ssh-askpass/
86
87+--------------------------+
88| Copyright, License, Etc. |
89+--------------------------+
90
91Some portions of x11-ssh-askpass are derived directly or indirectly
92from portions of xscreensaver by Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>, while
93others are original works.
94
95The contents of the following files is taken directly, in whole or in
96part, from xscreensaver:
97
98  drawing.c
99  drawing.h
100  resources.c
101  resources.h
102
103The contents of the following files contains a limited amount of code
104(less than approximately 25%) which is derived from portions of
105xscreensaver:
106
107  x11-ssh-askpass.c
108
109The remainder of the code is an original work, including the following
110files:
111
112  dynlist.c
113  dynlist.h
114  x11-ssh-askpass.h
115  *.ad
116
117The portions derived from xscreensaver require the following notice:
118
119  xscreensaver, Copyright (c) 1991-1999 Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>
120
121  Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software
122  and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
123  provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and
124  that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
125  supporting documentation.  No representations are made about the
126  suitability of this software for any purpose.  It is provided "as is"
127  without express or implied warranty.
128
129The remaining portions fall under the following copyright and license:
130
131  by Jim Knoble <jmknoble@pobox.com>
132  Copyright � 1999 Jim Knoble
133  
134  Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software
135  and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee,
136  provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and
137  that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
138  supporting documentation.
139
140+------------+
141| Disclaimer |
142+------------+
143
144  The software is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind,
145  express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of
146  merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and
147  noninfringement. In no event shall the author(s) be liable for any
148  claim, damages or other liability, whether in an action of contract,
149  tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the
150  software or the use or other dealings in the software.
151
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153