Axcrypt2 (not Premium) file reverts to earlier saved version when archived

[Bryan]

I have been going through the following procedure when I want to archive a file in a directory where I have archived earlier versions of the same file. I will save the file. Then I will save it with a new name. I will close the new file, which was saved unencrypted and move the earlier encrypted version into the archive directory. I then encrypt the new version and continue working using it.

I find that when I encrypt the new version, or when I shut down my PC, the software tells me that it has lost track of the earlier version and when I inspect and open the earlier version it is a version that was saved much earlier, perhaps days earlier.

It seems that AxCrypt is keeping temporary saved versions in a different location on the hard drive and loses a series of user saves when the file is moved. I tried following the same procedure, but encrypting the new version before moving the older saved file (which is still encrypted) and this seems to avoid the problem. It makes me very nervous, however, that the very act of moving a file around can change what one thought was stored in the file.

I have never experienced a similar problem using version 1.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Bryan,

I think I know what is happening. AxCrypt 1 and 2 works very similarly, but the big difference is how/when an edited file is re-encrypted.

What happens when you open an encrypted file is that it is decrypted to a temporary location. This is the same for v1 and v2.

At this point, you have two copies of the file – the original encrypted file, and the decrypted file in the temporary location.

What you now seem to do is do perform a ‘Save As’, probably to the location of the original encrypted file, and then close it.

Now, with v2, it thinks it knows that there is a decrypted file in the temporary location, which corresponds to the encrypted original file.

You, now, move the original encrypted file to your archive spot, and then rename the updated file to have the same name as the original encrypted file.

AxCrypt is now effectively fooled, and has indeed lost track of what is happening.

You are making this overly complicated I think. A much easier procedure is just to whenever you want to archive a version of the encrypted file, copy it to the archive location. Windows will even suggest a versioned file name for you if there already is a file there with the same name. Done. No need for renaming, and AxCrypt is not tricked by the file rename-shuffle, and you do not need to to the Save As maneuver.

[Author]

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