Connecting to a computer¶
Seclave works completely on its own, but it can also work together with a computer. There are three ways it does so; you can use whichever fits, and they do not exclude one another.
Keyboard emulation¶
With the device plugged into USB, Seclave can type a password (and optionally the username) straight into whatever window has focus, exactly as if you had typed it. Nothing needs to be installed on the computer. This is the simplest and most widely compatible option and is described in Typing passwords to the computer.
Backup and password import (USB drive)¶
Seclave can present itself as a small USB drive. This is used for two things:
Backup export and restore - see Backup and restore.
Importing many passwords at once from a password manager on the computer, covered under Manage -> Import in Managing entries.
The KeePass 2 plugin for Seclave uses this drive-based import to send entries from KeePass to the device, so it needs no special driver.
Usb slave (serial connection)¶
In Usb slave mode a program on the computer can look entries up and store
them over a USB serial connection, with the device approving access according to
the chosen access level. The seclave_ctl command-line tool is a reference
program that speaks this connection, and developers can build their own; see
Developer Integration Guide.
Setting up the serial connection on your computer¶
Most computers need a little setup before the Usb slave serial port works smoothly.
macOS. No setup is needed. macOS recognises the device automatically and the port appears on its own.
Windows. Windows uses its built-in serial driver for the device. If the device is not recognised automatically, install the supplied driver information file for the SECLAVE2 device.
Linux. On Linux, a small support package installs a rule so the serial port is accessible and is not mistaken for a modem by the system. After installing it, log out and back in (or restart) so the change takes effect.
A note on browser autofill¶
Earlier versions of this documentation described a Google Chrome App and Extension for filling web forms directly from Seclave. That browser add-on has been discontinued and no longer works on current browsers. Web passwords themselves are unaffected - they still live on the device and can be used through the Usb slave connection (see Web passwords). For everyday web logins, the keyboard-emulation method in Typing passwords to the computer works in any browser.