Use Codebook like lastpass?

Codebook
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Is there a way to automatically capture new passwords like lastpass, so I don’t have to enter them manually?

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Hi @strannik, thanks for asking! Not at the moment, though we have some ideas abut how to make capturing new passwords easier independent of LastPass (we try not to get too familiar with a competitor’s products so we can do our own work). We’re currently focused on some other improvements, but this is a good opportunity to discuss how it works now and what would be better.

When I am creating a password to register for a new website or service, I tend to do it on the desktop side with a workflow like this:

  1. Bring up Codebook, login if needed
  2. I type ⌘ N to create a new record (I might pick a category first, might not)
  3. I use ⌘ + to add a field, set it to Email or Username, and start typing one I use frequently, autocomplete helps a bit there
  4. I type ⌘ + again to add a Password field (or you can use the menu in the add field button)
  5. Then I hit ⇧ ⌘ P while in the Password field to bring up the random generator
  6. I use ⌘ E to end editing
  7. Then I either copy the new password into the website or app via paste, or use Secret Agent shortcut to fill it into the password field(s) on the registration or change password form

Note: all shortcuts in my example are also available via buttons on the entry view and toolbar, as well as in the menu bar menus. It’s not necessary for you to become a keyboard commando, you could use the mouse for the same process above.

I’m guessing your process is probably similar, in terms of how there’s quite a lot of steps to do a common thing, when really you just need the following things set up for you on a record:

  • a new, strong password
  • the website and email address/account to associate it with so you can fill in the password easily later with AutoFill Passwords or Secret Agent

And bonus, it would be great if Codebook then provided that new, strong password to the app or service in question to save you that step as well.

Codebook’s flexibility in how you manage your records is currently in competition with making the above super simple. We see two ways to approach this, both complementary:

  1. A UI redesign that makes creating an account record super simple (while preserving Codebook’s flexibility). We commissioned that design already and are eager to get cracking on it, but Codebook 4 has to come first.
  2. Similar to the Find in Codebook and AutoFill Passwords extensions in Codebook for iOS, and Secret Agent on the desktop apps, we could take advantage of app extensions and helper apps to create a new, filled in record automatically based on a login form in an app or website. A “Save in Codebook” or “Add to Codebook” feature, basically.

We’ve got a lot of long term goals waiting on us getting through the Codebook 4 upgrade first, so I can’t really speak to when/where these both fall on the roadmap right now, but it’s high up there on our list of ways to make Codebook better and more convenient that we’ll be looking at later this year.

Please let us know what you think!