DataWallet Overview

Overview

What it is?

Parts of a Wallet

About Encryption

Three Steps

Importing and Exporting Data





Main application window

What is it?

DataWallet is a Microsoft Windows .Net Framework application that creates encrypted files known as "wallets".  Each wallet can store varieties of personal information in a simple spreadsheet-style format.  Wallet files are stored with strong encryption based upon a "pass phrase", which is a string of characters used to encode the entire file.   Files may also be stored unencrypted if desired.

About Encryption

DataWallet uses AES 256-bit encryption, which is one of the strongest, most modern forms of encryption available.  When reopening a wallet, you'll be asked for the passphrase that is used to decrypt its contents.  As you would expect, without the correct passphrase the resulting file cannot be correctly decrypted.  The passphrase you use is not stored anywhere on your computer or in the file, so forgetting it renders your wallet useless.

Parts of a Wallet

Each wallet has a title you determine.  Within the wallet, as shown on the left-hand column, are various "datasets" of information; each dataset groups information that shares a common organization.  When you select a set from a wallet, the right-hand table (grid) is filled with the information from the set.  You can then edit the data, add new data, or reorganize the data set by adding, moving, deleting or renaming columns.   Rows in the dataset can be sorted or moved as you desire.

Three Steps

There are three basic steps to creating a wallet.  After starting DataWallet, create a new wallet by using "New" from the "File" menu or choose one of the wallet templates from the "Help" menu's "Templates".   Then edit the wallet's data to contain the sets of information you want.  Finally, save the wallet, giving it a passphrase you'll remember and placing it in a location on your computer's hard drive that you'll be able to find again.

Importing and Exporting Data

Most DataWallet wallets will be fairly small, since only the most private information needs to be kept in them.  However,  you may already (as many people do) use Microsoft Excel to maintain such information.  If so, you can use DataWallet's importation tool to convert spreadsheets to "datasets", and you can export DataWallet files and sets back to Excel.

You may also import contact information from Microsoft Outlook into a dataset.