Info Catalog gnupg: GPG Options gnupg: Invoking GPG gnupg: GPG Examples

gnupg: GPG Configuration

 
 4.3 Configuration files
 =======================
 
 There are a few configuration files to control certain aspects of
 'gpg2''s operation.  Unless noted, they are expected in the current home
 directory (option --homedir).
 
 'gpg.conf'
      This is the standard configuration file read by 'gpg2' on startup.
      It may contain any valid long option; the leading two dashes may
      not be entered and the option may not be abbreviated.  This default
      name may be changed on the command line (gpg-option
      --options).  You should backup this file.
 
    Note that on larger installations, it is useful to put predefined
 files into the directory '/etc/skel/.gnupg' so that newly created users
 start up with a working configuration.  For existing users a small
 helper script is provided to create these files (addgnupghome).
 
    For internal purposes 'gpg2' creates and maintains a few other files;
 They all live in the current home directory (option --homedir).
 Only the 'gpg2' program may modify these files.
 
 '~/.gnupg'
      This is the default home directory which is used if neither the
      environment variable 'GNUPGHOME' nor the option '--homedir' is
      given.
 
 '~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg'
      The public keyring.  You should backup this file.
 
 '~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg.lock'
      The lock file for the public keyring.
 
 '~/.gnupg/pubring.kbx'
      The public keyring using a different format.  This file is shared
      with 'gpgsm'.  You should backup this file.
 
 '~/.gnupg/pubring.kbx.lock'
      The lock file for 'pubring.kbx'.
 
 '~/.gnupg/secring.gpg'
      A secret keyring as used by GnuPG versions before 2.1.  It is not
      used by GnuPG 2.1 and later.
 
 '~/.gnupg/secring.gpg.lock'
      The lock file for the secret keyring.
 
 '~/.gnupg/.gpg-v21-migrated'
      File indicating that a migration to GnuPG 2.1 has been done.
 
 '~/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg'
      The trust database.  There is no need to backup this file; it is
      better to backup the ownertrust values (option
      --export-ownertrust).
 
 '~/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg.lock'
      The lock file for the trust database.
 
 '~/.gnupg/random_seed'
      A file used to preserve the state of the internal random pool.
 
 '~/.gnupg/openpgp-revocs.d/'
      This is the directory where gpg stores pre-generated revocation
      certificates.  The file name corresponds to the OpenPGP fingerprint
      of the respective key.  It is suggested to backup those
      certificates and if the primary private key is not stored on the
      disk to move them to an external storage device.  Anyone who can
      access theses files is able to revoke the corresponding key.  You
      may want to print them out.  You should backup all files in this
      directory and take care to keep this backup closed away.
 
    Operation is further controlled by a few environment variables:
 
 HOME
      Used to locate the default home directory.
 
 GNUPGHOME
      If set directory used instead of "~/.gnupg".
 
 GPG_AGENT_INFO
      This variable is obsolete; it was used by GnuPG versions before
      2.1.
 
 PINENTRY_USER_DATA
      This value is passed via gpg-agent to pinentry.  It is useful to
      convey extra information to a custom pinentry.
 
 COLUMNS
 LINES
      Used to size some displays to the full size of the screen.
 
 LANGUAGE
      Apart from its use by GNU, it is used in the W32 version to
      override the language selection done through the Registry.  If used
      and set to a valid and available language name (LANGID), the file
      with the translation is loaded from 'GPGDIR/gnupg.nls/LANGID.mo'.
      Here GPGDIR is the directory out of which the gpg binary has been
      loaded.  If it can't be loaded the Registry is tried and as last
      resort the native Windows locale system is used.
 

Info Catalog gnupg: GPG Options gnupg: Invoking GPG gnupg: GPG Examples