Hello, It's been quite a while since I have chimed in here. At the risk of going off-topic for a moment, I'd like to start by expressing my gratitude to the entire team that develops and maintains GnuCash. I switched from Quicken on 1/1/2020 and have never looked back. I started with GnuCash 2.8, then a few months ago I upgraded to a more recent release. The feature that got added to allow me to type any part of an account name when entering splits has been a game-changer for me and has made me so much more efficient. So consider this a belated thank you just for that!
Back to the topic at hand, I actually have been running MySQL as the data store for the past two years. I agree wholeheartedly that it's not for the user who is not well seasoned with the setup and care of an RDMS. I have twice had to deal with the server instance randomly not wanting to start and ended up having to reinstall the server. On the other hand, I also do a lot of my own custom reporting and analytics from MS Access, and the performance that the MySQL back-end is providing me is pretty impressive. I too have danced with the devil (a.k.a. "voided the warranty") by doing selective data updates. I am mostly on Windows and as far as I can tell the Python bindings were not an option for me like they might be on Linux? Regardless, I tend to mostly update transaction descriptions (or notes or memos, I always get the 3 confused) values to implement my homegrown naming rules. On occasion, I'll manually clean up funky data -- such as a bunch of splits that have no $ value. I only do these updates when the GnuCash app is closed. I learned pretty quickly to stay away from anything that the GnuCash application is actually managing in memory such as the budget data. I work on back-end database systems for a living and am used to having to figure out the *rules* and logic that I may wish were in the DB layer but are not. The ability to get any the raw data store when and how I want is one thing that makes GnuCash so appealing to me vs a product like Quickbooks which basically abstracts everything (and can be painfully slow to boot). One thing that I have never been able to figure out is if I leave the regular GnuCash application running for a few hours when I return to my PC and try to do anything it will tell me "Unable to Save to Database" and I then must exit GnuCash and restart it to clear that error. Thank You once again for everything! On Fri, Jan 21, 2022 at 11:44 AM john <jra...@ceridwen.us> wrote: > Very few users will be able to manage a MySQL database server safely. > Fortunately GnuCash provides a SQLite3 backend that doesn't require any > database admin skills. The only caveat is that unlike XML it doesn't write > a fresh file every session so you need to arrange backups on your own; the > OS's built-in snapshotting facility (rather grandly named Time Machine on > macOS and simply Windows Backup on Windows) is good for this, just make > sure that your GnuCash data folder is included in its list of things to > back up. > > Regards, > John Ralls > > > > On Jan 21, 2022, at 6:45 AM, Thomas Forrester <tlforres...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > Seems like a lot of work. No doubt you're finding interesting anomalies, > > but... > > > > Rather than using xml data files, which have always seemed odd to me (a > la, > > this thread), if you use a MySQL database instead, all saves are > automatic > > and completely bypass the need for all this testing. You still have to > > save each transaction, or edits to a transaction (Enter key), but > otherwise > > you can freely close the program without any worries about loosing data, > > and there is no save prompt on the way out. I've run with a MySQL > database > > from the start without any problems at all. Just a thought, and I > > recognize some may have reasons not to choose that path, although I'm not > > sure what they would be. > > > > On Thu, Jan 20, 2022, 11:22 PM Peter <pan...@iinet.net.au> wrote: > > > >> John, > >> Well yes it did terminate or close. > >> gnucash was closed and was then reopened without any reported issue. > >> Other than it failed to save the changes and delete the lock file. > >> Maybe if you could tell me how to confirm it closed or terminated > >> correctly, I will go and test and see what happens. > >> This issue I noted in Test#2 was actually caused by me not following > my > >> own test process. > >> > >> On 21/01/2022 04:48, John Layman wrote: > >> > >> The test cases that appear to have failed aren't conclusive, however, > >> without co > >> nfirming that GnuCash had actually terminated, and terminated normally. > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: gnucash-user [1]<gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman= > >> ieee....@gnucash.org> On > >> Behalf Of Peter > >> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2022 9:39 AM > >> To: [2]gnucash-user@gnucash.org > >> Subject: Re: [GNC] Exiting gnucash Lock file Vol 226, Issue 57 > >> > >> Here is the testing methods I used to verify the issue I have noted. > >> > >> Selected a known small good gnucash data file. > >> Storage Location: Local D: c: drive is Samsung SSD and D: is Seagate > 2TB > >> GNUCAS > >> H Storage type : XML and compressed Operating system: Windows 10 > GNUCASH > >> versio > >> n 4.9 The opening method in ALL test was to use the GNUCASH icon on the > >> TASKBAR > >> and then select the recent (test) file If the LOCK file was not deleted > it > >> was r > >> emoved using the windows File Explorer > >> > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #1: - change, Save Button and then File->Quit > >> > >> Result: This was repeated 5 times each time the same result - Lock file > >> was dele > >> ted and the change was Saved. > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #2 - change then File>Quit and save at 15 seconds on timer > >> > >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was NOT deleted and the change was NOT > >> saved in > >> the data file This test was actual performed more than 5 times but I did > >> note 5 > >> of 5 in one contiguous run. There were a few test that asked to save the > >> transa > >> ction prior to the question of save the file I was never able to get it > to > >> repea > >> t twice in a row. > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #3 - change and exit File->Quit wait for the Save dialogue then let > >> it time > >> out > >> > >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in > >> the dat > >> a file > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #4 - change and wait for autosave then File->Quit > >> > >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in > >> the dat > >> a file > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #5 - change and wait for autosave then use X method > >> > >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in > >> the dat > >> a file > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Test #6 - change then use X method wait for the save dialogue and save > at > >> 15 sec > >> onds on timer > >> > >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was NOT deleted and the change was NOT > >> saved in > >> the data file > >> > >> > >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --------------------- > >> > >> Conclusion: > >> > >> There is an issue in exiting with the SAVE button enabled/Highlighted > and > >> comply > >> ing with the dialogue to SAVE the Data file. > >> Test#2 and Test#6 > >> > >> Four methods of exiting that do delete the LOCK file and SAVE the latest > >> changes > >> A: Waiting to exit after an Autosave then File->Quit > >> B: forcing a Save by using the SAVE button then File->Quit > >> C: Waiting to exit after an Autosave then the X method > >> D: forcing a Save by using the SAVE button then the X method > >> > >> X method works if you do a SAVE using the Save Button or wait till > after > >> an Au > >> tosave then exit via the X method > >> > >> There is an issue with exiting and relying on gnucash to save the data > if > >> gnucas > >> h produces the dialogue to SAVE the data then File->Quit or the X method > >> The Sav > >> e does not work and the LOCK file is not deleted. > >> > >> I cannot safely say I do not use the X method as I now have doubts > about > >> it, I > >> may use it or I may not. > >> > >> Hope this helps someone as now I understand why sometimes it does work > and > >> does > >> NOT work, there is a bug in it or is it a misinterpreted enhancement. > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> gnucash-user mailing list > >> [3]gnucash-user@gnucash.org > >> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: > >> [4]https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > >> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see [5] > >> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Ma > >> iling_Lists for more information. > >> ----- > >> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. > >> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. > >> > >> References > >> > >> 1. mailto:gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=ieee....@gnucash.org > >> 2. mailto:gnucash-user@gnucash.org > >> 3. mailto:gnucash-user@gnucash.org > >> 4. https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > >> 5. https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists > >> _______________________________________________ > >> gnucash-user mailing list > >> gnucash-user@gnucash.org > >> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: > >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > >> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see > >> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information. > >> ----- > >> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. > >> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > gnucash-user mailing list > > gnucash-user@gnucash.org > > To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: > > https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > > If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see > https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information. > > ----- > > Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. > > You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. > > _______________________________________________ > gnucash-user mailing list > gnucash-user@gnucash.org > To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: > https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see > https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information. > ----- > Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. > You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. > _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list gnucash-user@gnucash.org To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information. ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
