Default save-as file format: Rather stick to XML?

[Phil Longstaff]

On October 31, 2009 05:12:03 pm Christian Stimming wrote:
> Dear Phil,
> 
> what is the current default "file format" when the user opens the save-as
> dialog? In the Win32 version it seemed to present the "sqlite file" as the
> default save format. Is this intended, and is this the same on all
>  platforms? If sqlite file as the default is intended, is there a specific
>  reason for this?
> 
> Because by all means the default should be the backend which for sure
>  doesn't accidentally lose any data or, worse, small unnoticed parts of the
>  data. Even though the sqlite or any of the data base backends have made
>  good progress, I think their data stability in terms of the gnucash data
>  still does not yet reach the stability of the XML backend. This isn't your
>  or anyone's "fault" - it is just an outcome of how long the particular
>  backend has been in use. Bugs like
>  https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=600194 are nagging and are
>  natural to appear in these backends as long as they are still rather new,
>  which they are. This is all fine, as long as our recommended default for
>  sure is the most stable option we can offer.
> 
> Hence, I propose to stick to "XML file" as default at least on Win32 but
> probably on all platforms anyway.

The default file format in save-as is sqlite3 if that is available.  Otherwise, 
I think it's XML. 

I agree with you that if 2.4 were to be released today, the sql backend is not 
in good enough shape to be the default.  I think there needs to be some 
discussion of when we consider 2.4 ready to release.  Originally, I had hoped 
for sql backend and webkit for report display.  Both are having problems, and 
the webkit issues are not really in our control.  I'm disappointed in it and 
think we may need to revert to gtkhtml until webkit-gtk matures.

One thing that the 2.3.X series has done is flush out some of the sql backend 
problems.  I don't think that would have happened if it had just stayed on 
trunk, limited to those who build trunk themselves.  I think the gnucash 
website does need some work to make the latest stable version (2.2.9) *much* 
more visible vs the unstable releases.

I'm not yet ready to switch back to the XML backend but I won't rule that out.

Phil