Setting up Gnucash for the first time

[Don Miles]

Hello:

I am a new user of Gnucash and have found it to be a very good piece of=20
free software.  I have also used this mailing list to resolve one=20
problem already, and as a source of generally useful information.=20=20
However, the frustrations expressed by a (would-be) user in a recent=20
thread led me to reflect on my initial experiences with Gnucash.

I went through the setup steps without difficulty and established a set=20
of accounts.  I then clicked on the "X" in the upper right corner of=20
the Gnucash window to close it.  I next saw the box informing me that=20
changes had been made, and did I want to save them.  I clicked "yes"=20
and got somewhat lost at that point.  When the file window appears,=20
what is needed is to enter the name of a file in the box at the bottom=20
of the window.

I cannot explain why this last point was not intuitively clear to me.  I=20
guess I was thinking that Gnucash would obviously be saving multiple=20
files, so it must be asking for the name of a directory to save them=20
in.  Also, if I specify a file in my home directory, then Gnucash will=20
commingle its files with those in my home directory, resulting in great=20
file management confusion.  Whatever, I selected the create directory=20
button, created a new directory and closed the file save window.=20=20
Gnucash informed me that an error had occurred, and when I restarted=20
it, all my newly created accounts were gone.  I had specified a=20
directory, not a file, for saving my new data, but Gnucash did not tell=20
me that.

I think I did this twice before I was able to set everything up=20
properly.  I would not consider myself a novice computer user, and I=20
can't help but wonder how many other potential new users have stumbled=20
over this same step.  Or maybe I'm just a dumbass?  Can anyone else=20
relate to this experience?

At any rate, I assume my experience is not unique and not due=20
exclusively to low mental acuity. I recall that when I installed=20
Staroffice, early on, the installation dialogue presented a default=20
directory name for installing the Staroffice files, with an option to=20
change the name if desired, and another to create the directory if it=20
did not already exist.

It seems this might be a good procedure for Gnucash to adopt for its=20
setup routine.  A set of standard file names would obviate the need for=20
a user to specify a file name and insure the Gnucash files are=20
segregated into their own directory for good file management..  The new=20
user would begin with a more positive experience in using Gnucash for=20
the first time, which could lead to more word-of-mouth recommendations=20
and more new users.  Are there any obvious reasons why this could not=20
or should not be done?

TIA,

Don Miles