Setting up Gnucash for the first time

[Matthew Vanecek]

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On Mon, 2002-12-09 at 19:38, Don Miles wrote:
> Hello:
>=20
> 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?
>=20

Not really.  Usually others have published solutions to problems before
I get that far. =3DP

> 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.
>=20

A default file name may be a good idea, if starting with a fresh
startup.  Setting that in install would be problematic, given the many
avenues of installation and the lack of desire to create directories
(via installation) in home directories.


> 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?

No, not that I can think of.

Gnucash *does* create a ~/.gnucash/ directory.  Perhaps a default
~/.gnucash/data directory could exist, and that would be the place the
Gnome Save dialog goes to, when saving an initial file (and there aren't
any other Save paths in Gnucash file history).  This would, IMO, work
better than a install-time setup (esp. since you usually install as
root).  It'd be more like a "first-time running" configuration.

Me, I've been using Gnome so long I don't really give it a second
thought.  That particular "Save" dialog is used by all Gnome
applications, in general, and I just fill it out automatically.=20
Sometimes we lose site of the fact that not *everybody* is as automatic
about some of this stuff as we are.

Could you do us a favor, and submit an RFE at bugzilla.gnome.org
(GnuCash component)?  That will help ensure the idea receives due
consideration and possibly implementation (I don't know Scheme well, so
it won't be me!).  These types of comments will help make Gnucash a
better application...

--=20
Matthew Vanecek
perl -e 'print $i=3Dpack(c5,(41*2),sqrt(7056),(unpack(c,H)-2),oct(115),10);'
***************************************************************************=
*****
For 93 million miles, there is nothing between the sun and my shadow except=
 me.
I'm always getting in the way of something...

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