GNUcash crashes on save - losing all changes

[Derek Atkins]

Vincent V <vincentv at dsl.pipex.com> writes:

> Derek Atkins wrote:
> 
> >I'll note that GnuCash does not have the concept of opening a data
> >file as "read-only"...  So, providing an "open as read-only" and "open
> >normally" doesn't do anything, because as far as gnucash is concerned
> >they are the same.
> >
> I suppose that the most important thing is to warn (or reassure!) the
> user that any changes made will be lost when the innability to obtain
> a file lock is due to a lack of write permissions. Without the concept
> of 'read-only' the choices in the other scenario for lack of file lock
> are, as you say, meaningless.

This has already been done (see bug #117665).  If the lockfile cannot
be obtained due to permissions or some other "readonly" situation
(e.g. a ReadOnly file system, so the CREAT fails), the warning message
is different.

> I noticed that the other day after I had forgotten to shut down
> GNUcash before logging off. Yet I thought that I had copied it
> verbatum, is there a diffference the first time you use GNUcash after
> installing - or am I just going loopy?  Still, the concept of 'not
> obtaining a file lock' will sound serious and confusing to the average
> user.

It is serious.  It means "something went wrong!"  An unclean shutdown
is certainly something wrong.

> Ideally you would prompt the user and ask (if thats possible). If not,
> save the data to a  'recovery' file and ask the user whether to  use
> that file or the last user saved file next time the user opens it.

That may not be possible, either...

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available