64 bit

[Derek Atkins]

Hi,

m shires <mshires.wcc at gmail.com> writes:

> I am a new user, sort of.  I installed the program a while back (March of
> 2014) and tried using it.  I love the double entry accounting concept so I
> can run my personal finances like a business.
>
> But, I ended up uninstalling it because of problems.
>
> 1.  I had a 32 bit program.  I run a 64 bit Windows but can't find the
> GnuCash 64 bit version.  Can someone explain this?

I think others have explained this well enough.  I'll note that this is
*NOT* a problem (except perhaps in your eyes).  There is not, nor will
there be in the foreseeable future, a 64-bit windows version of
GnuCash.  So you either run the 32-bit version or nothing.

The reasons for this are numerous, but the #1 reason is the lack of time
on the part of the developers to properly set up, maintain, and (most
importantly) TEST a 64-bit build, especially when we still need to
support the 32-bit solution.

Considering Win64 runs Win32 apps just fine, there's really no reason to
spend double the effort.

> 2.  At some point in setting things up it presented a very confusing
> request to set up a database bin location.  After fumbling through this
> confusion, I set up a database file location approved by GnuCash (or
> acknowledege by it, anyway), using my name; but whenever I try to launch
> the program I get a "cannot find bin....." error message.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "database bin location".  Perhaps
you mean the location of your data file?  Consider it just like when you
would use Word or Excel -- when you write a document or spreadsheet you
need to tell Word or Excel where to save that document.  With GnuCash
you need to do the same thing.

The difference is that GnuCash will remember the last-used file and
re-open it every time you restart.  The storage of that information is
in your stored preference data and is NOT removed when you uninstall
gnucash (neither is your data removed, just like if you uninstall Word
your docuements are not removed).  This is considered a feature.

If you're getting a "cannot find.." message then most likely you either
pointed gnucash to the wrong place or somehow removed the data file.

Just start gnucash and go to File -> New File and you can create a new
file, then when you save it GnuCash will use this new file.

> 3.  I uninstalled the program and reinstalled it, and upon launch got the
> same message!  So I went to my computer directory and deleted the GnuCash
> Bin files, then uninstalled it again.

See above for why this is the case.  Uninstalling GnuCash does not
remove your data or preferences.  As I said, this is considered a
feature.

> Before I reinstall and start a "do-over", I would like to understand what
> is going on, why the databases are not integrated into the program, and why
> there is not a 64 bit version, and what all this stuff about bin files is.

See above for all the answers to these questions (except about your "bin
files", since I have no idea exactly what you're talking about).  Next
time please copy-and-paste the *EXACT* message you receive.

But I would recommend you re-install GnuCash, start it, and then you can
use File -> New File to create a new data file and then be sure to
File -> Save it.

Feel free to write back to the gnucash-user list if you still have more
questions.

> Thanks!

> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

-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