Opening multiple files

[Eric Siegerman]

[ Changing the subject line, as this has strayed pretty far
   afield of the OP's question ]

On 03/30/2015 10:48 AM, David Carlson wrote:
 > When I said " multiple instances of GnuCash opening
 > several data files at once" I was referring to a single user opening
 > multiple instances of GnuCash with different data files in the same user
 > space.  That is not recommended because the same prefs files are used
 > and GnuCash will shoot itself in the foot when the program is closed.

What does "shooting itself in the foot" look like?

Suppose I open two different .gnucash files -- necessarily in two
GnuCash processes -- as the same Linux/Windows/MacOS user.  (XML
backend, which is what I'm using.)

Am I correct in assuming that:
   - as regards the actual accounting data -- the .gnucash files
     themselves -- everything will be fine; no interaction
     between the two

   - as regards prefs, the last process to exit will win; its
     prefs will silently overwrite those from the gnc process
     that exited earlier

   - it doesn't matter which OS you're running; it works the same
     way on all of them

Or can things get more screwed up than that?

I've done this sometimes, and want to know just how unsafe it
actually is.  The wrong set of prefs getting saved, I can live
with.  (I try to avoid that by sequencing my "File>Quit"s
correctly, but even if I mess up, it's no big deal).

But if opening multiple files at once risks data corruption,
that's another order of "don't do it!" entirely...

(Of couse, opening the *same* .gnucash file in two processes at
once is a recipe for disaster.  My question isn't about that!)

Thanks,
   - Eric