Won't save and can't access file

[David Carlson]

On 8/4/2015 3:43 AM, Fred Bone wrote:
> On 3 August 2015 at 11:23, Gill Pyrah said:
>
>> I'm trying to close and save my gnucash file but keep getting this error
>> message in red with a large warning exclamation mark: "Could not make a
>> backup of the file file://C:\Program Files (x86)\gnucash\bin\G Pyrah
>> accounts from 18 5 14.gnucash" Then, if I try to continue I get a string
>> ending in "bin", and am asked for a new file name. I have lost everything
>> to the bin in the past. How do I get past this circle of messages, back up
>> and close, can anyone help? I've looked right through the documentation
>> but can't find a relevant section. Then. I also want to send a copy of the
>> whole file to my accountant and once again it seems that instead the whole
>> file is likely to go to the bin. Please help if you can! Thanks so much.
>> Gill Pyrah
> You appear to be trying to save your data in the program directory, on a 
> version of Windows which (quite sensibly) will not let you do that.
>
> Save it somewhere else instead. The "save as" dialog doesn't look much 
> like the standard Windows one but it does provide the same functionality, 
> if you take the time to look at it.
>
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GnuCash is similar to text editing programs in the sense that it works
on data files that are separate from the program, and unlike so many
smartphone programs. 

As others have already pointed out, the data file must be in your user
area.  Many users put their files somewhere under My Documents, although
sometimes there is a reason to make them public or semi-public, but that
is beyond the scope of this message board.

David C