Multiple businesses ?

[Geert Janssens]

On Sunday 22 February 2015 09:40:58 Robert Heller wrote:
> At Sun, 22 Feb 2015 09:08:19 -0500 stepbystepfarm at mtdata.com wrote:
> > On 2/22/2015 7:26 AM, Russell wrote:
> > > Can I run separate (multiple) businesses with GnuCash ?
> > > -  or is GnuCash limited to one business ?
> > > 
> > > I have two separate businesses that I run independently of each
> > > other
> > > 
> > > Quickbooks PRO (2000 edition) ... Inuit? ... I could manage any
> > > number of businesses
> > > 
> > > Thank you
> > > -  my first "post" with GnuCash :)
> > 
> > The program can manage any number of books. Each of those of course
> > would be a separate file and each could even be in a separate
> > directory (file folder).
> > 
> > If you are using gnucash for multiple sets of books, likely to be
> > unpredictable which set being opened relative to which was last
> > opened. So you will probably want to use the "nofile" option so
> > gnucash will not assume that you want the last set of books you had
> > open << when you use "nofile" gnucash comes up without opening any
> > books and you then choose which one you ant to open >>
> 
> It is also possible (at least with Linux) to put the name of the file
> you want on the command line.  I don't know if this is possible with
> either MacOSX or MS-Windows, but with Linux it should be possible to
> hand-craft Desktop files to open partitular data files (set of
> books).
Apart from linux this is also possible on Windows. I'm not sure it works on OS X due to the bug I 
explain below. It may or may not work on the command line.
> 
> I also don't know if it is possible to associate a GnuCash data file
> with GnuCash, so that double clicking / right click=>Open With will
> fire up GnuCash with that data file.

You can double-click the gnucash data file on both linux and Windows and it will open in 
gnucash without any extra work. GnuCash on OS X on the other hand has a bug which causes it 
to ignore a file if double-clicked on.

Normally you don't want your gnucash data files on your desktop because that will also be the 
location where gnucash then stores it's backup and log files. The desktop would fill up with 
loads of files this way.

Instead put each book in its own directory. That way all backups and log files belonging to that 
book will be with the book itself and not mixed with the other books.

If you want shortcuts on the desktop there are several options. Creating softlinks (linux) or 
junctions (windows) *is not an option*. Gnucash will not see past these and will still store your 
log files and backups on the desktop. Instead this can be done:
- on linux, copy the desktop file to launch gnucash (in the menus somewhere) and add the 
book's path to the command to execute. Put this desktop file on your desktop. Double-clicking 
it will open gnucash with your book and the backups and log files will be stored with your book 
in its original location.
- On windows pinning a running gnucash instance on the task bar may be an option. I can't test 
this myself though.

Geert