Where does Gnucash save it backup files when using mysql data source

Colin Law clanlaw at gmail.com
Sun Jul 5 12:23:28 EDT 2015


On 5 July 2015 at 16:43, L. D. James <ljames at apollo3.com> wrote:
>
>
> On 07/05/2015 10:21 AM, Colin Law wrote:
>> ...
>> Looking back at the thread I see that I misunderstood what you were
>> asking for, apologies for that.  I did indeed think you were asking
>> for a backup of the database.
>
> No.  I never once indicated that I thought the Mysql database should be
> backed up.  I was always speaking of the data.  Currently by default the
> data is in an XML file.  In all the XML programming I've done, the whole
> file has always been loaded into memory and dumped with the changes.  I have
> always been suggesting that when exiting out of Gnucash we have a feature to
> dump the data.  I referred to this dump as a backup feature.  It'd really
> save a lot of people. It would make giving support extremely easy.  When
> someone says their data is corrupted as what we keep seeing repeatedly in
> this list, some novice like me can ask them to look in their backup
> directory, input one of their recent backups that isn't corrupted and
> replace their non-working active copy (which in my case would be the mysql
> version) with the most recent one that works.
>
> I appreciate your taking the time to start to see what I'm explaining.  I
> apologize for not making it clear enough in fewer words.

You had made it clear, it was my mistake, I had lost track of the thread.

> ...
> I really don't know why you are so animately against mysql.  But I'm glad
> the John has mentioned that it is the direction of Gnucash. I'm here to help
> work out any problems that might arise.  I'll gladly point out the benefits
> for people who for some reason have such strong feelings against it.

I am not against mysql, I use it with gnucash so that I can generate
custom reports from the database.  I just don't think will be the best
solution for most users.  The long term aim should be (and I believe
is) to use a database backend as the default, but I think for most
users sqlite (or something similar) will be the solution.

>>>
>>> Currently Gnucash doesn't actually setup create the database.  But it
>>> would
>>> be an extremely simple routine which I would gladly provide if the gnucah
>>> developers wanted wanted to consider.  Creating an mysql database is as
>>> easy
>>> as using a personal username and password to log into the OS (Windows or
>>> their Mac computer).
>>
>> Gnucash does create the database for you, so I am not sure what you
>> are saying.  Creating the database is simple, installing and setting
>> up the server is not.
>
>
> Actually Gnucash does not currently create the database.  That feature isn't
> implemented yet.  You have to manually create the database and give the name
> of the database you created to Gnucash. If you give a name that doesn't
> exist, you'd get an error.

It works ok for me, and has for a long time.  Try it.

Colin


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