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

[L. D. James]

On 07/05/2015 01:47 PM, AC wrote:
> On 2015-07-05 10:19, L. D. James wrote:
>
>> I'm describing ways of making Gnucash easy to use for the notice and
>> easy to support by the experts.  The features I'm describing will make
>> it much easier for me to give support to this group if they experience
>> problems.
> There is easier and there is proper. A built-in backup for a database
> engine is not proper.  As was mentioned previously in the thread, there
> is a goal for Gnucash to become multiuser capable meaning it requires a
> database engine for storage.  Any application which uses a database that
> supports concurrent access does not, by design, contain a backup
> feature.  This is true for all enterprise software.  The reason is that
> it is not possible to guarantee the data as long as the data is open.
> It is not proper for Gnucash to have the backup feature if a concurrent
> database model is in use.  A separate tool is required to perform the
> backup however this can happen if and only if all applications are
> closed.  Have you ever noticed websites (like a bank) post scheduled
> downtimes for several hours during an off period (say early morning on a
> Sunday)?  They're doing database maintenance during that downtime which
> means all applications are disconnected from the database to ensure
> consistency and integrity.  The bank's financial software doesn't
> perform backups, it's a system in the background.
>
> For Gnucash to perform a backup it would have to lock the whole database
> while the backup was in progress and it could only do that if no
> transactions were outstanding.  If Gnucash were to support performing
> backups or exports then it would really need a dialog box during
> configuration that says something to the effect of "I promise this is a
> single-user installation and the database is not shared".  Gnucash has
> no way of knowing otherwise that the database isn't shared and
> performing an export on a shared database can be very dangerous no
> matter whether it is automatic or manual.  Single user Gnucash use
> should probably stay with XML or sqllite for inexperienced users.  A
> multiuser environment of Gnucash is going to require someone that has
> experience working with database engines.  An experienced database user
> is not going to perform a backup using the application software, guaranteed.
>
> You mentioned people not wanting to hire IT services but that is exactly
> what they should be doing for a variety of reasons not just Gnucash.  I
> would be hesitant to use the services of any provider (doctor, lawyer,
> etc.) if they did not hire IT professionals to manage their systems.  IT
> support is the cost of doing business.  There are plenty of other
> systems used by those professions which utilize very complex databases
> (doctors have appointment tracking, medical records, inventory tracking;
> lawyers have document tracking, calendar and email hopefully with secure
> encryption to maintain attorney-client privilege).  All of them should
> already be supported by IT (whether permanent staff or outside
> consultant).  Adding any financial software database would be a minor
> addition to that workload.
> _____________________________________________
I have never suggested backing up a database engine.  As far multiuser 
software backup, I used Peachtree for many years.  It was a multiuser 
environment software, and it always gave a backup option when exiting.  
I usually performed the backups, but not all the time.

I don't know of any database program, multiuser or single user that 
doesn't have some type of export feature.  If you're suggesting that the 
developer of Gnucash (and all other programs that have database access) 
to discontinue allow exports I believe you are on a substantially wrong 
tract.

I'm glad the negativism that I'm receiving has not totally stopped the 
development and consideration of mysql integration into gnucash as well 
as the consideration for multiuser.  I spend nearly 3 years watching the 
development before I started using it.  Most of the three years (and 
preceding) I've saw this type of animate discouragement against the 
growth of Gnucash.  I'm glad to see that it's grown despite the animate 
opposition.

The growth (myql integration) and mutiuser environment will be a benefit 
for all.

-- L. James

-- 
L. D. James
ljames at apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames