[GNC] File Format Documentation (Bug 777893)

[David T.]

> On Aug 15, 2018, at 10:02 AM, Adrien Monteleone <adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net> wrote:
> 
> But it’s not a ‘plain file’ as it is XML formatted. Someone expecting plain text and trying to view it is going to be met with tag soup they’ve never seen before and might very well not know how to read it.

Not to mention that it’s compressed.

> 
> It also carries an .xml extension. So specifying the format is very specific and informative, even for users who aren’t familiar with XML. They’ll see in their file manager the extension, and/or the OS’s interpretation of the file type itself. (in this case both XML)

However, the file extension used is “gnucash” and not “xml”

Perhaps the save process needs to be refactored to identify clearly and separately the name of the data file AND its format?

> 
> Knowing this might very well help them find their file if they know the format they are looking for.
> 
> But I do agree, the documentation should cover where files are stored. Ideally, this should be made part of the Help or Guide in the Getting Started section. It is certainly a common enough issue on the list.
> 
> Regards,
> Adrien
> 
>> On Aug 15, 2018, at 10:24 AM, Christoph R <subscriptions+listen at rohland.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi David,
>> 
>>> The default file storage format is XML
>> 
>> I would not call this “XML" but "plain file”. From a user perspective it is not important in which internal format it is stored. But it makes a big difference if it is a simple file created by Gnucash or if Gnucash needs to connect to a DBMS.
>> 
>> And one of the biggest confusion for users on the mailing list is the question: “Where is my data?”. Pointing out that all your accounts and transactions are in a simple file might reduce that problem.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Christoph
>>