[GNC] GnuCash losing Notes, or just a display problem in the Register?

Randy Orrison randy.orrison at gmail.com
Wed May 23 18:54:35 EDT 2018


Thanks for telling me what to look for: I've used DB Browser for SQLite (
http://sqlitebrowser.org/) and there are plenty of records in the slots
table with name=notes.  Looks like it's just a display issue, so I'll hope
they re-appear when the bug is fixed.

Randy

On 23 May 2018 at 23:39, Adrien Monteleone <adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net>
wrote:

> For that sqlite search, look at the ‘slots’ table, specifically find all
> rows that have ’notes’ as the ’name’ value and then look at the
> ’string_val’ field for the actual note text.
>
> The following query would return all data in a row that contained a note
> with actual text. (but not return rows without notes) The first rows will
> likely be notes for accounts, followed by transaction notes:
>
> SELECT * FROM slots WHERE string_val IS NOT “” AND name = “notes”;
>
> (it appears the string_val column contains blank strings, so ‘IS NOT NULL’
> as a condition will not work)
>
> This version would give you only the transaction guid and the note itself.
> The guid is a key to both the transactions table which contains the
> description and date, and to the splits table which contain the info for
> each split in the transaction. (at least two per, with the memos, values,
> accounts, etc.)
>
> SELECT obj_guid, string_val FROM slots WHERE string_val IS NOT “” AND name
> = “notes”;
>
> Be warned, I really don’t recommend trying to insert this data from one
> file to another via SQL without speaking to a developer. I’m presenting
> this only to verify if the notes are in fact missing from that version of
> the file.
>
> Regards,
> Adrien
>
> > On May 23, 2018, at 4:55 PM, Adrien Monteleone <
> adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net> wrote:
> >
> > First, be sure to view the newer file with an sqlite viewer and verify
> the notes are indeed missing. There are several free viewers around the
> web, including a Firefox plugin if that’s what you use.(not sure if
> Chrome/Chromium has one)
> >
> > If they are indeed gone, short of figuring out how to pull those notes
> out and re-insert them in the new file:
> >
> > Do you have a backup from just before moving to 3.x?
> >
> > If so, do you still have 2.6.x installed?
> >
> > If not, you can install it (with a different name alongside 3.x) then
> open that backup file, save it as XML, then re-open the XML with 3.x.(in a
> worst case, you might have to overwrite the 3.x installation with 2.6.21 to
> accomplish this and then re-install 3.1)
> >
> > You’ll of course have to find a way to add-in your transactions since
> the original migration, but you should get your 10 years worth of notes
> back.
> >
> > While an SQL solution might be faster, that’s only if you already know
> how to do it. The time spent on learning SQL and then the implementation
> will likely take much longer than restoring a backup and then filling in
> gaps. There can also be complications with db editing outside of the
> GnuCash app. So restoring a backup is also likely much ’safer’ for overall
> data integrity at this time.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Adrien
> >
> >> On May 23, 2018, at 3:10 PM, Randy Orrison <randy.orrison at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Thanks for the confirmation.  I have created bug
> https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=796369.
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, saving as XML and reopening the file did not restore any
> of my missing notes.  Newly created notes in the XML file are being saved
> and display correctly after re-opening the file, but 10 years of notes
> appear to be gone.
> >>
> >> If someone could create a tool to extract notes from an old SQLite file
> that still contained them, and restore them into my current file, that
> would be very helpful.
> >>
> >> Randy
> >>
> >> On 23 May 2018 at 00:28, Adrien Monteleone <adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.
> net> wrote:
> >> Randy,
> >>
> >> The good news is that your notes are probably still there.
> >>
> >> But you did find a bug.
> >>
> >> I was using sqlite3 before the 3.x jump and I’ve been testing it back
> and forth with XML but there are still some show stoppers for me. (this
> would be a new one on the list) So I had an sqlite3 copy of my file to try
> out.
> >>
> >> Sure enough, transactions that have notes do not show their notes using
> the sqlite3 backend, but they do when using the XML backend.
> >>
> >> So, quick work around for you, is to save the file as XML and use that
> for the time being and keep the sqlite3 version for testing till your
> comfortable with the results.
> >>
> >> Also, please file a bug report on this. Be sure to set it as
> ’SQL-Backend’ since we know that notes works properly otherwise. This also
> isn’t specific to Windows because I’m on a Mac and see the same bug.
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >> Adrien
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On May 22, 2018, at 5:00 PM, Randy Orrison <randy.orrison at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I've just noticed in Version 3.1 that all my Notes have vanished from
> the
> >>> register.  I use GnuCash with the register set to Basic Ledger and
> Double
> >>> Line Mode, so I always see the Description and Notes fields.  I've
> noticed
> >>> today that all of the Notes fields are blank, including some that I
> know
> >>> I've entered.  I looked in Bugzilla but couldn't find an existing bug -
> >>> have I just missed it?
> >>>
> >>> I'm using Version 3.1, Build ID: 3.0-118-gd2ef5fd0f+ (2018-04-28), on
> >>> Windows 10; I think I'm using the SQLlite storage.
> >>>
> >>> Detailed steps:
> >>> Select an account, go to the bottom new transaction line:
> >>>
> >>> Enter the date, Description, an account, an amount, and something in
> the
> >>> Notes field, and hit Enter
> >>> See that the Notes appear in the register:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Close the tab for the register
> >>> Re-open the account
> >>> See that the Notes still appear in the register for that transaction
> >>> Close GnuCash
> >>> Re-open GnuCash, then re-open the account
> >>> See that the test note, and all other notes, are gone
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I really really hope this is just a display issue and the notes aren't
> >>> actually lost from the data.
> >>>
> >>> If this isn't already in Bugzilla I'll add it.
> >>>
> >>> Randy
> >>> <image.png><image.png><image.png>__________________________
> _____________________
> >>> gnucash-user mailing list
> >>> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >>> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> >>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> >>> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information.
> >>> -----
> >>> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> >>> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> gnucash-user mailing list
> >> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> >> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information.
> >> -----
> >> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> >> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
> >>
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information.
> -----
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


More information about the gnucash-user mailing list