[GNC] Exiting gnucash Lock file Vol 226, Issue 57

Fri Jan 21 14:15:10 EST 2022

Good point, John.  I agree that MySQL has a large administrative footprint
and certainly does take an IT mindset.  I hadn't considered, or even
realized that GnuCash could use a SQLite database.  Maybe that's because
the use of SQL as a backend was just a beta thing back when I boarded this
bus?  IDK.  Maybe it was because I already was using MySQL in running a
couple of Internet radio stations.  So thanks for your thoughts on this.
I'm actually now reading up on how to switch to SQLite for my own data as I
do think MySQL is a bit of overkill.  Apparently as simple as just opening
the existing MySQL database, then saving as SQLite, so that's easy enough.
But I'll also need to consider ODBC connectivity to Microsoft Access, too,
because I sometimes "look" at the data and make some adjustments
where needed like if a reconciliation gets messed up because I did
something stupid. One day, I hope to look into some alternative reporting
solutions using MS Access' report features, so I'd need to keep that
connection in place if I'm going to make the switch.

On Fri, Jan 21, 2022 at 10:43 AM john <jralls at ceridwen.us> wrote:

> Very few users will be able to manage a MySQL database server safely.
> Fortunately GnuCash provides a SQLite3 backend that doesn't require any
> database admin skills. The only caveat is that unlike XML it doesn't write
> a fresh file every session so you need to arrange backups on your own; the
> OS's built-in snapshotting facility (rather grandly named Time Machine on
> macOS and simply Windows Backup on Windows) is good for this, just make
> sure that your GnuCash data folder is included in its list of things to
> back up.
>
> Regards,
> John Ralls
>
>
> > On Jan 21, 2022, at 6:45 AM, Thomas Forrester <tlforrester at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Seems like a lot of work. No doubt you're finding interesting anomalies,
> > but...
> >
> > Rather than using xml data files, which have always seemed odd to me (a
> la,
> > this thread), if you use a MySQL database instead, all saves are
> automatic
> > and completely bypass the need for all this testing.  You still have to
> > save each transaction, or edits to a transaction (Enter key), but
> otherwise
> > you can freely close the program without any worries about loosing data,
> > and there is no save prompt on the way out.  I've run with a MySQL
> database
> > from the start without any problems at all.  Just a thought, and I
> > recognize some may have reasons not to choose that path, although I'm not
> > sure what they would be.
> >
> > On Thu, Jan 20, 2022, 11:22 PM Peter <pandem at iinet.net.au> wrote:
> >
> >>   John,
> >>   Well yes it did terminate or close.
> >>   gnucash was closed and was then reopened without any reported issue.
> >>   Other than it failed to save the changes and delete the lock file.
> >>   Maybe if you could tell me how to confirm it closed or terminated
> >>   correctly, I will go and test and see what  happens.
> >>   This issue I noted in Test#2 was actually caused by me not following
> my
> >>   own test process.
> >>
> >>   On 21/01/2022 04:48, John Layman wrote:
> >>
> >> The test cases that appear to have failed aren't conclusive, however,
> >> without co
> >> nfirming that GnuCash had actually terminated, and terminated normally.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: gnucash-user [1]<gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=
> >> ieee.org at gnucash.org> On
> >> Behalf Of Peter
> >> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2022 9:39 AM
> >> To: [2]gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >> Subject: Re: [GNC] Exiting gnucash Lock file Vol 226, Issue 57
> >>
> >> Here is the testing methods I used to verify the issue I have noted.
> >>
> >> Selected a known small good gnucash data file.
> >> Storage Location: Local D:  c: drive is Samsung SSD and D: is Seagate
> 2TB
> >> GNUCAS
> >> H Storage type :  XML and compressed Operating system: Windows 10
> GNUCASH
> >> versio
> >> n 4.9 The opening method in ALL test was to use the GNUCASH icon on the
> >> TASKBAR
> >> and then select the recent (test) file If the LOCK file was not deleted
> it
> >> was r
> >> emoved using the windows File Explorer
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #1: - change, Save Button and then File->Quit
> >>
> >> Result: This was repeated 5 times each time the same result - Lock file
> >> was dele
> >> ted and the change was Saved.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #2 - change then File>Quit and save at 15 seconds on timer
> >>
> >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was NOT deleted and the change was NOT
> >> saved in
> >> the data file This test was actual performed more than 5 times but I did
> >> note 5
> >> of 5 in one contiguous run. There were a few test that asked to save the
> >> transa
> >> ction prior to the question of save the file I was never able to get it
> to
> >> repea
> >> t twice in a row.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #3 - change and exit File->Quit wait for the Save dialogue then let
> >> it time
> >> out
> >>
> >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in
> >> the dat
> >> a file
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #4 - change and wait for autosave then File->Quit
> >>
> >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in
> >> the dat
> >> a file
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #5 - change and wait for autosave then use X method
> >>
> >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was deleted and the change was saved in
> >> the dat
> >> a file
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Test #6 - change then use X method wait for the save dialogue and save
> at
> >> 15 sec
> >> onds on timer
> >>
> >> Result: In test 5 of 5 Lock file was NOT deleted and the change was NOT
> >> saved in
> >> the data file
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> ---------------------
> >>
> >> Conclusion:
> >>
> >> There is an issue in exiting with the SAVE button enabled/Highlighted
> and
> >> comply
> >> ing with the dialogue to SAVE the Data file.
> >> Test#2 and Test#6
> >>
> >> Four methods of exiting that do delete the LOCK file and SAVE the latest
> >> changes
> >> A:    Waiting to exit after an Autosave  then File->Quit
> >> B:    forcing a Save by using the SAVE button then File->Quit
> >> C:    Waiting to exit after an Autosave  then the X method
> >> D:    forcing a Save by using the SAVE button then the X method
> >>
> >>  X method works if you do a SAVE using the Save Button or wait till
> after
> >> an Au
> >> tosave then exit via the X method
> >>
> >> There is an issue with exiting and relying on gnucash to save the data
> if
> >> gnucas
> >> h produces the dialogue to SAVE the data then File->Quit or the X method
> >> The Sav
> >> e does not work and the LOCK file is not deleted.
> >>
> >>  I cannot safely say I do not use the X method as I now have doubts
> about
> >> it, I
> >> may use it or I may not.
> >>
> >> Hope this helps someone as now I understand why sometimes it does work
> and
> >> does
> >> NOT work, there is a bug in it or is it a misinterpreted enhancement.
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >> References
> >>
> >>   1. mailto:gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=ieee.org at gnucash.org
> >>   2. mailto:gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >>   3. mailto:gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >>   4. https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> >>   5. https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists
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-- 
Tom
Thomas L. Forrester
3211 Patty Lane
Middleton, WI 53562-1652 USA
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