[GNC] Exiting Gnucash Lock file

Fri Jan 21 15:46:37 EST 2022

Few questions in regards to SQLite3 backend recommendation because currently
XML format for my data is compressed size of 1.82MB so exploring moving to
it. Not sure if this is considered small sized XML file or not but .

1 - SQLite was natively born on UNIX systems with UNIX systems in mind so
how stable is it for Windows and how well is it supported from the GNC
perspective?

2 -  Does it still create the log file to be able to replay it like XML
storage creates?

3 - How can I roll back transactions (more so related to roll back from
import errors)? With XML I can take the previously created file and make it
my current file after renaming it.

Any other differences to keep in mind other than backup regiment?

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Message: 8

Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2022 08:43:04 -0800

From: john <jralls at ceridwen.us <mailto:jralls at ceridwen.us> >

To: Thomas Forrester <tlforrester at gmail.com <mailto:tlforrester at gmail.com> >

Cc: Peter <pandem at iinet.net.au <mailto:pandem at iinet.net.au> >, gnucash-user

                <gnucash-user at gnucash.org <mailto:gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
>, john.layman at laymanandlayman.com <mailto:john.layman at laymanandlayman.com> 

Subject: Re: [GNC] Exiting GnuCash Lock file Vol 226, Issue 57

Message-ID: <E0D29238-0072-40CD-AEA7-8DACECEA3654 at ceridwen.us
<mailto:E0D29238-0072-40CD-AEA7-8DACECEA3654 at ceridwen.us> >

Content-Type: text/plain;             charset=us-ascii

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
<mailto: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
<mailto: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 <mailto:ieee.org at gnucash.org> > On

>> Behalf Of Peter

>> Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2022 9:39 AM

>> To: [2]gnucash-user at gnucash.org <mailto: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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