[GNC] Changing Location of GNC_USERDATA_DIR and GNC_USERCONFIG_DIR

[David]

Here's a way to do what you need without changing the GNC_*** variables.
I personally have 6 sets of books that I manage and it works for me. You 
can have multiple books open at the same time if desired.
Start with the "portableapps" version of Gnucash, downloadable from 
portableapps.com
These apps are designed / modified to run off a thumbdrive, and will run 
from any disk location you wish. The windows registry is not involved. 
In a way it's similar to the way DOS 2.0 software worked. Everything, 
both software and data are stored in the directory structure for the 
app. You can move everything to another machine, or another directory 
with a simple drag/drop operation. Since the registry is not used, 
windows neither knows, nor cares about the locations.
Here are the steps:
1. Download the portable version of Gnucash and install wherever you want.
2. Create a data directory wherever, and copy all the files from your 
current data directory to that location.
3. Create a shortcut to the exe similar to this:
    Target: E:\PortApps\PortableApps\GnuCashPortable\GnuCashPortable.exe 
--nofile
    Start in: E:\PortApps\PortableApps\GnuCashPortable
These are my shortcut targets, adjust yours as needed. Note the -nofile 
parameter. This keeps GnuCash from trying to open possibly non-existing 
data files.
Start up GnuCash and then File > Open. Navigate to the location of the 
data files and select the one you want. And away you go.
Gnucash will save the locations of the most recently used files so you 
won't have to "navigate" to data location again.
I'm using version 2.6, but expect your version will work similarly.
regards,
David


On 4/13/2025 4:40 PM, Griffin wrote:
> I have reset my Windows 10 computer so that apps are stored on a 
> separate drive from the OS. I'm told that it makes things simpler 
> i/when you need to restore the OS.
>
> My data is on a separate drive too, and now I want to change the 
> location of the two items currently stored in my AppData folder.
>
> I see the Help window, and I've looked into the wiki, but I cannot 
> find a reference to either GNC-USERDATA_DIR, or GNC_USERCONFIG_DIR.
>
> I did initially think that clicking on the link in the about window 
> would allow me to change the location, but that is apparently not so.
>
> So how do I change these locations?
>
> Louise
>
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