[GNC] longtime user suddenly unable to open gnucash

Jacob Wegelin jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm
Mon Aug 11 14:48:59 EDT 2025 

At

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ii1dswyfptx5gvz9bx6sl/gnucash1.zip?rlkey=a7f1y4v91ebztkurwspuiwegw&st=hfkg9pzz&dl=0

are 2 files:
gnucash.trace
the stderr from the command line.

Thank you again

Jacob Wegelin

On 2025-08-10 Sun 18:26, Sherlock wrote:
>
> Jacob,
>
> Try:
>
> /Applications/Gnucash.app/Contents/MacOS/Gnucash --debug
>
> The file generated should be:
>
> $TMPDIR/gnucash.trace
>
> Regards,
>
> Sherlock
>
>
> On 8/10/25 5:46 PM, Jacob Wegelin wrote:
>> Based on the instructions at https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/ 
>> GnuCash_on_the_Command_Line,
>> 
>> I tried running GnuCash with the --debug option. What I got is at
>> 
>> https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8r7r81vel2sqfvbfwd82f/2025-08-10-174154- 
>> GnuCash.zip?rlkey=lsiivihasa8tpq4by5526qb5d&st=dzjr42fy&dl=0
>> 
>> The text file does not show my earlier attempts; I have them recorded also.
>> 
>> How does this look?
>> 
>> I do have Xcode; I had to install it to use perl, I think. But is the 
>> above attempt the right way to do it?
>> 
>> Thank you again
>> 
>> Jacob Wegelin
>> 
>> On 2025-08-07 Thu 19:34, John Ralls wrote:
>>> Crash it then look immediately. They used to hang around for a while 
>>> but one of the recent Sequoia updates seems to have taken to purging 
>>> them almost immediately, first to the Retired (within a few minutes) 
>>> subfolder and then gone.
>>>
>>> You can get an excruciatingly detailed trace file by running GnuCash 
>>> from the command line with the —debug option. There might be something 
>>> useful in the last few lines.
>>>
>>> Finally if you have Xcode or command-line developer tools installed 
>>> you can run GnuCash in the debugger and crash it and get a stack trace.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> John Ralls
>>>
>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 19:22, Jacob Wegelin <jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> John,
>>>>
>>>> Here is what I find (no file):
>>>>
>>>>> find  ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ -iname '*gn*'
>>>> /Users/qg/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/
>>>>> find  ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ -iname '*gn*' -type f
>>>>> find  ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ -iname '*ips'
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What else can I do?
>>>>
>>>> Jacob
>>>>
>>>> On 2025-08-07 Thu 17:22, John Ralls wrote:
>>>>> Jacob,
>>>>>
>>>>> Unfortunately neither is useful. The trace file has only the notice 
>>>>> from the DBI backend that the file isn’t a SQLite one (because 
>>>>> GnuCash checks for that before checking if it’s an XML file). No 
>>>>> indication of any error.
>>>>>
>>>>> The diagnostic file you shared isn’t a crash report: A crash report 
>>>>> will be named gnucash-<timestamp>.ips. “gnucash” may be capitalized 
>>>>> and it might be in ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Retiired/.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> John Ralls
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 16:00, Jacob Wegelin <jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm> 
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> John,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Here are 2 files, zipped up to preserve timestamps, on dropbox.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It had been a couple days since I tried to run GnuCash. The 
>>>>>> "ralloldtrace", I got first. It has at least something in it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think I tried to find the 2nd file, i.e., the Crash Report, and 
>>>>>> found
>>>>>> none.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Then I again tried to open GnuCash.
>>>>>> Subsequently, the trace file was empty, i.e., zero bytes.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But I got a crash report. But it seemed to have too early of a
>>>>>> timestamp; I attempted to open GnuCash within the past hour and the
>>>>>> crash report seems to be from 25-Aug-07 12:27.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ngg75sp4ezqolklrrvhau/rall.zip? 
>>>>>> rlkey=cuwi3jcffu2vf4zjlnq5ko6zx&st=x9k2ny6y&dl=0
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6gkueee1qdfz87sedb94b/ 
>>>>>> ralloldtrace.zip?rlkey=m1910nx2f763ds3qb66gydsu3&st=rtaqg3ox&dl=0
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do these files look like I found the right files?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you again. Let me know what next I should do.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Jacob Wegelin
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 2025-08-05 Tue 10:07, John Ralls wrote:
>>>>>>> Let’s find out where it’s crashing. Please open a bug report at 
>>>>>>> https://bugs.gnucash.org/enter_bug.cgi and attach (as files using 
>>>>>>> the attach box, don’t paste them in to the description) the trace 
>>>>>>> file (https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Tracefile) and macOS Crash 
>>>>>>> Report (https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Stack_Trace#macOS).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>> John Ralls
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Aug 5, 2025, at 8:34 AM, Jacob Wegelin 
>>>>>>>> <jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> My computer is MacBook Pro. Chip Apple M4 Pro. MacOs Sequoia 15.6
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I have now done the following:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> rm JAW.gnucash *LCK
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> open /Applications/Gnucash.app
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> dialogue box says
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The file/URI /Users/qg/u/Household/GnuCash/wip/JAW.gnucash could 
>>>>>>>> not be found.
>>>>>>>> The file is in the history list, do you want to remove it?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> click yes
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> then I get "Unsaved Book -- GnuCash" with nothing in it.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> File, Open and I get a dialogue box with nothing in it. It does 
>>>>>>>> not show the backup files, although they all end in *.gnucash.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Then I try an earlier backup than the most recent:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> cp -p JAW.gnucash.20250803162946.gnucash JAW.gnucash
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> and we see it now in the dialogue box. The type is listed as 
>>>>>>>> "unknown,"
>>>>>>>> size 2.1MB. I click that file in the dialogue box, click open, and
>>>>>>>> GnuCash goes away. The application is no longer open.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Repeat the procedure, this time using 
>>>>>>>> JAW.gnucash.20250802200000.gnucash
>>>>>>>> from 1st August. Again, GnuCash goes away as soon as I try to 
>>>>>>>> open the
>>>>>>>> file.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Repeat using JAW.gnucash.20250730234537.gnucash, from 30 July, same
>>>>>>>> result.  GnuCash was working just fine back then.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> How can I fix this?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Jacob Wegelin
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 2025-08-05 Tue 01:55, pete hopkins wrote:
>>>>>>>>> What type of MAC do you have - is it running an ARM chip or an 
>>>>>>>>> Intel chip as you have installed the ARM version.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I am  running v5.12 on MACos 15.5.  I run the ARM version as my 
>>>>>>>>> MAC has an M1 chip.  I don’t see the problems you are reporting?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Pete
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On 5 Aug 2025, at 05:19, R Losey <rlosey at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> That's why I suggested shutting down GnuCash and then renaming 
>>>>>>>>>> the files
>>>>>>>>>> before starting it.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, Aug 4, 2025 at 10:38 PM sunfish62 at yahoo.com 
>>>>>>>>>> <sunfish62 at yahoo.com>
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> R,
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Your instructions are thorough, but do not make clear that on 
>>>>>>>>>>> Macs,
>>>>>>>>>>> GnuCash always opens the last file it had open--even if you 
>>>>>>>>>>> double click a
>>>>>>>>>>> different GnuCash file in Finder. Or at least, that's always 
>>>>>>>>>>> how it used to
>>>>>>>>>>> work. And if the file is corrupt, then OP will have a 
>>>>>>>>>>> difficult time
>>>>>>>>>>> opening GnuCash up to find an earlier good file. That's why I 
>>>>>>>>>>> suggested
>>>>>>>>>>> opening GnuCash without a file.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Of course, by renaming the original file, you force GnuCash to 
>>>>>>>>>>> open
>>>>>>>>>>> without the file it can no longer find, but it would be 
>>>>>>>>>>> clearer to note
>>>>>>>>>>> that it will then be necessary to File->Open the backup.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> David T.
>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 4, 2025, at 11:20 PM, R Losey <rlosey at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I run GnuCash on my Mac as well; I have an M1 Mac running 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Sequoia 15.5 -
>>>>>>>>>>>> there was a discussion here about some people having problems 
>>>>>>>>>>>> with 15.6 --
>>>>>>>>>>>> what are you running?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> When GnuCash starts, it first looks for a .LCK file; if one 
>>>>>>>>>>>> exists, you get
>>>>>>>>>>>> the error message; otherwise, GnuCash creates the .LCK file 
>>>>>>>>>>>> and opens your
>>>>>>>>>>>> data file.  When you shut down GnuCash, it closes your data 
>>>>>>>>>>>> file, and
>>>>>>>>>>>> deletes the .LCK.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> So, when GnuCash is running, there should always be a .LCK 
>>>>>>>>>>>> file. If GnuCash
>>>>>>>>>>>> is shut down, there should be no .LCK file.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> If GnuCash crashes, it doesn't go through the normal exit 
>>>>>>>>>>>> process, and the
>>>>>>>>>>>> .LCK file can stick around. The choice to "Open Anyway" is 
>>>>>>>>>>>> the right choice
>>>>>>>>>>>> when you only and always use GnuCash from one computer. (I 
>>>>>>>>>>>> have my data
>>>>>>>>>>>> files stored on a network storage device, and I can access it 
>>>>>>>>>>>> from multiple
>>>>>>>>>>>> computers, so I have to make sure that if I get the error 
>>>>>>>>>>>> message that I
>>>>>>>>>>>> really don't have it running elsewhere).
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> From what you wrote, it sounds as if your data file has 
>>>>>>>>>>>> something in it
>>>>>>>>>>>> that is causing a crash.  To verify this,
>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) Shut down GnuCash
>>>>>>>>>>>> 2) Delete the .LCK file
>>>>>>>>>>>> 3) Open GnuCash; you shouldn't get a warning, but Gnucash 
>>>>>>>>>>>> will probably go
>>>>>>>>>>>> away (that is, "crash").
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> This is almost certainly an issue with your data file. So...
>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) Delete the .LCK file
>>>>>>>>>>>> 2) Rename your existing data file to something - perhaps
>>>>>>>>>>>> JAW.gnucash-CORRUPT and then create a copy of the most recent 
>>>>>>>>>>>> backup file
>>>>>>>>>>>> and rename it to JAW.gnucash
>>>>>>>>>>>> 3) Open GnuCash - you should not get any warning; if GnuCash 
>>>>>>>>>>>> opens, you're
>>>>>>>>>>>> good. If it crashes, delete the lock file, and try the next 
>>>>>>>>>>>> oldest backup
>>>>>>>>>>>> file.  Repeat this until GnuCash opens without crashing. If 
>>>>>>>>>>>> you get to a
>>>>>>>>>>>> file that you KNOW was good, then there is something else 
>>>>>>>>>>>> going on - the
>>>>>>>>>>>> log files may be able to help you.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Best wishes!
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, Aug 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM Jacob Wegelin 
>>>>>>>>>>>> <jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have been using gnucash for about 20 years on macos for 
>>>>>>>>>>>> personal
>>>>>>>>>>>>> bookkeeping.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Suddenly today, it refuses to open with the following message:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>      GnuCash could not obtain the lock for
>>>>>>>>>>>>> /Users/qg/u/Household/GnuCash/wip/JAW.gnucash (which is my 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> file which it
>>>>>>>>>>>>> also opens).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>      The database may be in use by another user, in which 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> case you
>>>>>>>>>>>>> should not open the database.  What would you like to do?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> When I clicked "open anyway," the application looked like it 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> was loading
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and then it went away---the application was not open.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I tried deleting gnucash.LCK and it just made another one.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I reinstalled gnucash, updated my macos and rebooted the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> computer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I changed the permissions on JAW.gnucash so it is readable and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> writeable by everybody. Exactly the same message.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I tried reinstalling it again after the macos reboot,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> as follows:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Installation
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://sourceforge.net/projects/gnucash/files/ 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> gnucash%20%28stable%29/
>>>>>>>>>>>>> click: download latest version Gnucash-Arm-5.12-1.dmg (184.3 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> MB)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I made gnucash.LCK read,write,execute by everybody, but the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> same result.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> How do I get GnuCash working again? I use it every day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thank you
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jacob Wegelin
>>>>>>>>>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> gnucash-user mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>>> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
>>>>>>>>>>>>> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
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>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>>>>> _________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> Richard Losey
>>>>>>>>>> rlosey at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>> Micah 6:8
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> gnucash-user mailing list
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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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