[GNC] GnuCash Delays on KB Input

Thu Aug 28 16:17:32 EDT 2025

I decided to test this situation further.

I checked the memory footprint of GnuCash once it was loaded with my 
data file in Task Manager; the figure was around 160-170Mb, depending on 
when I looked. (For the record, when GnuCash was loading any of these 
files, the load went up to 280Mb). For comparison, Chrome with one tab 
open shows 11 threads in TM with nearly 800Mb of memory usage. The 
overall memory usage shows 49%. I believe that should lay that bit to rest.

I next wanted to test a couple of points that have been raised in the 
discussion. First, I wanted to test whether an SQL formatted file would 
run faster. And I wanted to see whether a similar data file would 
exhibit the same behavior. To begin the test, I saved my current data 
file (Data-X) as an SQLLite file (File->Save As format sqlite3).

When I opened this file (Data-Q), I observed no delays. Interesting. 
Same data, no delays.

So I reopened my original file, and the delays returned. Also interesting.

I repeated this switching back and forth several times, and the 
situation remained constant.

I returned to the SQL file and thought that I'd check one more time if 
the format affected performance by re-saving the SQL file as an XML file 
(Data-Q-X)--and when I did so, the resulting XML file exhibited no 
delays. Multiple switches back and forth (using File->Open) also 
maintained this status.

Puzzling.

However, this series of steps demonstrated that the problem isn't a 
result of some sort of data corruption hidden in 20 years of 
transactions. If the data were the problem, then changing the underlying 
format shouldn't affect the problem.

So, that eliminates that side of things.

I decided to further test the SQL/XML aspect by making Data-Q match 
Data-X in all aspects. I began by opening the same account tabs in the 
same order in both instances. The performance difference remained 
through several switches back and forth.

I then began to modify the Chart of Accounts tab in Data-Q to match 
those in Data-X. All of a sudden, both instances displayed keyboard lag. 
For the record, I have altered my CoA in Data-X as follows:

  * Account Color
  * Account Code
  * Placeholder
  * Hidden
  * Account Name
  * Description
  * Last Reconcile Date
  * Total
  * Total (USD)
  * Total (Period)
  * Tax Info

Having made this initial observation, I found further that close 
monitoring of GnuCash in these changes showed the app reloading 
different parts--and the Accounts tab showed several seconds' delay in 
and of itself.

I tinkered with various CoA settings, but could not really determine 
which of my added columns added to this drag, but anecdotally, Account 
Color, Placeholder, and Hidden seemed to contribute the most load time. 
Eliminating some or all of these columns may speed response times, but 
it isn't entirely clear to me that this solves the problem fully.

My next step will be to upgrade to 5.11 at some point and see whether 
David's advice resolves the problem.

David T.

On 8/26/2025 8:19 PM, sunfish62--- via gnucash-user wrote:
> I'm confident that even a 60 mb data file will fit comfortably into 64gb of ram. Programs that actually need processing horsepower and memory space-- like photoshop-- run happily on this new machine.
>
> ⁣David T. 
>
> On Aug 26, 2025, 10:44 PM, at 10:44 PM, John Layman<john.layman at laymanandlayman.com> wrote:
>> Does it not occur to you that the problem likely has nothing at all to
>> do with GnuCash (the program) or with anything abnormal about the data
>> file.  Indeed, the symptoms you describe point to the likelihood that
>> the your twenty-year data file has now reached the size that it exceeds
>> the capacity of your computer's datastore causing portions of the file
>> to be swapped in and out of memory causing a paging delay.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: gnucash-user
>> <gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=ieee.org at gnucash.org> On Behalf Of
>> David T. via gnucash-user
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 1:30 PM
>> To: Glenn Fowler<gfowler1 at outlook.com>;gnucash-user at gnucash.org
>> Subject: Re: [GNC] GnuCash Delays on KB Input
>>
>> Given Stan's response on this, I'm imagining the problem lies with
>> something in the data file. In fact, if I open a different file on the
>> machine, the problem appears to have disappeared. So, that supports the
>> idea that there is something wrong with the file.
>>
>>
>> Unfortunately, my data file covers 20 years of information. And yes,
>> I've run Check & Repair on the whole file. I can also eliminate any
>> issue with the gcm file, since I am on a new machine, and the gcm is
>> new (I know this because every account's column settings are defaulted
>> back stock layout. I had set the columns on the old machine).
>>
>>
>> I have absolutely no idea how I would troubleshoot this. Re-entering 20
>> years of data is not the answer. As for an older backup, I had already
>> held off on bookkeeping for the last six months; going further back
>> would entail manual entry of thousands of transactions, which is really
>> not something I'm prepared to do either.
>>
>>
>> I would scan the raw xml to see if there were something obvious, but I
>> don't even know what I'd be looking for. I am considering exporting the
>> entire file to CSV and then reimporting into a new file,but again, if
>> the problem is some form of corruption in the transaction data, this
>> would just propagate the problem in a new file...
>>
>>
>> I am open to creative suggestions.
>>
>>
>> David T.
>>
>> On 8/26/2025 11:42 AM, Glenn Fowler wrote:
>>> Upgrade to v4.14 so you stay on v4 but with additional bugfixes to
>>> eliminate program issues.
>>>
>>> If that doesn't help, I would look at your file next. Perhaps try an
>>> older backup file before the issue started to see if that is where
>>> your issue is.
>>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> --
>>> *From:* gnucash-user
>>> <gnucash-user-bounces+gfowler1=outlook.com at gnucash.org> on behalf of
>>> David T. via gnucash-user<gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 26, 2025 11:18 AM
>>> *To:*gnucash-user at gnucash.org <gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
>>> *Subject:* [GNC] GnuCash Delays on KB Input Hello,
>>>
>>>
>>> Longtime user, currently on GC 4.13 (as a preference) and Windows 11
>>> with a brand new PC. I have observed for some time now that GC has
>>> significant interface delays in normal use.
>>>
>>>
>>> Almost any change in the app causes a 3 second delay before
>> completing
>>> (and yes, I have been counting). Clicking on a different open tab
>>> inside the app causes this. Clicking on a different transaction in an
>>> open window causes the delay. These delays even crop up if I switch
>> to
>>> a different application (say, a pdf reader) and then switch back,
>>> without changing anything in GC.
>>>
>>>
>>> During the delay, all the menus and account tabs are greyed out, as
>> if
>>> GC is processing something in the background. What it might be
>>> processing is a mystery to me. It should go without saying that I do
>>> not observe these delays with any other application on this machine.
>>>
>>>
>>> To say this is annoying might be an understatement. I had thought the
>>> problem might have been with my old PC--but I have now replaced that,
>>> and still see these delays. :(
>>>
>>>
>>> Any suggestions on a remedy (other than upgrading to 5.12, since I do
>>> not wish to receive certain other GC updated behaviors) would be most
>>> welcome.
>>>
>>>
>>> David T.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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
>>> -----
>>> 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
>> -----
>> 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
> -----
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.