[GNC] GnuCash 5.11 FlatPak on Linux Mint 21: Software doesn't respect read-only gnucash file
Brad Morrison
bradmorrison at sonic.net
Sat Jun 14 22:38:52 EDT 2025
Hi James/GnuCash users,
Glad to hear that you have already solved the issue you wrote about!
I would like to note that the current version of Linux Mint is 22.1 -
https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=mint &
https://linuxmint.com/download_all.php
As Linux Mint is open source software, there is no direct financial cost
associated with updating it and/or upgrading it, other than your time.
If your current hardware meets the system requirements. I would highly
recommend using the current version that is offered by the maintainer of
the Linux distro.
https://flathub.org/apps/org.gnucash.GnuCash - is the Flatpak version of
GnuCash, available on Flathub & there are setup instructions available
for many Linux distributions - https://flathub.org/setup &
https://flatpak.org/setup/
---
Thanks,
Brad - https://www.facebook.com/brad.morrison.12327/ &
https://nextdoor.com/profile/01mP46jj8KCzj3sP4 &
https://norcal.social/@BradMorrison
On 2025-06-13 11:06, R Losey wrote:
> It does rather surprise me that there is no open read-only option in
> GnuCash (especially as it offers to do so when the LCK file is present).
> Such an option could be very useful for people who make a backup copy of
> their data file at the end of their fiscal year.
>
> On Fri, Jun 13, 2025 at 10:41 AM Michael or Penny Novack via gnucash-user <
> gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
>
> Just so you realize ..... you are defeating the purpose of the "lock
> file" (in general)
>
> Now this may be OK in your special case of being the only user on your
> computer (even though your OS allows multiple"users" (note that user is
> from the computer's point of view; you as a single human COULD be
> multiple users*). Just be careful to avoid this. By disabling the
> computer's ability to detect multiple users going after the resource, it
> becomes your responsibility.
>
> Michael D Novack
>
> * For example, assuming your as regular user do not have administrator
> rights, when installing updates you might get prompted for your
> administrator password. What might actually be happening is the computer
> logging you in as administrator, doing the update, then logging out.
> During that time period had two users logged in.
>
> On 6/13/2025 2:12 AM, James Thorpe wrote: Thank you, R Losey, your explanation allowed me to solve my problem!
>
> To clarify the problem for others - I was trying to create a read-only
> copy of a gnucash file so that I could open it to draw reports and get
> figures without inadvertently making changes... which happen rather
> easily in gnucash.
>
> Here's how I solved it (in Linux, at least... similar process from
> windows except using the GUI I suppose).
>
> I created the lock file manually
>
> touch Household_2024_2025.gnucash.LCK
>
> Set the lock file to read-only
>
> chmod a-w Household_2024_2025.gnucash.LCK
>
> Thereafter, any time I opened the main file (Household_2024_2025),
> gnucash would prompt me to open read-only... which is exactly what I
> wanted. Also, when closing, gnucash is unable to delete the lock file
> so the file remains protected.
>
> This works on a network file share as well so when I open from gnucash
> on windows the same process happens.
>
> On 2025/06/12 17:59, R Losey wrote: The issue is that the directory has write permission, which
> allows files to be renamed.
>
> So, GnuCash reads the read-only file, and then, when it goes to
> "save" the file, it renames the old file and creates a new one. It IS
> a little unusual to have a just-written file NOT have "write"
> permissions; I assume GnuCash just clones the existing permissions.
>
> If you want an archived version, I would copy the appropriate
> .gnucash file to some kind of archive directory... for example, if
> the path to your regular GnuCash files ends with ".../gnucash/", you
> could create a ".../gnucashARCHIVE/" to hold your archive files. The
> only problem is that if you make the directory read-only, you may not
> be able to open the files, as GnuCash couldn't create the log files.
> There may be an option in GnuCash to open a file as read-only
> (because I know that if the LCK file is present, one option is to
> open the file as read-only).
>
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 1:35 AM James Thorpe
> <James at fusionsystems.co.za> wrote:
>
> Hi All
>
> I'm using Version: 5.11, Build ID: Flathub 5.11-2 on Linux Mint 21
> and I
> recently noticed that even if I set the user permissions on my
> gnucash
> file to read-only (eg. chmod a-w gc.gnucash) and then open the
> file with
> GnuCash, I'm able to update the file from GnuCash and when I
> close it
> again, I notice the permissions have changed back to rw.
>
> After my chmod command, it looks like this
>
> -r-xr-xr-x 1 james james 86022 Jun 9 14:17 gc.gnucash
>
> If I then open gnucash and this file and make changes, a bunch of
> logs
> etc appear
>
> -rw-r--r-- 1 james james 359 Jun 12 08:26
> gc.gnucash.20250612082607.log
> -r-xr-xr-x 1 james james 86181 Jun 12 08:26 gc.gnucash
> -rw-r--r-- 1 james james 679 Jun 12 08:26
> gc.gnucash.20250612082600.log
> -r-xr-xr-x 1 james james 86022 Jun 12 08:25
> gc.gnucash.20250612082607.gnucash
>
> but the original file gc.gnucash remains read-only. But the
> changes are
> there and have been saved, even if I delete the logs and other
> files.
>
> Bottom line - I'm trying to save a read-only copy of a file that I'm
> done with and just want for reporting/ reference purposes. How do
> I do that?
>
> I'm guessing it's a flatpak thing because it doesn't seem to do
> this on
> Windows version... even if I access the same file on a shared
> network
> folder.
>
> thanks for any suggestions.
>
> James Thorpe
>
> On 2025/06/11 18:00, gnucash-user-request at gnucash.org wrote:
>> Send gnucash-user mailing list submissions to
>> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
>>
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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>>
>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more
> specific
>> than "Re: Contents of gnucash-user digest..."
>>
>>
>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. No longer able to access my accounting software (Mark
> Penner)
>> 2. Re: Suggestion to Accept Bitcoin/Lightning/Monero
> Donations
>> (David Carlson)
>>
>>
>>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:46:30 -0500 (CDT)
>> From: Mark Penner<mrp at markpenner.space>
>> To:gnucash-user at gnucash.org <mailto:To%3Agnucash-user at gnucash.org
>> Subject: [GNC] No longer able to access my accounting software
>> Message-ID:<c803383e-3ca8-4752-b5ef-516573f9f783 at markpenner.space
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>
>> Jun 11, 2025 05:01:46 Vik Sha via
> gnucash-user<gnucash-user at gnucash.org>:
>>
>>> I keep getting the following messages every time I try to open
> it :
>> If you're trying to send an image, you need to attach it, the
> mailing list software strips inline images.
>>
>> If the message you're getting says something like "unable to
> obtain lock for file", and you're SURE that the file is not open
> (e.g. in another GnuCash instance), just click "Open Anyway"
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:56:50 -0500
>> From: David Carlson<david.carlson.417 at gmail.com>
>> To: 83281<83281 at protonmail.com>
>> Cc:gnucash-user at gnucash.org <mailto:Cc%3Agnucash-user at gnucash.org
>> Subject: Re: [GNC] Suggestion to Accept Bitcoin/Lightning/Monero
>> Donations
>> Message-ID:
>>
> <CADYgSbm5FWEK+1vpWTi_XaFfvZ+mGfOAYS9cr8RMj4qBCk5hjQ at mail.gmail.com
> <mailto:
CADYgSbm5FWEK%2B1vpWTi_XaFfvZ%2BmGfOAYS9cr8RMj4qBCk5hjQ at mail.gmail.com>>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>>>
>>> I hope the developers can identify whether this is phishing or
>> worse!!!!!
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 5:02?AM 83281 via gnucash-user <
>>> gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> I hope this message finds you well. I am a supporter of your
>> open-source
>>>> project GnuCash and would like to make a donation. However, I
>> noticed that
>>>> you currently do not accept Bitcoin, Lightning, or Monero.
>>>>
>>>> Privacy is very important to me, as it is to many other
>> open-source users
>>>> and advocates. Supporting privacy-respecting donation methods
>> like Bitcoin
>>>> and Monero would likely encourage more people to contribute.
>> These options
>>>> also operate independently of banks and intermediaries, which
>> aligns with
>>>> the values of a freer and more open world.
>>>>
>>>> Would you consider adding the option to donate via Bitcoin
>> (on-chain and
>>>> maybe even Lightning) or Monero? If you need any assistance
>> implementing
>>>> this, I would be happy to help.
>>>>
>>>> The easiest way to get started is by downloading Cake Wallet,
>> which is
>>>> open-source, non-custodial, and supports both Bitcoin and
>> Monero (as well
>>>> as other cryptocurrencies). You could then simply display the
>> wallet
>>>> address on your website for donations.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your work and for considering this suggestion.
>> Please let me
>>>> know if you have any questions or if I can assist in any way.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards!
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>
>> -- --
>> James Thorpe
>> 061 476 2775
>> James at fusionsystems.co.za
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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.
>>
>> --
>> _________________________________
>> Richard Losey
>> rlosey at gmail.com
>> Micah 6:8
--
There is no possibility of social justice on a dead planet except the
equality of the grave.
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