[GNC] longtime user suddenly unable to open gnucash

[Sherlock]

Jacob,

It appears you did not search for the Gnucash directory correctly.  If 
you want to use the find command, try:

find -s $HOME/Library/Application\ Support  -maxdepth 1 -iname '*gnu*'

but you could just a easily confirm the directory's existence by issuing:

ls -d ~/Library/Application\ Support/Gnucash

or you could use the Finder app.


The trace file you provided indicates the directory exists and there 
appears to be a problem in the metadata file.  Reinstalling will not 
correct the metafile.


Regards,

Sherlock


On 9/1/25 4:02 PM, Jacob Wegelin wrote:
> I do not find that directory.  I do not find GnuCash under /Library, nor 
> do I find it under $HOME/Library:
> 
>> date
> Mon Sep  1 15:42:33 PDT 2025
>> find -s /Library/Application\ Support/ -maxdepth 1
> /Library/Application Support/
> /Library/Application Support/App Store
> /Library/Application Support/Apple
> /Library/Application Support/BTServer
> /Library/Application Support/Carbonite
> /Library/Application Support/com.apple.backgroundassets.user
> /Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd
> /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC
> /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TVIdleScreen
> /Library/Application Support/CrashReporter
> /Library/Application Support/GarageBand
> /Library/Application Support/iLifeMediaBrowser
> /Library/Application Support/livefsd
> /Library/Application Support/Logic
> /Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes
> /Library/Application Support/Mozilla
> /Library/Application Support/ProApps
> /Library/Application Support/Script Editor
>>
>> find -s $HOME/Library -maxdepth 1 -iname '*gnu*'
>>
> 
> And in case it is elsewhere under /Library:
> 
>> find -s /Library/ -iname '*gnuc*'
> find: /Library/Application Support/Apple/AssetCache/Data: Permission denied
> find: /Library/Application Support/Apple/ParentalControls/Users: 
> Permission denied
> find: /Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Settings/1: 
> Permission denied
> find: /Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/MBAM/Settings/501: 
> Permission denied
> find: /Library/Caches/com.apple.amsengagementd.classicdatavault: 
> Operation not permitted
> find: /Library/Caches/com.apple.aned: Operation not permitted
> find: /Library/Caches/com.apple.aneuserd: Operation not permitted
> find: /Library/Caches/com.apple.iconservices.store: Permission denied
> /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ 
> LLDB.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Clang/include/__stdarg___gnuc_va_list.h
> /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/lib/clang/17/include/ 
> __stdarg___gnuc_va_list.h
> /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/lib/tapi/17/include/ 
> __stdarg___gnuc_va_list.h
>>
> 
> I installed GnuCash on this brand-new computer in January 2025. I tried
> to use homebrew for this; could that have changed the directory?  But 
> "brew" objected:
> 
> Error: It seems there is already an App at '/Applications/Gnucash.app'.
> 
> At that point in the process, I found the file, and a popup stated:
> 
> Chrome downloaded this file on January 25, 2025. Apple checked it for 
> malicious software and none was detected.
> 
> At any rate, I do not find the stated directory under /Library.  Is 
> there a further step I can take to try to fix this?
> 
> Am I correct that deleting /Applications/Gnucash.app and reinstalling is 
> not the way to go?
> 
> Thank you for any insight.
> 
> Jacob Wegelin
> 
> On 2025-08-15 Fri 14:33, R Losey wrote:
>> No, it IS blank on my macOS. That's why he gave you the path to it (~/ 
>> Library/Application\ Support/GnuCash). Rename the
>> directory, and then try launching GnuCash.
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 15, 2025 at 4:27 PM Jacob Wegelin 
>> <jacobwegelin at fastmail.fm> wrote:
>>       When I do
>>
>>       > echo $GNC_CONFIG_HOME
>>
>>       I get a blank. Is this not supposed to be a system variable in 
>> macos on
>>       the command line?
>>
>>       On 2025-08-11 Mon 13:12, Sherlock wrote:
>>       > Jacob,
>>       >
>>       > I suspect there may be a configuration issue.
>>       >
>>       > A quick check is to rename the GNC_CONFIG_HOME directory and 
>> the try
>>       > launching GnuCash:
>>       >
>>       > mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/Gnucash ~/Library/Application\
>>       > Support/Gnucash.sav
>>       >
>>       >
>>       > If GnuCash able to launch successfully, you can try restoring 
>> a backup of the
>>       > GNC_CONFIG_HOME directory saved before you experienced the issue.
>>       >
>>       >
>>       > Regards,
>>       >
>>       > Sherlock
>>       >
>>       >
>>       > On 8/11/25 11:48 AM, Jacob Wegelin wrote:
>>       >> 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
>>       >
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>> -- 
>> _________________________________
>> Richard Losey
>> rlosey at gmail.com
>> Micah 6:8
>>
>>