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 < > [email protected]> 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 > <[email protected]> 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, [email protected] wrote: >> Send gnucash-user mailing list submissions to >> [email protected] >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> [email protected] >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> [email protected] >> >> 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<[email protected]> >> To:[email protected] <mailto:to%[email protected] >> Subject: [GNC] No longer able to access my accounting software >> Message-ID:<[email protected] >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >> >> Jun 11, 2025 05:01:46 Vik Sha via > gnucash-user<[email protected]>: >> >>> 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<[email protected]> >> To: 83281<[email protected]> >> Cc:[email protected] <mailto:cc%[email protected] >> Subject: Re: [GNC] Suggestion to Accept Bitcoin/Lightning/Monero >> Donations >> Message-ID: >> > <cadygsbm5fwek+1vpwti_xaffvz+mgfoays9cr8rmj4qbck5...@mail.gmail.com > <mailto: cadygsbm5fwek%2b1vpwti_xaffvz%[email protected]>> >>> 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 < >>> [email protected]> 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 >>>> [email protected] >>>> 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 >> [email protected] >> _______________________________________________ >> gnucash-user mailing list >> [email protected] >> 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 >> [email protected] >> Micah 6:8 -- There is no possibility of social justice on a dead planet except the equality of the grave. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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.
