Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[Geert Janssens]

Op zondag 29 september 2019 13:11:30 CEST schreef mark101:
> Hi Geert
> 
> Since my last post, and after scouring the forums, I've had some success.
> 
> I found that the following syntax worked in relocating my user data/config
> files to: C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming\GnuCash\GnuCash
> GNC_DATA_HOME={Appdata}/Gnucash/GnuCash
> GNC_CONFIG_HOME={Appdata}/Gnucash/GnuCash
> Here's the enviroment.local file   environment.local
> 
> 
> 
> I also found that this syntax worked in relocating my user data/config files
> to: C:\Users\Mark\OneDrive\Documents\Gnucash_data\GnuCash
> GNC_DATA_HOME=C:/Users/Mark/OneDrive/Documents/Gnucash_data/GnuCash
> GNC_CONFIG_HOME=C:/Users/Mark/OneDrive/Documents/Gnucash_data/GnuCash
> Here's the enviroment.local fileenvironment.local
> 
> 
> 
> Whilst the syntax worked, do you have any suggestions on how this syntax may
> be simplified/improved or references/links to help my understanding of it?
> 
Hi Mark,

I'm glad it worked.

I'm not sure what you mean by "how this syntax may be simplified/improved".

As for references, the file format is based on GLib's Key File format
https://developer.gnome.org/glib/stable/glib-Key-value-file-parser.html#glib-Key-value-file-parser.description

It's simplified in that it won't use translated strings and GnuCash will 
currently only interpret values in a "Variables" section.

Other than that, as the variables should be able to depend on system 
environment variables, we have added a simple syntax extension to include the 
names for system environment variables. Any bit of text enclosed in { and }
is interpreted as a system environment variable and will be expanded to the 
value of that variable. On Windows there's the variable APPDATA (or appdata is 
it's case insensitive). This variable is set by default by the system, and on 
your system with user Mark will be set to
C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming

Other variables could be used in the same way as well if they exist and make 
sense. You'll find examples in the environment file itself, including a short 
intro on what this file does and how to use it.

Note also that file paths on Windows can use either \ or / as path separator.
So as far as Windows is concerned
C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming\GnuCash\GnuCash
and
C:/Users/Mark/AppData/Roaming/GnuCash/GnuCash
are the same directory.

And you can use either format in the environment file as well with one 
important caveat: \ acts as escape character for the key file parser. So if 
you want to use \ as path separator, you'll need to use its escaped form \\. 
That is explained in the link I have pasted above as well.
So in the environment file these two are equivalent and both refer to 
C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming\GnuCash\GnuCash

* GNC_DATA_HOME={Appdata}\\Gnucash\\GnuCash
* GNC_DATA_HOME={Appdata}/Gnucash/GnuCash

Hope that helps,

Geert


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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[mark101]

Hi Geert

Since my last post, and after scouring the forums, I've had some success.

I found that the following syntax worked in relocating my user data/config
files to: C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming\GnuCash\GnuCash
GNC_DATA_HOME={Appdata}/Gnucash/GnuCash
GNC_CONFIG_HOME={Appdata}/Gnucash/GnuCash
Here's the enviroment.local file   environment.local
  


I also found that this syntax worked in relocating my user data/config files
to: C:\Users\Mark\OneDrive\Documents\Gnucash_data\GnuCash
GNC_DATA_HOME=C:/Users/Mark/OneDrive/Documents/Gnucash_data/GnuCash
GNC_CONFIG_HOME=C:/Users/Mark/OneDrive/Documents/Gnucash_data/GnuCash
Here's the enviroment.local fileenvironment.local
  


Whilst the syntax worked, do you have any suggestions on how this syntax may
be simplified/improved or references/links to help my understanding of it?

Thanks 

Mark




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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[mark101]

Hi Geert

Following your post I did the following:
- Firstly, I created the following directory in my Windows system to
simplify the re-location path: C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Roaming\GnuCash\GnuCash
- I then edited my 'enviroment.local' file, using both GNC_DATA_HOME and
GNC_CONFIG_HOME as you advised, and had a number of attempts using different
syntax.
- Unfortunately, none were successful.

Here is my enviroment.local file.  environment.local
  
As you'll see:
1) I've retained each failed each attempt within the file by hashing each
out.
2) I've taken a 'dart-board' approach with my syntax attempts with no real
understanding of what it should be! Hope you get a chuckle out of it! 

Regards

Mark




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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[Stan Brown]

On 2019-09-27 21:14, Adrien Monteleone wrote:
> If all you want to do is move your data file, just move it. And since
> you are on Windows, you get the luxury (I’m pretty sure) of just
> double-clicking the data file once from the new location to open it
> and then GnuCash will look for it in this new location from there on
> out.
You're 100% correct, Adrien. I'm on Windows and do this regularly.

It's also possible in Windows to "pin " a data file to the start menu,
so that you don't even have to navigate to it to double-click it. That
is what I do, because I have three data files (2001-2010, 2010-2017,
2018-present).

However, if the OP has only one data file, there's no reason to pin it.
He can just close GC, move the data file as you suggested, then
double-click it. GC remembers the most-recently-used file in its new
location, so next time he opens GC it will automatically open the file
for him.

-- 
Regards,
Stan Brown
Tompkins County, New York, USA
https://BrownMath.com
http://OakRoadSystems.com
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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[Geert Janssens]

It would require to set both environment variables:
GNC_DATA_HOME
GNC_CONFIG_HOME

On Windows they happen to point at the same directory but it's two different 
locations what GnuCash is concerned.

Can you post the environment.local file you tried to achieve this with ?

Regards,

Geert

Op zaterdag 28 september 2019 10:10:17 CEST schreef Adrien Monteleone:
> Understood, and thanks for the clarification.
> 
> I could be misreading the wiki.
> 
> Perhaps someone more familiar with the environment variables specifically on
> Windows could chime in.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Adrien
> 
> > On Sep 27, 2019 w39d270, at 11:46 PM, mark101
> >  wrote:
> > 
> > Thanks Adrien for your reply.
> > 
> > Yes, in Windows, the financial data file (e.g johndoe.gnucash) is easily
> > saved in the location of choice.
> > 
> > What I want to work out is how to relocate (migrate) the user data files
> > (particularly the 'saved-reports' file), which in my Windows 10, are in
> > their default directory: '(%APPDATA%)\GnuCash'.
> > 
> > My basic understanding of the documentation is that relocation is
> > achievable in GnuCash V3.x  by creating an 'enviroment.local' file and
> > writing a GNC_DATA_HOME environmetal variable entry with the appropriate
> > syntax. I haven’t, as yet, been successful in working out this syntax.
> > 
> > My terminology is likely inaccurate, so I do appreciate your patience.
> > 
> > Mark
> 
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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[Adrien Monteleone]

Understood, and thanks for the clarification.

I could be misreading the wiki.

Perhaps someone more familiar with the environment variables specifically on 
Windows could chime in.


Regards,
Adrien

> On Sep 27, 2019 w39d270, at 11:46 PM, mark101  
> wrote:
> 
> Thanks Adrien for your reply.
> 
> Yes, in Windows, the financial data file (e.g johndoe.gnucash) is easily
> saved in the location of choice.
> 
> What I want to work out is how to relocate (migrate) the user data files
> (particularly the 'saved-reports' file), which in my Windows 10, are in
> their default directory: '(%APPDATA%)\GnuCash'.
> 
> My basic understanding of the documentation is that relocation is achievable
> in GnuCash V3.x  by creating an 'enviroment.local' file and writing a
> GNC_DATA_HOME environmetal variable entry with the appropriate syntax. I
> haven’t, as yet, been successful in working out this syntax.
> 
> My terminology is likely inaccurate, so I do appreciate your patience.
> 
> Mark

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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[mark101]

Thanks Adrien for your reply.

Yes, in Windows, the financial data file (e.g johndoe.gnucash) is easily
saved in the location of choice.

What I want to work out is how to relocate (migrate) the user data files
(particularly the 'saved-reports' file), which in my Windows 10, are in
their default directory: '(%APPDATA%)\GnuCash'.

My basic understanding of the documentation is that relocation is achievable
in GnuCash V3.x  by creating an 'enviroment.local' file and writing a
GNC_DATA_HOME environmetal variable entry with the appropriate syntax. I
haven’t, as yet, been successful in working out this syntax.

My terminology is likely inaccurate, so I do appreciate your patience.

Mark



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Re: [GNC] Relocating user specific application data to another directory

[Adrien Monteleone]

To be clear, that variable is not for your accounting books, (user data files) 
that is for things like user prefs, CSS or .ini based UI customizations and 
saved report configurations.

If all you want to do is move your data file, just move it. And since you are 
on Windows, you get the luxury (I’m pretty sure) of just double-clicking the 
data file once from the new location to open it and then GnuCash will look for 
it in this new location from there on out.

In a worst, case, you’ll need to do a File > Open and navigate to the new 
location, though, I’m also pretty sure that a File > Save As (and then delete 
the old copy) would probably accomplish the same.

If however, you are truly intending to migrate your config stuff to some other 
location than the default, that *might* involve messing with environment 
variables.

That would be GNC_CONFIG_HOME in that case, if I understand the wiki correctly.

Regards,
Adrien

> On Sep 27, 2019 w39d270, at 7:20 PM, mark101  
> wrote:
> 
> Hi
> 
> For easier backup, I wish to relocate my user specific application data in
> the default directory to another directory on my PC. My operating system is
> Windows 10 and I’m using Gnucash v3.7.
> 
> Documentation suggests this can be achieved by creating an
> 'environment.local' file in the same location as the 'environment' file, and
> adding to it, the GNC_DATA_HOME variable to override the default location.
> 
> Could someone show how the syntax should look in the environment.local file,
> if I want to relocate to the data, to say
> "C:\Users\Mark\OneDrive\Documents\Gnucash_data\GnuCash". I’ve had a number
> of goes at the syntax but to no avail… it keeps using the default directory. 
> 
> For those interested, as well as the text in the environment.local file,
> here are the wiki links which have helped so far:
> 
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Configuration_Diagrams_-_Windows
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Configuration_Locations
> 
> Many thanks and please excuse my ignorance as I’m new to GnuCash.
> 
> Mark

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