File

The data file of GnuCash has two issues that are being asked again and again:

Where is the gnucash file?

The file name is what you first enter as file name. Just this. No prefix, no suffix, just the name. If you enter "/home/myself/foobar" in the "Save as..." dialog window, the file will be written into "/home/myself/foobar" and nothing else. See also FAQ#Q:_Where_is_my_.XML_data_file?

• However, in addition to the original "foobar" file, GnuCash will also save backup files and log files. The additional backup files will be saved as "foobar.<TIMESTAMP>.xac", the log files will be saved as "foobar.<TIMESTAMP>.log". Those files can be deleted regularly if you don't need any further backup. See also FAQ#Q:_What_are_all_these_.xac_and_.log_files_filling_up_my_directory?

How can I edit the file?

The file itself is XML data but in gzip'd form (provided the corresponding setting in Edit->Preferences is activated, which is the default). In order to have a look at your data by a text editor, you need to open a terminal window (console window) and enter the following commands:

mv foobar foobar.gz
gunzip foobar

Then you can open the file "foobar" in a text editor.

If you intend to make some manual changes, make sure to have a backup of your original file somewhere in case you get something wrong.

Once you have edited and saved the file, you don't have to gzip it yourself; GnuCash will do this upon the next save.