Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install Buddi?
See the Quickstart: Installation page for instructions on how to install Buddi.
Will Buddi run on my Operating System?
Probably yes. If you have a modern operating system with a copy of Sun's Java Virtual Machine (version 1.5 or higher), it should work fine. This includes most recent versions of Windows, Macintosh OS X 10.4, most Linux distributions, Solaris, and possibly more. Please consult the help files for your given operating system if you are unsure whether it supports Java 1.5 or not.
Will Buddi work on OS X 10.3 or earlier versions?
Unfortunately not. Apple has decided not to release Java 1.5 for versions of OS X previous to Tiger. I have looked into backporting Buddi, but because of some of the advanced features of Java 1.5 that I use, such as the encryption routines, I cannot run it on previous versions of Java.
How do I launch the program?
That depends on what operating system you are running. If you are in Windows, simply double click on the Buddi.jar file. If you are on a Macintosh, double click on the Buddi application bundle. If you are on Linux or some other platform where the association of .jar to the Java VM has not been set up, type 'java -jar Buddi.jar' on the command line.
How do I uninstall Buddi?
On Windows, Buddi now uses a real installer. An Uninstall hook is added to the 'Add / Remove Programs' window, which you can use to uninstall. Note that you should remove Buddi using this method before upgrading, if you are using the installer.
Since I don't use an installer for most non-Windows distributions, and I do not write anything to the registry, you don't need an uninstaller program. To uninstall, you can simply remove the Buddi executable (either .exe, .jar, or .app depending on your operating system).
The only files which Buddi writes to the hard drive are your data files (Data.*.buddi), and the Preferences file (prefs.xml). You chose the location of the data files; the preferences file is located differently depending on your operating system. If you are running on Windows, it will be in C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\Buddi. If you are running on a Mac, it will be in /Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/Buddi. If you are on a different operating system, it will be under ~/.buddi. Regardless of where it is, you can remove the entire Buddi / .buddi folder if you desire.
On Debian, you can use the command 'apt-get remove buddi' to remove it.
If you choose to not use Buddi after trying it for a while, I would like to know why. Please drop me an email, or leave a post on the forums, so that I can improve Buddi for future users.
Can I encrypt my data?
When you first save your data file, Buddi will prompt you if you want to encrypt the data or not. If you click Yes, Buddi will prompt for a password to use.
When using encryption, MAKE SURE you don't forget your password. You CANNOT read your data file without it.
I forgot my password! What can I do now?
Try very hard to remember it. Other than that, there is nothing you can do. There are no back doors on the encryption system.
But I had 2 years worth of data in there! Are you sure I can't get in?!?
Yes, I am sure. If you are prone to forget passwords, it may be best to not encrypt the data file.
How can I make an account accumulate money over multiple months?
This can be accomplished via Prepaid Accounts, implemented via a Credit account. Please see Prepaid Accounts for details.
Can I use Buddi for commercial activities?
Sure thing! Buddi is released under the GNU General Public License, which is completely compatible with being used in businesses. Of course, if you do make money from using Buddi, I would hope that you strongly consider sending me a donation.
Why doesn't Buddi do X? I want it to do X!
Drop me an email, and I will see what I can do. Many features currently in Buddi originated from requests from people who tried it, and wanted a little bit more.
That being said, I am quite busy with other things in my life (family, job, etc), and cannot guarantee that all suggestions will be implemented. If you really want something done, and I am taking too long you can try bribing me with a donation, and I will see about putting some more effort into it. 8-) Even better, you can do it yourself and send me a patch.
Of course, I will not implement features that distract from the main purpose of the program - to provide a simple budgeting program for non-accountants. If you want something that is geared more towards professional accountants, try something like GNUCash.
Why are the plugins not translated into my language?
First, plugins do not necesarily follow the same translation standards as Buddi does. If the plugin developer decided to hard code all text to English, there is no way to translate this.
However, if the developer used the translation framework in Buddi, you can translate a plugin in a similar way that you translate Buddi itself. Just add a file Language.lang (where Language is your desired language), with the correct translated strings, into the root of the .jar file. When the plugin is loaded, Buddi will look for the language file here, and load any that it finds.
Unfortunately, due to the modular nature of plugins, I have not created a user interface to aid in translation, as I have with Buddi itself (and have no plans to do so in the near future). If you are unsure of how to translate a plugin, please feel free to contact me with the plugin you wish to translate, and I can give you more in-depth instructions.
How do I interpret your version numbers?
I use a versioning scheme with four numbers, in the form X.Y.F.B, where X is the major release, Y is the minor version, F is the Feature number, and B is the bugfix number. Even minor versions (0, 2, 4...) are considered stable, while odd minor numbers are considered development code. The Bugfix number is incremented if the new version only contains bug fixes, without any new features; the Feature number is incremented if there are new features, as well.
For instance the first stable version was 1.0.0.0; the first bugfix for the stable branch was 1.0.0.1. The second feature release for the 2.4 branch is 2.4.2.0, and so forth.
Any particular stable branch will receive no new major features, but will continue to benefit from bugfixes, while the development branch will continue with all the major development. Once the development version is considered complete, it will become the next stable version; for instance, development version 1.1.6.0 became stable version 1.2.0.0.
The terms 'Stable' and 'Development' may be misleading - any version which I release has passed at least rudimentary testing, and I consider it to be pretty good. In fact, I regularly use the development versions for my own finances. However, there may be file format changes, or minor bugs, which are introduced in the development versions, which would not be in the stable version.
If you don't like downloading new versions every few weeks, then use the stable version. If you want to always keep up to date with current features, use the development version.
What about the plugin version numbers?
The official plugins use a similar versioning scheme to Buddi itself, with one exception - the API version is prepended to the plugin version. For instance, NetIncomeOverTime-2.4_1.0.1.0 is the plugin called "Net Income over Time", using API version 2.4, and the version of the plugin is 1.0.1.0. While it does seem a little scary at first, it makes sense once you understand what each part is for.
I think that the default Windows theme is ugly. How can I change the look and feel of Buddi?
By default, I use the native theme for the operating system which Buddi is being run on. You can override this, however, by using the Skin Changer plugin (see Buddi Plugin Downloads page).
Can I put an advertisement on your site?
Yes, you can. I am selling ad space on the Buddi web site, with details on the Advertisements page. Since there is limited space on the site (I will only put two ad blocks per page), and the best pages will go fast, contact me quickly to reserve your spot!
I'm sure that there are many more questions than this that people have; if you're stuck on something, feel free to ask me.