Schema

[David Merrill]

On Wed, Dec 13, 2000 at 06:42:04AM +1000, Phillip J Shelton wrote:
> David Merrill wrote:
> 
> > I'm beginning to work on the database schema for an eventual SQL back
> > end. I am keeping my notes in an ASCII file, which will always be
> > available at http://www.lupercalia.net/schema.txt
> 
> some comments and suggestions.
> 
> > SPLIT
> > -----
> > account_guid                    char    32      ->account.account_guid
> > transaction_guid                char    21
> > ->transaction.transaction_guid
> >                                         ^
> >                                         Aren't GUIDs 32 bytes?
> 
> Um, could you explain GUIDs? I am lost.

Globally Unique ID, also known as UUID or Universal Unique ID. It is a
32 byte value usually calculated using the machine's MAC address and
the time, plus some random stuff, plus more stuff I don't understand.
It is guaranteed to be unique.

The specification on UUIDs is available from The Open Group at
http://www.opennc.org/onlinepubs/9629399/apdxa.htm

> > split_guid                      char    32
> > action                                          ???
> > memo                            varchar         any notes the user
> > enters
> > reconciled                      char    1       Y/N
> > damount                         money           does this mean debit
> > amount?
> 
> It is the smallest amount that this account can change by.  GnuCash is
> now using a variation on rational numbers which have a numerator, the
> value, and a denominator, the damont.

So 'd' stands for denominator. Okay, thanks.

But then why is it in the SPLIT table?

> 
> > value                           money           ???
> > date_reconciled.tv_sec                          ???
> > date_reconciled.tv_nsec                         ???
> > balance                         money           ??? balance when, of
> > what?
> > cleared_balance                 money           "
> > reconciled_balance              money           "
> > share_balance                   money           "
> > share_cleared_balance           money           "
> > share_reconciled_balance        money           "
> 
> Are not these balance's more correctly part of the account?

Good question. I copied this structure from the C code, which may not
have the same logic as the db when it comes to running totals. I
*think* these values are here because running totals were being kept
right with the transaction/split. Can someone say right/wrong//what-an-idiot
on this?

Also regarding running totals, how many actual balances are kept in
this fashion? The official balance, obviously, but also cleared?
reconciled?

> > kvp_data                                        ???
> >
> >
> >
> > TRANSACTION
> > -----------
> > transaction_guid                char    32
> > transaction_date                date            date of event
> 
> These need a note field as well.
> 
> A transaction is the unit that is entered in the ledger, and the splits
> are for which accounts are affected by the transaction.  Others will
> have a better explanation I am sure.

So the note field is equivalent to "memo" in your register? There is
already a memo field in the SPLIT table. Isn't it redundant to have it
here?


-- 
Dr. David C. Merrill                     http://www.lupercalia.net
Linux Documentation Project                dmerrill@lupercalia.net
Collection Editor & Coordinator            http://www.linuxdoc.org
                                       Finger me for my public key

Androphobia:
	Fear of men.