Memo Field Strange behavior

Terry tboldt@attglobal.net
Tue, 5 Sep 2000 14:14:37 -0400


On Mon, 04 Sep 2000, you wrote:
> Terry writes:
> > Another quirk I have noticed - duplicate a transaction and edit the memo
> > field, then record the edited transaction. Close the register window and open
> > the register window for the account on the "other end" of the transation just
> > duplicated and edited. The memo field displays in the original unedited form.
> > Same transaction.  I am using "double line" style in the register window.
> > 
> > Is this correct behavior? It doesn't seem reasonable to have the memo change 
> > one account register window and yet  not change in the register window for th
> > other account?
> 
> This it due to the fact that memo fields are associated with splits,
> not transactions. The memo field displayed in double-line mode is that
> of the split debiting the open account. When you open the 'other end'
> you see the memo field of the other split.
> 
> dave

That seems, at least to me, to be strange behavior, although I am sure that itt
has a very logical explanation.

Is it possible to attach a memo to a transaction at all? I do very few
"splits", but I "comment" on practically all "transactions" in the memo field.
The memo field appears to be part of the transaction and you are saying it
isn't. I would more likely put a memo in the memo field telling me for future
use the purpose of the transaction  In my opinion the memo field is like the
memo line on a check - it explains the reason for the check/transaction. 

If the memo field is associated with the splits and the transaction has no
splits then how can the field be associated with a non-existent split?? Why
display a memo field at all until the user initiates a split? Displaying a memo
field when there is/are no splits seems to associate the field with the
transaction. when I duplicate a transaction with no splits and the memo field
gets changed on one end of the transaction, but not the other end, are the two
ends of the transaction considered "splits". If I remember correctly, that is
not how the documentation seemed to define a "split" (I just looked at the
docs, but couldn't find where "split" is defined or used.)