mini-ANNOUNCE: auto gain/loss scrubbing implemented

[Linas Vepstas]

Hi,

I've unleashed automated 'lot scrubbing' aka automated determination
of realized gains/losses in the experimental CVS branch.   

How this works:
-- search for 'trading accounts': these are accounts that have transactions
   between different currencies/commodities.

-- automaitcally assign splits to 'lots'.  A lot is opened by putting 
   a split into it. All subsequent splits added to it must decrease
   its 'amount' balance to zero.  When a lot hits zero balance, it is 
   'closed'.  (see src/doc/lots.txt)

-- The value of the splits in a closed lot is totalled up.  This total
   value is the 'realized gain/loss'.   If its not zero, a transaction is
   added: one split goes into the lot, making its value zero, the other split
   goes into a new 'realized gain/loss' account.   This implements the
   'double balance' requirement discussed on this mailing list last
   summer.

It sure would be nice to be able to view & edit lots from a GUI, but
there is no GUI at this time.  The 'lot scrubber' implements a FIFO 
accounting policy: oldest asset purchases are matched to oldest asset
sales.  It could be nice to have other accounting policies.

I promise to think about the GUI. 

N.B. this clears the way for accounting periods, which were mostly 
implemented except that they couldn't handle stocks correctly.  Well,
now we have the mechanism for that.  I'll see if I can fix that soon.

Note also: accounting periods don't have a GUI, either.
   
--linas

p.s. the way to disable this is to comment out 'lot scrub' from the
file below.


----- Forwarded message from Linas Vepstas <linas at linas.org> -----

Date:	Sunday April 6, 2003 @ 1:33
Author:	linas

Update of /home/cvs/cvsroot/gnucash/src/gnome
In directory www.linas.org:/tmp/cvs-serv13677

Modified Files:
	window-acct-tree.c 
Log Message:
enable lot scrubbing for good!  

----- End forwarded message -----

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pub  1024D/01045933 2001-02-01 Linas Vepstas (Labas!) <linas at linas.org>
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