Generic Import API

[Christian Stimming]

Benoit Grégoire schrieb:
 >>1. From what I can see of the OFX and HBCI code, the transactions 
initially
 >>created are never balanced; that is, they have only one split, and 
the GUI
 >>always prompts the user to select the 2nd account for the 2nd split.  Is
 >>that what really happens?  I have access to neither type of service 
to test
 >>my understanding.
 >
 > This is what USUALLY happens, but not always. Some transactions are 
added
 > already balanced.  The GUI will only ask the user for a destination 
split if
 > the transaction isn't balanced when it is passed to the importer.

The point here is: some importing methods can already determine "both"
splits in a transaction, for example when a QIF file with a book from
another accounting program is imported. Other importing methods can only
determine "one side" of the transaction, e.g. a downloaded bank
statement for one specific checking account. The importer needs to deal
and is able to deal with both situations. So yes, the transactions 
initially created are usually not balanced, but from some importers 
occasionally they might be balanced.

As for testing an existing importer: If you install Benoit's libofx, you 
will find some sample OFX files in its package which you can simply 
select for import. This way you can try the existing importer.

Christian