multi-currency transactions (was: problem with entering a stock transaction)

Derek Atkins warlord@MIT.EDU
05 Jan 2003 22:58:03 -0500


Christian Stimming <stimming@tuhh.de> writes:

> Err.. (browse browse) you are referring to this example:

yes

> > As per bug 102161, open the account as suggested, and also open the
> > jump account to wait the other side.  Make sure you're in expanded
> > mode (as suggested in the bug report), 'touch' the amount field (edit
> > it -- delete the '10' and then re-insert '10'), bring up the exchange
> > dialog, change the to-amount to '7', click ok, then "enter" the
> > transaction.
> 
> Yes, this is _exactly_ the behaviour I was looking for. At least when 
> specifying a "to-amount" in the exchange rate dialog.

Ok.  What about when you DO NOT specify the to-amount?  Note as far as
the exchange dialog is concerned there is no difference at all... And
right now there is nothing that tells the register whether you are
entering data via the to-amount or the price.  Worse, it would mean
that I would need to store yet another flag somewhere to remember the
user's choice.

> In a split in the stock/currency-account register, you see both the 
> split->amount *and* the split->value and the exchange rate. I was wondering 
> whether it is possible to design an "edit exchange rate" dialog with the same 

Well, we _could_ just add two extra columns to all the registers... ;)

Right now the "edit exchange rate" and "transfer dialog" are exactly
the same.  The only difference is that when used to edit exchange
rates much of the information is blacked out.  The reason is that I do
NOT want to have multiple ways to enter data.  For example, there is
not an easy way to feed an "amount" back into the register.

> editing options. Otherwise I totally agree -- it is not clear what the user 
> wants to change.

I suppose we could pop up a dialog similar to what is done in the
stock/currency accounts and ask the user?  I'd really rather not have
to create yet another hidden column to store the price/to-amount flag.

> I agree. The way the basic-cell view works is as expected. However, I'd be 
> even more happy if the from-amount (i.e. split->amount) can be changed in the 
> same "edit exchange rate" dialog as well.

You CAN change the from-amount -- but you have to change it from the
register.  As I said earlier, feeding changes back into the register
is a PitA.  The Edit Exchange Rate dialog is meant to do just that --
edit the exchange rate.  If the fact that it looks like the transfer
dialog is making you think that it can/should do more, I can go create
a new dialog with a much more limited UI.  I was hoping to be able to
re-use the UI and code, but I will happily change that if you are too
confused.

>   Again, the behaviour I'm looking 
> for is just a mirror of the stock/currency-account register, where I can edit 
> all amount/price/value in the same window/dialog and I get asked which one of 
> the three should be recalculated based on the other two.

If this is what you want then we should just bite the bullet and put
shares and price columns in all registers.  Otherwise you really need
some amount of compromise.

> > If you ALWAYS want the "former" behavior, regardless of view, then I
> > can do that.  As I said, you can see the behavior from the test I
> > suggested.  If that is the behavior you want, I can do that.  You have
> > yet to answer that, or even explain what kind of behavior you want to
> > see (other than trying to limit the functionality).
> 
> I would want this "former" behaviour, or in other word: From how 
> multi-currency stuff worked in 1.6.x, I'd expect this former behaviour, 
> regardless of view. 

Ok.  If that is what you want then I can do that.  I am not convinced
it is the right behavior, but I certainly don't claim to be
all-knowing.

Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to get to this before Chris'
1.7.7 cutoff, but I'll try to make this change ASAP.

> Christian

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
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