Initial Draft application for Python Scripting Engine

[Christian Stimming]

Dear Rahul,

the application is fine for the start, but the actual goal of your project is 
still not completely clear. You say you want to "enable developers to write 
scripts for various financial reports" - but this is a very blurry requirement 
wording. Can you instead think of some goals which are more user-visible? 
Something along the lines of "Currently, a user cannot do xy, but with my 
brand new shiny python engine I can and will implement xy so that the user 
feature xy is available after the project"? Preferrably, this should be some 
feature that you would like to use for yourself as well, because in that case 
there is a high probability that it works out nicely.

Also, your sentence "Initial step would be to add the code to read and process 
the control file" is  unclear, because currently there is no "control file" in 
gnucash. Also, you say you want to write "scripts for various financial 
reports", but can you be more specific here? Otherwise the project suffers 
from not having a clear goal.

Regards,

Christian



Am Dienstag, 29. März 2011 schrieb Rahul Gaur:
> Dear Christian,
>     I've added my initial draft application for GSoC project hereby.
> Please take a look and advice for corrections.
> 
> *Basic Information*
> 
> Student name:Rahul Gaur
> 
> Location: Meerut City , UP ,India,
> 
> Home Town :New Delhi ,India
> 
>  Email:rahul.nbg at gmail.com
> 
> Instant messaging contact details (Skype or similar):iamaregee/iamaregee2
> on IRC (irc.ubuntu.com)
> 
> 
> 
>  *Background/Programming Information:*
> 
> I've experience of building GNU cash from source via SVN on a linux
> system.A few years ago,I learned C++ and Java as a part of my School
> curriculum.While this is my first year in college ,Now I am pursuing
> Bachelors in Engineering and my Major is in Computer Science.So I am
> learning C and Python here in College.By the time GsoC 2011 starts ,I will
> be done with my end semester exams and equiped with skills to work full
> time on coding,so I wan't to do some good project in order to strengthen
> my foundations in understanding of Sofware Systems.
> 
> 
> 
>  *What project in GnuCash would you like to work on?*
> 
> I would Like to work on Python reporting and Scripting engine for Gnu cash
> over my summer vacations.
> 
>  *What will be the result of your project :*
> 
> Upon the successful development of the scripting engine ,it will enable
> developers to write scripts for various financial reports plus will be
> bringing in wider contributions to the development as python being a more
> popular language and highly customizable one too.
> 
> 
> 
>  *How do you propose to solve the problem(s) posed in the project you'd
> like to work on?*
> 
> *Project Schedule : *
> 
> While I plan to follow the description given in the idea of the
> proposal.I've already familiarised my self with the working of GNU cash (v
> 2.4.4 SVNr20419).I took a brief idea of sample python scripts.As I've
> already stated , I've my University exams from 8th to 30th of May ,so
> during this period I will be in touch with the GNUCash community through
> emails.During the time before exams ,I hope to :
> 
>    -
> 
>    Get to know the mentor and other community members.
>    -
> 
>    Going through Devloper Docs.
>    -
> 
>    Understand working of the reporting engine.
>    -
> 
>    Brainstorm plans with the community.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  After I am Done with my exams , I plan to Procede as follows :
> 
> *Program time-line :*
> 
>    -
> 
>    To create a more accurate programing timetable
>    -
> 
>    Initial step would be to add the code to read and process the control
>    file.Then I will adapt the current codes written in C to work with
> python engine.Working on API for C and python.
>    -
> 
>    Writing scripts for various financial reports.
>    -
> 
>    Updating community of my progress weekly via blog updates.
>    -
> 
>    Start with testing and improving throughput of the code before midterm
>    evaluations (ie: july 15th ).
>    -
> 
>    Start pulling together the documentation and coding.
>    -
> 
>    While in testing phase , I will also finish writing documentations
>    aswell.