Base And Gnucash

[Colin Law]

On 3 May 2013 17:21,  <blfs at comcast.net> wrote:
> The most important need would be the ability to run custom SQL queries on the underlying data.
>
>
> I have taken another look at Gnucash as I have not tried to use this program in some time. I cannot tell whether
> this is possible or not.

Since one of the options with Gnucash is to use a MySQL database to
store the data then it is obvious that it is possible to run custom
queries.

Exactly what the query must be to give particular results is not quite
so obvious, but it is possible.

Colin

>
>
> Last time I tried to use this program importing using CSV was not possible I believe so that is a step in the right
> direction.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Buddha Buck" <blaisepascal at gmail.com>
> To: blfs at comcast.net
> Cc: "Derek Atkins" <warlord at mit.edu>, "gnucash-devel at gnucash.org devel" <gnucash-devel at gnucash.org>
> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2013 10:47:48 PM
> Subject: Re: Base And Gnucash
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 11:10 PM, < blfs at comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> Huh????? What??????
>
>
> It is inappropriate for GNUcash to interact with OpenOffice?
>
>
>
>
>
> That is not what Derek said.
>
>
> He said it is inappropriate to discuss replicating GnuCash's functionality here. I'd tend to agree.
> <blockquote>
>
>
> The debate between canned accounting systems and open systems is well known.
>
> </blockquote>
>
>
>
> Not to me it isn't. This is the first I've heard of a debate between canned accounting systems and open systems where OpenOffice is considered an "accounting system" (open, canned, or otherwise).
>
>
> For that matter, I'm not sure what *your* definitions of the terms "canned", "open", and "accounting system" are.
>
> <blockquote>
>
> Is GNUcash designed to be a canned system? What would be the purpose for open source software to
> be a black box?
>
> </blockquote>
>
>
>
> There are plenty, plenty of pieces of open source software which are effectively black boxes to folks not versed in the field. It is possible that, with time, effort, and study, I could come to understand how gcc works, but effectively, it's a black box to me. Same with OpenOffice. It's inner workings are a black box to me. What makes them open source is that I am allowed to open that black box, peer in, figure out how it works (or hire someone to do that for me), and twiddle with it, if I so choose.
>
>
> But there is no way that it is a requirement that different open source software need talk with each other. How does OpenOffice interact with Firefox? Or gcc? Or SuperTuxCart? I bet poorly in all cases.
>
>
> But let me ask you a direct question: What is it that you want to do, using OpenOffice Base, that you can't do using GnuCash? What concrete need is not being fulfilled? "Pretty much worthless to me", and "easily modify the code for their needs" is very vague.
>
> <blockquote>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Derek Atkins" < warlord at MIT.EDU >
>
> To: "John Ralls" < jralls at ceridwen.us >
> Cc: blfs at comcast.net , " gnucash-devel at gnucash.org devel" < gnucash-devel at gnucash.org >
> Sent: Thursday, May 2, 2013 10:20:17 AM
> Subject: Re: Base And Gnucash
>
>
>
> John Ralls < jralls at ceridwen.us > writes:
>
>> On May 1, 2013, at 8:32 PM, blfs at comcast.net wrote:
>>
>> The problem with Gnucash is that it is hard or perhaps practically
>> impossible to modify unless perhaps one is
>> very familiar with the program. THis is at least how it used to be.
>>
>> That hasn't changed. It's also usually true of all complex programs, and
>> Gnucash is complex, perhaps overly so.
>
> I think it depends on what exactly you want/need to change.. Some
> things are easier than others. However I would point out that creating
> something in ANY language as complex as GnuCash would be just as hard to
> make changes if you're not familiar with it! The language you use
> doesn't change that fact.
>
>> This makes it practically impossible to switch from our system to GNUcash.
>> IT was some time ago that I tried to work with this
>> program, but just importing my data was not possible or too difficult.
>
> Not at all. GnuCash has lots of decent importers for various data
> formats, including QIF, OFX/QFX, HBCI, MT940, and CSV. Granted, if you
> cannot create data in those formats then sure, you'll have trouble
> importing into GnuCash.
>
>> The advantages of building a financial program based on Base are obvious.
>
> No, they are not.
>
>> The import issue for example is already solved.
>
> No, it is not. You would still need to write parsers for QIF, OFX,
> HBCI, MT940, etc. Sure, CSV is probably going to be easy for you, but
> none of the others are.
>
> Also, keep in mind that initial import is a one-time operation. It's
> everything else that happens over and over and over. You're prematurely
> optimizing for the wrong thing here.
>
>> Also, it would not be all that difficult to write it. Users could much
>> more easily modify the program and on and on and on. I am not
>> understanding
>> why there is not such a project. Or is there?
>>
>> Whether or not such a project exists or whether or not it would be easy to
>> write has nothing to do with Gnucash, and further discussion on this mailing
>> list is inappropriate.
>
> And you're welcome to go ahead and write it. GnuCash has something on
> the order of 50-100 man-years of effort behind it. Good luck
> replicating, but discussion here is inappropriate. GnuCash isn't going
> to change to your whim, but patches for improvement are always welcome.
>
> Thanks,
>
>> Regards,
>> John Ralls
>
> -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
> warlord at MIT.EDU PGP key available
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>
> </blockquote>
>
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