Announcing GnuCash Android v1.4.0-beta1

[Ngewi Fet]

Hi David,


> However, if I understand correctly, your app does not retain the full data
> file when it imports. I base this on the issue regarding reconcile status
> and notes. It seems to me that you should be VERY clear to everyone that
> your app doesn’t preserve the data file’s integrity, so that users don’t
> assume they can load their data file onto their Android device, add or
> modify data in the file, and then use the data file on their desktop
> machines.
>

You are correct about this and I will make sure to warn users that this is
not the same as synchronization.

The Android app doesn't output GnuCash XML files (yet), it only imports
them. The idea behind this, (together with the new "opening balances"
preservation feature) allows users to be able to have an idea of their
total finances on the mobile device while continuing to use the companion
Android app to track expenses. The import doesn't modify the source file in
any way either, so the file's integrity is preserved (not so much the data
which is imported).


>
> BTW, I think not retaining reconcile status would be a pretty serious
> shortcoming for using the data on an Android device. As for importing
> subsets of the main datafile, I think any such solution needs to allow a
> mergeback feature such that the user who wants to sync up with their
> desktop data file can do so without data corruption or loss. It should be
> possible to round trip the data to/from the Android environment, I think.
>

My reasoning for leaving out reconciliation status was the following, that
the only way to get data back into the GnuCash XML was through QIF/OFX
(which as far as I know doesn't support reconcile status), so that
information is lost anyway. The Android app doesn't do anything with it
either, and you can't reconcile transactions in the Android app. So I
didn't see the point in keeping it (for now).

There is also no mergeback feature because GnuCash desktop doesn't like
others touching its XML files without going through API (which the Android
app doesn't support yet). Maybe the other way around will be more feasible,
allowing GnuCash desktop to modify the files of GnuCash Android, but we're
not there yet.


> I am pleased to hear that you have moved the development along, but I hope
> you will warn users of these limitations going forward.
>

I will do my best.

Thanks.
Ngewi


>
> David
>
> On Jul 26, 2014, at 10:53 PM, Ngewi Fet <ngewif at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >>
> >>
> >> It looks like this might be nice for tablets with large screens. :)
> >>
> >
> > I agree. :)
> >
> >
> >>
> >> Is there any not-too-difficult way to import a tiny subset of a data
> >> file - say for cash transactions only that would not kill a small screen
> >> smartphone?  perhaps a few asset and liability accounts and "only"
> >> thirty or forty recent transactions?
> >>
> >>
> > No there is isn't any way to do that. And I hadn't thought of that
> before.
> > But now that you mention it, it might be nice to have some feature to
> > select a date range.
> >
> > But first let me nail down the import process and its quirks. Then those
> > other nice-to-haves will follow eventually.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Ngewi
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>
>