python GnuCash interface to SQL backend

[Sébastien de Menten]

On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 3:33 AM, Derek Atkins <warlord at mit.edu> wrote:

> John Ralls <jralls at ceridwen.us> writes:
>
> > What’s your goal here? I don’t think that reimplementing GnuCash in
> > Python with GnuCash’s SQL schema is a particularly good approach: It’s
> > not exactly the most efficient design. Rather, it’s designed to mirror
> > the XML schema. You’ll have a better design if you relegate GnuCash
> > SQL to import/export.
>
> I agree wholeheartedly.  Don't do it this way.  Use the GnuCash Python
> bindings.  If you don't like the current structure of them, then fix
> that.  This way your apps will always work because the bindings will
> stay in lockstep with any changes that get made.
>
> Hello Derek,

The GnuCash python bindings are C/SWIG based. This causes some issues on
windows, and requires deep knowledge of C, SWIG and the GnuCash C api to
contribute to.

The piecash python bindings are a pure python package ("pip install
piecash" and you're up and running) and works on the SQL tables through the
SQL Alchemy library. It is only 500 SLOC today (and may grow in the future
but not by an order of magnitude). As it is short and in python, it is
rather easy to contribute/hack/extend.