GnuCash Android v1.6.0 pre-beta

[Ngewi Fet]

Thanks for the comprehensive feedback :D
I made some responses inline below:

On Thu, Apr 30, 2015 at 12:04 AM, Wm <wm+gnc at tarrcity.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Sat, 25 Apr 2015 02:23:06 <
> CAE0QbAWQUk_UyXrTHjJQfS_DbAj-mfw737botPL9Ss7dyhSuAQ at mail.gmail.com> Ngewi
> Fet <ngewif at gmail.com>
>
>>
>> My env is:
> Android-x86-4.4-r2 guest
> VirtualBox 4.3.26
> Win 8.1 host
>
> I can't make sense of the android directory structure in spite of the fact
> that I put it on an ext2 file system that I can mount and have a look at
> under standard Linux
>

The external storage should be somewhere under sdcard/0 or /mnt/sdcard
depending on your device. It may be different for the emulator you use as
well.


Onwards:
>
> I installed the google play version and then the .apk over that but it
> reverted to the google play version.  So I got rid of the google play one
> and installed the apk bare, we (the vm and I) were both happier with that.
>

What do you mean reverted? The install of the new apk did not complete, or
what exactly happens? I'm also very interested in upgrade experiences
especially ones with existing data in the database.


>
>
> Suggestion: before I figured things out it wasn't clear to me whether I
> was using the pre-beta or the google play version.  I missed the equivalent
> of Help / About or similar which I looked for on the menu off to the left
> that has
> Accounts
>   Open
>   ...
> Transactions
>   Scheduled
>   ...
> Settings
>
> Maybe it is somewhere else on an Android and I just don't know where to
> look
>

It is found in the Settings -> About. But we will consider adding it to the
navigation drawer menu in the next version.


>
> Similarly I don't know which file I am working with on android, in desktop
> I can see whether I'm using ABC.gnca or ABC.xml or XYZ.gnucash. Once again
> it is possible this is very obvious to people more familiar with androids
> and I'm just not seeing it.


No, this information is actually not present and is planned for the next
release. But I will see what I can do to improve display of what file is in
use for this release (at least for files gotten from the SD card).


>  - Scheduled export to SD Card, DropBox or Google Drive
>>
> Didn't try the scheduled.  I went for Drive for storage and it worked out
> OK once I got the android to sync, see above about not understanding
> android directory structure, what dirs am I syncing? Where is gnca actually
> storing files?


GncA creates a directory in your Google Drive with the name of the app and
puts all its files into that folder. Similarly, DropBox also puts the files
into Apps -> GnuCash Android
You are not syncing a directory, but rather individual files.
I think we should do something to make the export destination known to the
user. Thanks for highlighting this.


 - Improved creation of backups and restoring of backups
>>
> again, I couldn't work out where the files were


GnuCash Android files are here: /sdcard/0/org.gnucash.android/
But for restoring backups, you do not need to know the path because a
dialog is shown to you listing the files.


>  Also, GnuCash Android now produces GnuCash XML which can be read by
>> GnuCash
>> on the desktop (YAAAY!!) - There is a new XML export UI option and also as
>> backup format .gnca
>>
>> *NOTE: *please remember that this is NOT a two-way synchronization*.*
>> However, the compatibility now enables you to start working on a file on
>> GnuCash desktop, open it in the mobile app, edit and save (to DropBox etc)
>> and then resume editing on the desktop.
>>
>
> Coming to this fresh (I've just glanced at gnca stuff before) I was aware
> that there were previously some workflow issues.  What you say above seems
> a lot more likely to get people using it.  However in practice I found it a
> bit confusing.
>

Duly noted. I only highlighted this because it is the developer mailing
list. For normal users, it will be the same as before, just that they now
have an option to explicitly export to XML (a requested feature), and to
schedule regular backups to Google Drive or DropBox.


>
> I would appreciate a workflow example along the lines of
>
> Use existing desktop file
> xfer to android
> do stuff on android
> xfer back
> pick up with new transactions
>
> saying where the files were at each stage.
>
>  Each time you save, a new file is
>> created but the workflow is possible.
>>
>
> I don't have a Save or Save As, if everyone else has one would they mind
> telling me where to find it?


An improved workflow is planned for the next release and that should
improve the sync feature's usefulness for most users. For now there is no
Save, or Save As... Just import/export as has always been.


>
>
>  GnuCash Android also registers itself
>> to open .gnucash files.
>>
>
> Are you sure about that? Once again it is possible I don't speak android
> well enough but do you perhaps mean .gnca rather than .gnucash ?  I'm also
> not sure what happens with compressed files, it is possible my vm doesn't
> have auto unzip and real android devices do.


Yes, GnuCash should be in the list of possible apps to open those files
with, when you try to open such a file from, say, Google Drive by clicking
on it. The app registers for both .gnca and .gnucash.
The app handles both compressed and uncompressed XML files just fine. You
don't need to do anything extra.


>
>  All the same, I am excited that we have arrived this point and continue to
>> look forward to new features and further integration with GnuCash desktop!
>>
>> So please try out this pre-release and tell me what you think.
>>
>
> I think I wasn't designed for Android :)


Keep using it and it will grow on you!

Thanks for taking the time to test and write up your experiences.

Regards,
Ngewi F.