Clarifications and guidance for a hopeful contributor

[Tracy]

On 1/18/2016 11:52, David Carlson wrote:
> In your example scenario you say ...
> "
> When I import the QFX file, the transactions are shown in the GITM, 
> with a default action chosen of "U+R". Now, before I allow GITM to 
> match these transactions, I want to verify the matches for the 
> transactions. So I double-click on one of the transactions. It opens a 
> "Select Matching Existing Transaction" window (hereafter "SMET") with 
> the three transactions that possibly match listed, and one transaction 
> selected. So I accept that match (returning to the GITM window) and 
> change the action from "U+R" to "R" (as I don't want the date or the 
> payee modified). At this point, I remove the default action from the 
> other two transactions referenced above, and choose "OK" in the GITM 
> window."
>
> My question is how do you "remove the default action"? Do you select 
> the action whatever the wording is to turn the transaction red? And 
> then you can import again from the same OFX file whichever 
> transactions were red in the first pass? If so, I think that should be 
> in the GnuCash documentation.

Sorry that the wording was unclear. "Remove the default actions from the 
other two transactions" means that they are shown in red and will not be 
matched with anything when the import is completed (so that they will 
remain unmatched for the next time I import transactions). The idea is 
to select and match only the first transaction, complete the import 
(with other items not selected and matched), then go back and import 
again to match additional transactions.

Pass 1:
12/14     Walmart     $1.61    <--match and accept this transaction
12/14     Walmart     $1.61    <--do not match or accept this transaction
12/15     Walmart     $!.61     <--do not match or accept this transaction

Pass 2:
12/14     Walmart     $1.61    <--match and accept this transaction**
12/15     Walmart     $!.61     <--do not match or accept this transaction

** except how do we know we aren't matching this transaction to the same 
register transaction that was matched in Pass 1?

> As for the coding, I don't really know what the code is doing, but I 
> do know that beyond what is visible in the UI, the code is also 
> looking for a hidden value in the existing GnuCash transaction records 
> by checking for a match to the "FITID" that has to exist in the 
> incoming OFX file for each transaction to see if the transactions were 
> imported before .  That is the main method used to filter out 
> duplicates when the same or a similar OFX import file appears from the 
> same "FI".  This does not change the need for some better response 
> from the program for your example scenario, but it may complicate the 
> code needed to implement a solution.

Yes, but my understanding is that the same register transaction can have 
multiple FITIDs matched to it - and during the import, there is nothing 
to indicate that this is actually happening (nor to indicate that one or 
more of the presented "possible matches" already has a matching FITID).

>
> There are several other issues in the "GITM" as you call it that I 
> would also like to see addressed if someone dares to touch that code.  
> One that really bugs me is the lack of a highlight in the "GITM" 
> window for the particular transaction selected for reference in the 
> "SMET"  window.  When the "SMET" window closes there is no way to know 
> where the user is in reviewing the list. That is reported as 
> *Bug 673307* <https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=673307> .
>
> I hope this does not scare Jesse Olmer, just whet his appetite. It is 
> also a brazen attempt to put my favorite "OFX" import issue at the top 
> of his list ;).

It would indeed be nice to have someone taking a look at it :-)