[GNC-dev] CSV Import Format

[Wm]

On 01/03/2019 22:26, David Cousens wrote:
> Geert,
> 
> I can feed you what I've done so far with the multiline, double currency
> transaction. My apologies for taking so long. My wife is a poet and I'm the
> publishing company these days. She handed me the latest book of poetry to
> edit and typeset for printing along with a manuscript from another friend
> just after I started on testing the importer.

I know I appear horrible here but I would like to read that poetry.

> I made it back to the importer the day before yesterday. I have presumed the
> multiline import is working for accounts in the same currency but haven't
> actually tested it so far. 

It works for me.

> It would have been logical to do that first.  I
> have also ignored trading accounts so far either.

Trading accounts and importing are fine for me so long as you are specific.

> I am counting on that
> being largely dealt with if the multicurrency transactions work.

Nope.

> The results so far are attached.
> ExportImportCurrencyTransaction.odt
> <http://gnucash.1415818.n4.nabble.com/file/t375329/ExportImportCurrencyTransaction.odt>

I can see what you're thinking and it isn't going to work, sir.

The round trip doesn't work.

in plain words:
gnc doesn't understand itself;
there are some basics you need to know about munging, essentially gnc is 
generous in what it allows to be stored in a file via the UI (I think 
this is a mistake as it allows new lines in a file format that depends 
on new lines and so on) and it doesn't allow those chars back in.

Now you know the round trip doesn't work, you know you need to fix a gnc 
  file to make it gnc compatible ... which sounds weird but is true.

> I will continue and check out a multiline import to accounts with the same
> currency with 2 or more splits.

I'm going over your work and I am impressed with your attention to detail.

in 1.4.1 (c) you say "Set date format to d-m-y to match locale" I think 
that is a wrong thing to do, it is all about the file and the round trip.

You also raise something that has been puzzling me, in your table under 
1.4.1 (d) I don't know what a withdrawal or deposit is relative to. 
Surely gnc should understand debits and credits and plus and minus.  I 
suppose it is possible someone will import tx to a CC or similar 
Liability account as the base for their finances but how likely is that?

Don't most people start with "I have" rather than "I'm fucked, I owe so 
much I'm going to use gnc to see how bad it is".

gnc people are generally positive, they're taking care of their finances.

> One thing I am not clear on is whether or not the single line mode is meant
> to be able to import a two split transaction when the split target
> currencies are in the same currency without relying on the matcher. I am
> presuming it is.

I don't know.

I can say the importer says it knows about commodities and doesn't.

> My secondary aim is to learn enough to be able to put some documentation
> together for the importer once I have some idea of what aspects are working.

I'll happily help with that.

> Unfortunately I will have another break as I am off to Singapore in 2 weeks.
> I will keep appending to the document and send you updates.

Have fun, eat some food for me :)

-- 
Wm