interesting feature suggestions (was: GnuCash vs. Quicken)

[David Hampton]

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On Sun, 2002-12-08 at 00:01, Shayne Lennox wrote:

> The Account Name column containing the tree is pretty narrow by default=
=20
> (just enough to accomodate the top-level account names "Assets",=20
> "Expenses", etc.) but readjusts itself when you expand the tree. The=20
> Description column is the same, but doesn't readjust itself after you=20
> expand the tree, revealing the account descriptions of the child accounts=
,=20
> so many of those descriptions are cut off. I actually came up with a bit =
of=20
> a workaround for this today: giving the top level accounts a description,=
=20
> then adding a lot of whitespace to the end of one of the descriptions,=20
> causes the description column to be wider by default.

This was fixed in the CVS version of gnucash a long time ago.

> This is a bit of a leftover from my Quicken days. If I entered a=20
> transaction and split it between multiple "categories" (e.g. one=20
> transaction, but some spent on Petrol and the rest spent on Groceries) bu=
t=20
> later wanted to change it to a single category or simply start over havin=
g=20
> messed up the splits, there was a simple "X" button which would clear the=
m,=20
> and you'd just set the category again (all other parts of the transaction=
=20
> were maintained). In GnuCash, you have to both delete the split line(s) y=
ou=20
> want to get rid of and rebalance the transaction manually.
>=20
> I'm not sure where a feature to quickly clear splits might cause problems=
=20
> with double-entry. Presumably the splits would all be cleared, the=20
> debit/credit amount would come from the split of the account you're worki=
ng=20
> in, and the cursor would move to the Transfer field ready to select a new=
=20
> account.

This has already been implemented in CVS.  You'll see it in 1.8.
>=20
> > > not being able to do an automatic "balance adjustment" in cash accoun=
ts,
> >
> >Right, we have had this discussion every so often, but nobody found a "r=
eal
> >easy" way to correctly implement it. It's a perfectly valid feature requ=
est,
> >though. Maybe another "enhancement" request in bugzilla?
>=20
> There might be something I'm not considering, but I'm thinking this would=
=20
> be one of the less difficult things to implement. Cash accounts would hav=
e=20
> a simple "balance adjustment" instead of a full "reconcile" feature. This=
=20
> idea is actually pinched from Quicken. You just enter the real amount aft=
er=20
> counting your pennies, select an account in the dialog (e.g.=20
> "Expenses:Misc", which the balance adjustment dialog would then default t=
o)=20
> and an adjustment transaction is entered.

This is a reasonable request.  I do this manually all the time for my
Cash In Hand account.  File a Request For Enhancement in buzgilla. I'm
sure it will get assigned to me, it always seems to :-), and I'll take
care of it.

> This, alongside the improved currency handling, is one of the features I'=
m=20
> excited about and missed most from Quicken. Unfortunately, I don't have t=
he=20
> confidence to install the beta, so I can't try the features and comment o=
n=20
> how they've been implemented before the 1.8 release.

Well, then how do you expect us to produce a solid release if you are
unwilling to test it?  I have never had a product ship that some user
hasn't come along and found some set of input that I never dreamed was
possible.  I have also never tried a new program and not found five to
ten ways to make it break.  The best way to find bugs in a program is
for people to use it.  We need your help, because we need a wide variety
of users trying to do a slew of different things with the program, and
each person does things his or her own way.  We can't work in a vacuum,
although we do try very hard.

For the record, I've been using gnucash CVS for the last nine months to
record all of my finances.  There have been glitches here and there in
the program, but I have not lost a single transaction.

David




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