disposing of splits

[Haines Brown]

Michael,

Part of confusion comes from history. At some point, perhaps about two
years ago, gnucash went through an upgrade that apparently required
more than one account. Up until then I had simply had one account, and
the record was simply a checkbook record. But with the requirement I
have a second account, since I did not in fact have any, an account
named "Imblance-USD" (of Expense type) was automatically
created. However, it did not occur to me this was a separate account,
but was instead simply a way to provide some kind of imbalance info
about my one existing checking account.

When I look at my register, I see a column called "transfer," and
since every line the amount of transfer was "imbalance," all could do
was worry. If I open the register for the Imbalance account (which I
now realize can be done), I find in its transaction colum a reference
to my "checking" account. When this second account was created
automatically with the upgrade, it apparently caused the dialog to pop
up with each transaction asking who should make the split. Since I had
no idea what a "split" was, I failed to distinguish between an actual
split and the dialog asking who should make it. I thought the dialog
WAS the split ;-(

My apologise for stumbling around like this.

What I'd like is a simple check book register based on a single
account. Some advice I get suggests that not only can't I do it, but
shouldn't want to in the first place. But other advice seems to be
that well, if I insist, it can be done.

If possible, I'd prefer a single checking account into which monies
are deposited and withdrawn and use the register simply as a checking
account register. Odd as this might sound, I am not a person who 
makes rational choices over disposable resources. 

I know the folks on this list with any sense of accounting will shrink
back in horror, but all I really need is an electronic
checkbook. Gnucash is the obvious practical choice for it. Michael
seems to imply that is not just bad bookkeeping, but physically
impossible. But can't I simply delete this "Imbalance" expense account
that snuck up on me? If I do so, will it also delete my checking
account at the same time? It seems to have the same transactions as my
checking account (but for some reason ends up with a somewhat
different balance). The idea of having to enter everything twice
may be logical and necessary for double entry bookeeping, but from my
perspective it is counterproductive.

If necessary, however, I'll create a "transaction" expense-type
account and a second checking cash(?)-type account named "checking."
Then when I record each income or expenditure, I'll have to do it
twice.

Haines