Possible problem with splits

[Derek Atkins]

Hi,

Quoting Mike or Penny Novack <stepbystepfarm at mtdata.com>:

> Not sure if I am perhaps doing something wrong, first time I tried to
> "memo" a split. So I tried a couple ways, editing the transaction (where
> split) and just the split portion itself (from the other direction) and
> I can't seem to make it right.
>
> This is what I observe (and what persists no matter how edited)
>
> date        main memo                                         total amt
      This--> ^^^^^^^^^
  isn't a "memo"..  It's the "Transaction Description".

>                                  account 1
>  amt 1
>                                  account 2
>                     amt2
>                                  account 3
>                     amt 2
>                memo 4      account 4
>             amt 4
>
> BUT --- if after entering the transaction, if I open account 4 I see the
> MAIN memo entry

Correct (although it's the "Txn Desc", not a "memo")

>         (not the one pertaining to just this item). If I edit it

This is correct.

> here and then go back to the account where the split is, the main memo
> has been changed to the text of "memo 4" (the text entered on the line
> where memo 4 was unaltered).

This is correct, you edited the Txn Description, not the Split Memo.

> Obviously wrong.

Not at all.  I'd say "obviously user error".  It could be "obviously
not what I wanted to happen", but that's certainly not obvious to anyone
but yourself.  Honestly, this is just a matter of not understanding
how GnuCash stores and displays information.  Currently it's quite clear
that when you edit a piece of information you can edit it from anywhere
and the same piece of information gets modified.  In your proposal the
information that changes will differ based on the current UI Context,
and that could potentially confuse people.

Right now you can edit a Split memo from any register; just expand
the transaction and edit it.

>          This was a bank deposit where the total represented a
> number of different income accounts, membership and donations
> reimbursements from national PLUS a donation received from a group for
> which we gave a presentation (we don't charge speakers FEES, but
> donations when we speak before a group not unusual). I was trying to
> memo this item "whom from" as useful information (speak there again if
> they ask). Shouldn't keep trying to make that "deposit" (the main memo)
> or change the main memo to "Russell Grange #73". Proper behavior would
> be to treat the main memo text as a default, showing it in the memo
> field of the other account if/f there was no specific memo entry.

It's arguable if it's "proper" behavior.  But it's certainly behavior
that some people want.

> 1) Has this been reported before?

Yes, this is in Bugzilla already.

> 2) If not, next step? Remember developers -- I'm a retired senior
> analyst who used to get paid to design/write/test/debug LARGE financial
> systems --- so not out of line to say "your baby, Mike"

Patches are always welcome.

> Announcing -- now official. At our board meeting Jan 19th I reported
> that the parallel test was successful and that I was satisfied with
> Gnucash and since available for under Windows and Macs (I could run
> under a 'nix, but I won't be treasurer forever), I was suggesting that
> our organization use GnuCash. Approved.

Congrats.

> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
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-derek
-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available