Stock price changes and asset-equity balance

[Clayton Macdonald]

So many helpful responses! Thanks to everyone! I'd like to send a note 
addressing each comment individually, with thanks, but I have other 
demands on my time - or am a bit too lazy. Not ungrateful, however.

Altogether, though, you've made it clear that GnuCash is not set up to 
handle non-cash assets in the way I was hoping to do it. That's fine - 
it's in the nature of the software and now that I know it, I'm not 
complaining.

Several commented in the context of treating changes in asset value as 
unrealized value and, therefore, not to be tracked until the asset is 
converted to cash. Since I'm decidedly not an accountant I can't argue 
with that, but I will note that I have accounts in both euros and 
dollars. Despite constant changes in the relative value of these assets 
and despite my not  converting say dollars to euros in order to 
"realize" the gain or loss, GnuCash very happily balances assets against 
equity. Oh well, go figure.

Particular thanks are due Don Quixote for the detailed instructions for 
setting up a spread sheet. Actually, I've been using a spreadsheet for 
years, but have never had a real double entry system. That has led to 
some really stupid entry errors that have been hard to track down. A big 
part of my having moved to GnuCash was a hope that I'd be able to get a 
proper double entry system up and running with less pain than building a 
whole new spreadsheet accounting system that really worked.

Again, thanks to everyone!