command line QIF import

[Derek Atkins]

John,

On Wed, October 18, 2017 12:14 pm, John R. Sowden wrote:
> I keep a copy of Gnucash on my computer, in the remote chance that some
> of the obvious anti-user issues would be resolved.  I ran it a moment
> ago.  I keep a copy of my chart of accounts on line, and the copy I use
> is to test various types of transactions.  The easiest for me is paying
> the rent.
>
> 1. The program opens in the Cash-Checking Account journal register.  I
> entered the check number.  For "Description", instead of a description,
> I put the name of the payee, in this case "Landlord", I entered the
> account name "Rent" I put the cursor into the credit column because I am
> reducing the cash account.  I hit enter to end the transaction.  The
> transaction I entered disappeared.  Let me clarify that: THE TRANSACTION
> DISAPPEARED.  I scrolled up, in case it scrolled off the screen, even
> though only one transaction was on the screen.  Where did the
> transaction go?  I don't know.  I am sure if I do a trial balance, I
> might find it.  If I made an error, a window should have popped up
> telling me of my error.

If you're in an Account Register, and in Basic Mode, then the transaction
you entered must be somewhere in the current account.  The first question
would be, what was the date you entered?  Second would be, what's the
current sort order?  Third, do you have a limit on the number of displayed
transactions?

The transaction didn't disappear (well, okay, it disappeared from *view*),
but it still exists in your books, somewhere.  Maybe you MEANT to put in a
different date.  How is GnuCash supposed to know that you meant e.g. six
months in the past vs six months in the future?  I.e., I'm not sure how
GnuCash could detect that you made an "error"; so if it scrolled to the
where the new transaction got put, then you'd have to manually scroll back
to the blank split for your *next* entry.  So the question is:  what's
more common?  Someone mistakenly entering the date, or someone entering a
date far enough in the past (or future) that the new transaction goes off
the screen?

> 2.  Actually this item is not an "assertion", it is an offered solution,
> as I have written a few accounting programs in my 36 years of using
> micro-computers.  By a "preference" switch, I am referring to an option
> in the "preferences" section allowing the user to select, via a check
> box, similar to choosing "Debit" or Credit" vs. the non-accounting
> titles, another transaction data entry option, one that is more user
> friendly to a bookkeeping/accounting person, even on who is not Intuit
> aware.

Um, you mean like Edit -> Preferences -> Register Defaults -> Default
Style?  The preference that's been in there for years?  You can choose
between the three modes, Basic, Auto-Split, and Journal modes.

Note that in either Auto-Split or Journal mode then you CAN enter a
transaction in a way that would make it disappear from the current open
register!  Specifically, if you don't enter the split to the current
account first (to anchor the transaction to the current register) then it
will disappear.

> Note:
> There is more to item one.  If you create an unbalanced transaction, the
> difference is silently placed into an account that is not in your chart
> of accounts.  This was discussed by several 'veterans' of this list,
> when I addressed it, and it was determined by the programmers that it
> was best to not create a pop-up "error message" window.  I disagree. 
> The solution, of course is a simple if/then structure that looks at a
> 'preferences' option, and, inside the if/then structure is the pop-up
> window. Those who choose to see a warning of their error, will see it,
> so they can correct it while all is fresh in their mind, while those
> who, like the ostrich with its head in the sand, wish to not be bothered
> with such trivialities, would merrily go on to the next transaction.

I happen to agree with you on this one -- the automatic balancing into the
Imbalance Account is annoying.  That change went in somewhere around
1.6/1.8 (I don't recall exactly when) as part of the "new" scrubbing
routines.  Personally, I'm with you -- I'd rather GnuCash force me to
create the balance, or at least pop up a dialog that would let me choose
to balance it myself or have GnuCash create the Imbalance split.

Patches always welcome!  :)

> John

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-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant