File Format : XML v MySQL / postgres / sqllite

Sun Jan 28 05:41:43 EST 2018

David,

This is one of the key reason for piecash to exist as it does not need any
compilation (it is a pure python package) and works even without having
gnucash installed.
It doesn't use gnucash libraries as it reads (and writes) directly to the
gnucash book through SQL.

I do not have a Mac so I can't test the installation directly but it should
be just a matter of installing the "piecash" package available on PyPI (the
python package index).

Sebastien

On Jan 28, 2018 08:00, "David T." <sunfish62 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Sebastien,
>
> The problem isn’t with Python (I am told that Macs already have Python on
> them). The problem as I understand it (John will no doubt correct me when
> my statements prove ill-informed or flat out wrong) has to do with the fact
> that GnuCash requires a specific version of Python, which can only be
> guaranteed by compiling GnuCash with the current version of Python. Short
> of shipping GnuCash with a complete Python installation, the only way
> around this is for individual users to compile locally. Which, as I noted,
> is a painful process for me. But thanks for the information.
>
> David
>
>
> On Jan 28, 2018, at 11:55 AM, Sébastien de Menten <sdementen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Hello David,
>
> Regarding the use of python on windows and Mac, Anaconda has made a huge
> difference in the last years providing all packages in an easy precompiled
> version.
> You can have a look at https://conda.io/docs/user-guide/install/macos.html
> for the installation (which is simple and does not require any compiler).
>
>
> On Jan 28, 2018 05:42, "D" <sunfish62 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Ah, yes that was my incorrect reference. Sorry for the crossed reference.
>>
>> I will note that my confusion stems in part from the fact that, as a Mac
>> user, I have never used anything to do with python and Gnucash, on account
>> of the high barrier to install the proper toolsets (i.e., compiling
>> yourself). My previous attempts at this process always ended in frustration
>> and failure. As a consequence, when I see anything that mentions python and
>> Gnucash, my eyes glaze over.
>>
>> In the past, there hasn't been much to recommend beating my head against
>> that wall, but perhaps the time has come to see what happens at this time,
>> since there eh to be increasing numbers of ways to use python with Gnucash
>> data.
>>
>> David
>>
>> On January 28, 2018, at 12:55 AM, John Ralls <jralls at ceridwen.us> wrote:
>>
>> I suspect David was thinking of CuteCash, Christian Stimming’s
>> experimental Qt GUI.
>>
>> Regards,
>> John Ralls
>>
>> > On Jan 27, 2018, at 10:44 AM, Sébastien de Menten <sdementen at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Hello David,
>> >
>> > I saw you were mentioning piecash in your message. If you talk about
>> > http://piecash.readthedocs.io/en/latest/, it is not a proof of concept
>> for
>> > a frontend but an alternative to the gnucash python bindings to work
>> with
>> > gnucash books stored in any of the 3 SQL backends (SQLite, postgres and
>> > MySQL) and is alive and maintained (last release on the 20th December
>> 2017).
>> >
>> > The following article https://arachnoid.com/gnucash_utilities/ shows
>> some
>> > interesting use cases for it.
>> >
>> > With gnucash 3.0, piecash will also allow you to write your own reports
>> > using si python and jinja2 (work in progress).
>> >
>> > For people interested to contribute, https://github.com/sdementen/p
>> iecash.
>> >
>> >
>> > On Jan 27, 2018 18:27, "D via gnucash-user" <gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Mike,
>> >
>> > There is nothing new as far as I know about the file formats. You are
>> right
>> > that the primary benefit to using sql is being able to generate data
>> sets
>> > from sql that can used in reports. Processing a data file is no quicker
>> in
>> > sql, since it all gets loaded in at start up. Sql, moreover, adds a
>> > database manager role to the mix; many users are not prepared to learn
>> how
>> > to manage a database platform to manage their financial accounts.
>> >
>> > I stick with the XML because it also can store the data compressed; when
>> > dealing with the main data file and all its copies, the difference
>> between
>> > 3mb and 13mb adds up quickly.
>> >
>> > Piecash, as I understand it, was a proof-of-concept experiment to see
>> > whether a python front end could be designed. It has not been maintained
>> > for some years now, and I recall recent discussion about changing its
>> > status with the project.
>> >
>> > As far as I know, there has been no change in recommendation to stay
>> with
>> > xml.
>> >
>> > David
>> >
>> > On January 27, 2018, at 12:13 PM, Adrien Monteleone <
>> > adrien.monteleone at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > I switched from XML to SQLite about a year ago. I perceive a performance
>> > improvement on loading, but that’s about it. (and I generally never shut
>> > the app down anyway)
>> >
>> > I haven’t attempted any custom reporting yet, but I plan to.
>> >
>> > I could be mistaken, but I think PyCash is designed to parse the XML
>> file
>> > so you can still get the reporting you want.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> > Adrien
>> >
>> >> On Jan 27, 2018, at 12:55 AM, Mike Stillingfleet <
>> > mikestillingfleet at fastmail.co.uk> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Dear All,
>> >>
>> >> XML is the default when creating a new file.
>> >>
>> >> I have seen various quite dated questions about the decision process of
>> > selecting which db to use.
>> >>
>> >> I think that the main advantage of using MySQL would be the ability to
>> > generate custom reports.
>> >>
>> >> Are there any other advantages and are there any differences in the
>> > interface between the various db's. Does the forum still recommend XML.
>> >>
>> >> Regards
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Mike Stillingfleet
>> >> mikestillingfleet at fastmail.co.uk
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