[GNC] How to specify the date format in a QIF file

[Derek Atkins]

HI,

The importer will take a look at all the date strings in the full qif file
and attempt to figure out what format it is.  For example, if you have
01-31-18 then you know that this is either m-d-y.  It cannot be anything
else.  However, if you have, e.g. 01-01-01, there is no way to tell.

If you're creating the QIF, then the best thing to do is ensure you use
4-digit years.  If you have 01/01/2001, this is less ambiguous (it could
be d-m-y or m-d-y).  So long as you have at least ONE date with a day >
12, and use 4-digit years, then you'll be completely unambigious.

There is no way to specify the format in the QIF indirectly.  So if ALL
your dates are from days <= 12 then the importer will always ask you to
choose.  There is no way around that.

Hope this helps!

-derek


On Thu, May 30, 2019 12:19 pm, Bram Mertens wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm looking into converting the CSV format my bank uses to QIF.
> While importing my current test file I get an additional dialog: "set
> date format for this QIF file".
>
> It says that the current QIF file does not specify which order the
> day, month and year components of a date are printed.
> Since I am generating these QIF files I can add whatever info needed
> to avoid this.
>
> But I can't find any documentation on how to specify this. It's not on
> the wikipedia page that is linked from the wiki and not in the
> official specification of the QIF format linked from that page.
>
> What do I need to add to the file to allow gnucash to recognize the date
> format?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Bram
> _______________________________________________
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information.
> -----
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


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