[GNC] clip board paste across catagories

ToddAndMargo ToddAndMargo at zoho.com
Wed Sep 30 05:51:56 EDT 2020


On 2020-09-29 23:02, Geoff wrote:
> Todd / Margo
> 
> Since you are a programmer, if you are still keen to use the clipboard, 
> here are some left field options for you to investigate:
> 
> Windows
> -------
> I have used AutoHotKey https://www.autohotkey.com/ for nearly a decade 
> and it will eat a simple automation task like this for breakfast.
> 
> Attached is a sample script to scrape transactions from an Excel 
> spreadsheet and insert them directly into a GnuCash ledger.  Seeing is 
> believing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpO1SSJIgu4
> 
> Of course this can be done via CSV import, but that's not the point, 
> this is to demonstrate automating keyboard interactions with GnuCash.
> 
> Linux
> -----
> I haven't tried these and have no idea if they will work:-
> 
> AutoKey https://github.com/autokey/autokey looks like it might do the 
> job, at least if GnuCash is an X11 app. See:
> https://linuxhint.com/autokey_automate_linux_games/
> https://cafetran.freshdesk.com/support/discussions/topics/6000053073
> 
> xdotool https://manned.org/xdotool/95401223
> 
> Other suggestions here:
> https://superuser.com/questions/44052/is-there-an-autohotkey-for-ubuntu
> 
> MacOS
> This person talks about running GnuCash via X11:
> https://github.com/mhitchens/docker-gnucash
> 
> 
> Happy investigating!
> 
> Geoff

Hi Geoff,

The current game plane is to

1) learn how to import a CSV into GnuCash

2) take my data that I was going to place in the clipboard
    and instead write it to a standard CSV file and location
    the GnuCash can easily and consistently see

Since I will be the one handling the dat, I should be able to
handle the pitfalls of CSV.

One of my customers had me write a filter between two
program the used a CSV to transfer data between the two
of them.  Things go a little interesting when the
importing program thought the quote mark they were
using for inches was the field terminator.  It was
a bug in the receiving program as the field terminator
is a quote and then a comma.  The end of line is a quote
and a return.  My solution was to find where they were
using a quote sign for inches and replace it with "in".

I do use single quotes to denote cable feet and I may
have a few double quotes in my part descriptions that
I have to deal with.  It all depends on how well done
GnuCash's import function is written. I will find out.

-T





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