[GNC] Ghost Equity Accounts

[David T.]

Hello,

I thought I saw something about this not too long ago, but cannot put my 
finger on the thread.

I am using GC4.4 on Windows 10, and have been using GnuCash since 2005.

Basically, I recently purchased shares of a new stock, and I followed my 
usual procedure in GnuCash: I created a new asset account of type Stock 
for the new equity under my brokerage account (Assets:Brokerage:XXX 
Stock). While creating the account, I used the new commodity option to 
create the entry in the security database. Having done this, I then 
opened the register and entered the buy transaction in the usual way.

All good to this point.

However, now I find a new account in the Equity hierarchy for the new 
commodity: Equity: Opening Balances - XXX

This account is empty, so I can just delete it, BUT...

Why is this account getting created? I didn't set up an existing 
holding, which might ostensibly have required an opening balances 
transaction (but which I would not have done in this way anyhow). And I 
didn't explicitly ask for a new equity account to be created.

Will I get Equity accounts created when I add other kinds of accounts? 
I'll note that I also have a new Equity account for a mutual fund 
account I added at the same time. But, what about Bank accounts? 
Liabilities? And if not, why not?

And why am I only seeing this NOW? As I've said, I've used GnuCash for a 
long long time, and none of the OTHER equities I've created over the 
years (and there have been a LOT!) have generated these spurious Equity 
accounts. So, why now?

Finally, Is there some way to NOT have GnuCash create these accounts 
every time I create a new Stock or Mutual Fund Account?

Cheers,

David T.