[GNC] Possible to Set and Save an Individual Register's Default Style?
David Carlson
david.carlson.417 at gmail.com
Wed Dec 17 08:55:15 EST 2025
Ok, I think that David T is correct, but I failed to notice because my
modus operandi is to just switch the register view whenever I need to
without even thinking about it.
David Carlson
On Wed, Dec 17, 2025, 7:13 AM sunfish62--- via gnucash-user <
gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
> Tom,
>
> I think you've misunderstood me regarding the view style.
>
> I agree that *as long as a register remains opened*, the view is
> retained-- even if you close and reopen GnuCash. I very specifically noted
> that "once a register is closed" the view reverts to the default view when
> reopened. I think you will see what I'm getting at if you try setting a
> view style for a register, closing the register and then reopening it.
>
> This is in contradiction to the column width behavior, which is retained
> even when the register is closed and then reopened. Personally, I think
> this divergent behavior is incorrect.
>
> I do not intend to leave every account perpetually opened so that my view
> preferences are retained. With a couple hundred accounts, this would be
> terrible. I would much prefer to have the view setting saved.
>
> I think that if GnuCash is going to remember register settings in one
> aspect (column widths), it would be preferable for it to remember them for
> other aspects as well (view style, and [as my namesake has pointed out]
> view filter and sorting).
>
> David T.
>
> On Dec 17, 2025, 11:44 AM, at 11:44 AM, Tom Route36 <tom.route36 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >David T,
> >
> >You're only somewhat confused. You're absolutely correct about the
> >Column Widths. When you change Column Widths, those changes persist
> >without you having to do anything. Whether you close the register, or
> >close GnuCash altogether, those changes to Column Widths will persist.
> >
> >The changes are updated in the gcm file as soon as you make them. And
> >that's great for the Column Widths.
> >
> >And you're partially correct about the View Style. When you close a
> >register, and then reopen it, the register always reverts back to
> >whatever your Default View Style is. But there is one case where a
> >register does keep the View Style that you've set for it. And that
> >case
> >is where you LEAVE THE REGISTER OPEN, and CLOSE GNUCASH WHILE THAT
> >REGISTER REMAINS OPEN. In that case, when you reopen GnuCash that
> >register will still have whatever View Style you set for it -- even if
> >it's NOT the Default View.
> >
> >Please try testing that and let us know your results.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >
> >
> >You're also correct regarding the View Style.
> >
> >On 12/16/2025 9:53 PM, David T. via gnucash-user wrote:
> >> So, now *I'm* confused. My tests show different results.
> >>
> >> Gnucash 5.13 (Nightly from 2025-12-10). Windows 11.
> >>
> >> When I change a register's *column widths*, the changes persist,
> >> regardless. I do not have to do any File->Save/File->Quit procedures.
> >
> >> I can adjust the columns, close the window, close Gnucash, restart
> >> Gnucash, and the column settings are preserved for that account. I
> >> will note that changing just column widths does not mark the file as
> >> dirty (i.e., requiring a save); the column changes appear to be saved
> >
> >> automatically. I will also say that this is what I would hope for and
> >
> >> expect to happen if I adjust column widths for a register.
> >>
> >> On the other hand, when I change a register's *view style*, the
> >> changes do not persist. Once the register is closed, it will open in
> >> the default view mode the next time that register is opened. I have
> >> seen no exceptions to this. It does not matter whether you save the
> >> file, close the file and reopen it again with that register open, or
> >> any other mechanism. Once you close the register, it reopens in the
> >> default view style.
> >>
> >> Perhaps this is a Windows-only feature, or perhaps it is an addition
> >> to one of the nightlies--but I most definitely do not see the view
> >> style persist from one instance of the register to the next.
> >>
> >> David T.
> >>
> >> On 12/17/2025 9:39 AM, David Carlson wrote:
> >>> I am still confused. Whenever I want to save a register view aka
> >>> 'style'
> >>> and/or column widths for GnuCash in the particular window size on
> >the
> >>> display resolution that I am currently using, I simply leave the
> >>> register
> >>> set as desired and click File > Save, File > Quit. Once I have done
> >
> >>> that,
> >>> it no longer matters if I close the register after the next
> >>> re-start. The
> >>> settings persist. Similarly for reports if I choose to leave them
> >open
> >>> rather than saving the settings under a custom report name, except
> >>> those settings are lost if they weren't saved as a custom report.
> >>>
> >>> Further, somewhere in the middle of the 5.x series of releases the
> >>> settings
> >>> for registers with children started to persist independently if
> >child
> >>> accounts are included.
> >>>
> >>> While it is less convenient to close the program instead of clicking
> >
> >>> on an
> >>> icon in order to update the dotGCM file, it works. However, this
> >>> discussion makes it clear that there are several types of settings
> >>> that a
> >>> user may or may not want to make persistent, which is likely the
> >reason
> >>> that the developers have not programmed them already.
> >>>
> >>> On Tue, Dec 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM Kalpesh Patel
> ><kalpesh.patel at usa.net>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> While sequencing it in certain order works to preserve the setting
> >>>> which I
> >>>> think is consequence of the sequencing, nonetheless it is not a
> >>>> mechanism
> >>>> by which settings can be saved persistently IMHO (I’m wearing my
> >>>> developer
> >>>> hat here). If they are truly settable and saved, then it should
> >persist
> >>>> across anyway of GNC restart.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Having an account register open when closing GNC is anathema for me
> >– I
> >>>> like nothing but COA pop open and go from there.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> From: Tom Route36 <tom.route36 at gmail.com>
> >>>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 9:27 PM
> >>>> To: Kalpesh Patel <kalpesh.patel at usa.net>
> >>>> Cc: 'Liz' <edodd at billiau.net>; gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >>>> Subject: Re: [GNC] Possible to Set and Save an Individual
> >Register's
> >>>> Default Style?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Kalpesh,
> >>>>
> >>>> Actually, what I found was that the Register Style (just like
> >Column
> >>>> Width) DOES persist across GnuCash restarts. That part does work
> >as
> >>>> expected. What DOESN'T work is that only the Column Widths are
> >>>> being saved
> >>>> during the restart, and not the Register Style.
> >>>>
> >>>> If the Column Widths are being saved, why wouldn't that include the
> >>>> Register Style? It seems like a program bug (or maybe a feature
> >>>> request?)
> >>>> that could be fixed just by saving the current Style setting at the
> >
> >>>> same
> >>>> time that the Column Widths are being saved.
> >>>>
> >>>> I'm still relatively new to GnuCash; but hasn't anyone else
> >>>> commented on
> >>>> this issue before?
> >>>>
> >>>> Tom
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On 12/15/2025 6:38 PM, Kalpesh Patel wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> That means there is not a way to save the Register Style and
> >persist
> >>>> across
> >>>> GNC restarts., unlike column widths which persists across GNC
> >restarts.
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>> From: Liz <mailto:edodd at billiau.net> <edodd at billiau.net>
> >>>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 7:37 PM
> >>>> To: gnucash-user at gnucash.org <mailto:gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
> >>>> Subject: Re: [GNC] Possible to Set and Save an Individual
> >Register's
> >>>> Default
> >>>> Style?
> >>>>
> >>>> On Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:11:15 -0600
> >>>> David Carlson <mailto:david.carlson.417 at gmail.com> <
> >>>> david.carlson.417 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Tom, you did it backwards. Leave the register open and close
> >GnuCash.
> >>>> Then re-open Gnucash.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> If you follow Tom's exact steps you will get Tom's result.
> >>>>
> >>>> I did.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Liz
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>>>
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> >>>
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