[GNC] How to Disable AutoComplete?

[Tom Route36]

Patrick,

Believe it or not I actually like the AutoComplete feature ... just as 
long as what's being autocompleted is JUST the Description field, and 
NOT the entire transaction.  And there is definitely a problem with the 
current behavior of that selection.  When a user clicks on the "Don't 
AutoComplete" option at the top of the list, that's exactly what should 
happen -- GnuCash should no longer autocomplete that transaction.  But 
that's not what's happening.  GnuCash is ignoring what the user 
selected, and goes ahead and autocompletes the transaction anyway.  To 
me that's a bug.

So what would I suggest for a fix?  It would be a two-part fix. Part 1 
would be to fix the bug with the "Don't AutoComplete" option.  When a 
user selects that option, the software honors it, and stops any attempt 
to autocomplete that particular transaction. Part 2 would be to add an 
enhancement to the GnuCash Preferences. Under Preferences -> Register -> 
Actions, add a checkbox with the following statement: "AutoComplete 
duplicates the most recent transaction".  Adding such a checkbox would 
allow users who want to pull up the most recent transaction to get it.  
At the same time, users (like me) who just want the Description field to 
be autocompleted can have that ability by unchecking that option.

If an update to GnuCash adds such an option to Preferences, and if that 
option is selected (turned on) by default, then the workflow for current 
users wouldn't be affected at all.  Program behavior would continue 
along just as it already does.  And folks like me who don't want such 
behavior could easily disable it with a single click.  Best of both worlds.

Tom


On 11/26/2025 11:31 AM, Patrick James via gnucash-user wrote:
> Tom,
>
> "I still think the initial issue should be considered a bug."
>
> Many people do enjoy using the autocomplete feature, and there are various established workflows.
>
> Given that observation, what suggestion do you have for a fix?
>
>> On 11/25/2025 11:31 PM PST Tom Route36 <tom.route36 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>   
>> Hi Sherlock,
>>
>> Thank you so very much for that advice.  It absolutely does work. And
>> it's such an easy uncomplicated fix.  Just tab to Notes, type in
>> anything, and tab back to Description.  AutoComplete still works for
>> filling in the Description field; but it no longer fills in the most
>> recent transaction.  Problem solved ... at least for my immediate
>> needs.  I still think the initial issue should be considered a bug. But
>> for me now it's just a minor annoyance with a good simple workaround.
>> Once again, thank you for figuring this out.
>>
>> Tom
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