[GNC] How to widen the 'Account' column when entering transactions

[Adrien Monteleone]

The right-handle part is the spreadsheet behavior. I never said otherwise.

The Description field/column is treated differently by GnuCash. This is 
where it departs from the borrowed spreadsheet code. (among other places)

The Description column is not cryptic. This behavior is documented. It 
is designed to auto-fill the remaining space. (if you wish)

You size all other columns first, then drag the right-handle of the 
Description to the left, and it will snap back to auto-size the 
Description so that all of the columns fill the window without any empty 
space to the right. (you can size it large enough towards the right to 
create a scrollbar requirement though) Thus, if you absolutely *must* 
have a smaller Description column than what would balance out the 
window, make the window smaller. (it will still balance it out, but 
remain smaller as desired)

True, *that* is not like a spreadsheet app and I don't know anyone who 
ever claimed as much. And GnuCash is NOT a spreadsheet app, though it 
has borrowed some code from one.

What you can't have is blank empty space on the right side of the 
window. (*some* spreadsheet apps might show this blank space, but due to 
the plethora of columns by default, it is improbable that 99% of users 
would ever see it unless they intentionally scrolled that far)

I guess I don't understand why folks see 'columns' and think it *must* 
behave like a spreadsheet app rather than as its own unique animal, in 
all cases whatsoever.

Regards,
Adrien

On 3/11/26 3:30 PM, Ken Pyzik wrote:
> 
> Sorry -- I don't mean to be a contrarian here - but having worked with 
> spreadsheets for over 35 years, the columns do NOT act/respond like 
> Libre Office and Excel.  Yes, they do move by handling the right side - 
> BUT they do not work like Excel or Calc .
> 
> For example, if you move the description column at the title bar and try 
> to "make it smaller" it refuses and snaps back to the original length. 
> THIS IS NOT spreadsheet behavior.  If I wanted to make the description 
> field only 5 spaces - it is NOT allowed.  Again - this is not 
> spreadsheet behavior.  Spreadsheet behavior would allow me to make the 
> size of the column ANYTHING I want even if i had 100 characters in there 
> - it would allow me to make it only 5 characters and wrap the text. 
> GNUCASH DOES NOT DO THIS.
> 
> Then if you attempt to move other columns, the space it some how 
> allocated to the description field as well.  There seems to be some 
> spastic proportional spacing going on - and this is DEFINITELY not 
> spreadsheet behavior.
> 
> So please - you can say justify it anyway you want and you can say you 
> are OK with this odd behavior - but it is NOT spreadsheet behavior.   I 
> have learned to live with it.  I still really enjoy and use the product. 
>   But please everyone, stop saying it is spreadsheet behavior.  It is not.