If I can figure out how to add it to the guide, I'd be happy to do so. I will confess that when I first ran across the resize behavior, I thought it weird, but after getting used to it, I think it was a brilliant (if unorthodox) idea. Yes, it isn't like other applications, but I think it is the other applications that make resizing harder.
On Wed, Nov 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM Paul Kinzelman <[email protected]> wrote: > While I disagree with you about how this should work, this is great > helpful information, and this ought to be added to the guide as > long as it is going to work this way. > > On 11/5/2025 11:05 AM, R Losey wrote: > > Once I understood that the Description field works differently, I have > never had any problems. > > In my registers, I always even things out by double-clicking in the > following order (double-clicking auto-adjusts to the necessary width - if > you screen is narrow, you may have to decide which fields to shrink): > > Starting on the left > 1) The vertical bar to the right of "Date" (although, this field has never > been off) > 2) The vertical bar to the right of "Num" > > Now going to the far right and working back: > 3) The Balance heading (I didn't know that this would work until I read > this) > 4) The vertical bar to the right of "Credit" (or the other name) > 5) The vertical bar to the right of "Debit" (or the other name) > (I skip the "R" column) > 6) The vertical bar to the right of "Transfer" > 7) Finally, the vertical bar to the right of Description, which will auto > resize so that all columns are visible. > > I'm quite used to the behavior and would not want it changed. I think it > is well designed (but perhaps a bit difficult to work with until you know > what it's doing) > > > On Wed, Nov 5, 2025 at 10:52 AM Paul Kinzelman <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Yes, I think you've got the secret with a bit of clarification. >> >> It appears that I can reduce the Desc column to the point that it >> fills the window *if the window were maximized*. If the window is >> narrower than maximized, the column code acts like the window >> is still maximized and some of the columns will be cut off on >> the right because it's actually smaller than maximized. Then if I >> maximize the window, they will appear. >> >> Bottom line is that the column width code needs some repair someday, >> it doesn't work at all intuitively. >> >> Thanks for all your help! >> >> On 11/5/2025 9:16 AM, Chris K wrote: >> > It appears to me that the Description column width can only be reduced >> > to the point that all the columns fill the window, otherwise it snaps >> > back so that all the columns fill the window, as you say. However, ff >> > you want to make one of the other columns wider first, e.g Transfer, >> > then you can reduce the Description column so all columns then fill >> > the window again with a narrower Description column. >> > >> > On 05/11/2025 16:04, Paul Kinzelman wrote: >> >> On 11/5/2025 8:34 AM, [email protected] wrote: >> >>> Did you in fact click and drag the right side of the Description >> >>> column to the left and then release? >> >> Yes, and it snaps back. If I drag it to the right it stays and moves >> >> the Transfer and the >> >> rest of the columns off the screen to the right. I can't seem to >> >> shrink the Desc >> >> column by dragging the right side to the left. >> >>> >> >>> Are you looking at the *Guide* for section 2.3.5? Did you click the >> >>> link i provided? >> >> I saw what you sent me, but as you said, it's not very clear. >> >> But I also wanted to find it in the documentation. Oh I see it's in >> >> the Guide, >> >> not in the Manual where I was looking. >> >> But I still can't download them. The section says "Downloads" so I >> >> figured >> >> there would be a way to download it. >> >>> >> >>> David T. >> >>> >> >>> On Nov 5, 2025, 7:46 PM, at 7:46 PM, Paul Kinzelman >> >>> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>>> On 11/4/2025 10:00 PM, [email protected] wrote: >> >>>>> Keep the replies on the list, please. >> >>>> Sorry, it looked like you replied to just me so I replied thusly too. >> >>>>> 2.3.5 is at >> >>>>> >> >>>> >> https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v5/C/gnucash-guide/basics-running-gnucash.html#basics-register2 >> >>>> >> >>>>> First question: why are you double clicking the Withdrawal column to >> >>>>> resize the Balance column? >> >>>> I'm just trying various things to figure out how the column sizing >> >>>> works. >> >>>> Your hint about clicking on the column header from right to left is >> >>>> very helpful and not at all obvious to me. I was just completely >> >>>> confused. >> >>>>> Second: Doesn't your screen have a scroll bar along the bottom of >> the >> >>>>> register window? >> >>>> Yes. Duh! That was dumb of me. So I can see the rest of the balance, >> >>>> but >> >>>> then when I scroll right, >> >>>> I lose part of the date even as the Description is huge so there's no >> >>>> reason to lose anything. >> >>>> The Description column is not being shrunk. >> >>>>> Third: Others have noted that resizing columns works best from right >> >>>>> to left: double click the balance heading, followed by Withdrawal, >> >>>>> Deposit, etc. The final step is to grab the *right* edge of the >> >>>>> Description column and drag it fully to the left and release. The >> >>>>> Description column will then fill up the remainder of the window >> >>>>> width. (For the record, the Note does describe this process, just a >> >>>>> little cryptically). >> >>>> When I do that, I get reasonable sizes for each column from >> >>>> Transfer to >> >>>> >> >>>> Balance, but it doesn't >> >>>> shrink the Description to fit the window so I get a scroll bar and >> >>>> have >> >>>> >> >>>> to move around. If I maximize >> >>>> the window then I do get all the columns displayed without a >> >>>> scrollbar. >> >>>> Thank you. But I still can't shrink the window less than the entire >> >>>> screen without losing the end >> >>>> columns and getting a scroll bar. It should shrink the Description to >> >>>> fit according to your directions. >> >>>> But what you told me does help, thanks! >> >>>> It does seem like it'd be easier and much less confusing to just have >> >>>> users >> >>>> move the columns where they want and have them stay put. >> >>>> >> >>>> And about documentation... >> >>>> How do I get to 2.3.5? >> >>>> Again, when I go to Support | Documentation | Table of Contents | 2 >> >>>> it goes to only 2.2 and when I go thru the pages of chapter 2, I get: >> >>>> 2 >> >>>> | Next | 2.1 | Next | 2.2 | Next 3.1 >> >>>> >> >>>> And when I go to Downloads | Documentation I don't get anything to >> >>>> download, it goes to the >> >>>> same place as Support | Documentation >> >>>> >> >>>>> David T. >> >>>>> On Nov 5, 2025, at 9:46 AM, Paul Kinzelman <[email protected] >> > >> >>>>> wrote: >> >>>>> >> >>>>> I can't find 2.3.5 >> >>>>> Going to the documentation either download or support, I can't >> >>>>> download, all I can do >> >>>>> is page by page and Ch 2 ends at 2.2 and when I go Next, it >> goes >> >>>>> to chapter 3. >> >>>>> What am I doing wrong? >> >>>>> >> >>>>> I tried your note but the windows still act weirdly. >> >>>>> >> >>>>> With even almost the whole screen width >> >>>>> (and also even with the window maximized), >> >>>>> I see only 1/2 the balance column. >> >>>>> Then when I double-click the Withdrawal, >> >>>>> that column gets wide enough, but it shrinks the Balance so I >> >>>>> see >> >>>>> only 1/2 of the column. When I click on Balance, I now see the >> >>>> whole >> >>>>> thing only if the window is maximized. If I shrink >> >>>>> the gnucash window to be less than maximize, >> >>>>> I lose 1/2 the Balance column. I can see it trying to expand >> >>>>> automatically >> >>>>> like you said in your reply, >> >>>>> but it's really not doing the right thing if the window isn't >> >>>>> maximized. >> >>>>> >> >>>>> Why not just allow the user to move the columns around wherever >> >>>>> they want? Wouldn't it be more intuitive as well as >> >>>>> the code would be a lot easier to write too? >> >>>>> >> >>>>> I like to balance my statement against gnucash and display them >> >>>> both >> >>>>> on the laptop screen so I can't really maximize it. >> >>>>> >> >>>>> Thanks for your help! >> >>>>> >> >>>>> On 11/4/2025 8:10 PM, [email protected] wrote: >> >>>>>> Apparently, you didn't read 2.3.5, which includes the >> following >> >>>>>> note: >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> Note >> >>>>>> In the register windows, you can resize the various columns >> >>>>>> that >> >>>>>> GnuCash displays, but keep in mind that the Description and >> >>>>>> Balance columns behave differently from other columns. >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> The Description column is designed to expand automatically to >> >>>>>> fill all unused horizontal screen space. Therefore you should >> >>>> set >> >>>>>> the widths of all your other columns before setting the >> >>>>>> Description column width. >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> The Balance column must be resized by double-clicking on the >> >>>>>> column heading. >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> David T. >> >>>>>> On Nov 5, 2025, at 4:44 AM, Paul Kinzelman >> >>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> Sunfish62: I looked in chapter 2 and it's about"Using this >> >>>>>> Document & Getting Help" >> >>>>>> I didn't see any column sizing stuff in there. >> >>>>>> Chapter 4.3 seemed more relevant but I couldn't find >> >>>> anything >> >>>>>> there either. >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> David: Double-click enlarges the column which is good and >> >>>>>> shrinks the Description >> >>>>>> but still when I drag the vertical bar on the left of >> >>>>>> "Transfer" to the left it snaps back to where it was. >> >>>>>> When I drag the vertical bar on the right of "Transfer" it >> >>>>>> stays put, but the >> >>>>>> vertical bar on the left of "Transfer" snaps to the right >> >>>>>> also when it shouldn't move. >> >>>>>> Something is very weird about resizing. >> >>>>>> >> >>>>>> On 11/4/2025 9:31 AM, David Carlson wrote: >> >>>>>>> What happens if you double click the title of any of the >> >>>>>>> amount columns? >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 4, 2025 at 10:16 AM Paul Kinzelman >> >>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> Im running the updated 5.13 release but it happened >> >>>> with >> >>>>>>> older ones too. >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> I can't get the ledger columns to resize properly. >> >>>> Works >> >>>>>>> the same way >> >>>>>>> with both one and Double Line view. >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> The Description field is huge, and when I try to drag >> >>>>>>> the left side of >> >>>>>>> the Transfer column over to shrink the Desc, all the >> >>>>>>> columns Transfer and to >> >>>>>>> the right drag over to the left, but when I click to >> >>>> put >> >>>>>>> them down, >> >>>>>>> they snap back to where they were. I can't shrink the >> >>>>>>> Desc column. >> >>>>>>> And then several of the columns are too small >> >>>>>>> to see. If I drag the left side of Balance to the >> >>>>>>> left, >> >>>>>>> it gets larger, but >> >>>>>>> then Withdrawal becomes too small to see. >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> Suggestions? >> >>>>>>> Thanks! >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >> >>>>>>> gnucash-user mailing list >> >>>>>>> [email protected] >> >>>>>>> To update your subscription preferences or to >> >>>> unsubscribe: >> >>>>>>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >> >>>>>>> ----- >> >>>>>>> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. >> >>>>>>> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> >> >>>>>>> -- >> >>>>>>> David Carlson >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> gnucash-user mailing list >> >> [email protected] >> >> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: >> >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >> >> ----- >> >> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. >> >> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> gnucash-user mailing list >> [email protected] >> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >> ----- >> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. >> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. >> > > > -- > _________________________________ > Richard Losey > [email protected] > Micah 6:8 > > > -- _________________________________ Richard Losey [email protected] Micah 6:8 _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. 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