Re: [GNC] cannot open data file

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2023-09-05 19:12, suk wah Bernstein wrote:
> [image: Screen Shot 2023-09-02 at 1.28.38 PM.png]

Looks to me like a straightforward message: the file is not there.
That's not a GnuCash problem. The file was there at one time -- we know
that because it's in the history list. But since  then it has been
deleted or (hopefully) moved.

Do a search using your operating system's file search, and if the system
finds it you can then use the File » Open dialog to open it. If the
system can't find it on your dis you'll need to retrieve it from one of
your backups, if you've been backing up your system.

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[john]

Gyle,

How can you not agree that an option that says "delete transactions" and 
doesn't in fact delete transactions isn't a bug? 

Your argument doesn't address that, it argues that the fix for that bug should 
be to remove the "delete transactions" option should be removed. But that 
wouldn't solve your straw man argument: As David T. points out you can very 
quickly delete all of the transactions in a register one at a time and 
potentially make just as much of a mess. Of course you can also make a mess 
editing transactions, so to protect you from yourself GnuCash shouldn't allow 
editing either, right?

Many industrial-strength accounting programs do that: Just like in Michael 
Novak's pen and paper days if you make a mistake you don't change what you 
wrote, you make a new entry that corrects the error. GnuCash even has an option 
that makes transactions older than a configurable number of days read-only that 
gets you most of the way there. A bit of self discipline will take care of the 
rest. But not everyone wants GnuCash to work that way and it's up to each user 
to choose the point where they trade off convenience against the risk of making 
a mess.

Regards,
John Ralls

> On Sep 5, 2023, at 14:00, Gyle McCollam  wrote:
> 
> John,
> for the 1st time, I have to disagree with you.  If you delete the 
> transactions when you delete an account it is not only an accounting issue, 
> but will seriously mess up your other accounts.  Say there are debits 
> (deposits) and credits (withdrawals) from your checking account.  If the 
> account your deleting has been around for years, good luck trying to get your 
> bank account to balance after those entries are gone.
> 
> Thank You,   
> Gyle McCollam
> Gyle McCollam
> gmccol...@live.com    email
> From: john 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:44 AM
> To: Gyle McCollam 
> Cc: Maf. King ; Mark ; 
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account
>  
> Yeah, it's a bug. It's supposed to delete the transactions, not just the 
> splits in that account only to recreate them in an imbalance account. 
> Otherwise it's the same as the move to account option.
> 
> The fact that it's poor accounting practice is beside the point. If the user 
> wants to follow good accounting practice they can choose to move the splits 
> to another account.
> 
> Regards,
> John Ralls
> 
> > On Sep 5, 2023, at 08:18, Gyle McCollam  wrote:
> > 
> > No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
> > payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
> > were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same 
> > as if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering 
> > to move them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the 
> > account affected by the account you are deleting.
> > 
> > 
> > Thank You,
> > 
> > Gyle McCollam
> > 
> > Gyle McCollam
> > 
> > gmccol...@live.com   email
> > 
> > 
> > From: gnucash-user  on 
> > behalf of Mark via gnucash-user 
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:04 AM
> > To: Maf. King 
> > Cc: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
> > Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account
> > 
> > 
> > Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :
> > 
> >> I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
> >> choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
> >> screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
> >> 
> >> Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
> >> transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.
> >> 
> >> One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
> >> GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
> >> the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
> >> delete.
> >> 
> >> Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I 
> >> think I
> >> agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to 
> >> delete
> >> an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
> >> existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)
> > 
> > Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
> > option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I 
> > agree that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.
> > 
> > I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a 
> > confusing side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. 
> > Maybe I'm just used to the way GnuCash has done things.
> > ___
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> > To update your subscription preferences or to un

Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Michael or Penny Novack]

On 9/5/2023 5:46 PM, Stephen M. Butler wrote:
Yup.  If you messed up an import then you definitely want to delete 
those transactions in all accounts.  If you left those entries hanging 
out there then a new import will also really mess up everything even 
more royally than what Gyle is suggesting. 


Suggestion.

If you are about to do an import of transactions, make a back-up 
immediately prior to the import. After the import of transactions has 
been completed and any unresolved accounts corrected, closely examine 
for correctness.


If you have done this and find the import was a mistake (of the sort 
that was described) then you do not "delete the transactions" but simply 
revert to the state prior to the import (restore from back-up)



Michael D Novack

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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Stephen M. Butler]

Yup.  If you messed up an import then you definitely want to delete 
those transactions in all accounts.  If you left those entries hanging 
out there then a new import will also really mess up everything even 
more royally than what Gyle is suggesting.


On 9/5/23 14:00, Gyle McCollam wrote:

John,
for the 1st time, I have to disagree with you.  If you delete the transactions 
when you delete an account it is not only an accounting issue, but will 
seriously mess up your other accounts.  Say there are debits (deposits) and 
credits (withdrawals) from your checking account.  If the account your deleting 
has been around for years, good luck trying to get your bank account to balance 
after those entries are gone.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: john 
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:44 AM
To: Gyle McCollam 
Cc: Maf. King ; Mark ; 
gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

Yeah, it's a bug. It's supposed to delete the transactions, not just the splits 
in that account only to recreate them in an imbalance account. Otherwise it's 
the same as the move to account option.

The fact that it's poor accounting practice is beside the point. If the user 
wants to follow good accounting practice they can choose to move the splits to 
another account.

Regards,
John Ralls


On Sep 5, 2023, at 08:18, Gyle McCollam  wrote:

No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same as 
if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering to move 
them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the account 
affected by the account you are deleting.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: gnucash-user  on behalf of 
Mark via gnucash-user 
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:04 AM
To: Maf. King 
Cc: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account


Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :


I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)

Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.

One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
delete.

Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I
agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete
an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)

Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I agree 
that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.

I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a confusing 
side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. Maybe I'm just 
used to the way GnuCash has done things.
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Gyle McCollam]

John,
for the 1st time, I have to disagree with you.  If you delete the transactions 
when you delete an account it is not only an accounting issue, but will 
seriously mess up your other accounts.  Say there are debits (deposits) and 
credits (withdrawals) from your checking account.  If the account your deleting 
has been around for years, good luck trying to get your bank account to balance 
after those entries are gone.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: john 
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:44 AM
To: Gyle McCollam 
Cc: Maf. King ; Mark ; 
gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

Yeah, it's a bug. It's supposed to delete the transactions, not just the splits 
in that account only to recreate them in an imbalance account. Otherwise it's 
the same as the move to account option.

The fact that it's poor accounting practice is beside the point. If the user 
wants to follow good accounting practice they can choose to move the splits to 
another account.

Regards,
John Ralls

> On Sep 5, 2023, at 08:18, Gyle McCollam  wrote:
>
> No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
> payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
> were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same as 
> if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering to 
> move them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the account 
> affected by the account you are deleting.
>
>
> Thank You,
>
> Gyle McCollam
>
> Gyle McCollam
>
> gmccol...@live.com   email
>
> 
> From: gnucash-user  on 
> behalf of Mark via gnucash-user 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:04 AM
> To: Maf. King 
> Cc: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account
>
>
> Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :
>
>> I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
>> choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
>> screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
>>
>> Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
>> transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.
>>
>> One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
>> GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
>> the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
>> delete.
>>
>> Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I
>> agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete
>> an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
>> existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)
>
> Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
> option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I agree 
> that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.
>
> I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a 
> confusing side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. 
> Maybe I'm just used to the way GnuCash has done things.
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[john]

Yeah, it's a bug. It's supposed to delete the transactions, not just the splits 
in that account only to recreate them in an imbalance account. Otherwise it's 
the same as the move to account option.

The fact that it's poor accounting practice is beside the point. If the user 
wants to follow good accounting practice they can choose to move the splits to 
another account.

Regards,
John Ralls

> On Sep 5, 2023, at 08:18, Gyle McCollam  wrote:
> 
> No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
> payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
> were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same as 
> if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering to 
> move them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the account 
> affected by the account you are deleting.
> 
> 
> Thank You,
> 
> Gyle McCollam
> 
> Gyle McCollam
> 
> gmccol...@live.com   email
> 
> 
> From: gnucash-user  on 
> behalf of Mark via gnucash-user 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:04 AM
> To: Maf. King 
> Cc: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account
> 
> 
> Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :
> 
>> I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
>> choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
>> screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
>> 
>> Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
>> transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.
>> 
>> One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
>> GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
>> the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
>> delete.
>> 
>> Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I
>> agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete
>> an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
>> existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)
> 
> Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
> option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I agree 
> that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.
> 
> I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a 
> confusing side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. 
> Maybe I'm just used to the way GnuCash has done things.
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Mark via gnucash-user]

Sep 5, 2023 10:18:53 Gyle McCollam :

> No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
> payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
> were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same as 
> if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering to 
> move them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the account 
> affected by the account you are deleting.

I'm not the OP that wanted to mass delete transactions. What I was referring to 
as possibly a bug was what Maf. King said that choosing "delete all 
transactions" when deleting an account effectively moves them to Imbalance. If 
that is what that option is supposed to do, it would probably be good to make 
that clearer in the dialog box. Sorry I didn't word that clearly.
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Re: [GNC] Anomalous behaviour of a Bank Account Register

[Gyle McCollam]

Sorry, Peter I should have sent to the list no just to you.

Did you approach the line from the left, because that is the only way to expand 
the column by dragging?  If you did and the Deposit or Debit column expanded 
you went too far before clicking and dragging. Another thing you can try but, 
it is less likely to be successful, is when you get the double-sided arrow is 
to double-click the column.  If you are between the 2 lines, actually in the 
Transfer column it will expand to optimal width.  This is harder to do than 
dragging to the left when you first get the double arrow, but it works as I 
tested this.  I will say that  when this happened to me, I had a very hard time 
clicking and dragging and the exact point I needed to, but I eventually got it 
and now it is not as hard to do.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: Peter Jackson 
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 4:23 AM
To: Gyle McCollam 
Subject: Re: [GNC] Anomalous behaviour of a Bank Account Register

Gyle, I think you are right, but I just cannot get your remedy to work.

Nurton Court
Middleton-on-the-Hill
Ludlow SY8 4BD
Tel: 01568 750 248 Mob: 07955 586 476


On Fri, 1 Sept 2023 at 15:56, Gyle McCollam 
mailto:gmccol...@live.com>> wrote:
Based on the screen shot, it looks like the Transfer account has a zero or 
almost zero width.  I say this because the vertical dividing line between the 
description account column and the reconciliation account column seem thicker 
and darker than the other dividing lines.  To test this start at the top of the 
description column close to the Reconciliation column and move your mouse 
slowly to the left.  When the cursor changes to a double headed left/right 
arrow stop.  Then click and drag to the left and see if your transfer column 
appears.  Since the thicker line may mean the transfer column is reduced you 
have to be careful that you have selected the left side of the transfer column 
and not the left side of the reconcile column.  That is why you have to stop 
immediately when the mouse indicator switches to the double-sided arrows.  Once 
you can see the transfer column, you can double click in the header to get the 
optimum size.  That will shift the columns to the right off the page,
  but you can then double click the decription column to shrink it so the other 
columns fit on the page.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: gnucash-user 
mailto:gmail@gnucash.org>>
 on behalf of Peter Jackson mailto:jack...@fastmail.net>>
Sent: Friday, September 1, 2023 7:47 AM
To: GNU Cash User mailto:gnucash-user@gnucash.org>>
Subject: [GNC] Anomalous behaviour of a Bank Account Register

Hello,
I am using Gnucash 5.3 on Windows 11.
I noticed today that the balances on this account were not arithmetically
correct so I ran Check and Repair on all transactions in this account,
which then agreed with my actual bank balance.
I then noticed that this account does not show the Transfer column, but
does have an additional column to the right of Balnce, headed Rate.
Screenshot attached.
I can find no way to remedy this so that it looks like my other Bank
registers.
Can you help please?
Peter
[image: 2023-09-01 Smile.png]
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Gyle McCollam]

No Mark, it is not a bug.  If you made credit card purchases and subsequent 
payments to that card, those transactions have already been made and if you 
were to delete an account and the transaction within, it would be the same as 
if the transactions had never happened and they did.  Gnucash, offering to move 
them to another account is the only way not to screw up all the account 
affected by the account you are deleting.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: gnucash-user  on 
behalf of Mark via gnucash-user 
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 11:04 AM
To: Maf. King 
Cc: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account


Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :

> I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
> choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
> screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
>
> Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
> transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.
>
> One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
> GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
> the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
> delete.
>
> Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I
> agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete
> an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
> existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)

Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I agree 
that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.

I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a confusing 
side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. Maybe I'm just 
used to the way GnuCash has done things.
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Mark via gnucash-user]

Sep 5, 2023 08:33:44 Maf. King :

> I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the
> choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see
> screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
>
> Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the
> transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP. 
>
> One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and
> GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what
> the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a
> delete.
>
> Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I
> agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete
> an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still
> existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)

Ah, it's been a while since I deleted an account, and I don't remember the 
option to delete all transactions being there (maybe I just forgot). I agree 
that is confusing at least, and maybe a bug.

I don't think I would ever use that option, though. That seems like a confusing 
side effect to have transactions deleted by deleting an account. Maybe I'm just 
used to the way GnuCash has done things.
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Michael or Penny Novack]

Let's not to discuss whether it's a good idea or not to delete an 
account that contains transactions.  It's a valid user function in GC 
to delete a non-empty account.



Whether a "valid user function" or not depends on the level of 
formality. In other words, your accounting "standards".


Some of us will have chosen "never delete a transaction". Notice that 
this most closely models "pen and ink on paper (bound volumes, why we 
call them "books"). You got rid of a transaction only by entering an 
offsetting/correcting transaction.


Some of us will delete transactions entered in error but only in the 
current session. In other words, once the session ended we would later 
correct as above. Keep in mind that possibly the correction is being 
made months later.


Some of us will change transactions in our books willy nilly. We are 
going by informal accounting rules.



Now to the specific case << a BATCH of transactions imported 
incorrectly. If I understand correctly, debits and credits reversed? >> 
If asked by the person BEFORE any actions had been taken I would have 
asked some questions before suggesting how to fix. Questions like:


How much work have you done since this import?

How much work did you do before this import? (that is, since the last 
back-up)


If the answer to both of those is "none" I would have suggested 
abandoning the session in which the erroneous input was done (restore 
from just before).


Michael D Novack

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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[sunfish62--- via gnucash-user]

ISTR many years back encountering this discrepancy (that is, GnuCash saying it 
was deleting transactions only to find them still there after). 

I chalked it up to GnuCash being GnuCash, and decided that deleting accounts 
with transactions in them was more confusing than stepping through an account 
and deleting each transaction before removing the account. 

In Basic view, one can delete a lot of entries very quickly, especially if you 
turn off the confirmation dialog for the current session. I've been known to 
delete several hundred transactions in this way in just a few minutes. That's 
not the answer for the original problem, but it's the reason I haven't ever 
given the issue much consideration over the years...

⁣David T. ​

On Sep 5, 2023, 4:35 PM, at 4:35 PM, "Maf. King"  wrote:
>On Tuesday, 5 September 2023 13:51:11 BST Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)
>wrote:
>> On 2023-09-04 21:28, Jediator wrote:
>> > Let's not to discuss whether it's a good idea or not to delete an
>> > account that contains transactions.  It's a valid user function in
>GC to
>> > delete a non-empty account. 
>> 
>> I've never done that myself, but from discussions I followed here in
>the
>> past, when you delete an account that has transactions, GC prompts
>you
>> to specify an account to move those transactions to. Did that not
>happen
>> for you?
>> 
>>  > If you follow the double-entry accounting
>> > 
>> > rule, the related transactions in other accounts should be deleted.
>> 
>> I beg to differ. Just deleting an account can't change the past.
>Those
>> transactions represent events that happened, and deleting the account
>> can't make them unhappen; they must continue to exist *somewhere*.
>Maybe
>> going to Imbalance is what happens if you don't give GC an account to
>> move them to?
>> 
>
>Hi,
>
>I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with
>the 
>choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see 
>screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)
>
>Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the 
>transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.  
>
>One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted,
>and 
>GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know
>what 
>the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move,
>not a 
>delete.
>
>Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I
>think I 
>agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to
>delete 
>an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them
>still 
>existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)
>
>Maf.
>
>
>
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Maf. King]

On Tuesday, 5 September 2023 13:51:11 BST Stan Brown (using GC 4.14) wrote:
> On 2023-09-04 21:28, Jediator wrote:
> > Let's not to discuss whether it's a good idea or not to delete an
> > account that contains transactions.  It's a valid user function in GC to
> > delete a non-empty account. 
> 
> I've never done that myself, but from discussions I followed here in the
> past, when you delete an account that has transactions, GC prompts you
> to specify an account to move those transactions to. Did that not happen
> for you?
> 
>  > If you follow the double-entry accounting
> > 
> > rule, the related transactions in other accounts should be deleted.
> 
> I beg to differ. Just deleting an account can't change the past. Those
> transactions represent events that happened, and deleting the account
> can't make them unhappen; they must continue to exist *somewhere*. Maybe
> going to Imbalance is what happens if you don't give GC an account to
> move them to?
> 

Hi,

I just tried deleting an account.   As expected, I was presented with the 
choice to "move transactions to..." or "Delete all transactions" (see 
screenshot - this is GC 4.x, maybe the wording is different in v5)

Deleting the transactions does not really seem to delete anything, the 
transaction splits effectively moved to Imbalance-GBP.  

 One could argue that "splits" in the deleted account have been deleted, and 
GC has auto-created new splits to the Imbalance account - I don't know what 
the internal process is- but it "feels" to the end user like a move, not a 
delete.

Given a "transaction" is a collection of "at least 2 splits",  then I think I 
agree with the OP, (whatever the validity of the reason for wanting to delete 
an account), being told that "transactions" will be deleted and them still 
existing seems a bug (maybe only in wording in the dialog box)

Maf.___
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2023-09-04 21:28, Jediator wrote:
> Let's not to discuss whether it's a good idea or not to delete an
> account that contains transactions.  It's a valid user function in GC to
> delete a non-empty account. 

I've never done that myself, but from discussions I followed here in the
past, when you delete an account that has transactions, GC prompts you
to specify an account to move those transactions to. Did that not happen
for you?
 > If you follow the double-entry accounting
> rule, the related transactions in other accounts should be deleted.

I beg to differ. Just deleting an account can't change the past. Those
transactions represent events that happened, and deleting the account
can't make them unhappen; they must continue to exist *somewhere*. Maybe
going to Imbalance is what happens if you don't give GC an account to
move them to?

What happens when you go into the Imbalance account register, click a
line, and click Jump in the icon row at the top? I suspect GC will take
you to the other half of that transaction, but it would be nice to
confirm that. If that's what happens, then I would say GC behaved as it
should. If you really want to delete those transactions (though I don't
understand why), you should be able to do it, one by one, in the
Imbalance account register. (As far as I know, there's no way to mass
delete transactions.)

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com/
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Re: [GNC] Transaction inconsistency when deleting account

[Mark via gnucash-user]

Sep 4, 2023 23:30:59 Jediator :

> It's a valid user function in GC to delete a non-empty account. 

And that will delete the account and move any transactions in it to another 
account, which you can select. Personally, I think that makes sense, I don't 
want to be mass deleting transactions as a side effect of deleting an account.

It sounds like what you're actually wanting is some way to mass delete 
transactions. I'm not sure if there is a way to do that, maybe someone else 
knows. If there is not, you could make a feature request. (Unless that is 
something you could implement yourself.)
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