Re: [GNC] File format question

[Simon Roberts]

On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 1:12 PM Geert Janssens 
wrote:
[...]

> There's not much documentation other than the comments in the source
> files. The 'single characters' you refer to are briefly explained here:
>
>
> https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash/blob/b7e68144154c3677293148a40d66bea36d492a96/libgnucash/engine/TransLog.h#L58
>
> Though I'm not sure the behaviour is exactly like described there. I don't
> think a D(elete) line is still preceded by a B(egin) line. But the meaning
> of the characters is still unchanged.
>
> B for "begin edit"
>
> C for "commit changes"
>
> R for "rollback changes"
>
> D for "delete"
>

Perfect!! I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't work that out. In
retrospect it seems like I should have. But thank you for this, I'm pretty
sure this is all I really need for my situation.

Note these log files are call transaction logs. And that's pretty accurate.
> They only log changes to transactions (and their splits). Changes to
> accounts or invoices or anything else is not recorded in these logs.
>

Also helpful too. I didn't know that limitation. I don't think it'll be
important to my situation, but it's certainly helpful to know that this is
the case, just in case my CPAs indicate anything of that sort has happened.

Much appreciate the help, thank you Geert,
Cheers,
Simon
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Re: [GNC] File format question

[Geert Janssens]

Op woensdag 31 januari 2024 20:13:32 CET schreef Simon Roberts:
> Ah, excellent, thank you. I can continue with the compressed format for the
> main file and simply use zcat when needed :)
> 
> The wiki description of the XML format doesn't seem to offer much, but I'm
> not worried about that, I recall from previous forays in that file that
> it's pretty self evident what's going on (at least for the purpose I have
> in mind--i.e. putting names to UUIDs).
> 
> I guess the only part unresolved is whether there is anything outlining the
> log format. the single character code at column 1 seems like it might be
> important, but I'm at a loss for a guess as to what it's describing. It
> *feels* like it might explain what the numerous seemingly duplicated, and
> often zero-value, entries are about. But that's a wild stab in the dark :)
> 

There's not much documentation other than the comments in the source files. The 
'single 
characters' you refer to are briefly explained here:
https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash/blob/
b7e68144154c3677293148a40d66bea36d492a96/libgnucash/engine/TransLog.h#L58[1]

Though I'm not sure the behaviour is exactly like described there. I don't 
think a D(elete) 
line is still preceded by a B(egin) line. But the meaning of the characters is 
still unchanged.
B for "begin edit"
C for "commit changes"
R for "rollback changes"
D for "delete"

Note these log files are call transaction logs. And that's pretty accurate. 
They only log 
changes to transactions (and their splits). Changes to accounts or invoices or 
anything else 
is not recorded in these logs.

Regards,

Geert

> Many thanks Glenn for very helpful pointers!
> 
> Cheers,
> Simon
> 
> On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 11:39 AM Glenn Fowler  wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Yes you have the option to compress the XML or not.
> > 
> > Here is the info you are looking for:
> > 
> > https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v5/C/gnucash-guide/basics-files1.html
> > 
> > https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/GnuCash_XML_format
> > --
> > *From:* gnucash-user  > outlook@gnucash.org> on behalf of Simon Roberts <
> > si...@dancingcloudservices.com>
> > *Sent:* Wednesday, January 31, 2024 1:11 PM
> > *To:* Gnucash Users 
> > *Subject:* [GNC] File format question
> > 
> > Hi all, perhaps I should be asking this on the developer's list, but I
> > figured that misdirecting here would be less disruptive / annoying than
> > miscrirecting there. Please forgive me if this is the wrong place.
> > 
> > I'm investigating using logfiles as a means to identify changes that will
> > be made by my accountants for my year end. This leads me to two questions
> > 
> > First, is there documentation I can look at on this topic"? I didn't find
> > anything in the user guide, but am not particularly surprised at that.
> > 
> > Second, I notice that the main data file is binary. I thought it was XML
> > (perhaps that was at version 4?) But what's odder is that even if I
> > expressly request "save as XML", I still get a binary file. Is this
> > compressed, and if so, does anyone know what the compression is? I'm aware
> > that interpreting the logs will be much easier if I can correlate the
> > UUIDs
> > of the accounts (used in the logs) with the actual account info (which I
> > have previously seen in a tolerably intelligible format in the XML files
> > of
> > old).
> > 
> > Any pointers / references?
> > 
> > TIA
> > Simon
> > 
> > --
> > Simon Roberts
> > 303 249 3613
> > https://www.youtube.com/@DancingCloudServices
> > https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonhgroberts/
> > ___
> > gnucash-user mailing list
> > gnucash-user@gnucash.org
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[1] https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash/blob/
b7e68144154c3677293148a40d66bea36d492a96/libgnucash/engine/TransLog.h#L58
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Re: [GNC] File format question

[Simon Roberts]

Ah, excellent, thank you. I can continue with the compressed format for the
main file and simply use zcat when needed :)

The wiki description of the XML format doesn't seem to offer much, but I'm
not worried about that, I recall from previous forays in that file that
it's pretty self evident what's going on (at least for the purpose I have
in mind--i.e. putting names to UUIDs).

I guess the only part unresolved is whether there is anything outlining the
log format. the single character code at column 1 seems like it might be
important, but I'm at a loss for a guess as to what it's describing. It
*feels* like it might explain what the numerous seemingly duplicated, and
often zero-value, entries are about. But that's a wild stab in the dark :)

Many thanks Glenn for very helpful pointers!

Cheers,
Simon


On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 11:39 AM Glenn Fowler  wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Yes you have the option to compress the XML or not.
>
> Here is the info you are looking for:
>
> https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v5/C/gnucash-guide/basics-files1.html
>
> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/GnuCash_XML_format
> --
> *From:* gnucash-user  outlook@gnucash.org> on behalf of Simon Roberts <
> si...@dancingcloudservices.com>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 31, 2024 1:11 PM
> *To:* Gnucash Users 
> *Subject:* [GNC] File format question
>
> Hi all, perhaps I should be asking this on the developer's list, but I
> figured that misdirecting here would be less disruptive / annoying than
> miscrirecting there. Please forgive me if this is the wrong place.
>
> I'm investigating using logfiles as a means to identify changes that will
> be made by my accountants for my year end. This leads me to two questions
>
> First, is there documentation I can look at on this topic"? I didn't find
> anything in the user guide, but am not particularly surprised at that.
>
> Second, I notice that the main data file is binary. I thought it was XML
> (perhaps that was at version 4?) But what's odder is that even if I
> expressly request "save as XML", I still get a binary file. Is this
> compressed, and if so, does anyone know what the compression is? I'm aware
> that interpreting the logs will be much easier if I can correlate the UUIDs
> of the accounts (used in the logs) with the actual account info (which I
> have previously seen in a tolerably intelligible format in the XML files of
> old).
>
> Any pointers / references?
>
> TIA
> Simon
>
> --
> Simon Roberts
> 303 249 3613
> https://www.youtube.com/@DancingCloudServices
> https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonhgroberts/
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
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> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
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>


-- 
Simon Roberts
303 249 3613
https://www.youtube.com/@DancingCloudServices
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonhgroberts/
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Re: [GNC] File format question

[Glenn Fowler]

Hi,

Yes you have the option to compress the XML or not.

Here is the info you are looking for:

https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v5/C/gnucash-guide/basics-files1.html

https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/GnuCash_XML_format

From: gnucash-user  on 
behalf of Simon Roberts 
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 1:11 PM
To: Gnucash Users 
Subject: [GNC] File format question

Hi all, perhaps I should be asking this on the developer's list, but I
figured that misdirecting here would be less disruptive / annoying than
miscrirecting there. Please forgive me if this is the wrong place.

I'm investigating using logfiles as a means to identify changes that will
be made by my accountants for my year end. This leads me to two questions

First, is there documentation I can look at on this topic"? I didn't find
anything in the user guide, but am not particularly surprised at that.

Second, I notice that the main data file is binary. I thought it was XML
(perhaps that was at version 4?) But what's odder is that even if I
expressly request "save as XML", I still get a binary file. Is this
compressed, and if so, does anyone know what the compression is? I'm aware
that interpreting the logs will be much easier if I can correlate the UUIDs
of the accounts (used in the logs) with the actual account info (which I
have previously seen in a tolerably intelligible format in the XML files of
old).

Any pointers / references?

TIA
Simon

--
Simon Roberts
303 249 3613
https://www.youtube.com/@DancingCloudServices
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonhgroberts/
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Re: [GNC] File format question

[Jim DeLaHunt]

Hello, Simon:

On 2024-01-31 10:11, Simon Roberts wrote:

...I'm investigating using logfiles as a means to identify changes that will
be made by my accountants for my year end. This leads me to two questions

First, is there documentation I can look at on this topic"? I didn't find
anything in the user guide, but am not particularly surprised at that.
I am not aware of documentation for the logfile format. It may exist, 
but as a long-time user and sometime developer, who has meddled with the 
XML content of my book file, I have not come across logfile 
documentation. If I wanted to find it, I would search the GnuCash 
wiki[1] first, and then the GnuCash source code[2].

Second, I notice that the main data file is binary. I thought it was XML
(perhaps that was at version 4?) But what's odder is that even if I
expressly request "save as XML", I still get a binary file. Is this
compressed, and if so, does anyone know what the compression is? ...


The XML data file is compressed by gzip. You can run gzip on the 
compressed file to recover the uncompressed XML file. Or, you can change 
GnuCash settings to not apply the compression. Read more in the 
/Tutorial and Concepts Guide/ [3], section 2.2.1 *Files* [4]. See also 
wiki articles *File*[5] and *GnuCash XML format*[6].


If you discover gaps in the Wiki articles, I encourage you to contribute 
improvements to the Wiki.


[1] Wiki 
[2] Source code 
[3] Tutorial and Concepts Guide 

[4] Guide, 2.2.1 Files 


[5] Wiki article File 
[6] Wiki article GnuCash XML format 



Best regards,
 —Jim DeLaHunt
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[GNC] File format question

[Simon Roberts]

Hi all, perhaps I should be asking this on the developer's list, but I
figured that misdirecting here would be less disruptive / annoying than
miscrirecting there. Please forgive me if this is the wrong place.

I'm investigating using logfiles as a means to identify changes that will
be made by my accountants for my year end. This leads me to two questions

First, is there documentation I can look at on this topic"? I didn't find
anything in the user guide, but am not particularly surprised at that.

Second, I notice that the main data file is binary. I thought it was XML
(perhaps that was at version 4?) But what's odder is that even if I
expressly request "save as XML", I still get a binary file. Is this
compressed, and if so, does anyone know what the compression is? I'm aware
that interpreting the logs will be much easier if I can correlate the UUIDs
of the accounts (used in the logs) with the actual account info (which I
have previously seen in a tolerably intelligible format in the XML files of
old).

Any pointers / references?

TIA
Simon

-- 
Simon Roberts
303 249 3613
https://www.youtube.com/@DancingCloudServices
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonhgroberts/
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Re: [GNC] SX

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2024-01-31 06:27, Gyle McCollam wrote:
> IIRC the calendar in SX used to show what transactions were due on each day 
> when you moved the mouse to a date in the calendar, but it doesn't do that 
> anymore.  Is that correct or am I remembering wrong?  It doesn't do that 
> anymore.

In 4.14 I found I have to click once on a date; just hovering isn't
enough. Maybe it's the same in whatever version you're running?

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
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Re: [GNC] SX

[Gyle McCollam]

Thank you, Adrien, right-click did the trick.  S I guess I didn't quite recall 
it correctly!

David,  should have mentioned GC 5.5 & Win 11.  Since it is working correctly, 
it doesn't matter, but why not fix multiple issues while working on SX.  
However, it is only my opinion and up to the developers to decide what is 
important to address, but your point is taken.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email


From: gnucash-user  on 
behalf of Adrien Monteleone 
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 10:22 AM
To: gnucash-u...@lists.gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] SX

It works when I right click on the calendar and then as I move around a
pop-up that follows the mouse changes to show SX info, or none, accordingly.

Regards,
Adrien

On 1/31/24 8:27 AM, Gyle McCollam wrote:
> IIRC the calendar in SX used to show what transactions were due on each day 
> when you moved the mouse to a date in the calendar, but it doesn't do that 
> anymore.  Is that correct or am I remembering wrong?  It doesn't do that 
> anymore.

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Re: [GNC] SX

[David Carlson]

What release of GnuCash are we discussing here?  I believe that the current
release (5.5) has other issues with SX's that are more serious, hence we
might  as well wait for these issues to be resolved first.

On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 9:23 AM Adrien Monteleone <
adrien.montele...@lusfiber.net> wrote:

> It works when I right click on the calendar and then as I move around a
> pop-up that follows the mouse changes to show SX info, or none,
> accordingly.
>
> Regards,
> Adrien
>
> On 1/31/24 8:27 AM, Gyle McCollam wrote:
> > IIRC the calendar in SX used to show what transactions were due on each
> day when you moved the mouse to a date in the calendar, but it doesn't do
> that anymore.  Is that correct or am I remembering wrong?  It doesn't do
> that anymore.
>
> ___
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-- 
David Carlson
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Re: [GNC] SX

[Adrien Monteleone]

It works when I right click on the calendar and then as I move around a 
pop-up that follows the mouse changes to show SX info, or none, accordingly.


Regards,
Adrien

On 1/31/24 8:27 AM, Gyle McCollam wrote:

IIRC the calendar in SX used to show what transactions were due on each day 
when you moved the mouse to a date in the calendar, but it doesn't do that 
anymore.  Is that correct or am I remembering wrong?  It doesn't do that 
anymore.


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[GNC] SX

[Gyle McCollam]

IIRC the calendar in SX used to show what transactions were due on each day 
when you moved the mouse to a date in the calendar, but it doesn't do that 
anymore.  Is that correct or am I remembering wrong?  It doesn't do that 
anymore.


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com   email
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