On 3/29/2020 7:12 PM, Adrian Yong wrote:
Hi Michael,
*_Your Point No. 5 is interesting._*
Gnucash's instruction is Export XXXXX to csv. One would be led to
believe that the file type is automatically csv. But in reality, you
are saying that it can export to any format provided you specify the
file type as an extension to the filename.
All your other comments are relevant if we get this file type
specification step correct.
Regards,
Adrian
You misunderstand. A file extension "announces" what the data type of a
file is. It does NOT make it so. And "type" can be understood at many
levels. Thus .csv stands for "comma separated variables" which would be
a description of the data at a lowish level, a series of ":records" each
consisting of a number of fields with the comma as the delineator"
between the fields. It does NOT specify the meaning of this data. Thus
that COULD be data that would make sense if used in a spreadsheet but
could also be data that would not.
ANY file can be considered at the lowest level as type "binary". When a
file has extension .exe that is telling the computer that the file
should be an executable program. But "run" isn't the only thing I might
do with a program. People like myself who could read machine code might
want to examine it (open under the control of a hex editor).
So back to what you started with, gnucash can export to some file types,
in this case.csv AND it so happens that this comma separated data would
make sense if opened by a spreadsheet application. That application
MIGHT be MS Excel. It might also be somebody else's spreadsheet app. I
will repeat, ALL that a file extension is doing is telling your computer
what to do with an object when you double click it IF you have created
an association between that file extension and the app << you tell your
machine "with this extension use that app" ---- if you have never done
this you are probably using just default associations. Thus Microsoft
wants you to use their products so Windows comes with defaults set that
way. The don't want you to know you have a choice >>
Michael D Novack
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