diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
-rw-r--r-- | doc/Doxyfile | 1406 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/INSTALL | 234 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/LICENSE | 28 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/NEWS | 842 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/README | 73 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/ledger.texi | 3961 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | doc/sample.dat | 26 |
7 files changed, 6570 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/Doxyfile b/doc/Doxyfile new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b69be81e --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/Doxyfile @@ -0,0 +1,1406 @@ +# Doxyfile 1.5.5 + +# This file describes the settings to be used by the documentation system +# doxygen (www.doxygen.org) for a project +# +# All text after a hash (#) is considered a comment and will be ignored +# The format is: +# TAG = value [value, ...] +# For lists items can also be appended using: +# TAG += value [value, ...] +# Values that contain spaces should be placed between quotes (" ") + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Project related configuration options +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# This tag specifies the encoding used for all characters in the config file +# that follow. The default is UTF-8 which is also the encoding used for all +# text before the first occurrence of this tag. Doxygen uses libiconv (or the +# iconv built into libc) for the transcoding. See +# http://www.gnu.org/software/libiconv for the list of possible encodings. + +DOXYFILE_ENCODING = UTF-8 + +# The PROJECT_NAME tag is a single word (or a sequence of words surrounded +# by quotes) that should identify the project. + +PROJECT_NAME = Ledger + +# The PROJECT_NUMBER tag can be used to enter a project or revision number. +# This could be handy for archiving the generated documentation or +# if some version control system is used. + +PROJECT_NUMBER = 3.0 + +# The OUTPUT_DIRECTORY tag is used to specify the (relative or absolute) +# base path where the generated documentation will be put. +# If a relative path is entered, it will be relative to the location +# where doxygen was started. If left blank the current directory will be used. + +OUTPUT_DIRECTORY = %builddir%/doc + +# If the CREATE_SUBDIRS tag is set to YES, then doxygen will create +# 4096 sub-directories (in 2 levels) under the output directory of each output +# format and will distribute the generated files over these directories. +# Enabling this option can be useful when feeding doxygen a huge amount of +# source files, where putting all generated files in the same directory would +# otherwise cause performance problems for the file system. + +CREATE_SUBDIRS = NO + +# The OUTPUT_LANGUAGE tag is used to specify the language in which all +# documentation generated by doxygen is written. Doxygen will use this +# information to generate all constant output in the proper language. +# The default language is English, other supported languages are: +# Afrikaans, Arabic, Brazilian, Catalan, Chinese, Chinese-Traditional, +# Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, +# Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Japanese-en (Japanese with English messages), +# Korean, Korean-en, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Macedonian, Persian, Polish, +# Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, +# and Ukrainian. + +OUTPUT_LANGUAGE = English + +# If the BRIEF_MEMBER_DESC tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# include brief member descriptions after the members that are listed in +# the file and class documentation (similar to JavaDoc). +# Set to NO to disable this. + +BRIEF_MEMBER_DESC = YES + +# If the REPEAT_BRIEF tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will prepend +# the brief description of a member or function before the detailed description. +# Note: if both HIDE_UNDOC_MEMBERS and BRIEF_MEMBER_DESC are set to NO, the +# brief descriptions will be completely suppressed. + +REPEAT_BRIEF = YES + +# This tag implements a quasi-intelligent brief description abbreviator +# that is used to form the text in various listings. Each string +# in this list, if found as the leading text of the brief description, will be +# stripped from the text and the result after processing the whole list, is +# used as the annotated text. Otherwise, the brief description is used as-is. +# If left blank, the following values are used ("$name" is automatically +# replaced with the name of the entity): "The $name class" "The $name widget" +# "The $name file" "is" "provides" "specifies" "contains" +# "represents" "a" "an" "the" + +ABBREVIATE_BRIEF = "The $name class" \ + "The $name widget" \ + "The $name file" \ + is \ + provides \ + specifies \ + contains \ + represents \ + a \ + an \ + the + +# If the ALWAYS_DETAILED_SEC and REPEAT_BRIEF tags are both set to YES then +# Doxygen will generate a detailed section even if there is only a brief +# description. + +ALWAYS_DETAILED_SEC = NO + +# If the INLINE_INHERITED_MEMB tag is set to YES, doxygen will show all +# inherited members of a class in the documentation of that class as if those +# members were ordinary class members. Constructors, destructors and assignment +# operators of the base classes will not be shown. + +INLINE_INHERITED_MEMB = NO + +# If the FULL_PATH_NAMES tag is set to YES then Doxygen will prepend the full +# path before files name in the file list and in the header files. If set +# to NO the shortest path that makes the file name unique will be used. + +FULL_PATH_NAMES = YES + +# If the FULL_PATH_NAMES tag is set to YES then the STRIP_FROM_PATH tag +# can be used to strip a user-defined part of the path. Stripping is +# only done if one of the specified strings matches the left-hand part of +# the path. The tag can be used to show relative paths in the file list. +# If left blank the directory from which doxygen is run is used as the +# path to strip. + +STRIP_FROM_PATH = /Applications/ + +# The STRIP_FROM_INC_PATH tag can be used to strip a user-defined part of +# the path mentioned in the documentation of a class, which tells +# the reader which header file to include in order to use a class. +# If left blank only the name of the header file containing the class +# definition is used. Otherwise one should specify the include paths that +# are normally passed to the compiler using the -I flag. + +STRIP_FROM_INC_PATH = + +# If the SHORT_NAMES tag is set to YES, doxygen will generate much shorter +# (but less readable) file names. This can be useful is your file systems +# doesn't support long names like on DOS, Mac, or CD-ROM. + +SHORT_NAMES = NO + +# If the JAVADOC_AUTOBRIEF tag is set to YES then Doxygen +# will interpret the first line (until the first dot) of a JavaDoc-style +# comment as the brief description. If set to NO, the JavaDoc +# comments will behave just like regular Qt-style comments +# (thus requiring an explicit @brief command for a brief description.) + +JAVADOC_AUTOBRIEF = NO + +# If the QT_AUTOBRIEF tag is set to YES then Doxygen will +# interpret the first line (until the first dot) of a Qt-style +# comment as the brief description. If set to NO, the comments +# will behave just like regular Qt-style comments (thus requiring +# an explicit \brief command for a brief description.) + +QT_AUTOBRIEF = NO + +# The MULTILINE_CPP_IS_BRIEF tag can be set to YES to make Doxygen +# treat a multi-line C++ special comment block (i.e. a block of //! or /// +# comments) as a brief description. This used to be the default behaviour. +# The new default is to treat a multi-line C++ comment block as a detailed +# description. Set this tag to YES if you prefer the old behaviour instead. + +MULTILINE_CPP_IS_BRIEF = NO + +# If the DETAILS_AT_TOP tag is set to YES then Doxygen +# will output the detailed description near the top, like JavaDoc. +# If set to NO, the detailed description appears after the member +# documentation. + +DETAILS_AT_TOP = NO + +# If the INHERIT_DOCS tag is set to YES (the default) then an undocumented +# member inherits the documentation from any documented member that it +# re-implements. + +INHERIT_DOCS = YES + +# If the SEPARATE_MEMBER_PAGES tag is set to YES, then doxygen will produce +# a new page for each member. If set to NO, the documentation of a member will +# be part of the file/class/namespace that contains it. + +SEPARATE_MEMBER_PAGES = NO + +# The TAB_SIZE tag can be used to set the number of spaces in a tab. +# Doxygen uses this value to replace tabs by spaces in code fragments. + +TAB_SIZE = 8 + +# This tag can be used to specify a number of aliases that acts +# as commands in the documentation. An alias has the form "name=value". +# For example adding "sideeffect=\par Side Effects:\n" will allow you to +# put the command \sideeffect (or @sideeffect) in the documentation, which +# will result in a user-defined paragraph with heading "Side Effects:". +# You can put \n's in the value part of an alias to insert newlines. + +ALIASES = + +# Set the OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_FOR_C tag to YES if your project consists of C +# sources only. Doxygen will then generate output that is more tailored for C. +# For instance, some of the names that are used will be different. The list +# of all members will be omitted, etc. + +OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_FOR_C = NO + +# Set the OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_JAVA tag to YES if your project consists of Java +# sources only. Doxygen will then generate output that is more tailored for +# Java. For instance, namespaces will be presented as packages, qualified +# scopes will look different, etc. + +OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_JAVA = NO + +# Set the OPTIMIZE_FOR_FORTRAN tag to YES if your project consists of Fortran +# sources only. Doxygen will then generate output that is more tailored for +# Fortran. + +OPTIMIZE_FOR_FORTRAN = NO + +# Set the OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_VHDL tag to YES if your project consists of VHDL +# sources. Doxygen will then generate output that is tailored for +# VHDL. + +OPTIMIZE_OUTPUT_VHDL = NO + +# If you use STL classes (i.e. std::string, std::vector, etc.) but do not want +# to include (a tag file for) the STL sources as input, then you should +# set this tag to YES in order to let doxygen match functions declarations and +# definitions whose arguments contain STL classes (e.g. func(std::string); v.s. +# func(std::string) {}). This also make the inheritance and collaboration +# diagrams that involve STL classes more complete and accurate. + +BUILTIN_STL_SUPPORT = YES + +# If you use Microsoft's C++/CLI language, you should set this option to YES to +# enable parsing support. + +CPP_CLI_SUPPORT = NO + +# Set the SIP_SUPPORT tag to YES if your project consists of sip sources only. +# Doxygen will parse them like normal C++ but will assume all classes use public +# instead of private inheritance when no explicit protection keyword is present. + +SIP_SUPPORT = NO + +# If member grouping is used in the documentation and the DISTRIBUTE_GROUP_DOC +# tag is set to YES, then doxygen will reuse the documentation of the first +# member in the group (if any) for the other members of the group. By default +# all members of a group must be documented explicitly. + +DISTRIBUTE_GROUP_DOC = NO + +# Set the SUBGROUPING tag to YES (the default) to allow class member groups of +# the same type (for instance a group of public functions) to be put as a +# subgroup of that type (e.g. under the Public Functions section). Set it to +# NO to prevent subgrouping. Alternatively, this can be done per class using +# the \nosubgrouping command. + +SUBGROUPING = YES + +# When TYPEDEF_HIDES_STRUCT is enabled, a typedef of a struct, union, or enum +# is documented as struct, union, or enum with the name of the typedef. So +# typedef struct TypeS {} TypeT, will appear in the documentation as a struct +# with name TypeT. When disabled the typedef will appear as a member of a file, +# namespace, or class. And the struct will be named TypeS. This can typically +# be useful for C code in case the coding convention dictates that all compound +# types are typedef'ed and only the typedef is referenced, never the tag name. + +TYPEDEF_HIDES_STRUCT = NO + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Build related configuration options +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the EXTRACT_ALL tag is set to YES doxygen will assume all entities in +# documentation are documented, even if no documentation was available. +# Private class members and static file members will be hidden unless +# the EXTRACT_PRIVATE and EXTRACT_STATIC tags are set to YES + +EXTRACT_ALL = NO + +# If the EXTRACT_PRIVATE tag is set to YES all private members of a class +# will be included in the documentation. + +EXTRACT_PRIVATE = NO + +# If the EXTRACT_STATIC tag is set to YES all static members of a file +# will be included in the documentation. + +EXTRACT_STATIC = NO + +# If the EXTRACT_LOCAL_CLASSES tag is set to YES classes (and structs) +# defined locally in source files will be included in the documentation. +# If set to NO only classes defined in header files are included. + +EXTRACT_LOCAL_CLASSES = YES + +# This flag is only useful for Objective-C code. When set to YES local +# methods, which are defined in the implementation section but not in +# the interface are included in the documentation. +# If set to NO (the default) only methods in the interface are included. + +EXTRACT_LOCAL_METHODS = NO + +# If this flag is set to YES, the members of anonymous namespaces will be +# extracted and appear in the documentation as a namespace called +# 'anonymous_namespace{file}', where file will be replaced with the base +# name of the file that contains the anonymous namespace. By default +# anonymous namespace are hidden. + +EXTRACT_ANON_NSPACES = NO + +# If the HIDE_UNDOC_MEMBERS tag is set to YES, Doxygen will hide all +# undocumented members of documented classes, files or namespaces. +# If set to NO (the default) these members will be included in the +# various overviews, but no documentation section is generated. +# This option has no effect if EXTRACT_ALL is enabled. + +HIDE_UNDOC_MEMBERS = YES + +# If the HIDE_UNDOC_CLASSES tag is set to YES, Doxygen will hide all +# undocumented classes that are normally visible in the class hierarchy. +# If set to NO (the default) these classes will be included in the various +# overviews. This option has no effect if EXTRACT_ALL is enabled. + +HIDE_UNDOC_CLASSES = YES + +# If the HIDE_FRIEND_COMPOUNDS tag is set to YES, Doxygen will hide all +# friend (class|struct|union) declarations. +# If set to NO (the default) these declarations will be included in the +# documentation. + +HIDE_FRIEND_COMPOUNDS = NO + +# If the HIDE_IN_BODY_DOCS tag is set to YES, Doxygen will hide any +# documentation blocks found inside the body of a function. +# If set to NO (the default) these blocks will be appended to the +# function's detailed documentation block. + +HIDE_IN_BODY_DOCS = NO + +# The INTERNAL_DOCS tag determines if documentation +# that is typed after a \internal command is included. If the tag is set +# to NO (the default) then the documentation will be excluded. +# Set it to YES to include the internal documentation. + +INTERNAL_DOCS = NO + +# If the CASE_SENSE_NAMES tag is set to NO then Doxygen will only generate +# file names in lower-case letters. If set to YES upper-case letters are also +# allowed. This is useful if you have classes or files whose names only differ +# in case and if your file system supports case sensitive file names. Windows +# and Mac users are advised to set this option to NO. + +CASE_SENSE_NAMES = NO + +# If the HIDE_SCOPE_NAMES tag is set to NO (the default) then Doxygen +# will show members with their full class and namespace scopes in the +# documentation. If set to YES the scope will be hidden. + +HIDE_SCOPE_NAMES = NO + +# If the SHOW_INCLUDE_FILES tag is set to YES (the default) then Doxygen +# will put a list of the files that are included by a file in the documentation +# of that file. + +SHOW_INCLUDE_FILES = YES + +# If the INLINE_INFO tag is set to YES (the default) then a tag [inline] +# is inserted in the documentation for inline members. + +INLINE_INFO = YES + +# If the SORT_MEMBER_DOCS tag is set to YES (the default) then doxygen +# will sort the (detailed) documentation of file and class members +# alphabetically by member name. If set to NO the members will appear in +# declaration order. + +SORT_MEMBER_DOCS = YES + +# If the SORT_BRIEF_DOCS tag is set to YES then doxygen will sort the +# brief documentation of file, namespace and class members alphabetically +# by member name. If set to NO (the default) the members will appear in +# declaration order. + +SORT_BRIEF_DOCS = NO + +# If the SORT_GROUP_NAMES tag is set to YES then doxygen will sort the +# hierarchy of group names into alphabetical order. If set to NO (the default) +# the group names will appear in their defined order. + +SORT_GROUP_NAMES = NO + +# If the SORT_BY_SCOPE_NAME tag is set to YES, the class list will be +# sorted by fully-qualified names, including namespaces. If set to +# NO (the default), the class list will be sorted only by class name, +# not including the namespace part. +# Note: This option is not very useful if HIDE_SCOPE_NAMES is set to YES. +# Note: This option applies only to the class list, not to the +# alphabetical list. + +SORT_BY_SCOPE_NAME = NO + +# The GENERATE_TODOLIST tag can be used to enable (YES) or +# disable (NO) the todo list. This list is created by putting \todo +# commands in the documentation. + +GENERATE_TODOLIST = YES + +# The GENERATE_TESTLIST tag can be used to enable (YES) or +# disable (NO) the test list. This list is created by putting \test +# commands in the documentation. + +GENERATE_TESTLIST = YES + +# The GENERATE_BUGLIST tag can be used to enable (YES) or +# disable (NO) the bug list. This list is created by putting \bug +# commands in the documentation. + +GENERATE_BUGLIST = YES + +# The GENERATE_DEPRECATEDLIST tag can be used to enable (YES) or +# disable (NO) the deprecated list. This list is created by putting +# \deprecated commands in the documentation. + +GENERATE_DEPRECATEDLIST= YES + +# The ENABLED_SECTIONS tag can be used to enable conditional +# documentation sections, marked by \if sectionname ... \endif. + +ENABLED_SECTIONS = + +# The MAX_INITIALIZER_LINES tag determines the maximum number of lines +# the initial value of a variable or define consists of for it to appear in +# the documentation. If the initializer consists of more lines than specified +# here it will be hidden. Use a value of 0 to hide initializers completely. +# The appearance of the initializer of individual variables and defines in the +# documentation can be controlled using \showinitializer or \hideinitializer +# command in the documentation regardless of this setting. + +MAX_INITIALIZER_LINES = 30 + +# Set the SHOW_USED_FILES tag to NO to disable the list of files generated +# at the bottom of the documentation of classes and structs. If set to YES the +# list will mention the files that were used to generate the documentation. + +SHOW_USED_FILES = YES + +# If the sources in your project are distributed over multiple directories +# then setting the SHOW_DIRECTORIES tag to YES will show the directory hierarchy +# in the documentation. The default is NO. + +SHOW_DIRECTORIES = NO + +# The FILE_VERSION_FILTER tag can be used to specify a program or script that +# doxygen should invoke to get the current version for each file (typically from +# the version control system). Doxygen will invoke the program by executing (via +# popen()) the command <command> <input-file>, where <command> is the value of +# the FILE_VERSION_FILTER tag, and <input-file> is the name of an input file +# provided by doxygen. Whatever the program writes to standard output +# is used as the file version. See the manual for examples. + +FILE_VERSION_FILTER = + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to warning and progress messages +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# The QUIET tag can be used to turn on/off the messages that are generated +# by doxygen. Possible values are YES and NO. If left blank NO is used. + +QUIET = NO + +# The WARNINGS tag can be used to turn on/off the warning messages that are +# generated by doxygen. Possible values are YES and NO. If left blank +# NO is used. + +WARNINGS = YES + +# If WARN_IF_UNDOCUMENTED is set to YES, then doxygen will generate warnings +# for undocumented members. If EXTRACT_ALL is set to YES then this flag will +# automatically be disabled. + +WARN_IF_UNDOCUMENTED = YES + +# If WARN_IF_DOC_ERROR is set to YES, doxygen will generate warnings for +# potential errors in the documentation, such as not documenting some +# parameters in a documented function, or documenting parameters that +# don't exist or using markup commands wrongly. + +WARN_IF_DOC_ERROR = YES + +# This WARN_NO_PARAMDOC option can be abled to get warnings for +# functions that are documented, but have no documentation for their parameters +# or return value. If set to NO (the default) doxygen will only warn about +# wrong or incomplete parameter documentation, but not about the absence of +# documentation. + +WARN_NO_PARAMDOC = NO + +# The WARN_FORMAT tag determines the format of the warning messages that +# doxygen can produce. The string should contain the $file, $line, and $text +# tags, which will be replaced by the file and line number from which the +# warning originated and the warning text. Optionally the format may contain +# $version, which will be replaced by the version of the file (if it could +# be obtained via FILE_VERSION_FILTER) + +WARN_FORMAT = "$file:$line: $text" + +# The WARN_LOGFILE tag can be used to specify a file to which warning +# and error messages should be written. If left blank the output is written +# to stderr. + +WARN_LOGFILE = + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the input files +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# The INPUT tag can be used to specify the files and/or directories that contain +# documented source files. You may enter file names like "myfile.cpp" or +# directories like "/usr/src/myproject". Separate the files or directories +# with spaces. + +INPUT = %srcdir%/src %srcdir%/test/unit + +# This tag can be used to specify the character encoding of the source files +# that doxygen parses. Internally doxygen uses the UTF-8 encoding, which is +# also the default input encoding. Doxygen uses libiconv (or the iconv built +# into libc) for the transcoding. See http://www.gnu.org/software/libiconv for +# the list of possible encodings. + +INPUT_ENCODING = UTF-8 + +# If the value of the INPUT tag contains directories, you can use the +# FILE_PATTERNS tag to specify one or more wildcard pattern (like *.cpp +# and *.h) to filter out the source-files in the directories. If left +# blank the following patterns are tested: +# *.c *.cc *.cxx *.cpp *.c++ *.java *.ii *.ixx *.ipp *.i++ *.inl *.h *.hh *.hxx +# *.hpp *.h++ *.idl *.odl *.cs *.php *.php3 *.inc *.m *.mm *.py *.f90 + +FILE_PATTERNS = *.c \ + *.cc \ + *.cxx \ + *.cpp \ + *.c++ \ + *.d \ + *.java \ + *.ii \ + *.ixx \ + *.ipp \ + *.i++ \ + *.inl \ + *.h \ + *.hh \ + *.hxx \ + *.hpp \ + *.h++ \ + *.idl \ + *.odl \ + *.cs \ + *.php \ + *.php3 \ + *.inc \ + *.m \ + *.mm \ + *.dox \ + *.py \ + *.C \ + *.CC \ + *.C++ \ + *.II \ + *.I++ \ + *.H \ + *.HH \ + *.H++ \ + *.CS \ + *.PHP \ + *.PHP3 \ + *.M \ + *.MM \ + *.PY + +# The RECURSIVE tag can be used to turn specify whether or not subdirectories +# should be searched for input files as well. Possible values are YES and NO. +# If left blank NO is used. + +RECURSIVE = NO + +# The EXCLUDE tag can be used to specify files and/or directories that should +# excluded from the INPUT source files. This way you can easily exclude a +# subdirectory from a directory tree whose root is specified with the INPUT tag. + +EXCLUDE = + +# The EXCLUDE_SYMLINKS tag can be used select whether or not files or +# directories that are symbolic links (a Unix filesystem feature) are excluded +# from the input. + +EXCLUDE_SYMLINKS = NO + +# If the value of the INPUT tag contains directories, you can use the +# EXCLUDE_PATTERNS tag to specify one or more wildcard patterns to exclude +# certain files from those directories. Note that the wildcards are matched +# against the file with absolute path, so to exclude all test directories +# for example use the pattern */test/* + +EXCLUDE_PATTERNS = + +# The EXCLUDE_SYMBOLS tag can be used to specify one or more symbol names +# (namespaces, classes, functions, etc.) that should be excluded from the +# output. The symbol name can be a fully qualified name, a word, or if the +# wildcard * is used, a substring. Examples: ANamespace, AClass, +# AClass::ANamespace, ANamespace::*Test + +EXCLUDE_SYMBOLS = + +# The EXAMPLE_PATH tag can be used to specify one or more files or +# directories that contain example code fragments that are included (see +# the \include command). + +EXAMPLE_PATH = + +# If the value of the EXAMPLE_PATH tag contains directories, you can use the +# EXAMPLE_PATTERNS tag to specify one or more wildcard pattern (like *.cpp +# and *.h) to filter out the source-files in the directories. If left +# blank all files are included. + +EXAMPLE_PATTERNS = * + +# If the EXAMPLE_RECURSIVE tag is set to YES then subdirectories will be +# searched for input files to be used with the \include or \dontinclude +# commands irrespective of the value of the RECURSIVE tag. +# Possible values are YES and NO. If left blank NO is used. + +EXAMPLE_RECURSIVE = NO + +# The IMAGE_PATH tag can be used to specify one or more files or +# directories that contain image that are included in the documentation (see +# the \image command). + +IMAGE_PATH = + +# The INPUT_FILTER tag can be used to specify a program that doxygen should +# invoke to filter for each input file. Doxygen will invoke the filter program +# by executing (via popen()) the command <filter> <input-file>, where <filter> +# is the value of the INPUT_FILTER tag, and <input-file> is the name of an +# input file. Doxygen will then use the output that the filter program writes +# to standard output. If FILTER_PATTERNS is specified, this tag will be +# ignored. + +INPUT_FILTER = + +# The FILTER_PATTERNS tag can be used to specify filters on a per file pattern +# basis. Doxygen will compare the file name with each pattern and apply the +# filter if there is a match. The filters are a list of the form: +# pattern=filter (like *.cpp=my_cpp_filter). See INPUT_FILTER for further +# info on how filters are used. If FILTER_PATTERNS is empty, INPUT_FILTER +# is applied to all files. + +FILTER_PATTERNS = + +# If the FILTER_SOURCE_FILES tag is set to YES, the input filter (if set using +# INPUT_FILTER) will be used to filter the input files when producing source +# files to browse (i.e. when SOURCE_BROWSER is set to YES). + +FILTER_SOURCE_FILES = NO + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to source browsing +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the SOURCE_BROWSER tag is set to YES then a list of source files will +# be generated. Documented entities will be cross-referenced with these sources. +# Note: To get rid of all source code in the generated output, make sure also +# VERBATIM_HEADERS is set to NO. + +SOURCE_BROWSER = YES + +# Setting the INLINE_SOURCES tag to YES will include the body +# of functions and classes directly in the documentation. + +INLINE_SOURCES = NO + +# Setting the STRIP_CODE_COMMENTS tag to YES (the default) will instruct +# doxygen to hide any special comment blocks from generated source code +# fragments. Normal C and C++ comments will always remain visible. + +STRIP_CODE_COMMENTS = YES + +# If the REFERENCED_BY_RELATION tag is set to YES (the default) +# then for each documented function all documented +# functions referencing it will be listed. + +REFERENCED_BY_RELATION = YES + +# If the REFERENCES_RELATION tag is set to YES (the default) +# then for each documented function all documented entities +# called/used by that function will be listed. + +REFERENCES_RELATION = YES + +# If the REFERENCES_LINK_SOURCE tag is set to YES (the default) +# and SOURCE_BROWSER tag is set to YES, then the hyperlinks from +# functions in REFERENCES_RELATION and REFERENCED_BY_RELATION lists will +# link to the source code. Otherwise they will link to the documentstion. + +REFERENCES_LINK_SOURCE = YES + +# If the USE_HTAGS tag is set to YES then the references to source code +# will point to the HTML generated by the htags(1) tool instead of doxygen +# built-in source browser. The htags tool is part of GNU's global source +# tagging system (see http://www.gnu.org/software/global/global.html). You +# will need version 4.8.6 or higher. + +USE_HTAGS = NO + +# If the VERBATIM_HEADERS tag is set to YES (the default) then Doxygen +# will generate a verbatim copy of the header file for each class for +# which an include is specified. Set to NO to disable this. + +VERBATIM_HEADERS = YES + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the alphabetical class index +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the ALPHABETICAL_INDEX tag is set to YES, an alphabetical index +# of all compounds will be generated. Enable this if the project +# contains a lot of classes, structs, unions or interfaces. + +ALPHABETICAL_INDEX = NO + +# If the alphabetical index is enabled (see ALPHABETICAL_INDEX) then +# the COLS_IN_ALPHA_INDEX tag can be used to specify the number of columns +# in which this list will be split (can be a number in the range [1..20]) + +COLS_IN_ALPHA_INDEX = 5 + +# In case all classes in a project start with a common prefix, all +# classes will be put under the same header in the alphabetical index. +# The IGNORE_PREFIX tag can be used to specify one or more prefixes that +# should be ignored while generating the index headers. + +IGNORE_PREFIX = + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the HTML output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_HTML tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# generate HTML output. + +GENERATE_HTML = YES + +# The HTML_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the HTML docs will be put. +# If a relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be +# put in front of it. If left blank `html' will be used as the default path. + +HTML_OUTPUT = html + +# The HTML_FILE_EXTENSION tag can be used to specify the file extension for +# each generated HTML page (for example: .htm,.php,.asp). If it is left blank +# doxygen will generate files with .html extension. + +HTML_FILE_EXTENSION = .html + +# The HTML_HEADER tag can be used to specify a personal HTML header for +# each generated HTML page. If it is left blank doxygen will generate a +# standard header. + +HTML_HEADER = + +# The HTML_FOOTER tag can be used to specify a personal HTML footer for +# each generated HTML page. If it is left blank doxygen will generate a +# standard footer. + +HTML_FOOTER = + +# The HTML_STYLESHEET tag can be used to specify a user-defined cascading +# style sheet that is used by each HTML page. It can be used to +# fine-tune the look of the HTML output. If the tag is left blank doxygen +# will generate a default style sheet. Note that doxygen will try to copy +# the style sheet file to the HTML output directory, so don't put your own +# stylesheet in the HTML output directory as well, or it will be erased! + +HTML_STYLESHEET = + +# If the HTML_ALIGN_MEMBERS tag is set to YES, the members of classes, +# files or namespaces will be aligned in HTML using tables. If set to +# NO a bullet list will be used. + +HTML_ALIGN_MEMBERS = YES + +# If the GENERATE_HTMLHELP tag is set to YES, additional index files +# will be generated that can be used as input for tools like the +# Microsoft HTML help workshop to generate a compiled HTML help file (.chm) +# of the generated HTML documentation. + +GENERATE_HTMLHELP = NO + +# If the GENERATE_DOCSET tag is set to YES, additional index files +# will be generated that can be used as input for Apple's Xcode 3 +# integrated development environment, introduced with OSX 10.5 (Leopard). +# To create a documentation set, doxygen will generate a Makefile in the +# HTML output directory. Running make will produce the docset in that +# directory and running "make install" will install the docset in +# ~/Library/Developer/Shared/Documentation/DocSets so that Xcode will find +# it at startup. + +GENERATE_DOCSET = NO + +# When GENERATE_DOCSET tag is set to YES, this tag determines the name of the +# feed. A documentation feed provides an umbrella under which multiple +# documentation sets from a single provider (such as a company or product suite) +# can be grouped. + +DOCSET_FEEDNAME = "Doxygen generated docs" + +# When GENERATE_DOCSET tag is set to YES, this tag specifies a string that +# should uniquely identify the documentation set bundle. This should be a +# reverse domain-name style string, e.g. com.mycompany.MyDocSet. Doxygen +# will append .docset to the name. + +DOCSET_BUNDLE_ID = org.doxygen.Project + +# If the HTML_DYNAMIC_SECTIONS tag is set to YES then the generated HTML +# documentation will contain sections that can be hidden and shown after the +# page has loaded. For this to work a browser that supports +# JavaScript and DHTML is required (for instance Mozilla 1.0+, Firefox +# Netscape 6.0+, Internet explorer 5.0+, Konqueror, or Safari). + +HTML_DYNAMIC_SECTIONS = NO + +# If the GENERATE_HTMLHELP tag is set to YES, the CHM_FILE tag can +# be used to specify the file name of the resulting .chm file. You +# can add a path in front of the file if the result should not be +# written to the html output directory. + +CHM_FILE = + +# If the GENERATE_HTMLHELP tag is set to YES, the HHC_LOCATION tag can +# be used to specify the location (absolute path including file name) of +# the HTML help compiler (hhc.exe). If non-empty doxygen will try to run +# the HTML help compiler on the generated index.hhp. + +HHC_LOCATION = + +# If the GENERATE_HTMLHELP tag is set to YES, the GENERATE_CHI flag +# controls if a separate .chi index file is generated (YES) or that +# it should be included in the master .chm file (NO). + +GENERATE_CHI = NO + +# If the GENERATE_HTMLHELP tag is set to YES, the BINARY_TOC flag +# controls whether a binary table of contents is generated (YES) or a +# normal table of contents (NO) in the .chm file. + +BINARY_TOC = NO + +# The TOC_EXPAND flag can be set to YES to add extra items for group members +# to the contents of the HTML help documentation and to the tree view. + +TOC_EXPAND = NO + +# The DISABLE_INDEX tag can be used to turn on/off the condensed index at +# top of each HTML page. The value NO (the default) enables the index and +# the value YES disables it. + +DISABLE_INDEX = NO + +# This tag can be used to set the number of enum values (range [1..20]) +# that doxygen will group on one line in the generated HTML documentation. + +ENUM_VALUES_PER_LINE = 4 + +# If the GENERATE_TREEVIEW tag is set to YES, a side panel will be +# generated containing a tree-like index structure (just like the one that +# is generated for HTML Help). For this to work a browser that supports +# JavaScript, DHTML, CSS and frames is required (for instance Mozilla 1.0+, +# Netscape 6.0+, Internet explorer 5.0+, or Konqueror). Windows users are +# probably better off using the HTML help feature. + +GENERATE_TREEVIEW = YES + +# If the treeview is enabled (see GENERATE_TREEVIEW) then this tag can be +# used to set the initial width (in pixels) of the frame in which the tree +# is shown. + +TREEVIEW_WIDTH = 250 + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the LaTeX output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_LATEX tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# generate Latex output. + +GENERATE_LATEX = YES + +# The LATEX_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the LaTeX docs will be put. +# If a relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be +# put in front of it. If left blank `latex' will be used as the default path. + +LATEX_OUTPUT = latex + +# The LATEX_CMD_NAME tag can be used to specify the LaTeX command name to be +# invoked. If left blank `latex' will be used as the default command name. + +LATEX_CMD_NAME = latex + +# The MAKEINDEX_CMD_NAME tag can be used to specify the command name to +# generate index for LaTeX. If left blank `makeindex' will be used as the +# default command name. + +MAKEINDEX_CMD_NAME = makeindex + +# If the COMPACT_LATEX tag is set to YES Doxygen generates more compact +# LaTeX documents. This may be useful for small projects and may help to +# save some trees in general. + +COMPACT_LATEX = NO + +# The PAPER_TYPE tag can be used to set the paper type that is used +# by the printer. Possible values are: a4, a4wide, letter, legal and +# executive. If left blank a4wide will be used. + +PAPER_TYPE = usletter + +# The EXTRA_PACKAGES tag can be to specify one or more names of LaTeX +# packages that should be included in the LaTeX output. + +EXTRA_PACKAGES = + +# The LATEX_HEADER tag can be used to specify a personal LaTeX header for +# the generated latex document. The header should contain everything until +# the first chapter. If it is left blank doxygen will generate a +# standard header. Notice: only use this tag if you know what you are doing! + +LATEX_HEADER = + +# If the PDF_HYPERLINKS tag is set to YES, the LaTeX that is generated +# is prepared for conversion to pdf (using ps2pdf). The pdf file will +# contain links (just like the HTML output) instead of page references +# This makes the output suitable for online browsing using a pdf viewer. + +PDF_HYPERLINKS = YES + +# If the USE_PDFLATEX tag is set to YES, pdflatex will be used instead of +# plain latex in the generated Makefile. Set this option to YES to get a +# higher quality PDF documentation. + +USE_PDFLATEX = YES + +# If the LATEX_BATCHMODE tag is set to YES, doxygen will add the \\batchmode. +# command to the generated LaTeX files. This will instruct LaTeX to keep +# running if errors occur, instead of asking the user for help. +# This option is also used when generating formulas in HTML. + +LATEX_BATCHMODE = NO + +# If LATEX_HIDE_INDICES is set to YES then doxygen will not +# include the index chapters (such as File Index, Compound Index, etc.) +# in the output. + +LATEX_HIDE_INDICES = NO + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the RTF output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_RTF tag is set to YES Doxygen will generate RTF output +# The RTF output is optimized for Word 97 and may not look very pretty with +# other RTF readers or editors. + +GENERATE_RTF = NO + +# The RTF_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the RTF docs will be put. +# If a relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be +# put in front of it. If left blank `rtf' will be used as the default path. + +RTF_OUTPUT = rtf + +# If the COMPACT_RTF tag is set to YES Doxygen generates more compact +# RTF documents. This may be useful for small projects and may help to +# save some trees in general. + +COMPACT_RTF = NO + +# If the RTF_HYPERLINKS tag is set to YES, the RTF that is generated +# will contain hyperlink fields. The RTF file will +# contain links (just like the HTML output) instead of page references. +# This makes the output suitable for online browsing using WORD or other +# programs which support those fields. +# Note: wordpad (write) and others do not support links. + +RTF_HYPERLINKS = NO + +# Load stylesheet definitions from file. Syntax is similar to doxygen's +# config file, i.e. a series of assignments. You only have to provide +# replacements, missing definitions are set to their default value. + +RTF_STYLESHEET_FILE = + +# Set optional variables used in the generation of an rtf document. +# Syntax is similar to doxygen's config file. + +RTF_EXTENSIONS_FILE = + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the man page output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_MAN tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# generate man pages + +GENERATE_MAN = NO + +# The MAN_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the man pages will be put. +# If a relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be +# put in front of it. If left blank `man' will be used as the default path. + +MAN_OUTPUT = man + +# The MAN_EXTENSION tag determines the extension that is added to +# the generated man pages (default is the subroutine's section .3) + +MAN_EXTENSION = .3 + +# If the MAN_LINKS tag is set to YES and Doxygen generates man output, +# then it will generate one additional man file for each entity +# documented in the real man page(s). These additional files +# only source the real man page, but without them the man command +# would be unable to find the correct page. The default is NO. + +MAN_LINKS = NO + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the XML output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_XML tag is set to YES Doxygen will +# generate an XML file that captures the structure of +# the code including all documentation. + +GENERATE_XML = NO + +# The XML_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the XML pages will be put. +# If a relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be +# put in front of it. If left blank `xml' will be used as the default path. + +XML_OUTPUT = xml + +# The XML_SCHEMA tag can be used to specify an XML schema, +# which can be used by a validating XML parser to check the +# syntax of the XML files. + +XML_SCHEMA = + +# The XML_DTD tag can be used to specify an XML DTD, +# which can be used by a validating XML parser to check the +# syntax of the XML files. + +XML_DTD = + +# If the XML_PROGRAMLISTING tag is set to YES Doxygen will +# dump the program listings (including syntax highlighting +# and cross-referencing information) to the XML output. Note that +# enabling this will significantly increase the size of the XML output. + +XML_PROGRAMLISTING = YES + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options for the AutoGen Definitions output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_AUTOGEN_DEF tag is set to YES Doxygen will +# generate an AutoGen Definitions (see autogen.sf.net) file +# that captures the structure of the code including all +# documentation. Note that this feature is still experimental +# and incomplete at the moment. + +GENERATE_AUTOGEN_DEF = NO + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# configuration options related to the Perl module output +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the GENERATE_PERLMOD tag is set to YES Doxygen will +# generate a Perl module file that captures the structure of +# the code including all documentation. Note that this +# feature is still experimental and incomplete at the +# moment. + +GENERATE_PERLMOD = NO + +# If the PERLMOD_LATEX tag is set to YES Doxygen will generate +# the necessary Makefile rules, Perl scripts and LaTeX code to be able +# to generate PDF and DVI output from the Perl module output. + +PERLMOD_LATEX = NO + +# If the PERLMOD_PRETTY tag is set to YES the Perl module output will be +# nicely formatted so it can be parsed by a human reader. This is useful +# if you want to understand what is going on. On the other hand, if this +# tag is set to NO the size of the Perl module output will be much smaller +# and Perl will parse it just the same. + +PERLMOD_PRETTY = YES + +# The names of the make variables in the generated doxyrules.make file +# are prefixed with the string contained in PERLMOD_MAKEVAR_PREFIX. +# This is useful so different doxyrules.make files included by the same +# Makefile don't overwrite each other's variables. + +PERLMOD_MAKEVAR_PREFIX = + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Configuration options related to the preprocessor +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the ENABLE_PREPROCESSING tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# evaluate all C-preprocessor directives found in the sources and include +# files. + +ENABLE_PREPROCESSING = YES + +# If the MACRO_EXPANSION tag is set to YES Doxygen will expand all macro +# names in the source code. If set to NO (the default) only conditional +# compilation will be performed. Macro expansion can be done in a controlled +# way by setting EXPAND_ONLY_PREDEF to YES. + +MACRO_EXPANSION = NO + +# If the EXPAND_ONLY_PREDEF and MACRO_EXPANSION tags are both set to YES +# then the macro expansion is limited to the macros specified with the +# PREDEFINED and EXPAND_AS_DEFINED tags. + +EXPAND_ONLY_PREDEF = NO + +# If the SEARCH_INCLUDES tag is set to YES (the default) the includes files +# in the INCLUDE_PATH (see below) will be search if a #include is found. + +SEARCH_INCLUDES = YES + +# The INCLUDE_PATH tag can be used to specify one or more directories that +# contain include files that are not input files but should be processed by +# the preprocessor. + +INCLUDE_PATH = + +# You can use the INCLUDE_FILE_PATTERNS tag to specify one or more wildcard +# patterns (like *.h and *.hpp) to filter out the header-files in the +# directories. If left blank, the patterns specified with FILE_PATTERNS will +# be used. + +INCLUDE_FILE_PATTERNS = + +# The PREDEFINED tag can be used to specify one or more macro names that +# are defined before the preprocessor is started (similar to the -D option of +# gcc). The argument of the tag is a list of macros of the form: name +# or name=definition (no spaces). If the definition and the = are +# omitted =1 is assumed. To prevent a macro definition from being +# undefined via #undef or recursively expanded use the := operator +# instead of the = operator. + +PREDEFINED = + +# If the MACRO_EXPANSION and EXPAND_ONLY_PREDEF tags are set to YES then +# this tag can be used to specify a list of macro names that should be expanded. +# The macro definition that is found in the sources will be used. +# Use the PREDEFINED tag if you want to use a different macro definition. + +EXPAND_AS_DEFINED = + +# If the SKIP_FUNCTION_MACROS tag is set to YES (the default) then +# doxygen's preprocessor will remove all function-like macros that are alone +# on a line, have an all uppercase name, and do not end with a semicolon. Such +# function macros are typically used for boiler-plate code, and will confuse +# the parser if not removed. + +SKIP_FUNCTION_MACROS = YES + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Configuration::additions related to external references +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# The TAGFILES option can be used to specify one or more tagfiles. +# Optionally an initial location of the external documentation +# can be added for each tagfile. The format of a tag file without +# this location is as follows: +# TAGFILES = file1 file2 ... +# Adding location for the tag files is done as follows: +# TAGFILES = file1=loc1 "file2 = loc2" ... +# where "loc1" and "loc2" can be relative or absolute paths or +# URLs. If a location is present for each tag, the installdox tool +# does not have to be run to correct the links. +# Note that each tag file must have a unique name +# (where the name does NOT include the path) +# If a tag file is not located in the directory in which doxygen +# is run, you must also specify the path to the tagfile here. + +TAGFILES = + +# When a file name is specified after GENERATE_TAGFILE, doxygen will create +# a tag file that is based on the input files it reads. + +GENERATE_TAGFILE = + +# If the ALLEXTERNALS tag is set to YES all external classes will be listed +# in the class index. If set to NO only the inherited external classes +# will be listed. + +ALLEXTERNALS = NO + +# If the EXTERNAL_GROUPS tag is set to YES all external groups will be listed +# in the modules index. If set to NO, only the current project's groups will +# be listed. + +EXTERNAL_GROUPS = YES + +# The PERL_PATH should be the absolute path and name of the perl script +# interpreter (i.e. the result of `which perl'). + +PERL_PATH = /usr/bin/perl + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Configuration options related to the dot tool +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# If the CLASS_DIAGRAMS tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# generate a inheritance diagram (in HTML, RTF and LaTeX) for classes with base +# or super classes. Setting the tag to NO turns the diagrams off. Note that +# this option is superseded by the HAVE_DOT option below. This is only a +# fallback. It is recommended to install and use dot, since it yields more +# powerful graphs. + +CLASS_DIAGRAMS = YES + +# You can define message sequence charts within doxygen comments using the \msc +# command. Doxygen will then run the mscgen tool (see +# http://www.mcternan.me.uk/mscgen/) to produce the chart and insert it in the +# documentation. The MSCGEN_PATH tag allows you to specify the directory where +# the mscgen tool resides. If left empty the tool is assumed to be found in the +# default search path. + +MSCGEN_PATH = + +# If set to YES, the inheritance and collaboration graphs will hide +# inheritance and usage relations if the target is undocumented +# or is not a class. + +HIDE_UNDOC_RELATIONS = YES + +# If you set the HAVE_DOT tag to YES then doxygen will assume the dot tool is +# available from the path. This tool is part of Graphviz, a graph visualization +# toolkit from AT&T and Lucent Bell Labs. The other options in this section +# have no effect if this option is set to NO (the default) + +HAVE_DOT = YES + +# If the CLASS_GRAPH and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then doxygen +# will generate a graph for each documented class showing the direct and +# indirect inheritance relations. Setting this tag to YES will force the +# the CLASS_DIAGRAMS tag to NO. + +CLASS_GRAPH = YES + +# If the COLLABORATION_GRAPH and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then doxygen +# will generate a graph for each documented class showing the direct and +# indirect implementation dependencies (inheritance, containment, and +# class references variables) of the class with other documented classes. + +COLLABORATION_GRAPH = YES + +# If the GROUP_GRAPHS and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then doxygen +# will generate a graph for groups, showing the direct groups dependencies + +GROUP_GRAPHS = YES + +# If the UML_LOOK tag is set to YES doxygen will generate inheritance and +# collaboration diagrams in a style similar to the OMG's Unified Modeling +# Language. + +UML_LOOK = YES + +# If set to YES, the inheritance and collaboration graphs will show the +# relations between templates and their instances. + +TEMPLATE_RELATIONS = YES + +# If the ENABLE_PREPROCESSING, SEARCH_INCLUDES, INCLUDE_GRAPH, and HAVE_DOT +# tags are set to YES then doxygen will generate a graph for each documented +# file showing the direct and indirect include dependencies of the file with +# other documented files. + +INCLUDE_GRAPH = YES + +# If the ENABLE_PREPROCESSING, SEARCH_INCLUDES, INCLUDED_BY_GRAPH, and +# HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then doxygen will generate a graph for each +# documented header file showing the documented files that directly or +# indirectly include this file. + +INCLUDED_BY_GRAPH = YES + +# If the CALL_GRAPH and HAVE_DOT options are set to YES then +# doxygen will generate a call dependency graph for every global function +# or class method. Note that enabling this option will significantly increase +# the time of a run. So in most cases it will be better to enable call graphs +# for selected functions only using the \callgraph command. + +CALL_GRAPH = YES + +# If the CALLER_GRAPH and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then +# doxygen will generate a caller dependency graph for every global function +# or class method. Note that enabling this option will significantly increase +# the time of a run. So in most cases it will be better to enable caller +# graphs for selected functions only using the \callergraph command. + +CALLER_GRAPH = YES + +# If the GRAPHICAL_HIERARCHY and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES then doxygen +# will graphical hierarchy of all classes instead of a textual one. + +GRAPHICAL_HIERARCHY = YES + +# If the DIRECTORY_GRAPH, SHOW_DIRECTORIES and HAVE_DOT tags are set to YES +# then doxygen will show the dependencies a directory has on other directories +# in a graphical way. The dependency relations are determined by the #include +# relations between the files in the directories. + +DIRECTORY_GRAPH = YES + +# The DOT_IMAGE_FORMAT tag can be used to set the image format of the images +# generated by dot. Possible values are png, jpg, or gif +# If left blank png will be used. + +DOT_IMAGE_FORMAT = png + +# The tag DOT_PATH can be used to specify the path where the dot tool can be +# found. If left blank, it is assumed the dot tool can be found in the path. + +DOT_PATH = + +# The DOTFILE_DIRS tag can be used to specify one or more directories that +# contain dot files that are included in the documentation (see the +# \dotfile command). + +DOTFILE_DIRS = + +# The MAX_DOT_GRAPH_MAX_NODES tag can be used to set the maximum number of +# nodes that will be shown in the graph. If the number of nodes in a graph +# becomes larger than this value, doxygen will truncate the graph, which is +# visualized by representing a node as a red box. Note that doxygen if the +# number of direct children of the root node in a graph is already larger than +# DOT_GRAPH_MAX_NODES then the graph will not be shown at all. Also note +# that the size of a graph can be further restricted by MAX_DOT_GRAPH_DEPTH. + +DOT_GRAPH_MAX_NODES = 50 + +# The MAX_DOT_GRAPH_DEPTH tag can be used to set the maximum depth of the +# graphs generated by dot. A depth value of 3 means that only nodes reachable +# from the root by following a path via at most 3 edges will be shown. Nodes +# that lay further from the root node will be omitted. Note that setting this +# option to 1 or 2 may greatly reduce the computation time needed for large +# code bases. Also note that the size of a graph can be further restricted by +# DOT_GRAPH_MAX_NODES. Using a depth of 0 means no depth restriction. + +MAX_DOT_GRAPH_DEPTH = 1000 + +# Set the DOT_TRANSPARENT tag to YES to generate images with a transparent +# background. This is enabled by default, which results in a transparent +# background. Warning: Depending on the platform used, enabling this option +# may lead to badly anti-aliased labels on the edges of a graph (i.e. they +# become hard to read). + +DOT_TRANSPARENT = NO + +# Set the DOT_MULTI_TARGETS tag to YES allow dot to generate multiple output +# files in one run (i.e. multiple -o and -T options on the command line). This +# makes dot run faster, but since only newer versions of dot (>1.8.10) +# support this, this feature is disabled by default. + +DOT_MULTI_TARGETS = NO + +# If the GENERATE_LEGEND tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# generate a legend page explaining the meaning of the various boxes and +# arrows in the dot generated graphs. + +GENERATE_LEGEND = YES + +# If the DOT_CLEANUP tag is set to YES (the default) Doxygen will +# remove the intermediate dot files that are used to generate +# the various graphs. + +DOT_CLEANUP = YES + +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- +# Configuration::additions related to the search engine +#--------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +# The SEARCHENGINE tag specifies whether or not a search engine should be +# used. If set to NO the values of all tags below this one will be ignored. + +SEARCHENGINE = NO diff --git a/doc/INSTALL b/doc/INSTALL new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5458714e --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/INSTALL @@ -0,0 +1,234 @@ +Installation Instructions +************************* + +Copyright (C) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, +2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + +This file is free documentation; the Free Software Foundation gives +unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify it. + +Basic Installation +================== + +Briefly, the shell commands `./configure; make; make install' should +configure, build, and install this package. The following +more-detailed instructions are generic; see the `README' file for +instructions specific to this package. + + The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for +various system-dependent variables used during compilation. It uses +those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package. +It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent +definitions. Finally, it creates a shell script `config.status' that +you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, and a +file `config.log' containing compiler output (useful mainly for +debugging `configure'). + + It can also use an optional file (typically called `config.cache' +and enabled with `--cache-file=config.cache' or simply `-C') that saves +the results of its tests to speed up reconfiguring. Caching is +disabled by default to prevent problems with accidental use of stale +cache files. + + If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, please try +to figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and mail +diffs or instructions to the address given in the `README' so they can +be considered for the next release. If you are using the cache, and at +some point `config.cache' contains results you don't want to keep, you +may remove or edit it. + + The file `configure.ac' (or `configure.in') is used to create +`configure' by a program called `autoconf'. You need `configure.ac' if +you want to change it or regenerate `configure' using a newer version +of `autoconf'. + +The simplest way to compile this package is: + + 1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code and type + `./configure' to configure the package for your system. + + Running `configure' might take a while. While running, it prints + some messages telling which features it is checking for. + + 2. Type `make' to compile the package. + + 3. Optionally, type `make check' to run any self-tests that come with + the package. + + 4. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and + documentation. + + 5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the + source code directory by typing `make clean'. To also remove the + files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for + a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'. There is + also a `make maintainer-clean' target, but that is intended mainly + for the package's developers. If you use it, you may have to get + all sorts of other programs in order to regenerate files that came + with the distribution. + +Compilers and Options +===================== + +Some systems require unusual options for compilation or linking that the +`configure' script does not know about. Run `./configure --help' for +details on some of the pertinent environment variables. + + You can give `configure' initial values for configuration parameters +by setting variables in the command line or in the environment. Here +is an example: + + ./configure CC=c99 CFLAGS=-g LIBS=-lposix + + *Note Defining Variables::, for more details. + +Compiling For Multiple Architectures +==================================== + +You can compile the package for more than one kind of computer at the +same time, by placing the object files for each architecture in their +own directory. To do this, you can use GNU `make'. `cd' to the +directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run +the `configure' script. `configure' automatically checks for the +source code in the directory that `configure' is in and in `..'. + + With a non-GNU `make', it is safer to compile the package for one +architecture at a time in the source code directory. After you have +installed the package for one architecture, use `make distclean' before +reconfiguring for another architecture. + +Installation Names +================== + +By default, `make install' installs the package's commands under +`/usr/local/bin', include files under `/usr/local/include', etc. You +can specify an installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving +`configure' the option `--prefix=PREFIX'. + + You can specify separate installation prefixes for +architecture-specific files and architecture-independent files. If you +pass the option `--exec-prefix=PREFIX' to `configure', the package uses +PREFIX as the prefix for installing programs and libraries. +Documentation and other data files still use the regular prefix. + + In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give +options like `--bindir=DIR' to specify different values for particular +kinds of files. Run `configure --help' for a list of the directories +you can set and what kinds of files go in them. + + If the package supports it, you can cause programs to be installed +with an extra prefix or suffix on their names by giving `configure' the +option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'. + +Optional Features +================= + +Some packages pay attention to `--enable-FEATURE' options to +`configure', where FEATURE indicates an optional part of the package. +They may also pay attention to `--with-PACKAGE' options, where PACKAGE +is something like `gnu-as' or `x' (for the X Window System). The +`README' should mention any `--enable-' and `--with-' options that the +package recognizes. + + For packages that use the X Window System, `configure' can usually +find the X include and library files automatically, but if it doesn't, +you can use the `configure' options `--x-includes=DIR' and +`--x-libraries=DIR' to specify their locations. + +Specifying the System Type +========================== + +There may be some features `configure' cannot figure out automatically, +but needs to determine by the type of machine the package will run on. +Usually, assuming the package is built to be run on the _same_ +architectures, `configure' can figure that out, but if it prints a +message saying it cannot guess the machine type, give it the +`--build=TYPE' option. TYPE can either be a short name for the system +type, such as `sun4', or a canonical name which has the form: + + CPU-COMPANY-SYSTEM + +where SYSTEM can have one of these forms: + + OS KERNEL-OS + + See the file `config.sub' for the possible values of each field. If +`config.sub' isn't included in this package, then this package doesn't +need to know the machine type. + + If you are _building_ compiler tools for cross-compiling, you should +use the option `--target=TYPE' to select the type of system they will +produce code for. + + If you want to _use_ a cross compiler, that generates code for a +platform different from the build platform, you should specify the +"host" platform (i.e., that on which the generated programs will +eventually be run) with `--host=TYPE'. + +Sharing Defaults +================ + +If you want to set default values for `configure' scripts to share, you +can create a site shell script called `config.site' that gives default +values for variables like `CC', `cache_file', and `prefix'. +`configure' looks for `PREFIX/share/config.site' if it exists, then +`PREFIX/etc/config.site' if it exists. Or, you can set the +`CONFIG_SITE' environment variable to the location of the site script. +A warning: not all `configure' scripts look for a site script. + +Defining Variables +================== + +Variables not defined in a site shell script can be set in the +environment passed to `configure'. However, some packages may run +configure again during the build, and the customized values of these +variables may be lost. In order to avoid this problem, you should set +them in the `configure' command line, using `VAR=value'. For example: + + ./configure CC=/usr/local2/bin/gcc + +causes the specified `gcc' to be used as the C compiler (unless it is +overridden in the site shell script). + +Unfortunately, this technique does not work for `CONFIG_SHELL' due to +an Autoconf bug. Until the bug is fixed you can use this workaround: + + CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash /bin/bash ./configure CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash + +`configure' Invocation +====================== + +`configure' recognizes the following options to control how it operates. + +`--help' +`-h' + Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit. + +`--version' +`-V' + Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure' + script, and exit. + +`--cache-file=FILE' + Enable the cache: use and save the results of the tests in FILE, + traditionally `config.cache'. FILE defaults to `/dev/null' to + disable caching. + +`--config-cache' +`-C' + Alias for `--cache-file=config.cache'. + +`--quiet' +`--silent' +`-q' + Do not print messages saying which checks are being made. To + suppress all normal output, redirect it to `/dev/null' (any error + messages will still be shown). + +`--srcdir=DIR' + Look for the package's source code in directory DIR. Usually + `configure' can determine that directory automatically. + +`configure' also accepts some other, not widely useful, options. Run +`configure --help' for more details. + diff --git a/doc/LICENSE b/doc/LICENSE new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f4b7f221 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/LICENSE @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ +Copyright (c) 2003-2008, John Wiegley. All rights reserved. + +Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without +modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are +met: + +- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright + notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. + +- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright + notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the + documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. + +- Neither the name of New Artisans LLC nor the names of its + contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from + this software without specific prior written permission. + +THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS +"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT +LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR +A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT +OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, +SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT +LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, +DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY +THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT +(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE +OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. diff --git a/doc/NEWS b/doc/NEWS new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cd95ed87 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/NEWS @@ -0,0 +1,842 @@ + Ledger NEWS + +* 2.6.1 + +- Added the concept of "balance setting transactions": + + # Setting an account's balance + + You can now manually set an account's balance to whatever you want, at + any time. Here's how it might look at the beginning of your Ledger + file: + + 2008/07/27 Starting fresh + Assets:Checking = $1,000.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + + If Assets:Checking is empty, this is no different from omitting the + "=". However, if Assets:Checking did have a prior balance, the amount + of the transaction will be auto-calculated so that the final balance + of Assets:Checking is now $1,000.00. + + Let me give an example of this. Say you have this: + + 2008/07/27 Starting fresh + Assets:Checking $750.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + + 2008/07/27 Starting fresh + Assets:Checking = $1,000.00 + Equity:Adjustments + + These two entries are exactly equivalent to these two: + + 2008/07/27 Starting fresh + Assets:Checking $750.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + + 2008/07/27 Starting fresh + Assets:Checking $250.00 + Equity:Adjustments + + The use of the "=" sign here is that it sets the transaction's amount + to whatever is required to satisfy the assignment. This is the + behavior if the transaction's amount is left empty. + + # Multiple commodities + + As far as commodities go, the = sign only works if the account + balance's commodity matches the commodity of the amount after the + equals sign. However, if the account has multiple commodities, only + the matching commodity is affected. Here's what I mean: + + 2008/07/24 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking = $250.00 ; we force set it + Equity:Opening Balances + + 2008/07/24 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking = EC 250.00 ; we force set it again + Equity:Opening Balances + + This is an error, because $250.00 cannot be auto-balanced to match EC + 250.00. However: + + 2008/07/24 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking = $250.00 ; we force set it again + Assets:Checking EC 100.00 ; and add some EC's + Equity:Opening Balances + + 2008/07/24 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking = EC 250.00 ; we force set the EC's + Equity:Opening Balances + + This is *not* an error, because the latter auto-balancing transaction + only affects the EC 100.00 part of the account's balance; the $250.00 + part is left alone. + + # Checking statement balances + + When you reconcile a statement, there are typically one or more + transactions which result in a known balance. Here's how you specify + that in your Ledger data: + + 2008/07/24 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking = $100.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + + 2008/07/30 We spend money, with a known balance afterward + Expenses:Food $20.00 + Assets:Checking = $80.00 + + 2008/07/30 Again we spend money, but this time with all the info + Expenses:Food $20.00 + Assets:Checking $-20.00 = $60.00 + + 2008/07/30 This entry yield an 'unbalanced' error + Expenses:Food $20.00 + Assets:Checking $-20.00 = $30.00 + + The last entry in this set fails to balance with an unbalanced + remainder of $-10.00. Either the entry must be corrected, or you can + have Ledger deal with the remainder automatically: + + 2008/07/30 The fixed entry + Expenses:Food $20.00 + Assets:Checking $-20.00 = $30.00 + Equity:Adjustments + + # Conclusion + + This simple feature has all the utility of @check, plus auto-balancing + to match known target balances, plus the ability to guarantee that an + account which uses only one commodity does contain only that + commodity. + + This feature slows down textual parsing slightly, does not affect + speed when loading from the binary cache. + +- The rest of the changes in the version is all bug fixes (around 45 of + them). + +* 2.6.0.90 + +- Gnucash parser is fixed. + +- Fix a memory leak bug in the amount parser. + +- (This feature is from 2.6, but was not documented anywhere): + + Commodities may now specify lot details, to assign in managing set + groups of items, like buying and selling shares of stock. + + For example, let's say you buy 50 shares of AAPL at $10 a share: + + 2007/01/14 Stock purchase + Assets:Brokerage 50 AAPL @ $10 + Assets:Brokerage + + Three months later, you sell this "lot". Based on the original + purchase information, Ledger remembers how much each share was + purchased for, and the date on which it was purchased. This means + you can sell this specific lot by price, by date, or by both. Let's + sell it by price, this time for $20 a share. + + 2007/04/14 Stock purchase + Assets:Brokerage $1000.00 + Assets:Brokerage -50 AAPL {$10} @ $20 + Income:Capital Gains $-500.00 + + Note that the Income:Capital Gains line is now required to balance + the transaction. Because you sold 50 AAPL at $20/share, and because + you are selling shares that were originally valued at $10/share, + Ledger needs to know how you will "balance" this difference. An + equivalent Expenses:Capital Loss would be needed if the selling + price were less than the buying price. + + Here's the same example, this time selling by date and price: + + 2007/04/14 Stock purchase + Assets:Brokerage $1000.00 + Assets:Brokerage -50 AAPL {$10} [2007/01/14] @ $20 + Income:Capital Gains $-500.00 + + If you attempt to sell shares for a date you did not buy them, note + that Ledger will not complain (as it never complains about the + movement of commodities between accounts). In this case, it will + simply create a negative balance for such shares within your + Brokerage account; it's up to you to determine whether you have them + or not. + +- To facilitate lot pricing reports, there are some new reporting + options: + + --lot-prices Report commodities with different lot prices as if + they were different commodities. Otherwise, Ledger + just gloms all the AAPL shares together. + + --lot-dates Separate commodities by lot date. Every + transaction that uses the '@' cost specifier will + have an implicit lot date and lot price. + + --lot-tags Separate commodities by their arbitrary note tag. + Note tags may be specified using (note) after the + commodity. + + --lots Separate commodities using all lot information. + +* 2.6 + +- The style for eliding long account names (for example, in the + register report) has been changed. Previously Ledger would elide + the end of long names, replacing the excess length with "..". + However, in some cases this caused the base account name to be + missing from the report! + + What Ledger now does is that if an account name is too long, it will + start abbreviating the first parts of the account name down to two + letters in length. If this results in a string that is still too + long, the front will be elided -- not the end. For example: + + Expenses:Cash ; OK, not too long + Ex:Wednesday:Cash ; "Expenses" was abbreviated to fit + Ex:We:Afternoon:Cash ; "Expenses" and "Wednesday" abbreviated + ; Expenses:Wednesday:Afternoon:Lunch:Snack:Candy:Chocolate:Cash + ..:Af:Lu:Sn:Ca:Ch:Cash ; Abbreviated and elided! + + As you can see, it now takes a very deep account name before any + elision will occur, whereas in 2.x elisions were fairly common. + +- In addition to the new elision change mentioned above, the style is + also configurable: + + --truncate leading ; elide at the beginning + --truncate middle ; elide in the middle + --truncate trailing ; elide at end (Ledger 2.x's behavior) + --truncate abbrev ; the new behavior + + --abbrev-len 2 ; set length of abbreviations + + These elision styles affect all format strings which have a maximum + width, so they will also affect the payee in a register report, for + example. In the case of non-account names, "abbrev" is equivalent + to "trailing", even though it elides at the beginning for long + account names. + +- Error reporting has been greatly improving, now showing full + contextual information for most error messages. + +- Added --base reporting option, for reporting convertible commodities + in their most basic form. For example, if you read a timeclock file + with Ledger, the time values are reported as hour and minutes -- + whichever is the most compact form. But with --base, Ledger reports + only in seconds. + + NOTE: Setting up convertible commodities is easy; here's how to use + Ledger for tracking quantities of data, where the most compact form + is reported (unless --base is specified): + + C 1.00 Kb = 1024 b + C 1.00 Mb = 1024 Kb + C 1.00 Gb = 1024 Mb + C 1.00 Tb = 1024 Gb + +- Added --ansi reporting option, which shows negative values in the + running total column of the register report as red, using ANSI + terminal codes; --ansi-invert makes non-negative values red (which + makes more sense for the income and budget reports). + + The --ansi functionality is triggered by the format modifier "!", + for example the register reports uses the following for the total + (last) column: + + %!12.80T + + At the moment neither the balance report nor any of the other + reports make use of the ! modifier, and so will not change color + even if --ansi is used. However, you can modify these report format + strings yourself in ~/.ledgerrc if you wish to see red coloring of + negative sums in other places. + +- Added --only predicate, which occurs during transaction processing + between --limit and --display. Here is a summary of how the three + supported predicates are used: + + --limit "a>100" + + This flag limits computation to *only transactions whose amount + is greater than 100 of a given commodity*. It means that if you + scan your dining expenses, for example, only individual bills + greater than $100 would be caculated by the report. + + --only "a>100" + + This flag happens much later than --limit, and corresponding + more directly to what one normally expects. If --limit isn't + used, then ALL your dining expenses contribute to the report, + *but only those calculated transactions whose value is greater + than $100 are used*. This becomes important when doing a + monthly costs report, for example, because it makes the + following command possible: + + ledger -M --only "a>100" reg ^Expenses:Food + + This shows only *months* whose amount is greater than 100. If + --limit had been used, it would have been a monthly summary of + all individual dinner bills greater than 100 -- which is a very + different thing. + + --display "a>100" + + This predicate does not constrain calculation, but only display. + Consider the same command as above: + + ledger -M --display "a>100" reg ^Expenses:Food + + This displays only lines whose amount is greater than 100, *yet + the running total still includes amounts from all transactions*. + This command has more particular application, such as showing + the current month's checking register while still giving a + correct ending balance: + + ledger --display "d>[this month]" reg Checking + + Note that these predicates can be combined. Here is a report that + considers only food bills whose individual cost is greater than + $20, but shows the monthly total only if it is greater than $500. + Finally, we only display the months of the last year, but we + retain an accurate running total with respect to the entire ledger + file: + + ledger -M --limit "a>20" --only "a>200" \ + --display "year == yearof([last year])" reg ^Expenses:Food + +- Added new "--descend AMOUNT" and "--descend-if VALEXPR" reporting + options. For any reports that display valued transactions (i.e., + register, print, etc), you can now descend into the component + transactions that made up any of the values you see. + + For example, say you request a --monthly expenses report: + + $ ledger --monthly register ^Expenses + + Now, in one of the reported months you see $500.00 spent on + Expenses:Food. You can ask Ledger to "descend" into, and show the + component transactions of, that $500.00 by respecifying the query + with the --descend option: + + $ ledger --monthly --descend "\$500.00" register ^Expenses + + The --descend-if option has the same effect, but takes a value + expression which is evaluated as a boolean to locate the desired + reported transaction. + +- Added a "dump" command for creating binary files, which load much + faster than their textual originals. For example: + + ledger -f huge.dat -o huge.cache dump + ledger -f huge.cache bal + + The second command will load significantly faster (usually about six + times on my machine). + +- There have a few changes to value expression syntax. The most + significant incompatibilities being: + + * Equality is now ==, not = + * The U, A, and S functions now requires parens around the argument. + Whereas before At was acceptable, now it must be specified as + A(t). + * The P function now always requires two arguments. The old + one-argument version P(x) is now the same as P(x,m). + + The following value expression features are new: + + * A C-like comma operator is supported, where all but the last term + are ignored. The is significant for the next feature: + * Function definitions are now supported. Scoping is governed + by parentheses. For example: + (x=100, x+10) ; yields 110 as the result + (f(x)=x*2,f(100)) ; yields 200 as the result + * Identifier names may be any length. Along with this support comes + alternate, longer names for all of the current one-letter value + expression variables: + + Old New + --- --- + m now + a amount + a amount + b cost + i price + d date + X cleared + Y pending + R real + L actual + n index + N count + l depth + O total + B cost_total + I price_total + v market + V market_total + g gain + G gain_total + U(x) abs(x) + S(x) quant(x), quantity(x) + comm(x), commodity(x) + setcomm(x,y), set_commodity(x,y) + A(x) mean(x), avg(x), average(x) + P(x,y) val(x,y), value(x,y) + min(x,y) + max(x,y) + +- There are new "parse" and "expr" commands, whose argument is a + single value expression. Ledger will simply print out the result of + evaluating it. "parse" happens before parsing your ledger file, + while "expr" happens afterward. Although "expr" is slower as a + result, any commodities you use will be formatted based on patterns + of usage seen in your ledger file. + + These commands can be used to test value expressions, or for doing + calculation of commoditized amounts from a script. + + A new "--debug" will also dump the resulting parse tree, useful for + submitting bug reports. + +- Added new min(x,y) and max(x,y) value expression functions. + +- Value expression function may now be defined within your ledger file + (or initialization file) using the following syntax: + + @def foo(x)=x*1000 + + This line makes the function "foo" available to all subsequent value + expressions, to all command-line options taking a value expression, + and to the new "expr" command (see above). + +* 2.5 + +- Added a new value expression regexp command: + C// compare against a transaction amount's commodity symbol + +- Added a new "csv" command, for outputting results in CSV format. + +- Ledger now expands ~ in file pathnames specified in environment + variables, initialization files and journal files. + +- Effective dates may now be specified for entries: + + 2004/10/03=2004/09/30 Credit card company + Liabilities:MasterCard $100.00 + Assets:Checking + + This entry says that although the actual transactions occurred on + October 3rd, their effective date was September 30th. This is + especially useful for budgeting, in case you want the transactions + to show up in September instead of October. + + To report using effective dates, use the --effective option. + +- Actual and effective dates may now be specified for individual + transactions: + + 2004/10/03=2004/09/30 Credit card company + Liabilities:MasterCard $100.00 + Assets:Checking ; [2004/10/10=2004/09/15] + + This states that although the actual date of the entry is + 2004/10/03, and the effective date of the entry is 2004/09/30, the + actual date of the Checking transaction itself is 2004/10/10, and + its effective date is 2004/09/15. The effective date is optional + (just specifying the actual date would have read "[2004/10/10]"). + + If no effective date is given for a transaction, the effective date + of the entry is assumed. If no actual date is given, the actual + date of the entry is assumed. The syntax of the latter is simply + [=2004/09/15]. + +- To support the above, there is a new formatting option: "%d". This + outputs only the date (like "%D") if there is no effective date, but + outputs "ADATE=EDATE" if there is one. The "print" report now uses + this. + +- To support the above, the register report may now split up entries + whose component transactions have different dates. For example, + given the following entry: + + 2005/10/15=2005/09/01 iTunes + Expenses:Music $1.08 ; [2005/10/20=2005/08/01] + Liabilities:MasterCard + + The command "ledger register" on this data file reports: + + 2005/10/20 iTunes Expenses:Music $1.08 $1.08 + 2005/10/15 iTunes Liabilities:MasterCard $-1.08 0 + + While the command "ledger --effective register" reports: + + 2005/08/01 iTunes Expenses:Music $1.08 $1.08 + 2005/09/01 iTunes Liabilities:MasterCard $-1.08 0 + + Although it appears as though two entries are being reported, both + transactions belong to the same entry. + +- Individual transactions may now be cleared separately. The old + syntax, which is still supported, clears all transactions in an + entry: + + 2004/05/27 * Book Store + Expenses:Dining $20.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard + + The new syntax allows clearing of just the MasterCard transaction: + + 2004/05/27 Book Store + Expenses:Dining $20.00 + * Liabilities:MasterCard + + NOTE: This changes the output format of both the "emacs" and "xml" + reports. ledger.el uses the new syntax unless the Lisp variable + `ledger-clear-whole-entries' is set to t. + +- Removed Python integration support. + +- Did much internal restructuring to allow the use of libledger.so in + non-command-line environments (such as GUI tools). + +* 2.4.1 + +- Corrected an issue that had inadvertantly disabled Gnucash support. + +* 2.4 + +- Both "-$100.00" and "$-100.00" are now equivalent amounts. + +- Simple, inline math (using the operators +-/*, and/or parentheses) + is supported in transactions. For example: + + 2004/05/27 Book Store + Expenses:Dining $20.00 + $2.50 + Liabilities:MasterCard + + This won't register the tax/tip in its own account, but might make + later reading of the ledger file easier. + +- Use of a "catch all" account is now possible, which auto-balances + entries that contain _only one transaction_. For sanity's sake this + is not used to balance all entries, as that would make locating + unbalanced entries a nightmare. Example: + + A Liabilities:MasterCard + + 2004/05/27 Book Store + Expenses:Dining $20.00 + $2.50 + + This is equivalent to the entry in the previous bullet. + +- Entries that contain a single transaction with no amount now always + balance, even if multiple commodities are involved. This means that + the following is now supported, which wasn't previously: + + 2004/06/21 Adjustment + Retirement 100 FUNDA + Retirement 200 FUNDB + Retirement 300 FUNDC + Equity:Adjustments + +- Fixed several bugs relating to QIF parsing, budgeting and + forecasting. + +- The configure process now looks for libexpat in addition to + searching for libxmlparse+libxmltok (how expat used to be packaged). + +* 2.3 + +- The directive "!alias ALIAS = ACCOUNT" makes it possible to use + "ALIAS" as an alternative name for ACCOUNT in a textual ledger file. + You might use this to associate the single word "Bank" with the + checking account you use most, for example. + +- The --version page shows the optional modules ledger was built with. + +- Fixed several minor problems, plus a few major ones dealing with + imprecise date parsing. + +* 2.2 + +- Ledger now compiles under gcc 2.95. + +- Fixed several core engine bugs, and problems with Ledger's XML data + format. + +- Erros in XML or Gnucash data now report the correct line number for + the error, instead of always showing line 1. + +- 'configure' has been changed to always use a combination of both + compile and link tests for every feature, in order to identify + environment problems right away. + +- The "D <COMM>" command, released in 2.1, now requires a commoditized + amount, such as "D $1,000.00". This sets not only the default + commodity, but several flags to be used with all such commodities + (such as whether numbering should be American or European by + default). This entry may be used be many times; the most recent + seen specifies the default for entries that follow. + +- The binary cache now remembers the price history database that was + used, so that if LEDGER_PRICE_DB is silently changed, the cache will + be thrown away and rebuilt. + +- OFX data importing is now supported, using libofx + (http://libofx.sourceforge.net). configure will check if the + library is available. You may need to add CPPFLAGS or LDFLAGS to + the command-line for the appropriate headers and library to be + found. This support is preliminary, and as such is not documented + yet. + +- All journal entries now remember where they were read from. New + format codes to access this information are: %S for source path, %B + for beginning character position, and %E for ending character + position. + +- Added "pricesdb" command, which is identical to "prices" except that + it uses the same format as Ledger's usual price history database. + +- Added "output FILE" command, which attempts to reproduce the input + journal FILE exactly. Meant for future GUI usage. This command + relies on --write-hdr-format and --write-xact-format, instead of + --print-format. + +- Added "--reconcile BALANCE" option, which attempts to reconcile all + matching transactions to the given BALANCE, outputting those that + would need to be "cleared" to match it. Using by the + auto-reconciling feature of ledger.el (see below). + + "--reconcile-date DATE" ignores any uncleared transactions after + DATE in the reconciling algorithm. Since the algorithm is O(n^2) + (where 'n' is the number of uncleared transactions to consider), + this could have a substantial impact. + +- In ledger.el's *Reconcile* mode ('C-c C-r' from a ledger-mode file): + . 'a' adds a missing transaction + . 'd' deletes the current transaction + . 'r' attempts to auto-reconcile (same as 'C-u C-c C-r') + . 's' or 'C-x C-s' will save the ledger data file and show the + currently cleared balance + . 'C-c C-c' commits the pending transactions, marking them cleared. + This feature now works with Emacs 21.3. + Also, the reconciler no longer needs to ask "how far back" to go. + +- To support the reconciler, textual entries may now have a "!" flag + (pending) after the date, instead of a "*" flag (cleared). + +- There are a new set of value expression regexp commands: + c// entry code + p// payee + w// short account name + W// full account name + e// transaction note + + This makes it possible to display transactions whose comment field + matches a particular text string. For example: + + ledger -l e/{tax}/ reg + + prints out all the transactions with the comment "{tax}", which + might be used to identify items related to a tax report. + +* 2.1 + +- Improved the autoconf system to be smarter about finding XML libs + +- Added --no-cache option, to always ignore any binary cache file + +- `ledger-reconcile' (in ledger.el) no longer asks for a number of days + +- Fixed %.XY format, where X is shorter than the string generated by Y + +- New directive for text files: "D <COMM>" specifies the default commodity + used by the entry command + +* 2.0 + +This version represents a full rewrite, while preserving much of the +original data format and command-line syntax. There are too many new +features to describe in full, but a quick list: value expressions, +complex date masks, binary caching of ledger data, several new +reporting options, a simple way to specify payee regexps, calculation +and display predicates, and two-way Python integration. Ledger also +uses autoconf now, and builds as a library in addition to a +command-line driver. + +** Differences from 1.7 + +- changes in option syntax: + + -d now specifies the display predicate. To give a date mask similar + to 1.7, use the -p (period) option. + + -P now generates the "by payee" report. To specify a price database + to use, use --price-db. + + -G now generates a net gain report. To print totals in a format + consumable by gnuplot, use -J. + + -l now specifies the calculation predicate. To emulate the old + usage of "-l \$100", use: -d "AT>100". + + -N is gone. Instead of "-N REGEX", use: -d "/REGEX/?T>0:T". + + -F now specifies the report format string. The old meaning of -F + now has little use. + + -S now takes a value expression as the sorting criterion. To get + the old meaning of "-S", use "-S d". + + -n now means "collapse entries in the register report". The get the + old meaning of -n in the balance report, use "-T a". + + -p now specifies the reporting period. You can convert commodities + in a report using value expressions. For example, to display hours + at $10 per hour: + -T "O>={0.01h}?{\$10.00}*O:O" + Or, to reduce totals, so that every $417 becomes 1.0 AU: + -T "O>={\$0.01}?{1.0 AU}*(O/{\$417}):O" + +- The use of "+" and "-" in ledger files to specify permanent regexps + has been removed. + +- The "-from" argument is no longer used by the "entry" command. + Simply remove it. + +** Features new to 2.0 + +- The most significant feature to be added is "value expressions". + They are used in many places to indicate what to display, sorting + order, how to calculate totals, etc. Logic and math operators are + supported, as well as simple functions. See the manual. + +- If the environment variable LEDGER_FILE (or LEDGER) is used, a + binary cache of that ledger is kept in ~/.ledger-cache (or the file + given by LEDGER_CACHE). This greatly speeds up subsequent queries. + Happens only if "-f" or "--file" is not used. + +- New 'xml' report outputs an XML version of what "register" would + have displayed. This can be used to manipulate reported data in a + more scriptable way. + + Ledger can also read as input the output from the "xml" report. If + the "xml" report did not contain balanced entries, they will be + balanced by the "<Unknown>" account. For example: + ledger reg rent + displays the same results as: + ledger xml rent | ledger -f - reg rent + +- Regexps given directly after the command name now apply only to + account names. To match on a payee, use "--" to separate the two + kinds of regexps. For example, to find a payee named "John" within + all Expenses accounts, use: + ledger register expenses -- john + + Note: This command is identical (and internally converted) to: + ledger -l "/expenses/|//john/" register + +- To include entries from another file into a specific account, use: + !account ACCOUNT + !include FILE + !end + +- Register reports now show only matching account transactions. Use + "-r" to see "related accounts" -- the account the transfer came from + or went to (This was the old behavior in 1.x, but led to confusion). + "-r" also works with balance reports, where it will total all the + transactions related to your query. + +- Automated transactions now use value expressions for the predicate. + The new syntax is: + = VALUE-EXPR + TRANSACTIONS... + + Only one VALUE-EXPR is supported (compared to multiple account + regexps before). However, since value expression allow for logic + chaining, there is no loss of functionality. Matching can also be + much more comprehensive. + +- If Boost.Python is installed (libboost_python.a), ledger can support + two-way Python integration. This feature is enabled by passing + --enable-python to the "configure" script before building. Ledger + can then be used as a module (ledger.so), as well as supporting + Python function calls directly from value expressions. See main.py + for an example of driving Ledger from Python. It implements nearly + all the functionality of the C++ driver, main.cc. + + (This feature has yet to mature, and so is being offered as a beta + feature in this release. It is mostly functional, and those curious + are welcome to play with it.) + +- New reporting options: + + "-o FILE" outputs data to FILE. If "-", output goes to stdout (the + default). + + -O shows base commodity values (this is the old behavior) + -B shows basis cost of commodities + -V shows market value of commodities + -g reports gain/loss performance of each register item + -G reports net gain/loss over time + -A reports average transaction value (arithmetic mean) + -D reports each transaction's deviation from the average + + -w uses 132 columns for the register report, rather than 80. Set + the environment variable LEDGER_WIDE for this to be the default. + + "-p INTERVAL" allows for more flexible period reporting, such as: + + monthly + every week + every 3 quarters + weekly from 12/20 + monthly in 2003 + weekly from last month until dec + + "-y DATEFMT" changes the date format used in all reports. The + default is "%Y/%m/%d". + + -Y and -W print yearly and weekly subtotals, just as -M prints + monthly subtotals. + + --dow shows cumulative totals for each day of the week. + + -P reports transactions grouped by payee + + -x reports the payee as the commodity; useful in some cases + + -j and -J replace the previous -G (gnuplot) option. -j reports the + amounts column in a way gnuplot can consume, and -J the totals + column. An example is in "scripts/report". + + "--period-sort EXPR" sorts transactions within a reporting period. + The regular -S option sorts all reported transactions. + +* 1.7 + +- Pricing histories are now supported, so that ledger remembers the + historical prices of all commodities, and can present register + reports based on past and present market values as well as original + cost basis. See the manual for more details on the new option + switches. + +* 1.6 + +- Ledger can now parse timeclock files. These are simple timelogs + that track in/out events, which can be maintained using my timeclock + tool. By allowing ledger to parse these, it means that reporting + can be done on them in the same way as ledger files (the commodity + used is "h", for hours); it means that doing things like tracking + billable hours for clients, and invoicing those clients to transfer + hours into dollar values via a receivable account, is now trivial. + See the docs for more on how to do this. + +- Began keeping a NEWS file. :) diff --git a/doc/README b/doc/README new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8a2406d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/README @@ -0,0 +1,73 @@ + + Welcome to Ledger + + the command-line accounting program + +Introduction +============ + +Ledger is an accounting program which is invoked from the command-line +using a textual ledger file. To start using Ledger, you will need to +create such a file containing your financial transactions. A sample +has been provided in the file "sample.dat". See the documentation +(ledger.pdf, or ledger.info) for full documentation on creating a +ledger file and using Ledger to generate reports. + +Once you have such a file -- you might call it "ledger.dat" -- you can +start looking at balances and account registers using commands like +the following: + + ledger -f ledger.dat balance assets:checking + ledger -f ledger.dat register expenses:food + +This assumes, of course, that like the sample file you use account +names such as "Assets:Checking" and "Expenses:Food". If you use other +account names, you will need to vary the reporting commands you use +accordingly. + + +Building +======== + +To build Ledger, you will need a fairly modern C++ compiler (gcc 2.95 +will not work), and at least these two libraries installed: + + gmp GNU multi-precision library + pcre Perl regular expression library + +(On some GNU/Linux systems, the packages you need to install are +called "gmp-dev" and "pcre-dev"). + +If you wish to read Gnucash data files, you will also need two XML +libraries, which may or may not be available in a single package (it +depends on your distribution): + + libexpat, or libxmlparse and libxmltok + +Once you have determined where the headers and libraries for the above +packages are installed, run the script "configure", passing those +paths. If you installed everything under /usr/local, you can probably +just type "./configure". Otherwise, do this: + + ./configure CPPFLAGS=-I<INCLUDE-PATH> LDFLAGS=-L<LIBRARY-PATH> + +If you need to specify multiple include or library paths, then do +this: + + ./configure CPPFLAGS="-I<PATH1> -I<PATH2>" LDFLAGS="-L<PATH1> -L<PATH2>" + +Once configure is done running, just type: + + make install + + +Mailing List and IRC +==================== + +If you need help on how to use Ledger, or run into problems, you can +join the Ledger mailing list at the following Web address: + + https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ledger-discuss + +You can also find help at the #ledger channel on the IRC server +irc.freenode.net. diff --git a/doc/ledger.texi b/doc/ledger.texi new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4b995e78 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/ledger.texi @@ -0,0 +1,3961 @@ +\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- + +@setfilename ledger.info +@settitle Ledger: Command-Line Accounting + +@dircategory User Applications +@copying +Copyright (c) 2003-2008, John Wiegley. All rights reserved. + +Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without +modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are +met: + +- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright + notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. + +- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright + notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the + documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. + +- Neither the name of New Artisans LLC nor the names of its + contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from + this software without specific prior written permission. + +THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS +"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT +LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR +A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT +OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, +SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT +LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, +DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY +THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT +(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE +OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. +@end copying + +@documentencoding iso-8859-1 + +@iftex +@finalout +@end iftex + +@titlepage +@title Ledger: Command-Line Accounting +@author John Wiegley +@end titlepage + +@direntry +* Ledger: (ledger). Command Line Accounting +@end direntry + +@contents + +@ifnottex +@node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir) +@top Overview + +@insertcopying +@end ifnottex + +@menu +* Introduction:: +* Running Ledger:: +* Keeping a ledger:: +* Using XML:: +@end menu + +@node Introduction, Running Ledger, Top, Top +@chapter Introduction + +Ledger is an accounting tool with the moxie to exist. It provides no +bells or whistles, and returns the user to the days before user +interfaces were even a twinkling in their father's CRT. + +What it does offer is a double-entry accounting ledger with all the +flexibility and muscle of its modern day cousins, without any of the +fat. Think of it as the Bran Muffin of accounting tools. + +To use it, you need to start keeping a ledger. This is the basis of +all accounting, and if you haven't started yet, now is the time to +learn. The little booklet that comes with your checkbook is a ledger, +so we'll describe double-entry accounting in terms of that. + +A checkbook ledger records debits (subtractions, or withdrawals) and +credits (additions, or deposits) with reference to a single account: +the checking account. Where the money comes from, and where it goes +to, are described in the payee field, where you write the person or +company's name. The ultimate aim of keeping a checkbook ledger is to +know how much money is available to spend. That's really the aim of +all ledgers. + +What computers add is the ability to walk through these transactions, +and tell you things about your spending habits; to let you devise +budgets and get control over your spending; to squirrel away money +into virtual savings account without having to physically move money +around; etc. As you keep your ledger, you are recording information +about your life and habits, and sometimes that information can start +telling you things you aren't aware of. Such is the aim of all good +accounting tools. + +The next step up from a checkbook ledger, is a ledger that keeps track +of all your accounts, not just checking. In such a ledger, you record +not only who gets paid---in the case of a debit---but where the money +came from. In a checkbook ledger, its assumed that all the money +comes from your checking account. But in a general ledger, you write +transaction two-lines: the source account and target account. +@emph{There must always be a debit from at least one account for every +credit made to another account}. This is what is meant by +``double-entry'' accounting: the ledger must always balance to zero, +with an equal number of debits and credits. + +For example, let's say you have a checking account and a brokerage +account, and you can write checks from both of them. Rather than keep +two checkbooks, you decide to use one ledger for both. In this +general ledger you need to record a payment to Pacific Bell for your +monthly phone bill. The cost is $23.00, let's say, and you want to +pay it from your checking account. In the general ledger you need to +say where the money came from, in addition to where it's going to. +The entry might look like this: + +@smallexample +9/29 BAL Pacific Bell $-200.00 $-200.00 + Equity:Opening Balances $200.00 +9/29 BAL Checking $100.00 $100.00 + Equity:Opening Balances $-100.00 +9/29 100 Pacific Bell $23.00 $223.00 + Checking $-23.00 $77.00 +@end smallexample + +The first line shows a payment to Pacific Bell for $23.00. Because +there is no ``balance'' in a general ledger---it's always zero---we +write in the total balance of all payments to ``Pacific Bell'', which +now is $223.00 (previously the balance was $200.00). This is done by +looking at the last entry for ``Pacific Bell'' in the ledger, adding +$23.00 to that amount, and writing the total in the balance column. +And the money came from ``Checking''---a withdrawal of $23.00---which +leaves the ending balance in ``Checking'' at $77.00. This is a very +manual procedure; but that's where computers come in... + +The transaction must balance to $0: $23 went to Pacific Bell, $23 came +from Checking. There is nothing left over to be accounted for, since +the money has simply moved from one account to another. This is the +basis of double-entry accounting: that money never pops in or out of +existence; it is always a transaction from one account to another. + +Keeping a general ledger is the same as keeping two separate ledgers: +One for Pacific Bell and one for Checking. In that case, each time a +payment is written into one, you write a corresponding withdrawal into +the other. This makes it easier to write in a ``running balance'', +since you don't have to look back at the last time the account was +referenced---but it also means having a lot of ledger books, if you +deal with multiple accounts. + +Enter the beauty of computerized accounting. The purpose of the +Ledger program is to make general ledger accounting simple, by keeping +track of the balances for you. Your only job is to enter the +transactions. If a transaction does not balance, Ledger displays an +error and indicates the incorrect transaction.@footnote{In some +special cases, it automatically balances this entry for you.} + +In summary, there are two aspects of Ledger use: updating the ledger +data file, and using the Ledger tool to view the summarized result of +your entries. + +And just for the sake of example---as a starting point for those who +want to dive in head-first---here are the ledger entries from above, +formatting as the ledger program wishes to see them: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Pacific Bell + Payable:Pacific Bell $-200.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/09/29 Checking + Accounts:Checking $100.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/09/29 Pacific Bell + Payable:Pacific Bell $23.00 + Accounts:Checking +@end smallexample + +The account balances and registers in this file, if saved as +@file{ledger.dat}, could be reported using: + +@example +$ ledger -f ledger.dat balance +$ ledger -f ledger.dat register checking +$ ledger -f ledger.dat register bell +@end example + +@menu +* Building the program:: +* Getting help:: +@end menu + +@node Building the program, Getting help, Introduction, Introduction +@section Building the program + +Ledger is written in ANSI C++, and should compile on any platform. It +depends on the GNU multiprecision integer library (libgmp), and the +Perl regular expression library (libpcre). It was developed using GNU +make and gcc 3.3, on a PowerBook running OS/X. + +To build and install once you have these libraries on your system, +enter these commands: + +@example +./configure && make install +@end example + +@node Getting help, , Building the program, Introduction +@section Getting help + +If you need help on how to use Ledger, or run into problems, you can +just the Ledger mailing list at the following Web address: + +@example +https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ledger-discuss +@end example + +You can also find help at the @samp{#ledger} channel on the IRC server +@samp{irc.freenode.net}. + +@node Running Ledger, Keeping a ledger, Introduction, Top +@chapter Running Ledger + +Ledger has a very simple command-line interface, named---enticing +enough---@command{ledger}. It supports a few reporting commands, and +a large number of options for refining the output from those commands. +The basic syntax of any ledger command is: + +@example +ledger [OPTIONS...] COMMAND [ARGS...] +@end example + +Command options must always precede the command word. After the +command word there may appear any number of arguments. For most +commands, these arguments are regular expressions that cause the +output to relate only to transactions matching those regular +expressions. For the @command{entry} command, the arguments have a +special meaning, described below. + +The regular expressions arguments always match the account name that a +transaction refers to. To match on the payee of the entry instead, +precede the regular expression with @samp{--}. For example, the +following balance command reports account totals for rent, food and +movies, but only those whose payee matches Freddie: + +@example +ledger bal rent food movies -- freddie +@end example + +There are many, many command options available with the +@command{ledger} command, and it takes a while to master them. +However, none of them are required to use the basic reporting +commands. + +@menu +* Usage overview:: +* Commands:: +* Options:: +* Format strings:: +* Value expressions:: +* Period expressions:: +* File format:: +* Some typical queries:: +* Budgeting and forecasting:: +@end menu + +@node Usage overview, Commands, Running Ledger, Running Ledger +@section Usage overview + +Before getting into the details of how to run Ledger, it will be +easier to introduce the features in the context of their typical +usage. To that end, this section presents a series of recipes, +gradually introducing all of the command-line features of Ledger. + +For the purpose of these examples, assume the environment variable +@var{LEDGER} is set to the file @file{sample.dat} (which is included +in the distribution), and that the contents of that file are: + +@smallexample += /^Expenses:Books/ + (Liabilities:Taxes) -0.10 + +~ Monthly + Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary + +2004/05/01 * Checking balance + Assets:Bank:Checking $1,000.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/05/01 * Investment balance + Assets:Brokerage 50 AAPL @@ $30.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/05/14 * Pay day + Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary + +2004/05/27 Book Store + Expenses:Books $20.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard + +2004/05/27 (100) Credit card company + Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 + Assets:Bank:Checking +@end smallexample + +This sample file demonstrates a basic principle of accounting which it +is recommended you follow: Keep all of your accounts under five parent +Assets, Liabilities, Income, Expenses and Equity. It is important to +do so in order to make sense out of the following examples. + +@subsection Checking balances + +Ledger has seven basic commands, but by far the most often used are +@command{balance} and @command{register}. To see a summary balance of +all accounts, use: + +@example +ledger bal +@end example + +@command{bal} is a short-hand for @command{balance}. This command +prints out the summary totals of the five parent accounts used in +@file{sample.dat}: + +@smallexample + $1,480.00 + 50 AAPL Assets + $-2,500.00 Equity + $20.00 Expenses + $-500.00 Income + $-2.00 Liabilities +-------------------- + $-1,502.00 + 50 AAPL +@end smallexample + +None of the child accounts are shown, just the parent account totals. +We can see that in @samp{Assets} there is $1,480.00, and 50 shares of +Apple stock. There is also a negative grand total. Usually the grand +total is zero, which means that all accounts balance@footnote{It is +impossible for accounts not to balance in ledger; it reports an error +if a transaction does not balance}. In this case, since the 50 shares +of Apple stock cost $1,500.00 dollars, then these two amounts balance +each other in the grand total. The extra $2.00 comes from a virtual +transaction being added by the automatic entry at the top of the file. +The entry is virtual because the account name was surrounded by +parentheses in an automatic entry. Automatic entries will be +discussed later, but first let's remove the virtual transaction from +the balance report by using the @option{--real} option: + +@example +ledger --real bal +@end example + +Now the report is: + +@smallexample + $1,480.00 + 50 AAPL Assets + $-2,500.00 Equity + $20.00 Expenses + $-500.00 Income +-------------------- + $-1,500.00 + 50 AAPL +@end smallexample + +Since the liability was a virtual transaction, it has dropped from the +report and we see that final total is balanced. + +But we only know that it balances because @file{sample.dat} is quite +simple, and we happen to know that the 50 shares of Apple stock cost +$1,500.00. We can verify that things really balance by reporting the +Apple shares in terms of their cost, instead of their quantity. To do +this requires the @option{--basis}, or @option{-B}, option: + +@example +ledger --real -B bal +@end example + +This command reports: + +@smallexample + $2,980.00 Assets + $-2,500.00 Equity + $20.00 Expenses + $-500.00 Income +@end smallexample + +With the basis cost option, the grand total has disappeared, as it is +now zero. The confirms that the cost of everything balances to zero, +@emph{which must always be true}. Reporting the real basis cost +should never yield a remainder@footnote{If it ever does, then +generated transactions are involved, which can be removed using +@option{--actual}}. + +@subsubsection Sub-account balances + +The totals reported by the balance command are only the topmost parent +accounts. To see the totals of all child accounts as well, use the +@option{-s} option: + +@example +ledger --real -B -s bal +@end example + +This reports: + +@smallexample + $2,980.00 Assets + $1,480.00 Bank:Checking + $1,500.00 Brokerage + $-2,500.00 Equity:Opening Balances + $20.00 Expenses:Books + $-500.00 Income:Salary +@end smallexample + +This shows that the @samp{Assets} total is made up from two child +account, but that the total for each of the other accounts comes from +one child account. + +Sometimes you may have a lot of children, nested very deeply, but only +want to report the first two levels. This can be done with a display +predicate, using a value expression. In the value expression, +@code{T} represents the reported total, and @code{l} is the display +level for the account: + +@example +ledger --real -B -d "T&l<=2" bal +@end example + +This reports: + +@smallexample + $2,980.00 Assets + $1,480.00 Bank + $1,500.00 Brokerage + $-2,500.00 Equity:Opening Balances + $20.00 Expenses:Books + $-500.00 Income:Salary +@end smallexample + +Instead of reporting @samp{Bank:Checking} as a child of @samp{Assets}, +it report only @samp{Bank}, since that account is a nesting level of +2, while @samp{Checking} is at level 3. + +To review the display predicate used---@code{T&l<=2}---this rather +terse expression means: Display an account only if it has a non-zero +total (@code{T}), and its nesting level is less than or equal to 2 +(@code{l<=2}). + +@subsubsection Specific account balances + +While reporting the totals for all accounts can be useful, most often +you will want to check the balance of a specific account or accounts. +To do this, put one or more account names after the balance command. +Since these names are really regular expressions, you can use partial +names if you wish: + +@example +ledger bal checking +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample + $1,480.00 Assets:Bank:Checking +@end smallexample + +Any number of names may be used: + +@example +ledger bal checking broker liab +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample + $1,480.00 Assets:Bank:Checking + 50 AAPL Assets:Brokerage + $-2.00 Liabilities +@end smallexample + +In this case no grand total is reported, because you are asking for +specific account balances. + +For those comfortable with regular expressions, any Perl regexp is +allowed: + +@example +ledger bal ^assets.*checking ^liab +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample + $1,480.00 Assets:Bank:Checking + $-2.00 Liabilities:Taxes +@end smallexample + +@subsection The register report + +While the @command{balance} command can be very handy for checking +account totals, by far the most powerful of Ledger's reporting tools +is the @command{register} command. In fact, internally both commands +use the same logic, but report the results differently: +@command{balance} shows the summary totals, while @command{register} +reports each transaction and how it contributes to that total. + +Paradoxically, the most basic form of @command{register} is almost +never used, since it displays every transaction: + +@example +ledger reg +@end example + +@command{reg} is a short-hand for @command{register}. This command +reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/01 Checking balance Assets:Bank:Checking $1,000.00 $1,000.00 + Equity:Opening Balan.. $-1,000.00 0 +2004/05/01 Investment balance Assets:Brokerage 50 AAPL 50 AAPL + Equity:Opening Balan.. $-1,500.00 $-1,500.00 + 50 AAPL +2004/05/14 Pay day Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 $-1,000.00 + 50 AAPL + Income:Salary $-500.00 $-1,500.00 + 50 AAPL +2004/05/27 Book Store Expenses:Books $20.00 $-1,480.00 + 50 AAPL + Liabilities:MasterCard $-20.00 $-1,500.00 + 50 AAPL + (Liabilities:Taxes) $-2.00 $-1,502.00 + 50 AAPL +2004/05/27 Credit card company Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 $-1,482.00 + 50 AAPL + Assets:Bank:Checking $-20.00 $-1,502.00 + 50 AAPL +@end smallexample + +This rather verbose output shows every account transaction in +@file{sample.dat}, and how it affects the running total. The final +total is identical to what we saw with the plain @command{balance} +command. To see how things really balance, we can use @samp{--real +-B}, just as we did with @command{balance}: + +@example +ledger --real -B reg +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/01 Checking balance Assets:Bank:Checking $1,000.00 $1,000.00 + Equity:Opening Balan.. $-1,000.00 0 +2004/05/01 Investment balance Assets:Brokerage $1,500.00 $1,500.00 + Equity:Opening Balan.. $-1,500.00 0 +2004/05/14 Pay day Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 $500.00 + Income:Salary $-500.00 0 +2004/05/27 Book Store Expenses:Books $20.00 $20.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-20.00 0 +2004/05/27 Credit card company Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 $20.00 + Assets:Bank:Checking $-20.00 0 +@end smallexample + +Here we see that everything balances to zero in the end, as it must. + +@subsubsection Specific register queries + +The most common use of the register command is to summarize +transactions based on the account(s) they affect. Using +@file{sample.dat} as as example, we could look at all book purchases +using: + +@example +ledger reg books +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Book Store Expenses:Books $20.00 $20.00 +@end smallexample + +If a double-dash (@samp{--}) occurs in the list of regular +expressions, any following arguments are matched against payee names, +instead of account names: + +@example +ledger reg ^liab -- credit +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Credit card company Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 $20.00 +@end smallexample + +There are many reporting options for tailoring which transactions are +found, and also how to summarize the various amounts and totals that +result. These are plumbed in greater depth below. + +@subsection Selecting transactions + +Although the easiest way to use the register is to report all the +transactions affecting a set of accounts, it can often result in more +information than you want. To cope with an ever-growing amount of +data, there are several options which can help you pinpoint your +report to exactly the transactions that interest you most. This is +called the ``calculation'' phase of Ledger. All of its related +options are documented under @option{--help-calc}. + +@subsubsection By date + +@c -c, --current show only current and past entries (not future) + +@option{--current}(@option{-c}) displays entries occurring on or +before the current date. Any entry recorded for a future date will be +ignored, as if it had not been seen. This is useful if you happen to +pre-record entries, but still wish to view your balances in terms of +what is available today. + +@c -b, --begin DATE set report begin date +@c -e, --end DATE set report end date + +@option{--begin DATE} (@option{-b DATE}) limits the report to only +those entries occurring on or after @var{DATE}. The running total in +the register will start at zero with the first transaction, even if +there are earlier entries. + +To limit the display only, but still add earlier transactions to the +running total, use the display expression @samp{-d 'd>=[DATE]'}): + +@example +ledger --basis -b may -d 'd>=[5/14]' reg ^assets +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/14 Pay day Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 $3,000.00 +2004/05/27 Credit card company Assets:Bank:Checking $-20.00 $2,980.00 +@end smallexample + +In this example, the displayed transactions start from @samp{5/14}, +but the calculated total starts from the beginning of @samp{may}. + +@option{--end DATE} (@option{-e DATE}) states when reporting should +end, both calculation and display. The ending date is inclusive. + +The @var{DATE} argument to the @option{-b} and @option{-e} options can +be rather flexible. Assuming the current date to be November 15, +2004, then all of the following are equivalent: + +@example +ledger -b oct bal +ledger -b "this oct" bal +ledger -b 2004/10 bal +ledger -b 10 bal +ledger -b last bal +ledger -b "last month" bal +@end example + +@c -p, --period STR report using the given period +@c --period-sort EXPR sort each report period's entries by EXPR + +To constrain the report to a specific time period, use +@option{--period} (@option{-p}). A time period may have both a +beginning and an end, or neither, as well as a specified interval. +Here are a few examples: + +@example +ledger -p 2004 bal +ledger -p august bal +ledger -p "from aug to oct" bal +ledger -p "daily from 8/1 to 8/15" bal +ledger -p "weekly since august" bal +ledger -p "monthly from feb to oct" bal +ledger -p "quarterly in 2004" bal +ledger -p yearly bal +@end example + +See @ref{Period expressions} for more on syntax. Also, all of the +options @option{-b}, @option{-e} and @option{-p} may be used together, +but whatever information occurs last takes priority. An example of +such usage (in a script, perhaps) would be: + +@example +ledger -b 2004 -e 2005 -p monthly reg ^expenses +@end example + +This command is identical to: + +@example +ledger -p "monthly in 2004" reg ^expenses +@end example + +The transactions within a period may be sorted using +@option{--period-sort}, which takes a value expression. This is +similar to the @option{--sort} option, except that it sorts within +each period entry, rather than sorting all transactions in the report. +See the documentation on @option{--sort} below for more details. + +@subsubsection By status + +By default, all regular transactions are included in each report. To +limit the report to certain kinds of transactions, use one or more of +the following options: + +@table @option +@item -C, --cleared +Consider only cleared transactions. +@item -U, --uncleared +Consider only uncleared and pending transactions. +@item -R, --real +Consider only real (non-virtual) transactions. +@item -L, --actual +Consider only actual (non-automated) transactions. +@end table + +Cleared transactions are indicated by an asterix placed just before +the payee name in a transaction. The meaning of this flag is up to +the user, but typically it means that an entry has been seen on a +financial statement. Pending transactions use an exclamation mark in +the same position, but are mainly used only by reconciling software. +Uncleared transactions are for things like uncashed checks, credit +charges that haven't appeared on a statement yet, etc. + +Real transactions are all non-virtual transactions, where the account +name is not surrounded by parentheses or square brackets. Virtual +transactions are useful for showing a transfer of money that never +really happened, like money set aside for savings without actually +transferring it from the parent account. + +Actual transactions are those not generated, either as part of an +automated entry, or a budget or forecast report. A useful of when you +might like to filter out generated transactions is with a budget: + +@example +ledger --budget --actual reg ^expenses +@end example + +This command outputs all transactions affecting a budgeted account, +but without subtracting the budget amount (because the generated +transactions are suppressed with @option{--actual}). The report shows +how much you actually spent on budgeted items. + +@subsubsection By relationship + +@c -r, --related calculate report using related transactions + +Normally, a register report includes only the transactions that match +the regular expressions specified after the command word. For +example, to report all expenses: + +@example +ledger reg ^expenses +@end example + +This reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Book Store Expenses:Books $20.00 $20.00 +@end smallexample + +Using @option{--related} (@option{-r}) reports the transactions that +did not match your query, but only in entries that otherwise would +have matched. This has the effect of indicating where money came +from, or when to: + +@example +ledger -r reg ^expenses +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Book Store Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 $20.00 +@end smallexample + +@subsubsection By budget + +@c --budget generate budget entries based on FILE + +There is more information about budgeting and forecasting in +@ref{Budgeting and forecasting}. Basically, if you have any period +entries in your ledger file, you can use these options. A period +entry looks like: + +@example +~ Monthly + Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary +@end example + +The difference from a regular entry is that the first line begins with +a tilde (~), and instead of a payee there's a period expression +(@ref{Period expressions}). Otherwise, a period entry is in every +other way the same as a regular entry. + +With such an entry in your ledger file, the @option{--budget} option +will report only transactions that match a budgeted account. Using +@file{sample.dat} from above: + +@example +ledger --budget reg ^income +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/01 Budget entry Income:Salary $500.00 $500.00 +2004/05/14 Pay day Income:Salary $-500.00 0 +@end smallexample + +The final total is zero, indicating that the budget matched exactly +for the reported period. Budgeting is most often helpful with period +reporting; for example, to show monthly budget results use +@option{--budget -p monthly}. + +@c --add-budget show all transactions plus the budget +@c --unbudgeted show only unbudgeted transactions + +The @option{--add-budget} option reports all matching transactions in +addition to budget transactions; while @option{--unbudgeted} shows +only those that don't match a budgeted account. To summarize: + +@table @option +@item --budget +Show transactions matching budgeted accounts. +@item --unbudgeted +Show transactions matching unbudgeted accounts. +@item --add-budget +Show both budgeted and unbudgeted transactions together (i.e., add the +generated budget transactions to the regular report). +@end table + +@c --forecast EXPR generate forecast entries while EXPR is true + +A report with the @option{--forecast} option will add budgeted +transactions while the specified value expression is true. For +example: + +@example +ledger --forecast 'd<[2005] reg ^income +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/14 Pay day Income:Salary $-500.00 $-500.00 +2004/12/01 Forecast entry Income:Salary $-500.00 $-1,000.00 +2005/01/01 Forecast entry Income:Salary $-500.00 $-1,500.00 +@end smallexample + +The date this report was made was November 5, 2004; the reason the +first forecast entry is in december is that forecast entries are only +added for the future, and they only stop after the value expression +has matched at least once, which is why the January entry appears. A +forecast report can be very useful for determining when money will run +out in an account, or for projecting future cash flow: + +@example +ledger --forecast 'd<[2008]' -p yearly reg ^inc ^exp +@end example + +This reports balances projected income against projected expenses, +showing the resulting total in yearly intervals until 2008. For the +case of @file{sample.dat}, which has no budgeted expenses, the result +of the above command (in November 2004) is: + +@smallexample +2004/01/01 - 2004/12/31 Income:Salary $-1,000.00 $-1,000.00 + Expenses:Books $20.00 $-980.00 +2005/01/01 - 2005/12/31 Income:Salary $-6,000.00 $-6,980.00 +2006/01/01 - 2006/12/31 Income:Salary $-6,000.00 $-12,980.00 +2007/01/01 - 2007/12/31 Income:Salary $-6,000.00 $-18,980.00 +2008/01/01 - 2008/01/01 Income:Salary $-500.00 $-19,480.00 +@end smallexample + +@subsubsection By value expression + +@c -l, --limit EXPR calculate only transactions matching EXPR + +Value expressions can be quite complex, and are treated more fully in +@ref{Value expressions}. They can be used for limiting a report with +@option{--limit} (@option{-l}). The following command report income +since august, but expenses since october: + +@example +ledger -l '(/income/&d>=[aug])|(/expenses/&d>=[oct])' reg +@end example + +The basic form of this value expression is @samp{(A&B)|(A&B)}. The +@samp{A} in each part matches against an account name with +@samp{/name/}, while each @samp{B} part compares the date of the +transaction (@samp{d}) with a specified month. The resulting report +will contain only transactions which match the value expression. + +@c -t, --amount EXPR use EXPR to calculate the displayed amount +@c -T, --total EXPR use EXPR to calculate the displayed total + +Another use of value expressions is to calculate the amount reported +for each line of a register report, or for computing the subtotal of +each account shown in a balance report. This example divides each +transaction amount by two: + +@example +ledger -t 'a/2' reg ^exp +@end example + +The @option{-t} option doesn't affect the running total, only how the +transaction amount is displayed. To change the running total, use +@option{-T}. In that case, you will likely want to use the total +(@samp{O}) instead of the amount (@samp{a}): + +@example +ledger -T 'O/2' reg ^exp +@end example + +@subsection Massaging register output + +Even after filtering down your data to just the transactions you're +interested in, the default reporting method of one transaction per +line is often still too much. To combat this complexity, it is +possible to ask Ledger to report the details to you in many different +forms, summarized in various ways. This is the ``display'' phase of +Ledger, and is documented under @option{--help-disp}. + +@subsubsection Summarizing + +@c -n, --collapse register: collapse entries with multiple transactions + +When multiple transactions relate to a single entry, they are reported +as part of that entry. For example, in the case of @file{sample.dat}: + +@example +ledger reg -- book +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Book Store Expenses:Books $20.00 $20.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-20.00 0 + (Liabilities:Taxes) $-2.00 $-2.00 +@end smallexample + +All three transactions are part of one entry, and as such the entry +details are printed only once. To report every entry on a single +line, use @option{-n} to collapse entries with multiple transactions: + +@example +ledger -n reg -- book +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 Book Store <Total> $-2.00 $-2.00 +@end smallexample + +In the balance report, @option{-n} causes the grand total not to be +displayed at the bottom of the report. + +@c -s, --subtotal balance: show sub-accounts; other: show subtotals + +If an account occurs more than once in a report, it is possible to +combine them all and report the total per-account, using @option{-s}. +For example, this command: + +@example +ledger -B reg ^assets +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/01 Checking balance Assets:Bank:Checking $1,000.00 $1,000.00 +2004/05/01 Investment balance Assets:Brokerage $1,500.00 $2,500.00 +2004/05/14 Pay day Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 $3,000.00 +2004/05/27 Credit card company Assets:Bank:Checking $-20.00 $2,980.00 +@end smallexample + +But if the @option{-s} option is added, the result becomes: + +@smallexample +2004/05/01 - 2004/05/29 Assets:Bank:Checking $1,480.00 $1,480.00 + Assets:Brokerage $1,500.00 $2,980.00 +@end smallexample + +When account subtotaling is used, only one entry is printed, and the +date and name reflect the range of the combined transactions. + +@c -P, --by-payee show summarized totals by payee + +With @option{-P}, transactions relating to the same payee are +combined. In this case, the date of the combined entry is that of the +latest transaction. + +@c -x, --comm-as-payee set commodity name as the payee, for reporting + +@option{-x} changes the payee name for each transaction to be the same +as the commodity it uses. This can be especially useful combined with +other options, like @option{-P}. For example: + +@example +ledger -Px reg ^assets +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 $ Assets:Bank:Checking $1,480.00 $1,480.00 +2004/05/01 AAPL Assets:Brokerage 50 AAPL $1,480.00 + 50 AAPL +@end smallexample + +This reports shows the subtotal for each commodity held, and where it +is located. To see the basis cost, or initial investment, add +@option{-B}. Applied to the example above: + +@smallexample +2004/05/29 $ Assets:Bank:Checking $1,480.00 $1,480.00 +2004/05/01 AAPL Assets:Brokerage $1,500.00 $2,980.00 +@end smallexample + +@c -E, --empty balance: show accounts with zero balance + +The only other options which affect summarized totals is @option{-E}, +which works only in the balance report. In this case, it shows +matching accounts with a zero a balance, which are ordinarily +excluded. This can be useful to see all the accounts involved in a +report, even if some have no total. + +@subsubsection Quick periods + +Although the @option{-p} option (also @option{--period}) is much more +versatile, there are other options to make the most common period +reports easier: + +@table @option +@item -W, --weekly +Show weekly sub-totals. Same as @samp{-p weekly}. +@item -M, --monthly +Show monthly sub-totals. Same as @samp{-p monthly}. +@item -Y, --yearly +Show yearly sub-totals. Same as @samp{-p yearly}. +@end table + +@c --dow show a days-of-the-week report + +There is one kind of period report cannot be done with @option{-p}. +This is the @option{--dow}, or ``days of the week'' report, which +shows summarized totals for each day of the week. The following +examples shows a ``day of the week'' report of income and expenses: + +@example +ledger --dow reg ^inc ^exp +@end example + +Reports: + +@smallexample +2004/05/27 Thursdays Expenses:Books $20.00 $20.00 +2004/05/14 Fridays Income:Salary $-500.00 $-480.00 +@end smallexample + +@subsubsection Ordering and width + +@c -S, --sort EXPR sort report according to the value expression EXPR + +The transactions displayed in a report are shown in the same order as +they appear in the ledger file. To change the order and sort a +report, use the @option{--sort} option. @option{--sort} takes a value +expression to determine the value to sort against, making it possible +to sort according to complex criteria. Here are some simple and +useful examples: + +@example +ledger --sort d reg ^exp # sort by date +ledger --sort t reg ^exp # sort by amount total +ledger --sort -t reg ^exp # reverse sort by amount total +ledger --sort Ut reg ^exp # sort by abs amount total +@end example + +For the balance report, you will want to use @samp{T} instead of +@samp{t}: + +@example +ledger --sort T reg ^exp # sort by amount total +ledger --sort -T reg ^exp # reverse sort by amount total +ledger --sort UT reg ^exp # sort by abs amount total +@end example + +The @option{--sort} options sorts all transactions in a report. If +periods are used (such as @option{--monthly}), this can get somewhat +confusing. In that case, you'll probably want to sort within periods +using @option{--period-sort} instead of @option{--sort}. + +@c -w, --wide for the default register report, use 132 columns + +And if the register seems too cramped, and you have a lot of screen +real estate, you can use @option{-w} to format the report within 132 +acolumns, instead of 80. You are more likely then to see full payee +and account names, as well as properly formatted totals when +long-named commodities are used. + +If you want only the first or last N entries to be printed---which can +be very useful for viewing the last 10 entries in your checking +account, while also showing the cumulative balance from all +entries---use the @option{--head} and/or @option{--tail} options. The +two options may be used simultaneously, for example: + +@example +ledger --tail 20 reg checking +@end example + +If the output from your command is very long, Ledger can output the +data to a pager utility, such as @command{more} or @command{less}: + +@example +ledger --pager /usr/bin/less reg checking +@end example + +@subsubsection Averages and percentages + +@c -A, --average report average transaction amount + +To see the running total changed to a running average, use +@option{-A}. The final transaction's total will be the overall +average of all displayed transactions. The works in conjunction with +period reporting, so that you can see your monthly average expenses +with: + +@example +ledger -AM reg ^expenses:food +ledger -AMn reg ^expenses +@end example + +This works in the balance report too: + +@example +ledger -AM bal ^expenses:food +ledger -AMs bal ^expenses +@end example + +@c -D, --deviation report deviation from the average + +The @option{-D} option changes the running average into a deviation +from the running average. This only makes sense in the register +report, however. + +@example +ledger -DM reg ^expenses:food +@end example + +@c -%, --percentage report balance totals as a percentile of the parent + +In the balance report only, @option{-%} changes the reported totals +into a percentage of the parent account. This kind of report is +confusing if negative amounts are involved, and doesn't work at all if +multiple commodities occur in an account's history. It has a somewhat +limited usefulness, therefore, but in certain cases it can be handy, +such as reviewing overall expenses: + +@example +ledger -%s -S T bal ^expenses +@end example + +@subsubsection Reporting total data + +@c --totals in the "xml" report, include running total + +Normally in the @command{xml} report, only transaction amounts are +printed. To include the running total under a @samp{<total>} tag, use +@option{--totals}. This does not affect any other report. + +@c -j, --amount-data print only raw amount data (useful for scripting) +@c -J, --total-data print only raw total data + +In the register report only, the output can be changed with +@option{-j} to show only the date and the amount---without +commodities. This only makes sense if a single commodity appears in +the report, but can be quite useful for scripting, or passing the data +to Gnuplot. To show only the date and running total, use @option{-J}. + +@subsubsection Display by value expression + +@c -d, --display EXPR display only transactions matching EXPR + +With @option{-d} you can decide which transactions (or accounts in the +balance report) are displayed, according to a value expression. The +computed total is not affected, only the display. This can be very +useful for shortening a report without changing the running total: + +@example +ledger -d 'd>=[last month]' reg checking +@end example + +This command shows the checking account's register, beginning from +last month, but with the running total reflecting the entire history +of the account. + +@subsubsection Change report format + +@c -y, --date-format STR use STR as the date format (default: %Y/%m/%d) + +When dates are printed in any report, the default format is +@samp{%Y/%m/%d}, which yields dates of the form @samp{YYYY/mm/dd}. +This can be changed with @option{-y}, whose argument is a +@code{strftime} string---see your system's C library documentation for +the allowable codes. Mostly you will want to use @samp{%Y}, @samp{%m} +and @samp{%d}, in whatever combination is convenient for your locale. + +@c -F, --format STR use STR as the format; for each report type, use: +@c --balance-format --register-format --print-format +@c --plot-amount-format --plot-total-format --equity-format +@c --prices-format --wide-register-format + +To change the format of the entire reported line, use @option{-F}. It +supports quite a large number of options, which are all documented in +@ref{Format strings}. In addition, each specific kind of report +(except for @command{xml}) can be changed using one of the following +options: + +@table @option +@item --balance-format +@command{balance} report. Default: +@smallexample +%20T %2_%-a\n +@end smallexample + +@item --register-format +@command{register} report. Default: +@smallexample +%D %-.20P %-.22A %12.66t %12.80T\n%/%32|%-.22A %12.66t %12.80T\n +@end smallexample + +@item --print-format +@command{print} report. Default: +@smallexample +%D %-.35P %-.38A %22.108t %22.132T\n%/%48|%-.38A %22.108t %22.132T\n +@end smallexample + +@item --plot-amount-format +@command{register} report when @option{-j} (plot amount) is used. Default: +@smallexample +%D %(St)\n +@end smallexample + +@item --plot-total-format +@command{register} report when @option{-J} (plot total) is used. Default: +@smallexample +%D %(ST)\n +@end smallexample + +@item --equity-format +@command{equity} report. Default: +@smallexample +\n%D %Y%C%P\n %-34W %12o%n\n%/ %-34W %12o%n\n +@end smallexample + +@item --prices-format +@command{prices} report. Default: +@smallexample +\n%D %Y%C%P\n%/ %-34W %12t\n +@end smallexample + +@item --wide-register-format +@command{register} report when @option{-w} (wide) is used. Default: +@smallexample +%D %-.35P %-.38A %22.108t %22.132T\n%/%48|%-.38A %22.108t %22.132T\n +@end smallexample +@end table + +@subsection Standard queries + +If your ledger file uses the standard top-level accounts: Assets, +Liabilities, Income, Expenses, Equity: then the following queries will +enable you to generate some typical accounting reports from your data. + +Your @emph{net worth} can be determined by balancing assets against +liabilities: + +@example +ledger bal ^assets ^liab +@end example + +By removing long-term investment and loan accounts, you can see your +current net liquidity (or liquid net worth): + +@example +ledger bal ^assets ^liab -retirement -brokerage -loan +@end example + +Balancing expenses against income yields your @emph{cash flow}, or net +profit/loss: + +@example +ledger bal ^exp ^inc +@end example + +In this case, if the number is positive it means you spent more than +you earned during the report period. + +@c ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +The most often used command is the ``balance'' command: + +@example +export LEDGER=/home/johnw/doc/ledger.dat +ledger balance +@end example + +Here I've set my Ledger environment variable to point to where my +ledger file is hiding. Thereafter, I needn't specify it again. + +@subsection Reporting balance totals + +The balance command prints out the summarized balances of all my +top-level accounts, excluding sub-accounts. In order to see the +balances for a specific account, just specify a regular expression +after the balance command: + +@example +ledger balance expenses:food +@end example + +This will show all the money that's been spent on food, since the +beginning of the ledger. For food spending just this month +(September), use: + +@example +ledger -p sep balance expenses:food +@end example + +Or maybe you want to see all of your assets, in which case the -s +(show sub-accounts) option comes in handy: + +@example +ledger -s balance ^assets +@end example + +To exclude a particular account, use a regular expression with a +leading minus sign. The following will show all expenses, but without +food spending: + +@example +ledger balance expenses -food +@end example + +@subsection Reporting percentages + +There is no built-in way to report transaction amounts or account +balances in terms of percentages + +@node Commands, Options, Usage overview, Running Ledger +@section Commands + +@subsection balance + +The @command{balance} command reports the current balance of all +accounts. It accepts a list of optional regexps, which confine the +balance report to the matching accounts. If an account contains +multiple types of commodities, each commodity's total is reported +separately. + +@subsection register + +The @command{register} command displays all the transactions occurring +in a single account, line by line. The account regexp must be +specified as the only argument to this command. If any regexps occur +after the required account name, the register will contain only those +transactions that match. Very useful for hunting down a particular +transaction. + +The output from @command{register} is very close to what a typical +checkbook, or single-account ledger, would look like. It also shows a +running balance. The final running balance of any register should +always be the same as the current balance of that account. + +If you have Gnuplot installed, you may plot the amount or running +total of any register by using the script @file{report}, which is +included in the Ledger distribution. The only requirement is that you +add either @option{-j} or @option{-J} to your register command, in +order to plot either the amount or total column, respectively. + +@subsection print + +The @command{print} command prints out ledger entries in a textual +format that can be parsed by Ledger. They will be properly formatted, +and output in the most economic form possible. The ``print'' command +also takes a list of optional regexps, which will cause only those +transactions which match in some way to be printed. + +The @command{print} command can be a handy way to clean up a ledger +file whose formatting has gotten out of hand. + +@subsection output + +The @command{output} command is very similar to the @command{print} +command, except that it attempts to replicate the specified ledger +file exactly. The format of the command is: + +@example +ledger -f FILENAME output FILENAME +@end example + +Where @file{FILENAME} is the name of the ledger file to output. The +reason for specifying this command is that only entries contained +within that file will be output, and not an included entries (as can +happen with the @command{print} command). + +@subsection xml + +The @command{xml} command outputs results similar to what +@command{print} and @command{register} display, but as an XML form. +This data can then be read in and processed. Use the +@option{--totals} option to include the running total with each +transaction. + +@subsection emacs + +The @command{emacs} command outputs results in a form that can be read +directly by Emacs Lisp. The format of the sexp is: + +@example +((BEG-POS CLEARED DATE CODE PAYEE + (ACCOUNT AMOUNT)...) ; list of transactions + ...) ; list of entries +@end example + +@subsection equity + +The @command{equity} command prints out accounts balances as if they +were entries. This makes it easy to establish the starting balances +for an account, such as when @ref{Archiving previous years}. + +@subsection prices + +The @command{prices} command displays the price history for matching +commodities. The @option{-A} flag is useful with this report, to +display the running average price, or @option{-D} to show each price's +deviation from that average. + +There is also a @command{pricesdb} command which outputs the same +information as @command{prices}, but does in a format that can be +parsed by Ledger. + +@subsection entry + +The @command{entry} commands simplifies the creation of new entries. +It works on the principle that 80% of all transactions are variants of +earlier transactions. Here's how it works: + +Say you currently have this transaction in your ledger file: + +@smallexample +2004/03/15 * Viva Italiano + Expenses:Food $12.45 + Expenses:Tips $2.55 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-15.00 +@end smallexample + +Now it's @samp{2004/4/9}, and you've just eating at @samp{Viva +Italiano} again. The exact amounts are different, but the overall +form is the same. With the @command{entry} command you can type: + +@example +ledger entry 2004/4/9 viva food 11 tips 2.50 +@end example + +This produces the following output: + +@smallexample +2004/04/09 Viva Italiano + Expenses:Food $11.00 + Expenses:Tips $2.50 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-13.50 +@end smallexample + +It works by finding a past transaction matching the regular expression +@samp{viva}, and assuming that any accounts or amounts specified will +be similar to that earlier transaction. If Ledger does not succeed in +generating a new entry, an error is printed and the exit code is set +to @samp{1}. + +There is a shell script in the distribution's @file{scripts} directory +called @file{entry}, which simplifies the task of adding a new entry +to your ledger. It launches @command{vi} to confirm that the entry +looks appropriate. + +Here are a few more examples of the @command{entry} command, assuming +the above journal entry: + +@example +ledger entry 4/9 viva 11.50 +ledger entry 4/9 viva 11.50 checking # (from `checking') +ledger entry 4/9 viva food 11.50 tips 8 +ledger entry 4/9 viva food 11.50 tips 8 cash +ledger entry 4/9 viva food $11.50 tips $8 cash +ledger entry 4/9 viva dining "DM 11.50" +@end example + +@node Options, Format strings, Commands, Running Ledger +@section Options + +With all of the reports, command-line options are useful to modify the +output generated. These command-line options always occur before the +command word. This is done to distinguish options from exclusive +regular expressions, which also begin with a dash. The basic form for +most commands is: + +@example +ledger [OPTIONS] COMMAND [REGEXPS...] [-- [REGEXPS...]] +@end example + +The @var{OPTIONS} and @var{REGEXPS} expressions are both optional. +You could just use @samp{ledger balance}, without any options---which +prints a summary of all accounts. But for more specific reporting, or +to change the appearance of the output, options are needed. + +@menu +* Basic options:: +* Report filtering:: +* Output customization:: +* Commodity reporting:: +* Environment variables:: +@end menu + +@node Basic options, Report filtering, Options, Options +@subsection Basic options + +These are the most basic command options. Most likely, the user will +want to set them using @ref{Environment variables}, instead of using +actual command-line options: + +@option{--help} (@option{-h}) prints a summary of all the options, and +what they are used for. This can be a handy way to remember which +options do what. This help screen is also printed if ledger is run +without a command. + +@option{--version} (@option{-v}) prints the current version of ledger +and exits. This is useful for sending bug reports, to let the author +know which version of ledger you are using. + +@option{--file FILE} (@option{-f FILE}) reads FILE as a ledger file. +This command may be used multiple times. FILE may also be a list of +file names separated by colons. Typically, the environment variable +@env{LEDGER_FILE} is set, rather than using this command-line option. + +@option{--output FILE} (@option{-o FILE}) redirects output from any +command to @var{FILE}. By default, all output goes to standard +output. + +@option{--init-file FILE} (@option{-i FILE}) causes FILE to be read by +ledger before any other ledger file. This file may not contain any +transactions, but it may contain option settings. To specify options +in the init file, use the same syntax as the command-line. Here's an +example init file: + +@smallexample +--price-db ~/finance/.pricedb + +; ~/.ledgerrc ends here +@end smallexample + +Option settings on the command-line or in the environment always take +precedence over settings in the init file. + +@option{--cache FILE} identifies FILE as the default binary cache +file. That is, if the ledger files to be read are specified using the +environment variable @env{LEDGER_FILE}, then whenever a command is +finished a binary copy will be written to the specified cache, to +speed up the loading time of subsequent queries. This filename can +also be given using the environment variable @env{LEDGER_CACHE}, or by +putting the option into your init file. The @option{--no-cache} +option causes Ledger to always ignore the binary cache. + +@option{--account NAME} (@option{-a NAME}) specifies the default +account which QIF file transactions are assumed to relate to. + +@node Report filtering, Output customization, Basic options, Options +@subsection Report filtering + +These options change which transactions affect the outcome of a +report, in ways other than just using regular expressions: + +@option{--current}(@option{-c}) displays only entries occurring on or +before the current date. + +@option{--begin DATE} (@option{-b DATE}) constrains the report to +entries on or after @var{DATE}. Only entries after that date will be +calculated, which means that the running total in the balance report +will always start at zero with the first matching entry. (Note: This +is different from using @option{--display} to constrain what is +displayed). + +@option{--end DATE} (@option{-e DATE}) constrains the report so that +entries on or after @var{DATE} are not considered. The ending date +is inclusive. + +@option{--period STR} (@option{-p STR}) sets the reporting period +to @var{STR}. This will subtotal all matching entries within each +period separately, making it easy to see weekly, monthly, quarterly, +etc., transaction totals. A period string can even specify the +beginning and end of the report range, using simple terms like ``last +june'' or ``next month''. For more using period expressions, see +@ref{Period expressions}. + +@option{--period-sort EXPR} sorts the transactions within each +reporting period using the value expression @var{EXPR}. This is most +often useful when reporting monthly expenses, in order to view the +highest expense categories at the top of each month: + +@example +ledger -M --period-sort -At reg ^Expenses +@end example + +@option{--cleared} (@option{-C}) displays only transactions whose entry +has been marked ``cleared'' (by placing an asterix to the right of the +date). + +@option{--uncleared} (@option{-U}) displays only transactions whose +entry has not been marked ``cleared'' (i.e., if there is no asterix to +the right of the date). + +@option{--real} (@option{-R}) displays only real transactions, not +virtual. (A virtual transaction is indicated by surrounding the +account name with parentheses or brackets; see the section on using +virtual transactions for more information). + +@option{--actual} (@option{-L}) displays only actual transactions, and +not those created due to automated transactions. + +@option{--related} (@option{-r}) displays transactions that are +related to whichever transactions would otherwise have matched the +filtering criteria. In the register report, this shows where money +went to, or the account it came from. In the balance report, it shows +all the accounts affected by entries having a related transaction. +For example, if a file had this entry: + +@smallexample +2004/03/20 Safeway + Expenses:Food $65.00 + Expenses:Cash $20.00 + Assets:Checking $-85.00 +@end smallexample + +And the register command was: + +@example +ledger -r register food +@end example + +The following would be output, showing the transactions related to the +transaction that matched: + +@smallexample +2004/03/20 Safeway Expenses:Cash $-20.00 $-20.00 + Assets:Checking $85.00 $65.00 +@end smallexample + +@option{--budget} is useful for displaying how close your transactions +meet your budget. @option{--add-budget} also shows unbudgeted +transactions, while @option{--unbudgeted} shows only those. +@option{--forecast} is a related option that projects your budget into +the future, showing how it will affect future balances. +@xref{Budgeting and forecasting}. + +@option{--limit EXPR} (@option{-l EXPR}) limits which transactions +take part in the calculations of a report. + +@option{--amount EXPR} (@option{-t EXPR}) changes the value expression +used to calculate the ``value'' column in the @command{register} +report, the amount used to calculate account totals in the +@command{balance} report, and the values printed in the +@command{equity} report. @xref{Value expressions}. + +@option{--total EXPR} (@option{-T EXPR}) sets the value expression +used for the ``totals'' column in the @command{register} and +@command{balance} reports. + +@node Output customization, Commodity reporting, Report filtering, Options +@subsection Output customization + +These options affect only the output, but not which transactions are +used to create it: + +@option{--collapse} (@option{-n}) causes entries in a +@command{register} report with multiple transactions to be collapsed +into a single, subtotaled entry. + +@option{--subtotal} (@option{-s}) causes all entries in a +@command{register} report to be collapsed into a single, subtotaled +entry. + +@option{--by-payee} (@option{-P}) reports subtotals by payee. + +@option{--comm-as-payee} (@option{-x}) changes the payee of every +transaction to be the commodity used in that transaction. This can be +useful when combined with other options, such as @option{-s}. + +@option{--empty} (@option{-E}) includes even empty accounts in the +@command{balance} report. + +@option{--weekly} (@option{-W}) reports transaction totals by the +week. The week begins on whichever day of the week begins the month +containing that transaction. To set a specific begin date, use a +period string, such as @samp{weekly from DATE}. @option{--monthly} +(@option{-M}) reports transaction totals by month; @option{--yearly} +(@option{-Y}) reports transaction totals by year. For more complex +period, using the @option{--period} option described above. + +@option{--dow} reports transactions totals for each day of the week. +This is an easy way to see if weekend spending is more than on +weekdays. + +@option{--sort EXPR} (@option{-S EXPR}) sorts a report by comparing +the values determined using the value expression @var{EXPR}. For +example, using @option{-S -UT} in the balance report will sort account +balances from greatest to least, using the absolute value of the +total. For more on how to use value expressions, see @ref{Value +expressions}. + +@option{--wide} (@option{-w}) causes the default @command{register} +report to assume 132 columns instead of 80. + +@option{--head} causes only the first N entries to be printed. This +is different from using the command-line utility @command{head}, which +would limit to the first N transactions. @option{--tail} outputs only +the last N entries. Both options may be used simultaneously. If a +negative amount is given, it will invert the meaning of the flag +(instead of the first five entries being printed, for example, it +would print all but the first five). + +@option{--pager} tells Ledger to pass its output to the given pager +program---very useful when the output is especially long. This +behavior can be made the default by setting the @env{LEDGER_PAGER} +environment variable. + +@option{--average} (@option{-A}) reports the average transaction +value. + +@option{--deviation} (@option{-D}) reports each transaction's +deviation from the average. It is only meaningful in the +@command{register} and @command{prices} reports. + +@option{--percentage} (@option{-%}) shows account subtotals in the +@command{balance} report as percentages of the parent account. + +@option{--totals} include running total information in the +@command{xml} report. + +@option{--amount-data} (@option{-j}) changes the @command{register} +report so that it output nothing but the date and the value column, +and the latter without commodities. This is only meaningful if the +report uses a single commodity. This data can then be fed to other +programs, which could plot the date, analyze it, etc. + +@option{--total-data} (@option{-J}) changes the @command{register} +report so that it output nothing but the date and totals column, +without commodities. + +@option{--display EXPR} (@option{-d EXPR}) limits which transactions +or accounts or actually displayed in a report. They might still be +calculated, and be part of the running total of a register report, for +example, but they will not be displayed. This is useful for seeing +last month's checking transactions, against a running balance which +includes all transaction values: + +@example +ledger -d "d>=[last month]" reg checking +@end example + +The output from this command is very different from the following, +whose running total includes only transactions from the last month +onward: + +@example +ledger -p "last month" reg checking +@end example + +Which is more useful depends on what you're looking to know: the total +amount for the reporting range (@option{-p}), or simply a display +restricted to the reporting range (using @option{-d}). + +@option{--date-format STR} (@option{-y STR}) changes the basic date +format used by reports. The default uses a date like 2004/08/01, +which represents the default date format of @samp{%Y/%m/%d}. To +change the way dates are printed in general, the easiest way is to put +@option{--date-format FORMAT} in the Ledger initialization file +@file{~/.ledgerrc} (or the file referred to by @env{LEDGER_INIT}). + +@option{--format STR} (@option{-F STR}) sets the reporting format for +whatever report ledger is about to make. @xref{Format strings}. +There are also specific format commands for each report type: + +@itemize +@item @option{--balance-format STR} +@item @option{--register-format STR} +@item @option{--print-format STR} +@item @option{--plot-amount-format STR} (-j @command{register}) +@item @option{--plot-total-format STR} (-J @command{register}) +@item @option{--equity-format STR} +@item @option{--prices-format STR} +@item @option{--wide-register-format STR} (-w @command{register}) +@end itemize + +@node Commodity reporting, Environment variables, Output customization, Options +@subsection Commodity reporting + +These options affect how commodity values are displayed: + +@option{--price-db FILE} sets the file that is used for recording +downloaded commodity prices. It is always read on startup, to +determine historical prices. Other settings can be placed in this +file manually, to prevent downloading quotes for a specific, for +example. This is done by adding a line like the following: + +@example +; Don't download quotes for the dollar, or timelog values +N $ +N h +@end example + +@option{--price-exp MINS} (@option{-L MINS}) sets the expected +freshness of price quotes, in minutes. That is, if the last known +quote for any commodity is older than this value---and if +@option{--download} is being used---then the Internet will be +consulted again for a newer price. Otherwise, the old price is still +considered to be fresh enough. + +@option{--download} (@option{-Q}) causes quotes to be automagically +downloaded, as needed, by running a script named @command{getquote} +and expecting that script to return a value understood by ledger. A +sample implementation of a @command{getquote} script, implemented in +Perl, is provided in the distribution. Downloaded quote price are +then appended to the price database, usually specified using the +environment variable @env{LEDGER_PRICE_DB}. + +There are several different ways that ledger can report the totals it +displays. The most flexible way to adjust them is by using value +expressions, and the @option{-t} and @option{-T} options. However, +there are also several ``default'' reports, which will satisfy most +users basic reporting needs: + +@table @code +@item -O, --quantity +Reports commodity totals (this is the default) + +@item -B, --basis +Reports the cost basis for all transactions. + +@item -V, --market +Reports the last known market value for all commodities. + +@item -g, --performance +Reports the net gain/loss for each transaction in a @command{register} +report. + +@item -G --gain +Reports the net gain/loss for all commodities in the report that have +a price history. +@end table + +@node Environment variables, , Commodity reporting, Options +@subsection Environment variables + +Every option to ledger may be set using an environment variable. If +an option has a long name such @option{--this-option}, setting the +environment variable @env{LEDGER_THIS_OPTION} will have the same +affect as specifying that option on the command-line. Options on the +command-line always take precedence over environment variable +settings, however. + +Note that you may also permanently specify option values by placing +option settings in the file @file{~/.ledgerrc}, for example: + +@example +--cache /tmp/.mycache +@end example + +@node Format strings, Value expressions, Options, Running Ledger +@section Format strings + +Format strings may be used to change the output format of reports. +They are specified by passing a formatting string to the +@option{--format} (@option{-F}) option. Within that string, +constructs are allowed which make it possible to display the various +parts of an account or transaction in custom ways. + +Within a format strings, a substitution is specified using a percent +character (@samp{%}). The basic format of all substitutions is: + +@example +%[-][MIN WIDTH][.MAX WIDTH]EXPR +@end example + +If the optional minus sign (@samp{-}) follows the percent character, +whatever is substituted will be left justified. The default is right +justified. If a minimum width is given next, the substituted text +will be at least that wide, perhaps wider. If a period and a maximum +width is given, the substituted text will never be wider than this, +and will be truncated to fit. Here are some examples: + +@example +%-P An entry's payee, left justified +%20P The same, right justified, at least 20 chars wide +%.20P The same, no more than 20 chars wide +%-.20P Left justified, maximum twenty chars wide +@end example + +The expression following the format constraints can be a single +letter, or an expression enclosed in parentheses or brackets. The +allowable expressions are: + +@table @code +@item % +Inserts a percent sign. + +@item t +Inserts the results of the value expression specified by @option{-t}. +If @option{-t} was not specified, the current report style's value +expression is used. + +@item T +Inserts the results of the value expression specified by @option{-T}. +If @option{-T} was not specified, the current report style's value +expression is used. + +@item | +Inserts a single space. This is useful if a width is specified, for +inserting a certain number of spaces. + +@item _ +Inserts a space for each level of an account's depth. That is, if an +account has two parents, this construct will insert two spaces. If a +minimum width is specified, that much space is inserted for each level +of depth. Thus @samp{%5_}, for an account with four parents, will +insert twenty spaces. + +@item (EXPR) +Inserts the amount resulting from the value expression given in +parentheses. To insert five times the total value of an account, for +example, one could say @samp{%12(5*O)}. Note: It's important to put +the five first in that expression, so that the commodity doesn't get +stripped from the total. + +@item [DATEFMT] +Inserts the result of formatting a transaction's date with a date +format string, exactly like those supported by @code{strftime}. For +example: @samp{%[%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S]}. + +@item S +Insert the pathname of the file from which the entry's data was read. + +@item B +Inserts the beginning character position of that entry within the file. + +@item b +Inserts the beginning line of that entry within the file. + +@item E +Inserts the ending character position of that entry within the file. + +@item e +Inserts the ending line of that entry within the file. + +@item D +By default, this is the same as @samp{%[%Y/%m%/d]}. The date format +used can be changed at any time with the @option{-y} flag, however. +Using @samp{%D} gives the user more control over the way dates are +output. + +@item d +This is the same as the @samp{%D} option, unless the entry has an +effective date, in which case it prints +@samp{[ACTUAL_DATE=EFFECtIVE_DATE]}. + +@item X +If a transaction has been cleared, this inserts @samp{*} followed by a +space; otherwise nothing is inserted. + +@item Y +This is the same as @samp{%X}, except that it only displays a state +character if all of the member transactions have the same state. + +@item C +Inserts the checking number for an entry, in parentheses, followed by +a space; if none was specified, nothing is inserted. + +@item P +Inserts the payee related to a transaction. + +@item a +Inserts the optimal short name for an account. This is normally used +in balance reports. It prints a parent account's name if that name +has not been printed yet, otherwise it just prints the account's name. + +@item A +Inserts the full name of an account. + +@item W +This is the same as @samp{%A}, except that it first displays the +transaction's state @emph{if the entry's transaction states are not +all the same}, followed by the full account name. This is offered as +a printing optimization, so that combined with @samp{%Y}, only the +minimum amount of state detail is printed. + +@item o +Inserts the ``optimized'' form of a transaction's amount. This is +used by the print report. In some cases, this inserts nothing; in +others, it inserts the transaction amount and its cost. It's use is +not recommend unless you are modifying the print report. + +@item n +Inserts the note associated with a transaction, preceded by two spaces +and a semi-colon, if it exists. Thus, no none becomes an empty +string, while the note @samp{foo} is substituted as @samp{ ; foo}. + +@item N +Inserts the note associated with a transaction, if one exists. + +@item / +The @samp{%/} construct is special. It separates a format string +between what is printed for the first transaction of an entry, and +what is printed for all subsequent transactions. If not used, the +same format string is used for all transactions. +@end table + +@node Value expressions, Period expressions, Format strings, Running Ledger +@section Value expressions + +Value expressions are an expression language used by Ledger to +calculate values used by the program for many different purposes: + +@enumerate +@item +The values displayed in reports +@item +For predicates (where truth is anything non-zero), to determine which +transactions are calculated (@option{-l}) or displayed (@option{-d}). +@item +For sorting criteria, to yield the sort key. +@item +In the matching criteria used by automated transactions. +@end enumerate + +Value expressions support most simple math and logic operators, in +addition to a set of one letter functions and variables. A function's +argument is whatever follows it. The following is a display predicate +that I use with the @command{balance} command: + +@example +ledger -d /^Liabilities/?T<0:UT>100 balance +@end example + +The effect is that account totals are displayed only if: 1) A +Liabilities account has a total less than zero; or 2) the absolute +value of the account's total exceeds 100 units of whatever commodity +contains. If it contains multiple commodities, only one of them must +exceed 100 units. + +Display predicates are also very handy with register reports, to +constrain which entries are printed. For example, the following +command shows only entries from the beginning of the current month, +while still calculating the running balance based on all entries: + +@example +ledger -d "d>[this month]" register checking +@end example + +This advantage to this command's complexity is that it prints the +running total in terms of all entries in the register. The following, +simpler command is similar, but totals only the displayed +transactions: + +@example +ledger -b "this month" register checking +@end example + +@subsection Variables + +Below are the one letter variables available in any value expression. +For the register and print commands, these variables relate to +individual transactions, and sometimes the account affected by a +transaction. For the balance command, these variables relate to +accounts---often with a subtle difference in meaning. The use of each +variable for both is specified. + +@table @code +@item t +This maps to whatever the user specified with @option{-t}. In a +register report, @option{-t} changes the value column; in a balance +report, it has no meaning by default. If @option{-t} was not +specified, the current report style's value expression is used. + +@item T +This maps to whatever the user specified with @option{-T}. In a +register report, @option{-T} changes the totals column; in a balance +report, this is the value given for each account. If @option{-T} was +not specified, the current report style's value expression is used. + +@item m +This is always the present moment/date. +@end table + +@subsubsection Transaction/account details + +@table @code +@item d +A transaction's date, as the number of seconds past the epoch. This +is always ``today'' for an account. + +@item a +The transaction's amount; the balance of an account, without +considering children. + +@item b +The cost of a transaction; the cost of an account, without its +children. + +@item v +The market value of a transaction, or an account without its children. + +@item g +The net gain (market value minus cost basis), for a transaction or an +account without its children. It is the same as @samp{v-b}. + +@item l +The depth (``level'') of an account. If an account has one parent, +it's depth is one. + +@item n +The index of a transaction, or the count of transactions affecting an +account. + +@item X +1 if a transaction's entry has been cleared, 0 otherwise. + +@item R +1 if a transaction is not virtual, 0 otherwise. + +@item Z +1 if a transaction is not automated, 0 otherwise. +@end table + +@subsubsection Calculated totals + +@table @code +@item O +The total of all transactions seen so far, or the total of an account +and all its children. + +@item N +The total count of transactions affecting an account and all its +children. + +@item B +The total cost of all transactions seen so far; the total cost of an +account and all its children. + +@item V +The market value of all transactions seen so far, or of an account and +all its children. + +@item G +The total net gain (market value minus cost basis), for a series of +transactions, or an account and its children. It is the same as +@samp{V-B}. +@end table + +@subsection Functions + +The available one letter functions are: + +@table @code +@item - +Negates the argument. + +@item U +The absolute (unsigned) value of the argument. + +@item S +Strips the commodity from the argument. + +@item A +The arithmetic mean of the argument; @samp{Ax} is the same as +@samp{x/n}. + +@item P +The present market value of the argument. The syntax @samp{P(x,d)} is +supported, which yields the market value at time @samp{d}. If no date +is given, then the current moment is used. +@end table + +@subsection Operators + +The binary and ternary operators, in order of precedence, are: + +@enumerate +@item @samp{* /} +@item @samp{+ -} +@item @samp{! < > =} +@item @samp{& | ?:} +@end enumerate + +@subsection Complex expressions + +More complicated expressions are possible using: + +@table @code +@item NUM +A plain integer represents a commodity-less amount. + +@item @{AMOUNT@} +An amount in braces can be any kind of amount supported by ledger, +with or without a commodity. Use this for decimal values. + +@item /REGEXP/ +@item W/REGEXP/ +A regular expression that matches against an account's full name. If +a transaction, this will match against the account affected by the +transaction. + +@item //REGEXP/ +@item p/REGEXP/ +A regular expression that matches against an entry's payee name. + +@item ///REGEXP/ +@item w/REGEXP/ +A regular expression that matches against an account's base name. If +a transaction, this will match against the account affected by the +transaction. + +@item c/REGEXP/ +A regular expression that matches against the entry code (the text +that occurs between parentheses before the payee name). + +@item e/REGEXP/ +A regular expression that matches against a transaction's note, or +comment field. + +@item (EXPR) +A sub-expression is nested in parenthesis. This can be useful passing +more complicated arguments to functions, or for overriding the natural +precedence order of operators. + +@item [DATE] +Useful specifying a date in plain terms. For example, you could say +@samp{[2004/06/01]}. +@end table + +@node Period expressions, File format, Value expressions, Running Ledger +@section Period expressions + +A period expression indicates a span of time, or a reporting interval, +or both. The full syntax is: + +@example +[INTERVAL] [BEGIN] [END] +@end example + +The optional @var{INTERVAL} part may be any one of: + +@example +every day +every week +every monthly +every quarter +every year +every N days # N is any integer +every N weeks +every N months +every N quarters +every N years +daily +weekly +biweekly +monthly +bimonthly +quarterly +yearly +@end example + +After the interval, a begin time, end time, both or neither may be +specified. As for the begin time, it can be either of: + +@example +from <SPEC> +since <SPEC> +@end example + +The end time can be either of: + +@example +to <SPEC> +until <SPEC> +@end example + +Where @var{SPEC} can be any of: + +@example +2004 +2004/10 +2004/10/1 +10/1 +october +oct +this week # or day, month, quarter, year +next week +last week +@end example + +The beginning and ending can be given at the same time, if it spans a +single period. In that case, just use @var{SPEC} by itself. In that +case, the period @samp{oct}, for example, will cover all the days in +october. The possible forms are: + +@example +<SPEC> +in <SPEC> +@end example + +Here are a few examples of period expressions: + +@example +monthly +monthly in 2004 +weekly from oct +weekly from last month +from sep to oct +from 10/1 to 10/5 +monthly until 2005 +from apr +until nov +last oct +weekly last august +@end example + +@node File format, Some typical queries, Period expressions, Running Ledger +@section File format + +The ledger file format is quite simple, but also very flexible. It +supports many options, though typically the user can ignore most of +them. They are summarized below. + +The initial character of each line determines what the line means, and +how it should be interpreted. Allowable initial characters are: + +@table @code +@item NUMBER +A line beginning with a number denotes an entry. It may be followed +by any number of lines, each beginning with whitespace, to denote the +entry's account transactions. The format of the first line is: + +@example +DATE[=EDATE] [*|!] [(CODE)] DESC +@end example + +If @samp{*} appears after the date (with optional effective date), it +indicates the entry is ``cleared'', which can mean whatever the user +wants it t omean. If @samp{!} appears after the date, it indicates d +the entry is ``pending''; i.e., tentatively cleared from the user's +point of view, but not yet actually cleared. If a @samp{CODE} appears +in parentheses, it may be used to indicate a check number, or the type +of the transaction. Following these is the payee, or a description of +the transaction. + +The format of each following transaction is: + +@example + ACCOUNT AMOUNT [; NOTE] +@end example + +The @samp{ACCOUNT} may be surrounded by parentheses if it is a virtual +transactions, or square brackets if it is a virtual transactions that +must balance. The @samp{AMOUNT} can be followed by a per-unit +transaction cost, by specifying @samp{@@ AMOUNT}, or a complete +transaction cost with @samp{@@@@ AMOUNT}. Lastly, the @samp{NOTE} may +specify an actual and/or effective date for the transaction by using +the syntax @samp{[ACTUAL_DATE]} or @samp{[=EFFECTIVE_DATE]} or +@samp{[ACTUAL_DATE=EFFECtIVE_DATE]}. + +@item = +An automated entry. A value expression must appear after the equal +sign. + +After this initial line there should be a set of one or more +transactions, just as if it were normal entry. If the amounts of the +transactions have no commodity, they will be applied as modifiers to +whichever real transaction is matched by the value expression. + +@item ~ +A period entry. A period expression must appear after the tilde. + +After this initial line there should be a set of one or more +transactions, just as if it were normal entry. + +@item ! +A line beginning with an exclamation mark denotes a command directive. +It must be immediately followed by the command word. The supported +commands are: + +@table @samp +@item !include +Include the stated ledger file. + +@item !account +The account name is given is taken to be the parent of all +transactions that follow, until @samp{!end} is seen. + +@item !end +Ends an account block. +@end table + +@item ; +A line beginning with a colon indicates a comment, and is ignored. + +@item Y +If a line begins with a capital Y, it denotes the year used for all +subsequent entries that give a date without a year. The year should +appear immediately after the Y, for example: @samp{Y2004}. This is +useful at the beginning of a file, to specify the year for that file. +If all entries specify a year, however, this command has no effect. + +@item P +Specifies a historical price for a commodity. These are usually found +in a pricing history file (see the @option{-Q} option). The syntax +is: +@example +P DATE SYMBOL PRICE +@end example + +@item N SYMBOL +Indicates that pricing information is to be ignored for a given +symbol, nor will quotes ever be downloaded for that symbol. Useful +with a home currency, such as the dollar ($). It is recommended that +these pricing options be set in the price database file, which +defaults to @file{~/.pricedb}. The syntax for this command is: +@example +N SYMBOL +@end example + +@item D AMOUNT +Specifies the default commodity to use, by specifying an amount in the +expected format. The @command{entry} command will use this commodity +as the default when none other can be determined. This command may be +used multiple times, to set the default flags for different +commodities; whichever is seen last is used as the default commodity. +For example, to set US dollars as the default commodity, while also +setting the thousands flag and decimal flag for that commodity, use: +@example +D $1,000.00 +@end example + +@item C AMOUNT1 = AMOUNT2 +Specifies a commodity conversion, where the first amount is given to +be equivalent to the second amount. The first amount should use the +decimal precision desired during reporting: +@example +C 1.00 Kb = 1024 bytes +@end example + +@item i, o, b, h +These four relate to timeclock support, which permits ledger to read +timelog files. See the timeclock's documentation for more info on the +syntax of its timelog files. +@end table + +@node Some typical queries, Budgeting and forecasting, File format, Running Ledger +@section Some typical queries + +A query such as the following shows all expenses since last +October, sorted by total: + +@example +ledger -b "last oct" -s -S T bal ^expenses +@end example + +From left to right the options mean: Show entries since October, 2003; +show all sub-accounts; sort by the absolute value of the total; and +report the balance for all expenses. + +@subsection Reporting monthly expenses + +The following query makes it easy to see monthly expenses, with each +month's expenses sorted by the amount: + +@example +ledger -M --period-sort t reg ^expenses +@end example + +Now, you might wonder where the money came from to pay for these +things. To see that report, add @option{-r}, which shows the +``related account'' transactions: + +@example +ledger -M --period-sort t -r reg ^expenses +@end example + +But maybe this prints too much information. You might just want to +see how much you're spending with your MasterCard. That kind of query +requires the use of a display predicate, since the transactions +calculated must match @samp{^expenses}, while the transactions +displayed must match @samp{mastercard}. The command would be: + +@example +ledger -M -r -d /mastercard/ reg ^expenses +@end example + +This query says: Report monthly subtotals; report the ``related +account'' transactions; display only related transactions whose +account matches @samp{mastercard}, and base the calculation on +transactions matching @samp{^expenses}. + +This works just as well for report the overall total, too: + +@example +ledger -s -r -d /mastercard/ reg ^expenses +@end example + +The @option{-s} option subtotals all transactions, just as @option{-M} +subtotaled by the month. The running total in both cases is off, +however, since a display expression is being used. + +@subsection Visualizing with Gnuplot + +If you have @command{Gnuplot} installed, you can graph any of the +above register reports. The script to do this is included in the +ledger distribution, and is named @file{scripts/report}. Install +@file{report} anywhere along your @env{PATH}, and then use +@command{report} instead of @command{ledger} when doing a register +report. The only thing to keep in mind is that you must specify +@option{-j} or @option{-J} to indicate whether Gnuplot should plot the +amount, or the running total. For example, this command plots total +monthly expenses made on your MasterCard. + +@example +report -j -M -r -d /mastercard/ reg ^expenses +@end example + +The @command{report} script is a very simple Bourne shell script, that +passes a set of scripted commands to Gnuplot. Feel free to modify the +script to your liking, since you may prefer histograms to line plots, +for example. + +@subsubsection Typical plots + +Here are some useful plots: + +@smallexample +report -j -M reg ^expenses # monthly expenses +report -J reg checking # checking account balance +report -J reg ^income ^expenses # cash flow report + +# net worth report, ignoring non-$ transactions + +report -J -l "Ua>=@{\$0.01@}" reg ^assets ^liab + +# net worth report starting last February. the use of a display +# predicate (-d) is needed, otherwise the balance will start at +# zero, and thus the y-axis will not reflect the true balance + +report -J -l "Ua>=@{\$0.01@}" -d "d>=[last feb]" reg ^assets ^liab +@end smallexample + +The last report uses both a calculation predicate (@option{-l}) and a +display predicate (@option{-d}). The calculation predicates limits +the report to transactions whose amount is greater than $1 (which can +only happen if the transaction amount is in dollars). The display +predicate limits the entries @emph{displayed} to just those since last +February, even those entries from before then will be computed as part +of the balance. + +@node Budgeting and forecasting, , Some typical queries, Running Ledger +@section Budgeting and forecasting + +@subsection Budgeting + +Keeping a budget allows you to pay closer attention to your income and +expenses, by reporting how far your actual financial activity is from +your expectations. + +To start keeping a budget, put some period entries at the top of your +ledger file. A period entry is almost identical to a regular entry, +except that it begins with a tilde and has a period expression in +place of a payee. For example: + +@smallexample +~ Monthly + Expenses:Rent $500.00 + Expenses:Food $450.00 + Expenses:Auto:Gas $120.00 + Expenses:Insurance $150.00 + Expenses:Phone $125.00 + Expenses:Utilities $100.00 + Expenses:Movies $50.00 + Expenses $200.00 ; all other expenses + Assets + +~ Yearly + Expenses:Auto:Repair $500.00 + Assets +@end smallexample + +These two period entries give the usual monthly expenses, as well as +one typical yearly expense. For help on finding out what your average +monthly expense is for any category, use a command like: + +@example +ledger -p "this year" -MAs bal ^expenses +@end example + +The reported totals are the current year's average for each account. + +Once these period entries are defined, creating a budget report is as +easy as adding @option{--budget} to the command-line. For example, a +typical monthly expense report would be: + +@example +ledger -M reg ^exp +@end example + +To see the same report balanced against your budget, use: + +@example +ledger --budget -M reg ^exp +@end example + +A budget report includes only those accounts that appear in the +budget. To see all expenses balanced against the budget, use +@option{--add-budget}. You can even see only the unbudgeted expenses +using @option{--unbudgeted}: + +@example +ledger --unbudgeted -M reg ^exp +@end example + +You can also use these flags with the @command{balance} command. + +@subsection Forecasting + +Sometimes it's useful to know what your finances will look like in the +future, such as determining when an account will reach zero. Ledger +makes this easy to do, using the same period entries as are used for +budgeting. An example forecast report can be generated with: + +@example +ledger --forecast "T>@{\$-500.00@}" register ^assets ^liabilities +@end example + +This report continues outputting transactions until the running total +is greater than $-500.00. A final transaction is always output, to +show you what the total afterwards would be. + +Forecasting can also be used with the balance report, but by date +only, and not against the running total: + +@example +ledger --forecast "d<[2010]" bal ^assets ^liabilities +@end example + +@node Keeping a ledger, Using XML, Running Ledger, Top +@chapter Keeping a ledger + +The most important part of accounting is keeping a good ledger. If +you have a good ledger, tools can be written to work whatever +mathematically tricks you need to better understand your spending +patterns. Without a good ledger, no tool, however smart, can help +you. + +The Ledger program aims at making ledger entry as simple as possible. +Since it is a command-line tool, it does not provide a user interface +for keeping a ledger. If you like, you may use GnuCash to maintain +your ledger, in which case the Ledger program will read GnuCash's data +files directly. In that case, read the GnuCash manual now, and skip +to the next chapter. + +If you are not using GnuCash, but a text editor to maintain your +ledger, read on. Ledger has been designed to make data entry as +simple as possible, by keeping the ledger format easy, and also by +automagically determining as much information as possible based on the +nature of your entries. + +For example, you do not need to tell Ledger about the accounts you +use. Any time Ledger sees a transaction involving an account it knows +nothing about, it will create it. If you use a commodity that is new +to Ledger, it will create that commodity, and determine its display +characteristics (placement of the symbol before or after the amount, +display precision, etc) based on how you used the commodity in the +transaction. + +Here is the Pacific Bell example from above, given as a Ledger +transaction: + +@smallexample +9/29 (100) Pacific Bell + Expenses:Utilities:Phone $23.00 + Assets:Checking $-23.00 +@end smallexample + +As you can see, it is very similar to what would be written on paper, +minus the computed balance totals, and adding in account names that +work better with Ledger's scheme of things. In fact, since Ledger is +smart about many things, you don't need to specify the balanced +amount, if it is the same as the first line: + +@smallexample +9/29 (100) Pacific Bell + Expenses:Utilities:Phone $23.00 + Assets:Checking +@end smallexample + +For this entry, Ledger will figure out that $-23.00 must come from +@samp{Assets:Checking} in order to balance the entry. + +@menu +* Stating where money goes:: +* Assets and Liabilities:: +* Commodities and Currencies:: +* Accounts and Inventories:: +* Understanding Equity:: +* Dealing with Petty Cash:: +* Working with multiple funds and accounts:: +* Archiving previous years:: +* Virtual transactions:: +* Automated transactions:: +* Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger:: +* Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger:: +* Using timeclock to record billable time:: +@end menu + +@node Stating where money goes, Assets and Liabilities, Keeping a ledger, Keeping a ledger +@section Stating where money goes + +Accountants will talk of ``credits'' and ``debits'', but the meaning +is often different from the layman's understanding. To avoid +confusion, Ledger uses only subtractions and additions, although the +underlying intent is the same as standard accounting principles. + +Recall that every transaction will involve two or more accounts. +Money is transferred from one or more accounts to one or more other +accounts. To record the transaction, an amount is @emph{subtracted} +from the source accounts, and @emph{added} to the target accounts. + +In order to write a Ledger entry correctly, you must determine where +the money comes from and where it goes to. For example, when you are +paid a salary, you must add money to your bank account and also +subtract it from an income account: + +@smallexample +9/29 My Employer + Assets:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary $-500.00 +@end smallexample + +Why is the Income a negative figure? When you look at the balance +totals for your ledger, you may be surprised to see that Expenses are +a positive figure, and Income is a negative figure. It may take some +getting used to, but to properly use a general ledger you must think +in terms of how money moves. Rather than Ledger ``fixing'' the minus +signs, let's understand why they are there. + +When you earn money, the money has to come from somewhere. Let's call +that somewhere ``society''. In order for society to give you an +income, you must take money away (withdraw) from society in order to +put it into (make a payment to) your bank. When you then spend that +money, it leaves your bank account (a withdrawal) and goes back to +society (a payment). This is why Income will appear negative---it +reflects the money you have drawn from society---and why Expenses will +be positive---it is the amount you've given back. These additions and +subtractions will always cancel each other out in the end, because you +don't have the ability to create new money: it must always come from +somewhere, and in the end must always leave. This is the beginning of +economy, after which the explanation gets terribly difficult. + +Based on that explanation, here's another way to look at your balance +report: every negative figure means that that account or person or +place has less money now than when you started your ledger; and every +positive figure means that that account or person or place has more +money now that when you started your ledger. Make sense? + +@node Assets and Liabilities, Commodities and Currencies, Stating where money goes, Keeping a ledger +@section Assets and Liabilities + +Assets are money that you have, and Liabilities are money that you +owe. ``Liabilities'' is just a more inclusive name for Debts. + +An Asset is typically increased by transferring money from an Income +account, such as when you get paid. Here is a typical entry: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 My Employer + Assets:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary +@end smallexample + +Money, here, comes from an Income account belonging to ``My +Employer'', and is transferred to your checking account. The money is +now yours, which makes it an Asset. + +Liabilities track money owed to others. This can happen when you +borrow money to buy something, or if you owe someone money. Here is +an example of increasing a MasterCard liability by spending money with +it: + +@smallexample +2004/09/30 Restaurant + Expenses:Dining $25.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard +@end smallexample + +The Dining account balance now shows $25 spent on Dining, and a +corresponding $25 owed on the MasterCard---and therefore shown as +$-25.00. The MasterCard liability shows up as negative because it +offsets the value of your assets. + +The combined total of your Assets and Liabilities is your net worth. +So to see your current net worth, use this command: + +@example +ledger balance ^assets ^liabilities +@end example + +Relatedly, your Income accounts show up negative, because they +transfer money @emph{from} an account in order to increase your +assets. Your Expenses show up positive because that is where the +money went to. The combined total of Income and Expenses is your cash +flow. A positive cash flow means you are spending more than you make, +since income is always a negative figure. To see your current cash +flow, use this command: + +@example +ledger balance ^income ^expenses +@end example + +Another common question to ask of your expenses is: How much do I +spend each month on X? Ledger provides a simple way of displaying +monthly totals for any account. Here is an example that summarizes +your monthly automobile expenses: + +@example +ledger -M register expenses:auto +@end example + +This assumes, of course, that you use account names like +@samp{Expenses:Auto:Gas} and @samp{Expenses:Auto:Repair}. + +@subsection Tracking reimbursable expenses + +Sometimes you will want to spend money on behalf of someone else, +which will eventually get repaid. Since the money is still ``yours'', +it is really an asset. And since the expenditure was for someone +else, you don't want it contaminating your Expenses reports. You will +need to keep an account for tracking reimbursements. + +This is fairly easy to do in ledger. When spending the money, spend +it @emph{to} your Assets:Reimbursements, using a different account for +each person or business that you spend money for. For example: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $100.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard +@end smallexample + +This shows $100.00 spent on a MasterCard at Circuit City, with the +expense was made on behalf of Company XYZ. Later, when Company XYZ +pays the amount back, the money will transfer from that reimbursement +account back to a regular asset account: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Company XYZ + Assets:Checking $100.00 + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ +@end smallexample + +This deposits the money owed from Company XYZ into a checking account, +presumably because they paid the amount back with a check. + +But what to do if you run your own business, and you want to keep +track of expenses made on your own behalf, while still tracking +everything in a single ledger file? This is more complex, because you +need to track two separate things: 1) The fact that the money should +be reimbursed to you, and 2) What the expense account was, so that you +can later determine where your company is spending its money. + +This kind of transaction is best handled with mirrored transactions in +two different files, one for your personal accounts, and one for your +company accounts. But keeping them in one file involves the same +kinds of transactions, so those are what is shown here. First, the +personal entry, which shows the need for reimbursement: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $100.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard +@end smallexample + +This is the same as above, except that you own Company XYZ, and are +keeping track of its expenses in the same ledger file. This entry +should be immediately followed by an equivalent entry, which shows the +kind of expense, and also notes the fact that $100.00 is now payable +to you: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Company XYZ:Expenses:Computer:Software $100.00 + Company XYZ:Accounts Payable:Your Name +@end smallexample + +This second entry shows that Company XYZ has just spent $100.00 on +software, and that this $100.00 came from Your Name, which must be +paid back. + +These two entries can also be merged, to make things a little clearer. +Note that all amounts must be specified now: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $100.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-100.00 + Company XYZ:Expenses:Computer:Software $100.00 + Company XYZ:Accounts Payable:Your Name $-100.00 +@end smallexample + +To ``pay back'' the reimbursement, just reverse the order of +everything, except this time drawing the money from a company asset, +paying it to accounts payable, and then drawing it again from the +reimbursement account, and paying it to your personal asset account. +It's easier shown than said: + +@smallexample +2004/10/15 Company XYZ + Assets:Checking $100.00 + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $-100.00 + Company XYZ:Accounts Payable:Your Name $100.00 + Company XYZ:Assets:Checking $-100.00 +@end smallexample + +And now the reimbursements account is paid off, accounts payable is +paid off, and $100.00 has been effectively transferred from the +company's checking account to your personal checking account. The +money simply ``waited''---in both @samp{Assets:Reimbursements:Company +XYZ}, and @samp{Company XYZ:Accounts Payable:Your Name}---until such +time as it could be paid off. + +The value of tracking expenses from both sides like that is that you +do not contaminate your personal expense report with expenses made on +behalf of others, while at the same time making it possible to +generate accurate reports of your company's expenditures. It is more +verbose than just paying for things with your personal assets, but it +gives you a very accurate information trail. + +The advantage to keep these doubled entries together is that they +always stay in sync. The advantage to keeping them apart is that it +clarifies the transfer's point of view. To keep the transactions in +separate files, just separate the two entries that were joined above. +For example, for both the expense and the pay-back shown above, the +following four entries would be created. Two in your personal ledger +file: + +@smallexample +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $100.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard $-100.00 + +2004/10/15 Company XYZ + Assets:Checking $100.00 + Assets:Reimbursements:Company XYZ $-100.00 +@end smallexample + +And two in your company ledger file: + +@smallexample +!account Company XYZ + +2004/09/29 Circuit City + Expenses:Computer:Software $100.00 + Accounts Payable:Your Name $-100.00 + +2004/10/15 Company XYZ + Accounts Payable:Your Name $100.00 + Assets:Checking $-100.00 + +!end +@end smallexample + +(Note: The @samp{!account} above means that all accounts mentioned in +the file are children of that account. In this case it means that all +activity in the file relates to Company XYZ). + +After creating these entries, you will always know that $100.00 was +spent using your MasterCard on behalf of Company XYZ, and that Company +XYZ spent the money on computer software and paid it back about two +weeks later. + +@node Commodities and Currencies, Accounts and Inventories, Assets and Liabilities, Keeping a ledger +@section Commodities and Currencies + +Ledger makes no assumptions about the commodities you use; it only +requires that you specify a commodity. The commodity may be any +non-numeric string that does not contain a period, comma, forward +slash or at-sign. It may appear before or after the amount, although +it is assumed that symbols appearing before the amount refer to +currencies, while non-joined symbols appearing after the amount refer +to commodities. Here are some valid currency and commodity +specifiers: + +@example +$20.00 ; currency: twenty US dollars +40 AAPL ; commodity: 40 shares of Apple stock +60 DM ; currency: 60 Deutsch Mark +£50 ; currency: 50 British pounds +50 EUR ; currency: 50 Euros (or use appropriate symbol) +@end example + +Ledger will examine the first use of any commodity to determine how +that commodity should be printed on reports. It pays attention to +whether the name of commodity was separated from the amount, whether +it came before or after, the precision used in specifying the amount, +whether thousand marks were used, etc. This is done so that printing +the commodity looks the same as the way you use it. + +An account may contain multiple commodities, in which case it will +have separate totals for each. For example, if your brokerage account +contains both cash, gold, and several stock quantities, the balance +might look like: + +@smallexample + $200.00 +100.00 AU + AAPL 40 + BORL 100 + FEQTX 50 Assets:Brokerage +@end smallexample + +This balance report shows how much of each commodity is in your +brokerage account. + +Sometimes, you will want to know the current street value of your +balance, and not the commodity totals. For this to happen, you must +specify what the current price is for each commodity. The price can +be any commodity, in which case the balance will be computed in terms +of that commodity. The usual way to specify prices is with a price +history file, which might look like this: + +@smallexample +P 2004/06/21 02:18:01 FEQTX $22.49 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:01 BORL $6.20 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:02 AAPL $32.91 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:02 AU $400.00 +@end smallexample + +Specify the price history to use with the @option{--price-db} option, +with the @option{-V} option to report in terms of current market +value: + +@example +ledger --price-db prices.db -V balance brokerage +@end example + +The balance for your brokerage account will be reported in US dollars, +since the prices database uses that currency. + +@smallexample +$40880.00 Assets:Brokerage +@end smallexample + +You can convert from any commodity to any other commodity. Let's say +you had $5000 in your checking account, and for whatever reason you +wanted to know many ounces of gold that would buy, in terms of the +current price of gold: + +@example +ledger -T "@{1 AU@}*(O/P@{1 AU@})" balance checking +@end example + +Although the total expression appears complex, it is simply saying +that the reported total should be in multiples of AU units, where the +quantity is the account total divided by the price of one AU. Without +the initial multiplication, the reported total would still use the +dollars commodity, since multiplying or dividing amounts always keeps +the left value's commodity. The result of this command might be: + +@smallexample +14.01 AU Assets:Checking +@end smallexample + +@subsection Commodity price histories + +Whenever a commodity is purchased using a different commodity (such as +a share of common stock using dollars), it establishes a price for +that commodity on that day. It is also possible, by recording price +details in a ledger file, to specify other prices for commodities at +any given time. Such price entries might look like those below: + +@smallexample +P 2004/06/21 02:17:58 TWCUX $27.76 +P 2004/06/21 02:17:59 AGTHX $25.41 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:00 OPTFX $39.31 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:01 FEQTX $22.49 +P 2004/06/21 02:18:02 AAPL $32.91 +@end smallexample + +By default, ledger will not consider commodity prices when generating +its various reports. It will always report balances in terms of the +commodity total, rather than the current value of those commodities. +To enable pricing reports, use one of the commodity reporting options. + +@subsection Commodity equivalencies + +Sometimes a commodity has several forms which are all equivalent. An +example of this is time. Whether tracked in terms of minutes, hours +or days, it should be possible to convert between the various forms. +Doing this requires the use of commodity equivalencies. + +For example, you might have the following two transactions, one which +transfers an hour of time into a @samp{Billable} account, and another +which decreases the same account by ten minutes. The resulting report +will indicate that fifty minutes remain: + +@smallexample +2005/10/01 Work done for company + Billable:Client 1h + Project:XYZ + +2005/10/02 Return ten minutes to the project + Project:XYZ 10m + Billable:Client +@end smallexample + +Reporting the balance for this ledger file produces: + +@smallexample + 50.0m Billable:Client + -50.0m Project:XYZ +@end smallexample + +This example works because ledger already knows how to handle seconds, +minutes and hours, as part of its time tracking support. Defining +other equivalencies is simple. The following is an example that +creates data equivalencies, helpful for tracking bytes, kilobytes, +megabytes, and more: + +@smallexample +C 1.00 Kb = 1024 b +C 1.00 Mb = 1024 Kb +C 1.00 Gb = 1024 Mb +C 1.00 Tb = 1024 Gb +@end smallexample + +Each of these definitions correlates a commodity (such as @samp{Kb}) +and a default precision, with a certain quantity of another commodity. +In the above example, kilobytes are reporetd with two decimal places +of precision and each kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes. + +Equivalency chains can be as long as desired. Whenever a commodity +would report as a decimal amount (less than @samp{1.00}), the next +smallest commodity is used. If a commodity could be reported in terms +of a higher commodity without resulting to a partial fraction, then +the larger commodity is used. + +@node Accounts and Inventories, Understanding Equity, Commodities and Currencies, Keeping a ledger +@section Accounts and Inventories + +Since Ledger's accounts and commodity system is so flexible, you can +have accounts that don't really exist, and use commodities that no one +else recognizes. For example, let's say you are buying and selling +various items in EverQuest, and want to keep track of them using a +ledger. Just add items of whatever quantity you wish into your +EverQuest account: + +@smallexample +9/29 Get some stuff at the Inn + Places:Black's Tavern -3 Apples + Places:Black's Tavern -5 Steaks + EverQuest:Inventory +@end smallexample + +Now your EverQuest:Inventory has 3 apples and 5 steaks in it. The +amounts are negative, because you are taking @emph{from} Black's +Tavern in order to add to your Inventory account. Note that you don't +have to use @samp{Places:Black's Tavern} as the source account. You +could use @samp{EverQuest:System} to represent the fact that you +acquired them online. The only purpose for choosing one kind of +source account over another is for generate more informative reports +later on. The more you know, the better analysis you can perform. + +If you later sell some of these items to another player, the entry +would look like: + +@smallexample +10/2 Sturm Brightblade + EverQuest:Inventory -2 Steaks + EverQuest:Inventory 15 Gold +@end smallexample + +Now you've turned 2 steaks into 15 gold, courtesy of your customer, +Sturm Brightblade. + +@node Understanding Equity, Dealing with Petty Cash, Accounts and Inventories, Keeping a ledger +@section Understanding Equity + +The most confusing entry in any ledger will be your equity account--- +because starting balances can't come out of nowhere. + +When you first start your ledger, you will likely already have money +in some of your accounts. Let's say there's $100 in your checking +account; then add an entry to your ledger to reflect this amount. +Where will money come from? The answer: your equity. + +@smallexample +10/2 Opening Balance + Assets:Checking $100.00 + Equity:Opening Balances +@end smallexample + +But what is equity? You may have heard of equity when people talked +about house mortgages, as ``the part of the house that you own''. +Basically, equity is like the value of something. If you own a car +worth $5000, then you have $5000 in equity in that car. In order to +turn that car (a commodity) into a cash flow, or a credit to your bank +account, you will have to debit the equity by selling it. + +When you start a ledger, you are probably already worth something. +Your net worth is your current equity. By transferring the money in +the ledger from your equity to your bank accounts, you are crediting +the ledger account based on your prior equity. That is why, when you +look at the balance report, you will see a large negative number for +Equity that never changes: Because that is what you were worth (what +you debited from yourself in order to start the ledger) before the +money started moving around. If the total positive value of your +assets is greater than the absolute value of your starting equity, it +means you are making money. + +Clear as mud? Keep thinking about it. Until you figure it out, put +@samp{-Equity} at the end of your balance command, to remove the +confusing figure from the total. + +@node Dealing with Petty Cash, Working with multiple funds and accounts, Understanding Equity, Keeping a ledger +@section Dealing with Petty Cash + +Something that stops many people from keeping a ledger at all is the +insanity of tracking small cash expenses. They rarely generate a +receipt, and there are often a lot of small transactions, rather than +a few large ones, as with checks. + +One solution is: don't bother. Move your spending to a debit card, +but in general ignore cash. Once you withdraw it from the ATM, mark +it as already spent to an @samp{Expenses:Cash} category: + +@smallexample +2004/03/15 ATM + Expenses:Cash $100.00 + Assets:Checking +@end smallexample + +If at some point you make a large cash expense that you want to track, +just ``move'' the amount of the expense from @samp{Expenses:Cash} into +the target account: + +@smallexample +2004/03/20 Somebody + Expenses:Food $65.00 + Expenses:Cash +@end smallexample + +This way, you can still track large cash expenses, while ignoring all +of the smaller ones. + +@node Working with multiple funds and accounts, Archiving previous years, Dealing with Petty Cash, Keeping a ledger +@section Working with multiple funds and accounts + +There are situations when the accounts you're tracking are different +between your clients and the financial institutions where money is +kept. An example of this is working as the treasurer for a religious +institution. From the secular point of view, you might be working +with three different accounts: + +@itemize +@item Checking +@item Savings +@item Credit Card +@end itemize + +From a religious point of view, the community expects to divide its +resources into multiple ``funds'', from which it makes purchases or +reserves resources for later: + +@itemize +@item School fund +@item Building fund +@item Community fund +@end itemize + +The problem with this kind of setup is that when you spend money, it +comes from two or more places at once: the account and the fund. And +yet, the correlation of amounts between funds and accounts is rarely +one-to-one. What if the school fund has @samp{$500.00}, but +@samp{$400.00} of that comes from Checking, and @samp{$100.00} from +Savings? + +Traditional finance packages require that the money reside in only one +place. But there are really two ``views'' of the data: from the +account point of view and from the fund point of view -- yet both sets +should reflect the same overall expenses and cash flow. It's simply +where the money resides that differs. + +This situation can be handled one of two ways. The first is using +virtual transactions to represent the fact that money is moving to and +from two kind of accounts at the same time: + +@smallexample +2004/03/20 Contributions + Assets:Checking $500.00 + Income:Donations + +2004/03/25 Distribution of donations + [Funds:School] $300.00 + [Funds:Building] $200.00 + [Assets:Checking] $-500.00 +@end smallexample + +The use of square brackets in the second entry ensures that the +virtual transactions balance to zero. Now money can be spent directly +from a fund at the same time as money is drawn from a physical +account: + +@smallexample +2004/03/25 Payment for books (paid from Checking) + Expenses:Books $100.00 + Assets:Checking $-100.00 + (Funds:School) $-100.00 +@end smallexample + +When reports are generated, by default they'll appear in terms of the +funds. In this case, you will likely want to mask out your +@samp{Assets} account, because otherwise the balance won't make much +sense: + +@example +ledger bal -^Assets +@end example + +If the @option{--real} option is used, the report will be in terms of +the real accounts: + +@example +ledger --real bal +@end example + +If more asset accounts are needed as the source of a transaction, just +list them as you would normally, for example: + +@smallexample +2004/03/25 Payment for books (paid from Checking) + Expenses:Books $100.00 + Assets:Checking $-50.00 + Liabilities:Credit Card $-50.00 + (Funds:School) $-100.00 +@end smallexample + +The second way of tracking funds is to use entry codes. In this +respect the codes become like virtual accounts that embrace the entire +set of transactions. Basically, we are associating an entry with a +fund by setting its code. Here are two entries that desposit money +into, and spend money from, the @samp{Funds:School} fund: + +@smallexample +2004/03/25 (Funds:School) Donations + Assets:Checking $100.00 + Income:Donations + +2004/04/25 (Funds:School) Payment for books + Expenses:Books $50.00 + Assets:Checking +@end smallexample + +Note how the accounts now relate only to the real accounts, and any +balance or registers reports will reflect this. That the entries +relate to a particular fund is kept only in the code. + +How does this become a fund report? By using the +@option{--code-as-payee} option, you can generate a register report +where the payee for each transaction shows the code. Alone, this is +not terribly interesting; but when combined with the +@option{--by-payee} option, you will now see account subtotals for any +transactions related to a specific fund. So, to see the current +monetary balances of all funds, the command would be: + +@smallexample +ledger --code-as-payee -P reg ^Assets +@end smallexample + +Or to see a particular funds expenses, the @samp{School} fund in this +case: + +@smallexample +ledger --code-as-payee -P reg ^Expenses -- School +@end smallexample + +Both approaches yield different kinds of flexibility, depending on how +you prefer to think of your funds: as virtual accounts, or as tags +associated with particular entries. Your own tastes will decide which +is best for your situation. + +@node Archiving previous years, Virtual transactions, Working with multiple funds and accounts, Keeping a ledger +@section Archiving previous years + +After a while, your ledger can get to be pretty large. While this +will not slow down the ledger program much---it's designed to process +ledger files very quickly---things can start to feel ``messy''; and +it's a universal complaint that when finances feel messy, people avoid +them. + +Thus, archiving the data from previous years into their own files can +offer a sense of completion, and freedom from the past. But how to +best accomplish this with the ledger program? There are two commands +that make it very simple: @command{print}, and @command{equity}. + +Let's take an example file, with data ranging from year 2000 until +2004. We want to archive years 2000 and 2001 to their own file, +leaving just 2003 and 2004 in the current file. So, use +@command{print} to output all the earlier entries to a file called +@file{ledger-old.dat}: + +@smallexample +ledger -f ledger.dat -b 2000 -e 2001 print > ledger-old.dat +@end smallexample + +To delete older data from the current ledger file, use @command{print} +again, this time specifying year 2002 as the starting date: + +@example +ledger -f ledger.dat -b 2002 print > x +mv x ledger.dat +@end example + +However, now the current file contains @emph{only} transactions from +2002 onward, which will not yield accurate present-day balances, +because the net income from previous years is no longer being tallied. +To compensate for this, we must append an equity report for the old +ledger at the beginning of the new one: + +@example +ledger -f ledger-old.dat equity > equity.dat +cat equity.dat ledger.dat > x +mv x ledger.dat +rm equity.dat +@end example + +Now the balances reported from @file{ledger.dat} are identical to what +they were before the data was split. + +How often should you split your ledger? You never need to, if you +don't want to. Even eighty years of data will not slow down ledger +much---and that's just using present day hardware! Or, you can keep +the previous and current year in one file, and each year before that +in its own file. It's really up to you, and how you want to organize +your finances. For those who also keep an accurate paper trail, it +might be useful to archive the older years to their own files, then +burn those files to a CD to keep with the paper records---along with +any electronic statements received during the year. In the arena of +organization, just keep in mind this maxim: Do whatever keeps you +doing it. + +@node Virtual transactions, Automated transactions, Archiving previous years, Keeping a ledger +@section Virtual transactions + +A virtual transaction is when you, in your mind, see money as moving +to a certain place, when in reality that money has not moved at all. +There are several scenarios in which this type of tracking comes in +handy, and each of them will be discussed in detail. + +To enter a virtual transaction, surround the account name in +parentheses. This form of usage does not need to balance. However, +if you want to ensure the virtual transaction balances with other +virtual transactions in the same entry, use square brackets. For +example: + +@smallexample +10/2 Paycheck + Assets:Checking $1000.00 + Income:Salary $-1000.00 + (Debt:Alimony) $200.00 +@end smallexample + +In this example, after receiving a paycheck an alimony debt is +increased---even though no money has moved around yet. + +@smallexample +10/2 Paycheck + Assets:Checking $1000.00 + Income:Salary $-1000.00 + [Savings:Trip] $200.00 + [Assets:Checking] $-200.00 +@end smallexample + +In this example, $200 has been deducted from checking toward savings +for a trip. It will appear as though the money has been moved from +the account into @samp{Savings:Trip}, although no money has actually +moved anywhere. + +When balances are displayed, virtual transactions will be factored in. +To view balances without any virtual balances factored in, using the +@option{-R} flag, for ``reality''. + +@node Automated transactions, Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger, Virtual transactions, Keeping a ledger +@section Automated transactions + +As a Bahá'í, I need to compute Huqúqu'lláh whenever I acquire assets. +It is similar to tithing for Jews and Christians, or to Zakát for +Muslims. The exact details of computing Huqúqu'lláh are somewhat +complex, but if you have further interest, please consult the Web. + +Ledger makes this otherwise difficult law very easy. Just set up an +automated transaction at the top of your ledger file: + +@smallexample +; This automated entry will compute Huqúqu'lláh based on this +; journal's transactions. Any that match will affect the +; Liabilities:Huququ'llah account by 19% of the value of that +; transaction. + += /^(?:Income:|Expenses:(?:Business|Rent$|Furnishings|Taxes|Insurance))/ + (Liabilities:Huququ'llah) 0.19 +@end smallexample + +This automated transaction works by looking at each transaction in the +ledger file. If any match the given value expression, 19% of the +transaction's value is applied to the @samp{Liabilities:Huququ'llah} +account. So, if $1000 is earned from @samp{Income:Salary}, $190 is +added to @samp{Liabilities:Huqúqu'lláh}; if $1000 is spent on Rent, +$190 is subtracted. The ultimate balance of Huqúqu'lláh reflects how +much is owed in order to fulfill one's obligation to Huqúqu'lláh. +When ready to pay, just write a check to cover the amount shown in +@samp{Liabilities:Huququ'llah}. That entry would look like: + +@smallexample +2003/01/01 (101) Baha'i Huqúqu'lláh Trust + Liabilities:Huququ'llah $1,000.00 + Assets:Checking +@end smallexample + +That's it. To see how much Huqúq is currently owed based on your +ledger entries, use: + +@example +ledger balance Liabilities:Huquq +@end example + +This works fine, but omits one aspect of the law: that Huquq is only +due once the liability exceeds the value of 19 mithqáls of gold (which +is roughly 2.22 ounces). So what we want is for the liability to +appear in the balance report only when it exceeds the present day +value of 2.22 ounces of gold. This can be accomplished using the +command: + +@smallexample +ledger -Q -t "/Liab.*Huquq/?(a/P@{2.22 AU@}<=@{-1.0@}&a):a" -s bal liab +@end smallexample + +With this command, the current price for gold is downloaded, and the +Huqúqu'lláh is reported only if its value exceeds that of 2.22 ounces +of gold. If you wish the liability to be reflected in the parent +subtotal either way, use this instead: + +@smallexample +ledger -Q -T "/Liab.*Huquq/?(O/P@{2.22 AU@}<=@{-1.0@}&O):O" -s bal liab +@end smallexample + +In some cases, you may wish to refer to the account of whichever +transaction matched your automated entry's value expression. To do +this, use the special account name @samp{$account}: + +@smallexample += /^Some:Long:Account:Name/ + [$account] -0.10 + [Savings] 0.10 +@end smallexample + +This example causes 10% of the matching account's total to be deferred +to the @samp{Savings} account---as a balanced virtual transaction, +which may be excluded from reports by using @option{--real}. + +@node Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger, Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger, Automated transactions, Keeping a ledger +@section Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger + +In the Ledger tarball is an Emacs module, @file{ledger.el}. This +module makes the process of keeping a text ledger much easier for +Emacs users. I recommend putting this at the top of your ledger file: + +@example +; -*-ledger-*- +@end example + +And this in your @file{.emacs} file, after copying @file{ledger.el} to +your @file{site-lisp} directory: + +@example +(load "ledger") +@end example + +Now when you edit your ledger file, it will be in +@command{ledger-mode}. @command{ledger-mode} adds these commands: + +@table @strong +@item C-c C-a +For quickly adding new entries based on the form of older ones (see +previous section). + +@item C-c C-c +Toggles the ``cleared'' flag of the transaction under point. + +@item C-c C-d +Delete the entry under point. + +@item C-c C-r +Reconciles an account by displaying the transactions in another +buffer, where simply hitting the spacebar will toggle the pending flag +of the transaction in the ledger. Once all the appropriate +transactions have been marked, press C-c C-c in the reconcile buffer +to ``commit'' the reconciliation, which will mark all of the entries +as cleared, and display the new cleared balance in the minibuffer. + +@item C-c C-m +Set the default month for new entries added with C-c C-a. This is +handy if you have a large number of transactions to enter from a +previous month. + +@item C-c C-y +Set the default year for new entries added with C-c C-a. This is +handy if you have a large number of transactions to enter from a +previous year. +@end table + +Once you enter the reconcile buffer, there are several key commands +available: + +@table @strong +@item RET +Visit the ledger file entry corresponding to the reconcile entry. + +@item C-c C-c +Commit the reconcialation. This marks all of the marked transactions +as ``cleared'', saves the ledger file, and then displays the new +cleared balance. + +@item C-l +Refresh the reconcile buffer by re-reading transactions from the +ledger data file. + +@item SPC +Toggle the transaction under point as cleared. + +@item a +Add a new entry to the ledger data file, and refresh the reconcile +buffer to include its transactions (if the entry is added to the same +account as the one being reconciled). + +@item d +Delete the entry related to the transaction under point. Note: This +may result in multiple transactions being deleted. + +@item n +Move to the next line. + +@item p +Move to the previous line. + +@item C-c C-r +@item r +Attempt to auto-reconcile the transactions to the entered balance. If +it can do so, it will mark all those transactions as pending that +would yield the specified balance. + +@item C-x C-s +@item s +Save the ledger data file, and show the current cleared balance for +the account being reconciled. + +@item q +Quit the reconcile buffer. +@end table + +There is also an @command{emacs} command which can be used to output +reports in a format directly @code{read}-able from Emacs Lisp. + +@node Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger, Using timeclock to record billable time, Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger, Keeping a ledger +@section Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger + +The Ledger tool is fast and simple, but it offers no custom method for +actually editing the ledger. It assumes you know how to use a text +editor, and like doing so. There is, at least, an Emacs mode that +makes editing Ledger's data files much easier. + +You are also free to use GnuCash to maintain your ledger, and the +Ledger program for querying and reporting on the contents of that +ledger. It takes a little longer to parse the XML data format that +GnuCash uses, but the end result is identical. + +Then again, why would anyone use a Gnome-centric, multi-megabyte +behemoth to edit their data, and only a one megabyte binary to query +it? + +@node Using timeclock to record billable time, , Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger, Keeping a ledger +@section Using timeclock to record billable time + +The timeclock tool makes it easy to track time events, like clocking +into and out of a particular job. These events accumulate in a +timelog file. + +Each in/out event may have an optional description. If the ``in'' +description is a ledger account name, these in/out pairs may be viewed +as virtual transactions, adding time commodities (hours) to that +account. + +For example, the command-line version of the timeclock tool could be +used to begin a timelog file like: + +@example +export TIMELOG=$HOME/.timelog +ti ClientOne category +sleep 10 +to waited for ten seconds +@end example + +The @file{.timelog} file now contains: + +@smallexample +i 2004/10/06 15:21:00 ClientOne category +o 2004/10/06 15:21:10 waited for ten seconds +@end smallexample + +Ledger parses this directly, as if it had seen the following entry: + +@smallexample +2004/10/06 category + (ClientOne) 10s +@end smallexample + +In other words, the timelog event pair is seen as adding 0.00277h (ten +seconds) worth of time to the @samp{ClientOne} account. This would be +considered billable time, which later could be invoiced and credited +to accounts receivable: + +@smallexample +2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. + Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 + ClientOne -0.00277h @@ $35.00 +@end smallexample + +The above transaction converts the clocked time into an invoice for +the time spent, at an hourly rate of $35. Once the invoice is paid, +the money is deposited from the receivable account into a checking +account: + +@smallexample +2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. + Assets:Checking $0.10 + Receivable:ClientOne +@end smallexample + +And now the time spent has been turned into hard cash in the checking +account. + +The advantage to using timeclock and invoicing to bill time is that +you will always know, by looking at the balance report, exactly how +much unbilled and unpaid time you've spent working for any particular +client. + +I like to @samp{!include} my timelog at the top of my company's +accounting ledger, with the attached prefix @samp{Billable}: + +@smallexample +; -*-ledger-*- + +; This is the ledger file for my company. But first, include the +; timelog data, entering all of the time events within the umbrella +; account "Billable". + +!account Billable +!include /home/johnw/.timelog +!end + +; Here follows this fiscal year's transactions for the company. + +2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. + Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 + Billable:ClientOne -0.00277h @@ $35.00 + +2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. + Assets:Checking $0.10 + Receivable:ClientOne +@end smallexample + +@node Using XML, , Keeping a ledger, Top +@chapter Using XML + +By default, Ledger uses a human-readable data format, and displays its +reports in a manner meant to be read on screen. For the purpose of +writing tools which use Ledger, however, it is possible to read and +display data using XML. This chapter documents that format. + +The general format used for Ledger data is: + +@smallexample +<?xml version="1.0"?> +<ledger> + <entry>...</entry> + <entry>...</entry> + <entry>...</entry>... +</ledger> +@end smallexample + +The data stream is enclosed in a @samp{ledger} tag, which contains a +series of one or more entries. Each @samp{entry} describes the entry +and contains a series of one or more transactions: + +@smallexample +<entry> + <en:date>2004/03/01</en:date> + <en:cleared/> + <en:code>100</en:code> + <en:payee>John Wiegley</en:payee> + <en:transactions> + <transaction>...</transaction> + <transaction>...</transaction> + <transaction>...</transaction>... + </en:transactions> +</entry> +@end smallexample + +The date format for @samp{en:date} is always @samp{YYYY/MM/DD}. The +@samp{en:cleared} tag is optional, and indicates whether the +transaction has been cleared or not. There is also an +@samp{en:pending} tag, for marking pending transactions. The +@samp{en:code} and @samp{en:payee} tags both contain whatever text the +user wishes. + +After the initial entry data, there must follow a set of transactions +marked with @samp{en:transactions}. Typically these transactions will +all balance each other, but if not they will be automatically balanced +into an account named @samp{<Unknown>}. + +Within the @samp{en:transactions} tag is a series of one or more +@samp{transaction}'s, which have the following form: + +@smallexample +<transaction> + <tr:account>Expenses:Computer:Hardware</tr:account> + <tr:amount> + <value type="amount"> + <amount> + <commodity flags="PT">$</commodity> + <quantity>90.00</quantity> + </amount> + </value> + </tr:amount> +</transaction> +@end smallexample + +This is a basic transaction. It may also be begin with +@samp{tr:virtual} and/or @samp{tr:generated} tags, to indicate virtual +and auto-generated transactions. Then follows the @samp{tr:account} +tag, which contains the full name of the account the transaction is +related to. Colons separate parent from child in an account name. + +Lastly follows the amount of the transaction, indicated by +@samp{tr:amount}. Within this tag is a @samp{value} tag, of which +there are four different kinds, each with its own format: + +@enumerate +@item boolean +@item integer +@item amount +@item balance +@end enumerate + +The format of a boolean value is @samp{true} or @samp{false} +surrounded by a @samp{boolean} tag, for example: + +@smallexample +<boolean>true</boolean> +@end smallexample + +The format of an integer value is the numerical value surrounded by an +@samp{integer} tag, for example: + +@smallexample +<integer>12036</integer> +@end smallexample + +The format of an amount contains two members, the commodity and the +quantity. The commodity can have a set of flags that indicate how to +display it. The meaning of the flags (all of which are optional) are: + +@table @strong +@item P +The commodity is prefixed to the value. +@item S +The commodity is separated from the value by a space. +@item T +Thousands markers are used to display the amount. +@item E +The format of the amount is European, with period used as a thousands +marker, and comma used as the decimal point. +@end table + +The actual quantity for an amount is an integer of arbitrary size. +Ledger uses the GNU multi-precision math library to handle such +values. The XML format assumes the reader to be equally capable. +Here is an example amount: + +@smallexample +<value type="amount"> + <amount> + <commodity flags="PT">$</commodity> + <quantity>90.00</quantity> + </amount> +</value> +@end smallexample + +Lastly, a balance value contains a series of amounts, each with a +different commodity. Unlike the name, such a value does need to +balance. It is called a balance because it sums several amounts. For +example: + +@smallexample +<value type="balance"> + <balance> + <amount> + <commodity flags="PT">$</commodity> + <quantity>90.00</quantity> + </amount> + <amount> + <commodity flags="TE">DM</commodity> + <quantity>200.00</quantity> + </amount> + </balance> +</value> +@end smallexample + +That is the extent of the XML data format used by Ledger. It will +output such data if the @command{xml} command is used, and can read +the same data as long as the @file{expat} library was available +when Ledger was built. + +@bye diff --git a/doc/sample.dat b/doc/sample.dat new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4a271d6f --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/sample.dat @@ -0,0 +1,26 @@ += /^Expenses:Books/ + (Liabilities:Taxes) -0.10 + +~ Monthly + Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary + +2004/05/01 * Checking balance + Assets:Bank:Checking $1,000.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/05/01 * Investment balance + Assets:Brokerage 50 AAPL @ $30.00 + Equity:Opening Balances + +2004/05/14 * Pay day + Assets:Bank:Checking $500.00 + Income:Salary + +2004/05/27 Book Store + Expenses:Books $20.00 + Liabilities:MasterCard + +2004/05/27 (100) Credit card company + Liabilities:MasterCard $20.00 + Assets:Bank:Checking |