From 737d776b4077fd37e8b29367b0e78c96f0e934cd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Charles Merriam Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 22:36:17 -0700 Subject: Update README to reference README.md This older doc/README file is pure text and provides incomplete information compared to the root's README.md markdown file. I copied over some introductory verbiage and added cross references to that file. --- doc/README | 28 ++++++++++++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) (limited to 'doc/README') diff --git a/doc/README b/doc/README index 190436a2..6e1ee033 100644 --- a/doc/README +++ b/doc/README @@ -1,17 +1,20 @@ - Welcome to Ledger - the command-line accounting program + 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 postings. 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. +Ledger is a powerful, double-entry accounting system that is accessed from the +UNIX command-line. This may put off some users, since there is no flashy UI, +but for those who want unparalleled reporting access to their data there are +few alternatives. + +To start using Ledger, you will need to create such a +file containing your financial transactions. A sample has been provided in the +file "test/input/sample.dat". See the Ledger 3 Manual (ledger.pdf, ledger.info, +or http://www.ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.pdf) 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: @@ -23,6 +26,10 @@ 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. +You can find more information on getting starting, building from source, and +getting help from the ./README.md file in your ledger source repository or +online at https://github.com/ledger/ledger. + Building ======== @@ -33,8 +40,9 @@ 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"). +On some GNU/Linux systems, the packages you need to install are called +"gmp-dev" and "pcre-dev". See the ./README.md in the source repository for +a more complete list of dependencies. Once you have determined where the headers and libraries for the above packages are installed, run the script "configure", passing those paths. If -- cgit v1.2.3