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\f0\fs28 \cf0 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 section documents that format.\
\
The general format used for Ledger data is:\
\
@smallexample\
<?xml version="1.0"?>\
<ledger>\
  <xact>...</xact>\
  <xact>...</xact>\
  <xact>...</xact>...\
</ledger>\
@end smallexample\
\
The data stream is enclosed in a @samp\{ledger\} tag, which contains a\
series of one or more transactions.  Each @samp\{xact\} describes the transaction\
and contains a series of one or more postings:\
\
@smallexample\
<xact>\
  <en:date>2004/03/01</en:date>\
  <en:cleared/>\
  <en:code>100</en:code>\
  <en:payee>John Wiegley</en:payee>\
  <en:postings>\
    <posting>...</posting>\
    <posting>...</posting>\
    <posting>...</posting>...\
  </en:postings>\
</xact>\
@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\
posting has been cleared or not.  There is also an\
@samp\{en:pending\} tag, for marking pending postings.  The\
@samp\{en:code\} and @samp\{en:payee\} tags both contain whatever text the\
user wishes.\
\
After the initial transaction data, there must follow a set of postings\
marked with @samp\{en:postings\}.  Typically these postings will\
all balance each other, but if not they will be automatically balanced\
into an account named @samp\{<Unknown>\}.\
\
Within the @samp\{en:postings\} tag is a series of one or more\
@samp\{posting\}'s, which have the following form:\
\
@smallexample\
<posting>\
  <tr:account>Expenses:Computer:Hardware</tr:account>\
  <tr:amount>\
    <value type="amount">\
      <amount>\
        <commodity flags="PT">$</commodity>\
        <quantity>90.00</quantity>\
      </amount>\
    </value>\
  </tr:amount>\
</posting>\
@end smallexample\
\
This is a basic posting.  It may also be begin with\
@samp\{tr:virtual\} and/or @samp\{tr:generated\} tags, to indicate virtual\
and auto-generated postings.  Then follows the @samp\{tr:account\}\
tag, which contains the full name of the account the posting is\
related to.  Colons separate parent from child in an account name.\
\
Lastly follows the amount of the posting, indicated by\
@samp\{tr:amount\}.  Within this tag is a @samp\{value\} tag, of which\
there are four different kinds, each with its own format:\
\
@enumerate\
@item boolean\
@item integer\
@item amount\
@item balance\
@end enumerate\
\
The format of a boolean value is @samp\{true\} or @samp\{false\}\
surrounded by a @samp\{boolean\} tag, for example:\
\
@smallexample\
<boolean>true</boolean>\
@end smallexample\
\
The format of an integer value is the numerical value surrounded by an\
@samp\{integer\} tag, for example:\
\
@smallexample\
<integer>12036</integer>\
@end smallexample\
\
The format of an amount contains two members, the commodity and the\
quantity.  The commodity can have a set of flags that indicate how to\
display it.  The meaning of the flags (all of which are optional) are:\
\
@table @strong\
@item P\
The commodity is prefixed to the value.\
@item S\
The commodity is separated from the value by a space.\
@item T\
Thousands markers are used to display the amount.\
@item E\
The format of the amount is European, with period used as a thousands\
marker, and comma used as the decimal point.\
@end table\
\
The actual quantity for an amount is an integer of arbitrary size.\
Ledger uses the GNU multi-precision math library to handle such\
values.  The XML format assumes the reader to be equally capable.\
Here is an example amount:\
\
@smallexample\
<value type="amount">\
  <amount>\
    <commodity flags="PT">$</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.}