terminology issue and equities and equity accounts (oh, and securities)

Jack ostroffjh at users.sourceforge.net
Tue Sep 5 22:20:30 BST 2023


I'm again looking at the problem that configuring a net worth report  
and removing any asset account causes all stock accounts to be excluded  
from the report.   
(https://discuss.kde.org/t/wierd-behavior-when-using-filters-in-reports/4624/8  
and https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=460079.)  I'm trying to figure  
out what (if anything) I am doing differencly, because I'm sure the  
last time I tested this (only days ago) I experienced the problem in  
both 5.1 and master branch builds, but today, I do NOT see the problem  
in master.

However, in process of trying to find the cause, I've again tripped  
over the problem that we use the terms equity and security in multiple  
ways.  Equity accounts are the accounts that hold the opening balance  
for each used currency, but the terms are often mixed when referring to  
the stock accounts within investment accounts.  Further, I just noticed  
that the configuration item on the Filter tab of the General  
configuration dialog which is labeled "Show equity accounts" it  
actually named kcfg_ExpertMode.  I assume there is some historic reason  
for this, but I'd love to see it changed, as something called  
ExpertMode implies more than one effect of toggling it, or at least  
that it effects the behavior relative to more than one type of object.

As I am currently working an a complete review of the handbook for the  
eventual release of 5.2, would it be reasonable for me use the term  
"Opening Balance" instead of Equity as the type of these accounts?  (I  
can certainly mention that the other term was previously used for  
these.)  If I do, then the question is whether and how soon we could  
also update all such references in the code.  For now, I will refrain  
from also trying to do anything about the naming of the Securities and  
Equities tabs on the Investment View, although I'd love to hear any  
suggestions.

Are there any hidden reasons not to work on this?

Jack


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