HomeBank

XML file format questions

Asked by Bernie Walp

Dear Maxime,

I really like the XML structure in Home Bank's *.xhb format! It is better than QIF, in my opinion.

On my Linux Ubuntu (Mint) computer I am about to import about 20,000 transactions in 28 accounts over a decade of time. Can you help me with a few questions:

 - May I edit *.xhb with an ASCII text-editor? or would that cause troubles with checksums, etc.? If so:
  - Am I free to reorder keyword=value pairs in *.xhb?
  - May I import new transactions merely by adding some XML lines to the *.xhb?
  - In the QIF from which I imported, often I misspelled a payee's name. The the *xhb has assigned a a different integer to the wrongly spelled name, of course. May I directly edit the *.xhb to correct matters, say, by replacing payee no."973" in the transactions with "180", and then merely delete the <pay key="973" line?

 - Are all the extra floating-point digits a typical representation in *.xhb? For example, I imported this QIF:
  D1/20/10
  PSharkey's
  MCoffee beans
  T-35.36
  C*
  LFood:Groceries
  ^
   but the *.xhb file contains this:
    <ope date="733792" amount="-35.359999999999999" account="2" st="1" payee="180" category="4" wording="Coffee beans" />

Many thanks,
Bernie
Hilo, Hawaii, U.S.

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
HomeBank Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Maxime DOYEN
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Best Maxime DOYEN (mdoyen) said : 		#1

Well, I would suggest you use native Hb feature to import, and fix payees or post import problems.
Nothing you wants to do is not possible directly from the software, why wanted to hack the file.
You could edit the XML, but there is chance that you break something or make it inconsistent and unuseable.

now to answers every points:
 - May I edit *.xhb with an ASCII text-editor? or would that cause troubles with checksums, etc.? If so:
=> if you alter something you are not supposed to, yeah you can break the file consistency

  - Am I free to reorder keyword=value pairs in *.xhb?
=> useless, at next save the attributes will get into the coded order

  - May I import new transactions merely by adding some XML lines to the *.xhb?
=> same than previous advice

  - In the QIF from which I imported, often I misspelled a payee's name. The the *xhb has assigned a a different integer to the wrongly spelled name, of course. May I directly edit the *.xhb to correct matters, say, by replacing payee no."973" in the transactions with "180", and then merely delete the <pay key="973" line?
=> Maybe try to sanitise your qif file first, or use the multiple edit or merge payee option after import.

 - Are all the extra floating-point digits a typical representation in *.xhb? For example, I imported this QIF:
=> https://answers.launchpad.net/homebank/+faq/3204

Revision history for this message
Bernie Walp (wb6pio) said : 		#2

Terrific. Thank you very much.

Revision history for this message
Bernie Walp (wb6pio) said : 		#3

Thanks Maxime DOYEN, that solved my question.