GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 133874
GnuCash doesn't remember displayed column widths properly
Last modified: 2018-06-29 20:41:06 UTC
GnuCash doesn't seem correctly to remember the column widths I've defined. In particular, if I "vanish" a column by dragging it to zero width, it reappears the next time that I open that window. This is annoying because vanishing a column is the only way to enter data without having to tab through irrelevant columns. Specifically, I've noticed this behaviour in the following settings. 1) All money accounts (e.g. Current account window under Current Assets) - the rightmost column (which has no title) insists on having a finite width, even though this is too narrow to display any content. This column appears to hold only a boolean value (0/1). 2) Accounts Receivable (business accounts) - this window insists on displaying in double-line mode, even though I prefer the single-line display. 3) New invoice window (and Edit invoice window) - never remembers any changes to the column widths, which is very annoying because I don't deal in sales tax and so have to tab through lots of irrelevant columns.
Yes, A/R will always be double-line mode, but A/R is meant to be a Read-Only screen. So I'm not concerned about that limitation (indeed, it's designed that way). Also, I was unaware of a "feature" that tabbing would skip a zero-width column. This is the first time I've heard of that, and I'm absolutely shocked that it actually works. The fact that column widths (and indeed window sizes) are not retained is a bug.
Column widths: thanks. I'll keep an eye out for updates :-) Accounts receivable: I find this hard to read in double-line mode and the second line contains no important information for me so I'd prefer the option to control the display myself. It just seems more sensible to me to let the user decide what they find useful, given that we can change it manually anyway. Zero-width columns: actually, this was my mistake - GC doesn't let you miss out zero-width columns when tabbing. It was the columns' positions coupled with the automatic columns that misled me.
Unfortunately there is no way to set the default display type on a per-account-type basis. So there is no way to set up double-line mode on A/R accounts but single-line mode on everything else. If this were different then I'd be more willing to agree. (consider this an rfe ;) The design of the business features is that you are supposed to use the reports to learn everything you need to know -- there is no reason to open to the A/R and A/P accounts anyways. There is so much extra information in an Invoice that I felt I had to force double-line mode or most users would miss out on the extra information. I'm sorry you don't like it. I'm not sure what's so hard to read -- the numbers just skip every other line. Options are good, but too many options are bad. I'd rather default to showing too much information than not enough. But I agree this would probably be a good feature to add.
"Unfortunately there is no way to set the default display type on a per-account-type basis. So there is no way to set up double-line mode on A/R accounts but single-line mode on everything else." But that's exactly what happens ATM - every other account is single line, except for the A/R and A/P windows. Which is why it seems odd to me. Consistency is what I'd like to see. As for using only reports - AFAICS, the reports don't give the same information as neatly and easily as simply opening up the various account windows. Certainly, they don't give the item-by-item information. It's not safe to assume that someone will only use a program the way you expect, and I personally prefer to see the raw data in the first instance. I only see a need for reports to gain an overview.
The upcoming 2.0 release remembers column sizes in the register.
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