gnucash fails QIF import with missing payee

[David Tombs]

Binary package hint: gnucash

GnuCash fails to import QIF files with missing payee and category field with the error "A bug was detected while converting the QIF data".

The attached QIF file can reproduce the problem.

It's an upstream bug.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: gnucash 1:2.4.2-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri May 6 12:13:33 2011
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnucash
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-05-06 (0 days ago)

[Halva-g (halva-g)]

Improve the diagnostic message, saying that the problem is due to an empty line

Other information:
I came across this bug when trying to import a file generated by a script of mine. The file looks like this:
---------
!Type:Bank
D31/03/2009
P
MEnd 31.03.2009
T1.87
^
---------
GnuCash fails to import this file with the general message "A bug was detected while converting the QIF data".

[Cedayiv (cedayiv)]

Confirmed. I can reproduce this in trunk.

[Geert Janssens (gjanssens)]

*** Bug 619042 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Geert Janssens (gjanssens)]

Note that this bug is still present in 2.3.12.

[Roti-y (roti-y)]

Created attachment 177162
console output

I am not sure if it is the exact same problem, but I have the same result with 2.4

[Roti-y (roti-y)]

Created attachment 177163
example qif

The L line is empty. When the M line is empty too, the import will succeed.

[eugenia (clausenr)]

(In reply to comment #0)
> Improve the diagnostic message, saying that the problem is due to an empty line
>
> Other information:
> I came across this bug when trying to import a file generated by a script of
> mine. The file looks like this:
> ---------
> !Type:Bank
> D31/03/2009
> P
> MEnd 31.03.2009
> T1.87
> ^
> ---------
> GnuCash fails to import this file with the general message "A bug was detected
> while converting the QIF data".

May 2011. This is still a problem.

GnuCash V2.2.9 (Ubuntu) r17949M 2010-03-23.

It appears when a transaction on a credit card is authorised by a bank and there is a delay before the name of the payee is added.

D23/04/11
T-45.35
P
M377878401....65

If the statement is downloaded before the payee name is added by the bank, it appears that the lack of any information after the "P" upsets /usr/share/gnucash/scm/qif-import/qif-to-gnc.scm and /usr/share/gnucash/scm/qif-import/qif-to-gnc.scm.

I cannot find where this error message comes from but to me it is overkill.

If the object is to increase the appeal of GnuCash for anyone trying to migrate from Microsoft alternatives (Quicken), to receive such a 'dead end' message without any suggestion as to what to look for will turn people off. The average user will uninstall GnuCash and go back to what they used previously.

Until the coding error is found, can the message be changed to something more helpful and include something such as a web link that has a list of known instances where the code cannot handle the import - i.e "Code cannot handle blank after "P" in QIF File - Delete transaction or add text after the "P" using Gedit or similar"

[David Tombs (dgtombs)]

Setting Triaged because it's been reported and confirmed upstream.

[Geert Janssens (gjanssens)]

*** Bug 726220 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Geert Janssens (gjanssens)]

Still present in 2.6.2 according to bug 726220. That bug has a nice stack trace which can help find the source of the problem.

[Frank-h-ellenberger (frank-h-ellenberger)]

*** Bug 784381 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Frank-h-ellenberger (frank-h-ellenberger)]

Reassigning because I didn't hear anything from Chars in the last years.

[Frank-h-ellenberger (frank-h-ellenberger)]

Charles was meant.