From 915ab1a0c9680308e0198462892214949ec0de40 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Simon Michael Date: Tue, 19 May 2015 22:04:21 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] doc: manual: commands cleanups --- doc/manual.md | 96 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------- 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+), 35 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/manual.md b/doc/manual.md index 3537737f6..5a3c9319b 100644 --- a/doc/manual.md +++ b/doc/manual.md @@ -1009,12 +1009,6 @@ Remember that a `-p` [period](#period-expressions) flag will cause any other `-b ## Commands hledger provides a number of subcommands out of the box; run `hledger` with no arguments to see a list. -The most-used commands are probably -[balance](#balance), -[register](#register), -[print](#print) -and [accounts](#accounts). - More [add-on commands](#add-ons) will appear if you install additional `hledger-*` packages, or if you put programs or scripts named `hledger-NAME` in your PATH. @@ -1023,15 +1017,65 @@ You can write its full name (eg `balance`), or one of the standard short aliases displayed in parentheses in the command list (eg `bs`), or any unambiguous prefix of a command (eg `inc`). -### Data entry +### Overview -Many hledger users edit their journals directly with a text editor, or generate them from CSV. -For more interactive data entry, there is the `add` command and also the `web` add-on (below). +Built-in commands: + +- [accounts](#accounts) - show account names +- [activity](#activity) - show a histogram of transaction activity +- [add](#add) - interactively prompt for new journal entries +- [balance](#balance) - show accounts and their balances in one or more periods +- [balancesheet](#balancesheet) - show asset and liability balances +- [cashflow](#cashflow) - show changes in asset balances +- [incomestatement](#incomestatement) - show revenues and expenses +- [print](#print) - show journal entries +- [register](#register) - show postings, usually to a specific account, in one or more periods +- [stats](#stats) - show some journal summary info +- [test](#test) - run built-in unit tests + +Add-on commands: + +- [autosync](#autosync) - downloads OFX data from banks, converts OFX to journal entries, and prints the new ones +- [diff](#diff) - compare two journal files and show differing transactions +- [interest](#interest) - generate interest transactions for various schemes +- [irr](#irr) - calculate the internal rate of return of an account +- [web](#web) - a web UI for browsing transactions and accounts and adding new ones + +Experimental commands: + +- [equity](#equity) - generate an "opening balances" entry restoring all account balances +- [print-unique](#print-unique) - show only journal entries with unique descriptions +- [rewrite](#rewrite) - like print, but adds custom postings to matched entries + + + + + +### Built-in commands + +#### accounts + +This command lists matched account names, as a flat list by default, or (with the `--tree` flag) as a hierarchy. +With no query arguments, all account names are listed. + +#### activity + +The activity command displays an ascii bar chart showing +transaction counts by day, week, month or other reporting interval +(by day is the default). + +Examples: + + $ hledger activity -p weekly dining #### add -The add command prompts interactively for new transactions, and appends -them to the journal file. Just run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. +Many hledger users edit their journals directly with a text editor, or generate them from CSV. +For more interactive data entry, there is the `add` command, +which prompts interactively on the console for new transactions, and appends +them to the journal file. This is the only built-in command which can write to your journal file. + +To use it, just run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. You can add as many transactions as you like; when you are finished, enter `.` or press control-d or control-c to exit. @@ -1062,30 +1106,10 @@ Additional convenience features: Here's [an example](step-by-step.html#record-a-transaction-with-hledger-add). -### Reports - -Here are the built-in commands for reporting useful information from your journal, -(hledger's main function). (The original commands inherited from Ledger were, simplest first: -[print](#print), [register](#register) and [balance](#balance).) - -#### accounts - -This command lists matched account names, as a flat list by default, or (with the `--tree` flag) as a hierarchy. -With no query arguments, all account names are listed. - -#### activity - -The activity command displays an ascii bar chart showing -transaction counts by day, week, month or other reporting interval -(by day is the default). - -Examples: - - $ hledger activity -p weekly dining - #### balance The balance command displays accounts and their balances. +It is the most complex and perhaps most useful command. ##### Simple balance reports @@ -1405,7 +1429,7 @@ Examples: $ hledger test $ hledger test -v balance -### Add-ons +### Add-on commands Add-on commands are executables in your PATH whose name starts with `hledger-` and ends with no file extension or one of these common @@ -1524,7 +1548,7 @@ Examples: $ hledger-web -E -B --depth 2 -f some.journal $ hledger-web --server --port 5010 --base-url http://some.vhost.com --debug=1 -### Experimental +### Experimental commands The following add-ons are examples and experiments provided in the [extra](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/tree/master/extra) @@ -1555,7 +1579,9 @@ Prints only journal entries which are unique (by description). Prints all journal entries, adding specified custom postings to matched entries. -