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;doc:csv: CSV fields and hledger fields: edits

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Simon Michael 2025-11-19 10:44:20 -10:00
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@ -3677,28 +3677,33 @@ you should declare the decimal mark explicitly with this rule, to avoid misparse
## CSV fields and hledger fields
This can be confusing, so here's an overview. (It mentions some things we haven't covered yet.)
This can be confusing, so let's start with an overview:
- **CSV fields** are provided by your data file.
Their default name is their position in the CSV record, starting with 1.
You can also give them a readable name (with the `fields` rule).
They are named by their position in the CSV record, starting with 1.
You can also give them a readable name.
- **hledger fields** are predefined.
They correspond to parts of a transaction's journal entry (mostly).
`date`, `description`, `account1`, `amount1`, `account2` are some of these.
- **hledger fields** are predefined;
`date`, `description`, `account1`, `amount1`, `account2` are some of them.
They correspond to parts of a transaction's journal entry, mostly.
- These are the only fields you'll work with; you can't make new ones in a rules file.
(If you need extra CSV fields, you can add them to the data in preprocessing, before running the rules.)
- The CSV fields and hledger fields are the only fields you'll be working with;
you can't define new fields, or variables as in a programming language.
(But you could add extra CSV fields to the data in preprocessing, before running the rules.)
- You'll be reading CSV fields. (They can't be written to.) They'll be on the right hand side, with a % prefix. Eg
- For each CSV record, you'll assign values to one or more of the hledger fields to build up a transaction (journal entry).
Values can be static text, CSV field values from the current record, or a combination of these.
- For simple cases, you can give a CSV field the same name as one of the hledger fields,
then its value will be automatically assigned to that hledger field.
- CSV fields can only be read, not written to. They'll be on the right hand side, with a % prefix. Eg
- testing a CSV field's value: `if %CSVFIELD ...`
- interpolating its value: `HLEDGERFIELD %CSVFIELD`
- You'll be writing to hledger fields. (They can't be read.) They'll be on the left hand side, with no prefix. Eg
- setting the transaction's description: `description VALUE`
- You can give a CSV field the same name as one of the hledger fields.
If you do, its value will be automatically assigned to that hledger field.
- hledger fields can only be written to, not read. They'll be on the left hand side (or in a fields list), with no prefix. Eg
- setting the transaction's description to a value: `description VALUE`
- setting the transaction's description to the second CSV field's value `fields date, description, ...`
## `fields` list