diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balance.md b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balance.md
index 7bf90a9bd..bafed4398 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balance.md
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balance.md
@@ -263,43 +263,43 @@ In this mode, each report row will show amounts for a single commodity, using ex
 It can be useful for a cleaner display of reports with many commodities:
 
 ```shell
-$ hledger bal -T -Y
+$ hledger -f examples/bcexample.hledger bal assets:us:etrade -3 -T -Y
 Balance changes in 2012-01-01..2014-12-31:
 
-                  ||                               2012                             2013                   2014                            Total
-==================++=============================================================================================================================
- Assets:US:ETrade ||   10.00 ITOT, 337.18 USD, 2 more..  70.00 GLD, 18.00 ITOT, 3 more..  -11.00 ITOT, 3 more..  70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 3 more..
-------------------++-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- total            ||   10.00 ITOT, 337.18 USD, 2 more..  70.00 GLD, 18.00 ITOT, 3 more..  -11.00 ITOT, 3 more..  70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 3 more..
+                  ||                             2012                             2013                   2014                            Total 
+==================++===========================================================================================================================
+ Assets:US:ETrade || 10.00 ITOT, 337.18 USD, 2 more..  70.00 GLD, 18.00 ITOT, 3 more..  -11.00 ITOT, 3 more..  70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 3 more.. 
+------------------++---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                  || 10.00 ITOT, 337.18 USD, 2 more..  70.00 GLD, 18.00 ITOT, 3 more..  -11.00 ITOT, 3 more..  70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 3 more.. 
 
-$ hledger bal -T -Y --commodity-column
+$ hledger -f examples/bcexample.hledger bal assets:us:etrade -3 -T -Y --commodity-column
 Balance changes in 2012-01-01..2014-12-31:
 
-                   || Commodity    2012    2013     2014    Total
+                  || Commodity    2012    2013     2014    Total 
 ==================++=============================================
- Assets:US:ETrade || GLD             0   70.00        0    70.00
- Assets:US:ETrade || ITOT        10.00   18.00   -11.00    17.00
- Assets:US:ETrade || USD        337.18  -98.12  4881.44  5120.50
- Assets:US:ETrade || VEA         12.00   10.00    14.00    36.00
- Assets:US:ETrade || VHT        106.00   18.00   170.00   294.00
+ Assets:US:ETrade || GLD             0   70.00        0    70.00 
+ Assets:US:ETrade || ITOT        10.00   18.00   -11.00    17.00 
+ Assets:US:ETrade || USD        337.18  -98.12  4881.44  5120.50 
+ Assets:US:ETrade || VEA         12.00   10.00    14.00    36.00 
+ Assets:US:ETrade || VHT        106.00   18.00   170.00   294.00 
 ------------------++---------------------------------------------
-                  || GLD             0   70.00        0    70.00
-                  || ITOT        10.00   18.00   -11.00    17.00
-                  || USD        337.18  -98.12  4881.44  5120.50
-                  || VEA         12.00   10.00    14.00    36.00
-                  || VHT        106.00   18.00   170.00   294.00
+                  || GLD             0   70.00        0    70.00 
+                  || ITOT        10.00   18.00   -11.00    17.00 
+                  || USD        337.18  -98.12  4881.44  5120.50 
+                  || VEA         12.00   10.00    14.00    36.00 
+                  || VHT        106.00   18.00   170.00   294.00 
 ```
 
 This flag also affects [CSV output](#output-formats),
 which is useful for producing data that is easier to consume, eg when making charts:
 
 ```shell
-$ hledger bal -T -O csv
+$ hledger -f examples/bcexample.hledger bal assets:us:etrade -3 -O csv
 "account","balance"
 "Assets:US:ETrade","70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 5120.50 USD, 36.00 VEA, 294.00 VHT"
 "total","70.00 GLD, 17.00 ITOT, 5120.50 USD, 36.00 VEA, 294.00 VHT"
 
-$ hledger bal -T -O csv --commodity-column
+$ hledger -f examples/bcexample.hledger bal assets:us:etrade -3 -O csv --commodity-column
 "account","commodity","balance"
 "Assets:US:ETrade","GLD","70.00"
 "Assets:US:ETrade","ITOT","17.00"