Frequently Asked Questions
How To
Why
How to: force date input format / change language ?
Starting v4.5.5, you can choose any language from the preferences.
But the configuration below may be required to define some input format for date for example.
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* For microsoft windows:
GTK+ inspect some environment variable like LANG, so you may be set a such variable under windows.
how to for win xp: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519
how to for 8/10: http://www.itechtalk.com/thread3595.html
for example set 'pt' value for a system setup to pt-BR.
* for linux, you can launch via a console:
for example in fench : LANGUAGE='fr_FR:fr' ./src/homebank
or in russian: LANGUAGE='ru' ./src/homebank
please also have a look at these 2 answers:
https://answers.launchpad.net/homebank/+question/59090
https://answers.launchpad.net/homebank/+question/26196
How to: Protect my file by password or encryption ?
The first protection level is you; then it is your computer user data which is supposed to be isolated from other users. That's the case under MS Windows and under GNU/Linux and most other systems (for MS windows, all users should not be Administrators, if it on your computer(s)... then it is the time to change this).
If you Google to find out how to protect you file on a family shared computer, you will find plenty of article on how to do this.
If you feel that your personal finance require additional level of security, there is plenty of solutions to encrypt data on a computer (TrueCrypt, PGP, native windows bitlocker) for that purpose.
A financial application should manage finance data, and a security program should deal with security. Any software must have some scope limits. I think it is better to use external proven and reliable solutions than implement a smokescreen, as the file format used for HomeBank to store data is a simple xml file (so text file), you can review with a txt editor.
Adding to this, I do think it make sense and it is more convenient to protect data globally on a computer, instead of being annoyed to fill in a password every time you open a file with an application, your session password and a truly global protection system on your computer should be sufficient.
At last, this enable users to choose the security solution that fit their security level needs and the way they protect their data's.
How to: import bank statement in CSV format
HomeBank use a dedicated column order format to manage CSV file.
Please see the https://www.gethomebank.org/help/ 'CSV file format section'
direct link is https://www.gethomebank.org/help/misc-csvformat.html
CSV is not a financial format. You and your bank should avoid using it.
If you can't use OFX/QFX or QIF file format, there are some tools that may help you in converting into HomeBank CSV format.
let's quote QuiConv for © Windows, that enable to convert any CSV file to QIF file.
google is your friend under Linux or other OS to find similar tool/scripts
Homebank does not have a on-board converter for CSV.
A possible solution is the universal csv-file Homebank-file converter written in Python. This script can be found at:
https://github.com/profiler/HB_Convert.
You can also find a compilation of all existing script so far at:
https://github.com/fquinto/homebank_import_scripts
How to: use the vehicle cost (car cost)
A documentation exists and maybe first red:
Please read the online native or translated documentation:
https://www.gethomebank.org/help/index.html
If you need futher help, ask a new question
How to: Proper Budget usage -$ or +$ for categories
Some of you are confused with sign to use in budget setup.
The answser is pretty simple:
- if it's an income budget value should be +
- if it's an expense it should be -
With an example:
you place +50 on category A (so it's an income budget)
the 0 offset (budget balance = 0) for this category is +50
if at any point you assign expense amount to this category A, let's say -25, the computing will be:
- you expect to have 50, you don't and you also have an additional debit of 25, so from a budget perspective, you miss 75
so -50 -25 = -75
How to: manage a cryto currency / cryptocurrencies (bitcoin)
Starting v5.1.7 you can add your own non iso 4217 currencies.
Just have a look at the documentation about the currencies dialog at https://www.gethomebank.org/help/index.html
So you can add currencies like BTC, ETH, LBT, ...
How to: cloud sync, GDrive, dropbox, and others
You can mount Google Drive as a real partition on many system, just google for it there are tools and tutorial.
How to: HiDPi display with HomeBank
You can try this, as GTK+ 3 support it natively:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HiDPI#GDK_3_.28GTK.2B_3.29
Note that some icons will scale and so become blurry, until I provide some scalable set (in progress).
Why: 'this needs a category' being displayed
this text is only displayed as a "warning" if the account is part of the budget, as requested into #1673902.
If you do not use budget, you can disable this with following:
- open the account from the manage account dialog
- Option Tab
- then check: exclude from the budget
Why: do I have the error message that my .xhb file in an invalid file ?
File are compatible with different platform but with higher or equal version of the software.
The internal structure format of HomeBank file may changes when adding new features, and so, it is no more possible to open it with lower version of HomeBank, at least WITHOUT LOOSING DATA introduced with new features. So to AVOID LOOSING DATA a such restriction is part of the software.
A file version change is always mentioned in the Change Log file.
The solution is to always use the latest version, and if you use both MS Windows and GNU/Linux, to have the same HomeBank version on the 2 operating systems.
Why: save icons is enable after load despite I have made no changes
It is normal, after some upgrade, and after some bugfix, HomeBank runs a sanity check at start to fix some data, and as so track changes.
If you run the program from a command line, you will see some warnings, that are the fix it does.
Why: I cannot delete an account ?
Deleting an account is possible, in condition the account is not used, which mean:
- no transactions
- no target for archive
- no target or source of internal transfer
Why: the 'no category' count exceed my transaction usage
As writing in the documentation, that few seems to read:
https://www.gethomebank.org/help/dlg-cate.html
the category usage count :
- transaction/split
- payee default category
- template/scheduled transaction
- assignment rule
- default car cost usage is also by default 'No category'
Why: XML file contains -35.359999999999999 for a -35.36 amount
HomeBank uses glib function g_ascii_dtostr/g_ascii_strtod to store amount info the XML file.
from glib documentation:
"This function generates enough precision that converting the string back using g_ascii_strtod() gives the same machine-number (on machines with IEEE compatible 64bit doubles)."
the 16 precision digits are sufficient for most currencies, even the crypto, which have only 8 significant digits.
Why: website homebank.free.fr do not use https (TLS support)
It's quite simple, the host of the website HomeBank is my historical provider of Internet access since 1999 offering free hosting BUT that does not currently provide any TLS support.
The only solution would be to change host for one of those who offers support TLS, but this has several disadvantages for me:
1) the SEO impact and exposure on the web, the current URL is known and very well referenced, a migration would be complex and probably detrimental, even transiently
2) the ideal would be that the project is, like other open source software, hosted under the domain homebank.org, BUT unfortunately this DNS is currently owned by a speculation company that sell it > $2700
So no hurry for now to me, but I am thinking about this.