Why buying commodities debits them out of Equity

[s***@gmail.com]

It appears that buying commodities (crypto currencies in the following
example) debits them from Equity:Opening Balances.

Example: *test.ledger*

2018/10/01 Deposit
Assets:Checking $200.00
Equity:Opening Balances

2018/10/02 Purchase crypto
Assets:Crypto 0.429485 ETH @ $228.18
Expenses:Commissions
Assets:Checking $-100

*$ ledger -f test.ledger equity*

2018/10/02 Opening Balances
Assets:Checking $100.00
Assets:Crypto 0.429485 ETH
Equity:Opening Balances $-200.00
Expenses:Commissions $2.00
Equity:Opening Balances $98.00
Equity:Opening Balances -0.429485 ETH

*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*

$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
0.429485 ETH Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
$-98.00
0.429485 ETH

Is there a way to make ledger know that this commodity was purchased with
cash from *Assets:Checking*?

[Martin Michlmayr]

Post by s***@gmail.com
It appears that buying commodities (crypto currencies in the following
example) debits them from Equity:Opening Balances.
2018/10/01 Deposit
Assets:Checking $200.00
*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*
$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
Is there a way to make ledger know that this commodity was purchased with
cash from *Assets:Checking*?

Your own example shows that this is exactly what is happening already.
You had $200 and now you have $100 in assets:checking.

You just get confused my the equity command. Don't use that. This is
only to create starting balances if you want to split your ledger
file.
https://www.ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#The-equity-command
--
Martin Michlmayr
https://www.cyrius.com/

[s***@gmail.com]

Why does the balance command show a "hanging" balance?

*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*

$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
0.429485 ETH Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
$-98.00 <---- shouldn't this be $0.00?
0.429485 ETH <---- and why is this here?

Post by Martin Michlmayr

Post by s***@gmail.com
It appears that buying commodities (crypto currencies in the following
example) debits them from Equity:Opening Balances.
2018/10/01 Deposit
Assets:Checking $200.00
*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*
$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
Is there a way to make ledger know that this commodity was purchased

with

Post by s***@gmail.com
cash from *Assets:Checking*?

Your own example shows that this is exactly what is happening already.
You had $200 and now you have $100 in assets:checking.
You just get confused my the equity command. Don't use that. This is
only to create starting balances if you want to split your ledger
file.
https://www.ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#The-equity-command
--
Martin Michlmayr
https://www.cyrius.com/

[Martin Michlmayr]

Post by s***@gmail.com
*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*
$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
0.429485 ETH Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
$-98.00 <---- shouldn't this be $0.00?
0.429485 ETH <---- and why is this here?

$ and ETH are different commodities. The balance report you run has:

$100 Checking
-$200 Opening balance

which makes $-98. You also have 0.429485 ETH

As it turns out, the 0.429485 ETH you bought had a cost of $98.

And -98 and +98 is 0, which means it balances.

If you use the -B option, it will show it:

$198.00 Assets
$100.00 Checking
$98.00 Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
0
--
Martin Michlmayr
https://www.cyrius.com/

[s***@gmail.com]

Thanks Martin! The -B option is what I was looking for.

Cheers!

Post by Martin Michlmayr

Post by s***@gmail.com
*$ ledger -f test.ledger balance*
$100.00
0.429485 ETH Assets
$100.00 Checking
0.429485 ETH Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
$-98.00 <---- shouldn't this be $0.00?
0.429485 ETH <---- and why is this here?

$100 Checking
-$200 Opening balance
which makes $-98. You also have 0.429485 ETH
As it turns out, the 0.429485 ETH you bought had a cost of $98.
And -98 and +98 is 0, which means it balances.
$198.00 Assets
$100.00 Checking
$98.00 Crypto
$-200.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$2.00 Expenses:Commissions
--------------------
0
--
Martin Michlmayr
https://www.cyrius.com/