[moneydance] QMac->MD: ---X categories?

[Edward Reid]

OK, Keith basically suggested it, so here's the first of my questions. Or 
maybe the second -- I already posted one about accounts receivable here 
last night. This is the first that's also on the web site forum. So anyone 
reading both, be warned that this is double posted.

I've just finally dived into converting from Quicken 2005 / Mac to MD. I 
have over 13 years of data in Quicken, so I'm probably going to have a few 
questions. I'll try to remember to start a new thread for each distinct 
question.

I'm using build 527 under Windows XP (latest updates), with Java 1.5.06. I 
did try to follow the suggestions in the user guide at 
http://www.moneydance.com/userguide/ch16p7.shtml.

I exported all the account setup in one QIF file and all the transactions 
in another file. (Actually I omitted the budget info from the account 
setup. I had some old junk but no useful data in budgets, and in my early 
tests the budget info caused MD to create an account called "Unknown: 
BUDGET" and put in a bunch of transactions dated today and five months in 
the future. If it hurts, don't do it.)

All the accounts and categories look good after importing the setup QIF file.

First question: after importing my transactions, I find that for every real 
account (bank, credit card, asset, liability), MD has created an income 
category with the same name with X appended. The new category contains zero 
or one transactions to set up the initial balance in the account. The new 
category is created even when the initial balance is zero.

Why? MD has an "initial balance" attribute on accounts, and it appears to 
recognize Quicken's "opening balance" entry in the QIF, so why the 
complication of the extra category rather than setting that account 
attribute? And why the special category even when the initial balance is zero?

Edward
Art works by Melynda Reid: http://paleo.org