bh format error on cost with only currency

[alexrkaufman]

bh format command throws an error when using syntax as shown below. Based on issue 476 in the beancount repo and this thread on the mailing list it seems like this should be supported syntax.

2025-01-03 * "transfer"
  Assets:Broker1:STOCK -20.00 STOCK {}
  Assets:Broker2:STOCK 20.00 STOCK {USD}

I am happy to try to help implement this with a little bit of guidance.

[fangpenlin]

Can you show me the error message? My guess is, this could be cause by the empty cost spec {}?
The cost spec looks like has optional content as defined here (cost_item ("," cost_item)*)?:

https://github.com/LaunchPlatform/beancount-parser/blob/e7e9c4b66ce86cfb03421f3290d7b8b14c40f43f/beancount_parser/grammar/beancount.lark#L83

It would be great if you want to great a PR for fixing it. There are to components involved in bh format.

First is the parser:
https://github.com/LaunchPlatform/beancount-parser

Another is the formatter beancount-black:
https://github.com/LaunchPlatform/beancount-black

Of course, it's also possible the final CLI project itself has the problem:
https://github.com/LaunchPlatform/beanhub-cli

You may need to identify which component is the root cause, or maybe multiple of them. You can create PR there and I will review them.

[fangpenlin]

Okay, I just tested it a bit, and it turns out that, the cost {} works fine. It was the {USD} causing the problem. If I put beancount code like this:

1970-01-01 commodity STOCK
1970-01-01 open Assets:Stock STOCK

2025-01-03 * "transfer"
  Assets:Broker1:STOCK -20.00 STOCK {}

beancount-parser can parses it without a problem. Can you please double check and see if {USD} is a valid syntax. Because as far as I know you need amount or other stuff there. with amount, you cannot just put currency without the number.