only the add and web commands auto-create the journal file

MANUAL.md

@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ Most [commands](#commands) query or operate on a
 [journal file](#the-journal-file), which by default is `.hledger.journal`
 in your home directory. You can specify a different file with the `-f`
 option or `LEDGER_FILE` environment variable, or standard input with `-f
--`.  If the journal file does not exist, an empty one will be
-created. Aside from this, only the `add` and `web` commands can modify the
-journal.
+-`.
 
 Options are similar across most commands, with some variations; use
 `hledger COMMAND --help` for details. Most options must appear somewhere
@@ -93,13 +91,13 @@ Arguments are also command-specific, but usually they are
 [filter patterns](#filter-patterns) which select a subset of the journal,
 eg transactions in a certain account.
 
-To get started quickly, run `hledger add` and follow the prompts to enter
-some transactions.  Or, save this
+To create an initial journal, run `hledger add` and follow the prompts to
+enter some transactions.  Or, save this
 [sample file](http://joyful.com/repos/hledger/data/sample.journal) as
 `.hledger.journal` in your home directory. Now try commands like these:
 
     $ hledger                               # show available commands
-    $ hledger add                           # add some new transactions to the journal file
+    $ hledger add                           # add more transactions to the journal file
     $ hledger balance                       # all accounts with aggregated balances
     $ hledger balance --help                # show help for balance command
     $ hledger balance --depth 1             # only top-level accounts

hledger-lib/Hledger/Read.hs

@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ module Hledger.Read (
        myTimelog,
        someamount,
        journalenvvar,
-       journaldefaultfilename
+       journaldefaultfilename,
+       requireJournalFile,
+       ensureJournalFile,
 )
 where
 import Control.Monad.Error
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ import Data.List
 import Safe (headDef)
 import System.Directory (doesFileExist, getHomeDirectory)
 import System.Environment (getEnv)
+import System.Exit (exitFailure)
 import System.FilePath ((</>))
 import System.IO (IOMode(..), withFile, stderr)
 import Test.HUnit
@@ -36,8 +39,8 @@ import Hledger.Data.Journal (nullctx)
 import Hledger.Read.JournalReader as JournalReader
 import Hledger.Read.TimelogReader as TimelogReader
 import Hledger.Utils
-import Prelude hiding (getContents)
-import Hledger.Utils.UTF8 (getContents, hGetContents)
+import Prelude hiding (getContents, writeFile)
+import Hledger.Utils.UTF8 (getContents, hGetContents, writeFile)
 
 
 journalenvvar           = "LEDGER_FILE"
@@ -91,21 +94,30 @@ journalFromPathAndString format fp s = do
 readJournalFile :: Maybe String -> FilePath -> IO (Either String Journal)
 readJournalFile format "-" = getContents >>= journalFromPathAndString format "(stdin)"
 readJournalFile format f = do
-  ensureJournalFile f
+  requireJournalFile f
   withFile f ReadMode $ \h -> hGetContents h >>= journalFromPathAndString format f
 
--- | Ensure there is a journal at the given file path, creating an empty one if needed.
+-- | If the specified journal file does not exist, give a helpful error and quit.
+requireJournalFile :: FilePath -> IO ()
+requireJournalFile f = do
+  exists <- doesFileExist f
+  when (not exists) $ do
+    hPrintf stderr "The hledger journal file \"%s\" was not found.\n" f
+    hPrintf stderr "Please create it first, eg with hledger add, hledger web, or a text editor.\n"
+    hPrintf stderr "Or, specify an existing journal file with -f or LEDGER_FILE.\n"
+    exitFailure
+
+-- | Ensure there is a journal file at the given path, creating an empty one if needed.
 ensureJournalFile :: FilePath -> IO ()
 ensureJournalFile f = do
   exists <- doesFileExist f
   when (not exists) $ do
-    hPrintf stderr "No journal file \"%s\", creating it.\n" f
-    hPrintf stderr "Edit this file or use \"hledger add\" or \"hledger web\" to add transactions.\n"
-    emptyJournal >>= writeFile f
+    hPrintf stderr "Creating hledger journal file \"%s\".\n" f
+    newJournalContent >>= writeFile f
 
 -- | Give the content for a new auto-created journal file.
-emptyJournal :: IO String
-emptyJournal = do
+newJournalContent :: IO String
+newJournalContent = do
   d <- getCurrentDay
   return $ printf "; journal created %s by hledger\n\n" (show d)
 

hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Handlers.hs

@@ -515,7 +515,8 @@ handleAdd = do
 
    Right t -> do
     let t' = txnTieKnot t -- XXX move into balanceTransaction
-    liftIO $ appendToJournalFile journalpath $ showTransaction t'
+    liftIO $ do ensureJournalFile journalpath
+                appendToJournalFile journalpath $ showTransaction t'
     -- setMessage $ toHtml $ (printf "Added transaction:\n%s" (show t') :: String)
     setMessage [$hamlet|<span>Added transaction:<small><pre>#{chomp $ show t'}</pre></small>|]
     redirectParams RedirectTemporary RegisterR [("add","1")]

hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import System.Exit
 import System.Process
 import Text.Printf
 
+import Hledger (ensureJournalFile)
 import Hledger.Cli.Add
 import Hledger.Cli.Balance
 import Hledger.Cli.Convert
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ main = do
        | "version" `in_` (rawopts_ opts)                 = putStrLn progversion
        | "binary-filename" `in_` (rawopts_ opts)         = putStrLn $ binaryfilename progname
        | null cmd                                        = putStr $ showModeHelp mainmode'
-       | cmd `isPrefixOf` "add"                          = showModeHelpOr addmode      $ withJournalDo opts add
+       | cmd `isPrefixOf` "add"                          = showModeHelpOr addmode      $ journalFilePathFromOpts opts >>= ensureJournalFile >> withJournalDo opts add
        | cmd `isPrefixOf` "convert"                      = showModeHelpOr convertmode  $ convert opts
        | cmd `isPrefixOf` "test"                         = showModeHelpOr testmode     $ runtests opts
        | any (cmd `isPrefixOf`) ["accounts","balance"]   = showModeHelpOr accountsmode $ withJournalDo opts balance

tests/no-such-file.test

@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 
  rm -f $$; bin/hledger register -f $$; rm -f $$
 >>>
->>>2 /No journal file.*creating it/
+>>>2 /journal file.*not found/
 >>>=0
 
  rm -f $$; bin/hledger balance --no-total -f $$; rm -f $$
 >>>
->>>2 /No journal file.*creating it/
+>>>2 /journal file.*not found/
 >>>=0