diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -9,6 +9,55 @@
 Internal/api/developer-ish changes in the hledger-lib (and hledger) packages.
 For user-visible changes, see the hledger package changelog.
 
+# 1.27 2022-09-01
+
+Breaking changes
+
+- Support for GHC 8.6 and 8.8 has been dropped.
+  hledger now requires GHC 8.10 or newer.
+
+- Hledger.Data.Amount: `amount` has been dropped; use `nullamt` instead.
+
+- journal*AccountQuery functions have been dropped; use a type: query instead.
+  cbcsubreportquery no longer takes Journal as an argument.
+  (#1921)
+
+Misc. changes
+
+- Hledger.Utils.Debug now re-exports Debug.Breakpoint from the
+  breakpoint library, so that breakpoint's helpers can be used easily
+  during development.
+
+- Hledger.Utils.Debug:
+  dlog has been replaced by more reliable functions for debug-logging
+  to a file (useful for debugging TUI apps like hledger-ui):
+
+  dlogTrace
+  dlogTraceAt
+  dlogAt
+  dlog0
+  dlog1
+  dlog2
+  dlog3
+  dlog4
+  dlog5
+  dlog6
+  dlog7
+  dlog8
+  dlog9
+
+- Hledger.Utils.Debug: pprint' and pshow' have been added,
+  forcing monochrome output.
+
+- Hledger.Utils.String: add quoteForCommandLine
+
+- Hledger.Data.Errors: export makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt
+
+- Hledger.Utils.Parse: export HledgerParseErrors
+
+- Debug logging from journalFilePath and the include directive will
+  now show "(unknown)" instead of an empty string.
+
 # 1.26.1 2022-07-11
 
 - require safe 0.3.19+ to avoid deprecation warning
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Account.hs b/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
@@ -104,10 +104,10 @@
 accountTree rootname as = nullacct{aname=rootname, asubs=map (uncurry accountTree') $ M.assocs m }
   where
     T m = treeFromPaths $ map expandAccountName as :: FastTree AccountName
-    accountTree' a (T m) =
+    accountTree' a (T m') =
       nullacct{
         aname=a
-       ,asubs=map (uncurry accountTree') $ M.assocs m
+       ,asubs=map (uncurry accountTree') $ M.assocs m'
        }
 
 -- | An efficient-to-build tree suggested by Cale Gibbard, probably
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@
 -- tree's structure remains intact and can still be used. It's a tree/list!
 flattenAccounts :: Account -> [Account]
 flattenAccounts a = squish a []
-  where squish a as = a : Prelude.foldr squish as (asubs a)
+  where squish a' as = a' : Prelude.foldr squish as (asubs a')
 
 -- | Filter an account tree (to a list).
 filterAccounts :: (Account -> Bool) -> Account -> [Account]
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/AccountName.hs b/Hledger/Data/AccountName.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/AccountName.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/AccountName.hs
@@ -177,12 +177,12 @@
 -- Or, return any error arising from a bad regular expression in the aliases.
 accountNameApplyAliases :: [AccountAlias] -> AccountName -> Either RegexError AccountName
 accountNameApplyAliases aliases a =
-  let (aname,atype) = (accountNameWithoutPostingType a, accountNamePostingType a)
+  let (name,typ) = (accountNameWithoutPostingType a, accountNamePostingType a)
   in foldM
      (\acct alias -> dbg6 "result" $ aliasReplace (dbg6 "alias" alias) (dbg6 "account" acct))
-     aname
+     name
      aliases
-     >>= Right . accountNameWithPostingType atype
+     >>= Right . accountNameWithPostingType typ
 
 -- | Memoising version of accountNameApplyAliases, maybe overkill.
 accountNameApplyAliasesMemo :: [AccountAlias] -> AccountName -> Either RegexError AccountName
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
 parentAccountNames a = parentAccountNames' $ parentAccountName a
     where
       parentAccountNames' "" = []
-      parentAccountNames' a = a : parentAccountNames' (parentAccountName a)
+      parentAccountNames' a2 = a2 : parentAccountNames' (parentAccountName a2)
 
 -- | Is the first account a parent or other ancestor of (and not the same as) the second ?
 isAccountNamePrefixOf :: AccountName -> AccountName -> Bool
@@ -296,9 +296,9 @@
     fitText Nothing (Just width) True False $ accountNameFromComponents $ elideparts width [] $ accountNameComponents s
       where
         elideparts :: Int -> [Text] -> [Text] -> [Text]
-        elideparts width done ss
-          | realLength (accountNameFromComponents $ done++ss) <= width = done++ss
-          | length ss > 1 = elideparts width (done++[textTakeWidth 2 $ head ss]) (tail ss)
+        elideparts w done ss
+          | realLength (accountNameFromComponents $ done++ss) <= w = done++ss
+          | length ss > 1 = elideparts w (done++[textTakeWidth 2 $ head ss]) (tail ss)
           | otherwise = done++ss
 
 -- | Keep only the first n components of an account name, where n
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs b/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Amount.hs
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@
   isNonsimpleCommodityChar,
   quoteCommoditySymbolIfNeeded,
   -- * Amount
-  amount,
   nullamt,
   missingamt,
   num,
@@ -256,22 +255,22 @@
     (*)                          = similarAmountsOp (*)
 
 -- | The empty simple amount.
-amount, nullamt :: Amount
-amount = Amount{acommodity="", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=amountstyle}
-nullamt = amount
+nullamt :: Amount
+nullamt = Amount{acommodity="", aquantity=0, aprice=Nothing, astyle=amountstyle}
 
 -- | A temporary value for parsed transactions which had no amount specified.
 missingamt :: Amount
-missingamt = amount{acommodity="AUTO"}
+missingamt = nullamt{acommodity="AUTO"}
 
 -- Handy amount constructors for tests.
 -- usd/eur/gbp round their argument to a whole number of pennies/cents.
-num n = amount{acommodity="",  aquantity=n}
-hrs n = amount{acommodity="h", aquantity=n,           astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2, ascommodityside=R}}
-usd n = amount{acommodity="$", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
-eur n = amount{acommodity="€", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
-gbp n = amount{acommodity="£", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
-per n = amount{acommodity="%", aquantity=n,           astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 1, ascommodityside=R, ascommodityspaced=True}}
+-- XXX these are a bit clashy
+num n = nullamt{acommodity="",  aquantity=n}
+hrs n = nullamt{acommodity="h", aquantity=n,           astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2, ascommodityside=R}}
+usd n = nullamt{acommodity="$", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
+eur n = nullamt{acommodity="€", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
+gbp n = nullamt{acommodity="£", aquantity=roundTo 2 n, astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 2}}
+per n = nullamt{acommodity="%", aquantity=n,           astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 1, ascommodityside=R, ascommodityspaced=True}}
 amt `at` priceamt = amt{aprice=Just $ UnitPrice priceamt}
 amt @@ priceamt = amt{aprice=Just $ TotalPrice priceamt}
 
@@ -286,7 +285,7 @@
 similarAmountsOp op Amount{acommodity=_,  aquantity=q1, astyle=AmountStyle{asprecision=p1}}
                     Amount{acommodity=c2, aquantity=q2, astyle=s2@AmountStyle{asprecision=p2}} =
    -- trace ("a1:"++showAmountDebug a1) $ trace ("a2:"++showAmountDebug a2) $ traceWith (("= :"++).showAmountDebug)
-   amount{acommodity=c2, aquantity=q1 `op` q2, astyle=s2{asprecision=max p1 p2}}
+   nullamt{acommodity=c2, aquantity=q1 `op` q2, astyle=s2{asprecision=max p1 p2}}
   --  c1==c2 || q1==0 || q2==0 =
   --  otherwise = error "tried to do simple arithmetic with amounts in different commodities"
 
@@ -314,8 +313,8 @@
 transformAmount :: (Quantity -> Quantity) -> Amount -> Amount
 transformAmount f a@Amount{aquantity=q,aprice=p} = a{aquantity=f q, aprice=f' <$> p}
   where
-    f' (TotalPrice a@Amount{aquantity=pq}) = TotalPrice a{aquantity = f pq}
-    f' p = p
+    f' (TotalPrice a1@Amount{aquantity=pq}) = TotalPrice a1{aquantity = f pq}
+    f' p' = p'
 
 -- | Divide an amount's quantity (and its total price, if it has one) by a constant.
 divideAmount :: Quantity -> Amount -> Amount
@@ -522,15 +521,15 @@
 applyDigitGroupStyle :: Maybe DigitGroupStyle -> Int -> T.Text -> WideBuilder
 applyDigitGroupStyle Nothing                       l s = WideBuilder (TB.fromText s) l
 applyDigitGroupStyle (Just (DigitGroups _ []))     l s = WideBuilder (TB.fromText s) l
-applyDigitGroupStyle (Just (DigitGroups c (g:gs))) l s = addseps (g:|gs) (toInteger l) s
+applyDigitGroupStyle (Just (DigitGroups c (g0:gs0))) l0 s0 = addseps (g0:|gs0) (toInteger l0) s0
   where
-    addseps (g:|gs) l s
-        | l' > 0    = addseps gs' l' rest <> WideBuilder (TB.singleton c <> TB.fromText part) (fromIntegral g + 1)
-        | otherwise = WideBuilder (TB.fromText s) (fromInteger l)
+    addseps (g1:|gs1) l1 s1
+        | l2 > 0    = addseps gs2 l2 rest <> WideBuilder (TB.singleton c <> TB.fromText part) (fromIntegral g1 + 1)
+        | otherwise = WideBuilder (TB.fromText s1) (fromInteger l1)
       where
-        (rest, part) = T.splitAt (fromInteger l') s
-        gs' = fromMaybe (g:|[]) $ nonEmpty gs
-        l' = l - toInteger g
+        (rest, part) = T.splitAt (fromInteger l2) s1
+        gs2 = fromMaybe (g1:|[]) $ nonEmpty gs1
+        l2 = l1 - toInteger g1
 
 -- like journalCanonicaliseAmounts
 -- | Canonicalise an amount's display style using the provided commodity style map.
@@ -702,11 +701,11 @@
 unifyMixedAmount :: MixedAmount -> Maybe Amount
 unifyMixedAmount = foldM combine 0 . amounts
   where
-    combine amount result
-      | amountIsZero amount                    = Just result
-      | amountIsZero result                    = Just amount
-      | acommodity amount == acommodity result = Just $ amount + result
-      | otherwise                              = Nothing
+    combine amt result
+      | amountIsZero amt                    = Just result
+      | amountIsZero result                 = Just amt
+      | acommodity amt == acommodity result = Just $ amt + result
+      | otherwise                           = Nothing
 
 -- | Sum same-commodity amounts in a lossy way, applying the first
 -- price to the result and discarding any other prices. Only used as a
@@ -839,10 +838,10 @@
 showMixedAmountB :: AmountDisplayOpts -> MixedAmount -> WideBuilder
 showMixedAmountB opts ma
     | displayOneLine opts = showMixedAmountOneLineB opts ma
-    | otherwise           = WideBuilder (wbBuilder . mconcat $ intersperse sep lines) width
+    | otherwise           = WideBuilder (wbBuilder . mconcat $ intersperse sep ls) width
   where
-    lines = showMixedAmountLinesB opts ma
-    width = headDef 0 $ map wbWidth lines
+    ls = showMixedAmountLinesB opts ma
+    width = headDef 0 $ map wbWidth ls
     sep = WideBuilder (TB.singleton '\n') 0
 
 -- | Helper for showMixedAmountB to show a list of Amounts on multiple lines. This returns
@@ -900,7 +899,7 @@
     dropWhileRev p = foldr (\x xs -> if null xs && p x then [] else x:xs) []
 
     -- Add the elision strings (if any) to each amount
-    withElided = zipWith (\num amt -> (amt, elisionDisplay Nothing (wbWidth sep) num amt)) [n-1,n-2..0]
+    withElided = zipWith (\n2 amt -> (amt, elisionDisplay Nothing (wbWidth sep) n2 amt)) [n-1,n-2..0]
 
 orderedAmounts :: AmountDisplayOpts -> MixedAmount -> [Amount]
 orderedAmounts dopts = maybe id (mapM pad) (displayOrder dopts) . amounts
@@ -981,7 +980,7 @@
        amountCost (eur (-1)){aprice=Just $ TotalPrice $ usd (-2)} @?= usd (-2)
 
     ,testCase "amountLooksZero" $ do
-       assertBool "" $ amountLooksZero amount
+       assertBool "" $ amountLooksZero nullamt
        assertBool "" $ amountLooksZero $ usd 0
 
     ,testCase "negating amounts" $ do
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Balancing.hs b/Hledger/Data/Balancing.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Balancing.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Balancing.hs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 , isTransactionBalanced
 , balanceTransaction
 , balanceTransactionHelper
-, annotateErrorWithTransaction
   -- * journal balancing
 , journalBalanceTransactions
 , journalCheckBalanceAssertions
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@
 import Data.Function ((&))
 import qualified Data.HashTable.Class as H (toList)
 import qualified Data.HashTable.ST.Cuckoo as H
-import Data.List (intercalate, partition, sortOn)
+import Data.List (partition, sortOn)
 import Data.List.Extra (nubSort)
 import Data.Maybe (fromJust, fromMaybe, isJust, isNothing, mapMaybe)
 import qualified Data.Set as S
@@ -50,10 +49,10 @@
 import Hledger.Data.Types
 import Hledger.Data.AccountName (isAccountNamePrefixOf)
 import Hledger.Data.Amount
-import Hledger.Data.Dates (showDate)
 import Hledger.Data.Journal
 import Hledger.Data.Posting
 import Hledger.Data.Transaction
+import Hledger.Data.Errors
 
 
 data BalancingOpts = BalancingOpts
@@ -98,16 +97,18 @@
 
     -- check for mixed signs, detecting nonzeros at display precision
     canonicalise = maybe id canonicaliseMixedAmount commodity_styles_
+    postingBalancingAmount p
+      | "_price-matched" `elem` map fst (ptags p) = mixedAmountStripPrices $ pamount p
+      | otherwise                                 = mixedAmountCost $ pamount p
     signsOk ps =
-      case filter (not.mixedAmountLooksZero) $ map (canonicalise.mixedAmountCost.pamount) ps of
+      case filter (not.mixedAmountLooksZero) $ map (canonicalise.postingBalancingAmount) ps of
         nonzeros | length nonzeros >= 2
                    -> length (nubSort $ mapMaybe isNegativeMixedAmount nonzeros) > 1
         _          -> True
     (rsignsok, bvsignsok)       = (signsOk rps, signsOk bvps)
 
     -- check for zero sum, at display precision
-    (rsum, bvsum)               = (sumPostings rps, sumPostings bvps)
-    (rsumcost, bvsumcost)       = (mixedAmountCost rsum, mixedAmountCost bvsum)
+    (rsumcost, bvsumcost)       = (foldMap postingBalancingAmount rps, foldMap postingBalancingAmount bvps)
     (rsumdisplay, bvsumdisplay) = (canonicalise rsumcost, canonicalise bvsumcost)
     (rsumok, bvsumok)           = (mixedAmountLooksZero rsumdisplay, mixedAmountLooksZero bvsumdisplay)
 
@@ -116,12 +117,12 @@
       where
         rmsg
           | rsumok        = ""
-          | not rsignsok  = "real postings all have the same sign"
-          | otherwise     = "real postings' sum should be 0 but is: " ++ showMixedAmount rsumcost
+          | not rsignsok  = "The real postings all have the same sign. Consider negating some of them."
+          | otherwise     = "The real postings' sum should be 0 but is: " ++ showMixedAmountOneLine rsumcost
         bvmsg
           | bvsumok       = ""
-          | not bvsignsok = "balanced virtual postings all have the same sign"
-          | otherwise     = "balanced virtual postings' sum should be 0 but is: " ++ showMixedAmount bvsumcost
+          | not bvsignsok = "The balanced virtual postings all have the same sign. Consider negating some of them."
+          | otherwise     = "The balanced virtual postings' sum should be 0 but is: " ++ showMixedAmountOneLine bvsumcost
 
 -- | Legacy form of transactionCheckBalanced.
 isTransactionBalanced :: BalancingOpts -> Transaction -> Bool
@@ -158,20 +159,42 @@
     if infer_transaction_prices_ bopts then inferBalancingPrices t else t
   case transactionCheckBalanced bopts t' of
     []   -> Right (txnTieKnot t', inferredamtsandaccts)
-    errs -> Left $ transactionBalanceError t' errs
+    errs -> Left $ transactionBalanceError t' errs'
+      where
+        ismulticommodity = (length $ transactionCommodities t') > 1
+        errs' =
+          [ "Automatic commodity conversion is not enabled."
+          | ismulticommodity && not (infer_transaction_prices_ bopts)
+          ] ++
+          errs ++
+          if ismulticommodity
+          then
+          [ "Consider adjusting this entry's amounts, adding missing postings,"
+          , "or recording conversion price(s) with @, @@ or equity postings." 
+          ]
+          else
+          [ "Consider adjusting this entry's amounts, or adding missing postings."
+          ]
 
+transactionCommodities :: Transaction -> S.Set CommoditySymbol
+transactionCommodities t = mconcat $ map (maCommodities . pamount) $ tpostings t
+
 -- | Generate a transaction balancing error message, given the transaction
 -- and one or more suberror messages.
 transactionBalanceError :: Transaction -> [String] -> String
-transactionBalanceError t errs =
-  annotateErrorWithTransaction t $
-  intercalate "\n" $ "could not balance this transaction:" : errs
-
-annotateErrorWithTransaction :: Transaction -> String -> String
-annotateErrorWithTransaction t s =
-  unlines [ sourcePosPairPretty $ tsourcepos t, s
-          , T.unpack . T.stripEnd $ showTransaction t
-          ]
+transactionBalanceError t errs = printf "%s:\n%s\n\nThis %stransaction is unbalanced.\n%s"
+  (sourcePosPairPretty $ tsourcepos t)
+  (textChomp ex)
+  (if ismulticommodity then "multi-commodity " else "" :: String)
+  (chomp $ unlines errs)
+  where
+    ismulticommodity = (length $ transactionCommodities t) > 1
+    (_f,_l,_mcols,ex) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
+      where
+        finderrcols _ = Nothing
+        -- finderrcols t = Just (1, Just w)
+        --   where
+        --     w = maximumDef 1 $ map T.length $ T.lines $ showTransaction t
 
 -- | Infer up to one missing amount for this transactions's real postings, and
 -- likewise for its balanced virtual postings, if needed; or return an error
@@ -188,12 +211,12 @@
 inferBalancingAmount styles t@Transaction{tpostings=ps}
   | length amountlessrealps > 1
       = Left $ transactionBalanceError t
-        ["can't have more than one real posting with no amount"
-        ,"(remember to put two or more spaces between account and amount)"]
+        ["There can't be more than one real posting with no amount."
+        ,"(Remember to put two or more spaces between account and amount.)"]
   | length amountlessbvps > 1
       = Left $ transactionBalanceError t
-        ["can't have more than one balanced virtual posting with no amount"
-        ,"(remember to put two or more spaces between account and amount)"]
+        ["There can't be more than one balanced virtual posting with no amount."
+        ,"(Remember to put two or more spaces between account and amount.)"]
   | otherwise
       = let psandinferredamts = map inferamount ps
             inferredacctsandamts = [(paccount p, amt) | (p, Just amt) <- psandinferredamts]
@@ -292,11 +315,11 @@
     -- For each posting, if the posting type matches, there is only a single amount in the posting,
     -- and the commodity of the amount matches the amount we're converting from,
     -- then set its price based on the ratio between fromamount and toamount.
-    inferprice (fromamount, toamount) posting
-        | [a] <- amounts (pamount posting), ptype posting == pt, acommodity a == acommodity fromamount
-            = posting{ pamount   = mixedAmount a{aprice=Just conversionprice}
-                     , poriginal = Just $ originalPosting posting }
-        | otherwise = posting
+    inferprice (fromamount, toamount) p
+        | [a] <- amounts (pamount p), ptype p == pt, acommodity a == acommodity fromamount
+            = p{ pamount   = mixedAmount a{aprice=Just conversionprice}
+                     , poriginal = Just $ originalPosting p }
+        | otherwise = p
       where
         -- If only one Amount in the posting list matches fromamount we can use TotalPrice.
         -- Otherwise divide the conversion equally among the Amounts by using a unit price.
@@ -550,6 +573,7 @@
 checkBalanceAssertionOneCommodityB :: Posting -> Amount -> MixedAmount -> Balancing s ()
 checkBalanceAssertionOneCommodityB p@Posting{paccount=assertedacct} assertedamt actualbal = do
   let isinclusive = maybe False bainclusive $ pbalanceassertion p
+  let istotal     = maybe False batotal     $ pbalanceassertion p
   actualbal' <-
     if isinclusive
     then
@@ -571,38 +595,40 @@
       aquantity
         -- traceWith (("actual:"++).showAmountDebug)
         actualbalincomm
-
-    errmsg = printf (unlines
-                  [ "balance assertion: %s",
-                    "\nassertion details:",
-                    "date:       %s",
-                    "account:    %s%s",
-                    "commodity:  %s",
-                    -- "display precision:  %d",
-                    "calculated: %s", -- (at display precision: %s)",
-                    "asserted:   %s", -- (at display precision: %s)",
-                    "difference: %s"
-                  ])
-      (case ptransaction p of
-         Nothing -> "?" -- shouldn't happen
-         Just t ->  printf "%s\ntransaction:\n%s"
-                      (sourcePosPretty pos)
-                      (textChomp $ showTransaction t)
-                      :: String
-                      where
-                        pos = baposition $ fromJust $ pbalanceassertion p
-      )
-      (showDate $ postingDate p)
-      (T.unpack $ paccount p) -- XXX pack
-      (if isinclusive then " (and subs)" else "" :: String)
-      assertedcomm
+    errmsg = chomp $ printf (unlines
+      [ "%s:",
+        "%s\n",
+        "This balance assertion failed.",
+        -- "date:       %s",
+        "In account:    %s",
+        "and commodity: %s",
+        -- "display precision:  %d",
+        "this balance was asserted:     %s", -- (at display precision: %s)",
+        "but the calculated balance is: %s", -- (at display precision: %s)",
+        "a difference of:               %s",
+        "",
+        "Consider viewing this account's calculated balances to troubleshoot. Eg:",
+        "",
+        "hledger reg '%s'%s -I  # -f FILE"
+      ])
+      (sourcePosPretty pos)
+      (textChomp ex)
+      -- (showDate $ postingDate p)
+      (if isinclusive then printf "%-30s  (including subaccounts)" acct else acct)
+      (if istotal     then printf "%-30s  (no other commodities allowed)" (T.unpack assertedcomm) else (T.unpack assertedcomm))
       -- (asprecision $ astyle actualbalincommodity)  -- should be the standard display precision I think
-      (show $ aquantity actualbalincomm)
-      -- (showAmount actualbalincommodity)
       (show $ aquantity assertedamt)
       -- (showAmount assertedamt)
+      (show $ aquantity actualbalincomm)
+      -- (showAmount actualbalincommodity)
       (show $ aquantity assertedamt - aquantity actualbalincomm)
-
+      (acct ++ if isinclusive then "" else "$")
+      (if istotal then "" else (" cur:" ++ quoteForCommandLine (T.unpack assertedcomm)))
+      where
+        acct = T.unpack $ paccount p
+        ass = fromJust $ pbalanceassertion p  -- PARTIAL: fromJust won't fail, there is a balance assertion
+        pos = baposition ass
+        (_,_,_,ex) = makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt p
   unless pass $ throwError errmsg
 
 -- | Throw an error if this posting is trying to do an illegal balance assignment.
@@ -619,7 +645,7 @@
 checkBalanceAssignmentPostingDateB p =
   when (hasBalanceAssignment p && isJust (pdate p)) $
     throwError $ chomp $ unlines [
-       "can't use balance assignment with custom posting date"
+       "Balance assignments and custom posting dates may not be combined."
       ,""
       ,chomp1 $ T.unpack $ maybe (T.unlines $ showPostingLines p) showTransaction $ ptransaction p
       ,"Balance assignments may not be used on postings with a custom posting date"
@@ -635,7 +661,7 @@
   unassignable <- R.asks bsUnassignable
   when (hasBalanceAssignment p && paccount p `S.member` unassignable) $
     throwError $ chomp $ unlines [
-       "can't use balance assignment with auto postings"
+       "Balance assignments and auto postings may not be combined."
       ,""
       ,chomp1 $ T.unpack $ maybe (T.unlines $ showPostingLines p) (showTransaction) $ ptransaction p
       ,"Balance assignments may not be used on accounts affected by auto posting rules"
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs b/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Dates.hs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE NoMonoLocalBinds    #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings   #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE TupleSections       #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies        #-}
 {-|
 
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@
   daysInSpan,
 
   tests_Dates
-)
+, intervalStartBefore)
 where
 
 import qualified Control.Monad.Fail as Fail (MonadFail, fail)
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@
 import Text.Megaparsec
 import Text.Megaparsec.Char (char, char', digitChar, string, string')
 import Text.Megaparsec.Char.Lexer (decimal, signed)
-import Text.Megaparsec.Custom (customErrorBundlePretty, HledgerParseErrors)
+import Text.Megaparsec.Custom (customErrorBundlePretty)
 import Text.Printf (printf)
 
 import Hledger.Data.Types
@@ -348,9 +347,9 @@
 latestSpanContaining datespans = go
   where
     go day = do
-        span <- Set.lookupLT supSpan spanSet
-        guard $ spanContainsDate span day
-        return span
+        spn <- Set.lookupLT supSpan spanSet
+        guard $ spanContainsDate spn day
+        return spn
       where
         -- The smallest DateSpan larger than any DateSpan containing day.
         supSpan = DateSpan (Just $ addDays 1 day) Nothing
@@ -387,18 +386,19 @@
 spanFromSmartDate refdate sdate = DateSpan (Just b) (Just e)
     where
       (ry,rm,_) = toGregorian refdate
-      (b,e) = span sdate
-      span :: SmartDate -> (Day,Day)
-      span (SmartCompleteDate day)       = (day, nextday day)
-      span (SmartAssumeStart y Nothing)  = (startofyear day, nextyear day) where day = fromGregorian y 1 1
-      span (SmartAssumeStart y (Just m)) = (startofmonth day, nextmonth day) where day = fromGregorian y m 1
-      span (SmartFromReference m d)      = (day, nextday day) where day = fromGregorian ry (fromMaybe rm m) d
-      span (SmartMonth m)                = (startofmonth day, nextmonth day) where day = fromGregorian ry m 1
-      span (SmartRelative n Day)         = (addDays n refdate, addDays (n+1) refdate)
-      span (SmartRelative n Week)        = (addDays (7*n) d, addDays (7*n+7) d) where d = thisweek refdate
-      span (SmartRelative n Month)       = (addGregorianMonthsClip n d, addGregorianMonthsClip (n+1) d) where d = thismonth refdate
-      span (SmartRelative n Quarter)     = (addGregorianMonthsClip (3*n) d, addGregorianMonthsClip (3*n+3) d) where d = thisquarter refdate
-      span (SmartRelative n Year)        = (addGregorianYearsClip n d, addGregorianYearsClip (n+1) d) where d = thisyear refdate
+      (b,e) = span' sdate
+        where
+          span' :: SmartDate -> (Day,Day)
+          span' (SmartCompleteDate day)       = (day, nextday day)
+          span' (SmartAssumeStart y Nothing)  = (startofyear day, nextyear day) where day = fromGregorian y 1 1
+          span' (SmartAssumeStart y (Just m)) = (startofmonth day, nextmonth day) where day = fromGregorian y m 1
+          span' (SmartFromReference m d)      = (day, nextday day) where day = fromGregorian ry (fromMaybe rm m) d
+          span' (SmartMonth m)                = (startofmonth day, nextmonth day) where day = fromGregorian ry m 1
+          span' (SmartRelative n Day)         = (addDays n refdate, addDays (n+1) refdate)
+          span' (SmartRelative n Week)        = (addDays (7*n) d, addDays (7*n+7) d) where d = thisweek refdate
+          span' (SmartRelative n Month)       = (addGregorianMonthsClip n d, addGregorianMonthsClip (n+1) d) where d = thismonth refdate
+          span' (SmartRelative n Quarter)     = (addGregorianMonthsClip (3*n) d, addGregorianMonthsClip (3*n+3) d) where d = thisquarter refdate
+          span' (SmartRelative n Year)        = (addGregorianYearsClip n d, addGregorianYearsClip (n+1) d) where d = thisyear refdate
 
 -- showDay :: Day -> String
 -- showDay day = printf "%04d/%02d/%02d" y m d where (y,m,d) = toGregorian day
@@ -541,13 +541,20 @@
 startofquarter day = fromGregorian y (firstmonthofquarter m) 1
     where
       (y,m,_) = toGregorian day
-      firstmonthofquarter m = ((m-1) `div` 3) * 3 + 1
+      firstmonthofquarter m2 = ((m2-1) `div` 3) * 3 + 1
 
 thisyear = startofyear
 prevyear = startofyear . addGregorianYearsClip (-1)
 nextyear = startofyear . addGregorianYearsClip 1
 startofyear day = fromGregorian y 1 1 where (y,_,_) = toGregorian day
 
+-- Get the natural start for the given interval that falls on or before the given day.
+intervalStartBefore :: Interval -> Day -> Day
+intervalStartBefore int d =
+  case splitSpan int (DateSpan (Just d) (Just $ addDays 1 d)) of
+    (DateSpan (Just start) _:_) -> start
+    _ -> d
+
 -- | For given date d find year-long interval that starts on given
 -- MM/DD of year and covers it.
 -- The given MM and DD should be basically valid (1-12 & 1-31),
@@ -570,14 +577,14 @@
 -- >>> nthdayofyearcontaining 1 1 wed22nd
 -- 2017-01-01
 nthdayofyearcontaining :: Month -> MonthDay -> Day -> Day
-nthdayofyearcontaining m md date
+nthdayofyearcontaining m mdy date
   -- PARTIAL:
   | not (validMonth m)  = error' $ "nthdayofyearcontaining: invalid month "++show m
-  | not (validDay   md) = error' $ "nthdayofyearcontaining: invalid day "  ++show md
+  | not (validDay   mdy) = error' $ "nthdayofyearcontaining: invalid day "  ++show mdy
   | mmddOfSameYear <= date = mmddOfSameYear
   | otherwise = mmddOfPrevYear
-  where mmddOfSameYear = addDays (toInteger md-1) $ applyN (m-1) nextmonth s
-        mmddOfPrevYear = addDays (toInteger md-1) $ applyN (m-1) nextmonth $ prevyear s
+  where mmddOfSameYear = addDays (toInteger mdy-1) $ applyN (m-1) nextmonth s
+        mmddOfPrevYear = addDays (toInteger mdy-1) $ applyN (m-1) nextmonth $ prevyear s
         s = startofyear date
 
 -- | For given date d find month-long interval that starts on nth day of month
@@ -599,13 +606,13 @@
 -- >>> nthdayofmonthcontaining 30 wed22nd
 -- 2017-10-30
 nthdayofmonthcontaining :: MonthDay -> Day -> Day
-nthdayofmonthcontaining md date
+nthdayofmonthcontaining mdy date
   -- PARTIAL:
-  | not (validDay md) = error' $ "nthdayofmonthcontaining: invalid day "  ++show md
+  | not (validDay mdy) = error' $ "nthdayofmonthcontaining: invalid day "  ++show mdy
   | nthOfSameMonth <= date = nthOfSameMonth
   | otherwise = nthOfPrevMonth
-  where nthOfSameMonth = nthdayofmonth md s
-        nthOfPrevMonth = nthdayofmonth md $ prevmonth s
+  where nthOfSameMonth = nthdayofmonth mdy s
+        nthOfPrevMonth = nthdayofmonth mdy $ prevmonth s
         s = startofmonth date
 
 -- | For given date d find week-long interval that starts on nth day of week
@@ -800,8 +807,8 @@
 yyyymmdd = do
   y <- read <$> count 4 digitChar
   m <- read <$> count 2 digitChar
-  md <- optional $ read <$> count 2 digitChar
-  case md of
+  mdy <- optional $ read <$> count 2 digitChar
+  case mdy of
       Nothing -> failIfInvalidDate $ SmartAssumeStart y (Just m)
       Just d  -> maybe (Fail.fail $ showBadDate y m d) (return . SmartCompleteDate) $
                    fromGregorianValid y m d
@@ -1073,19 +1080,19 @@
             ]
 
   , testCase "match dayOfWeek" $ do
-      let dayofweek n s = splitspan (nthdayofweekcontaining n) (\w -> (if w == 0 then id else applyN (n-1) nextday . applyN (fromInteger w) nextweek)) 1 s
-          match ds day = splitSpan (DaysOfWeek [day]) ds @?= dayofweek day ds
+      let dayofweek n = splitspan (nthdayofweekcontaining n) (\w -> (if w == 0 then id else applyN (n-1) nextday . applyN (fromInteger w) nextweek)) 1
+          matchdow ds day = splitSpan (DaysOfWeek [day]) ds @?= dayofweek day ds
           ys2021 = fromGregorian 2021 01 01
           ye2021 = fromGregorian 2021 12 31
           ys2022 = fromGregorian 2022 01 01
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan (Just ys2021) (Just ye2021))) [1..7]
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan (Just ys2021) (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan (Just ye2021) (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan (Just ys2021) (Just ye2021))) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan (Just ys2021) (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan (Just ye2021) (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
 
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan (Just ye2021) Nothing)) [1..7]
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan (Just ys2022) Nothing)) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan (Just ye2021) Nothing)) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan (Just ys2022) Nothing)) [1..7]
 
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan Nothing (Just ye2021))) [1..7]
-      mapM_ (match (DateSpan Nothing (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan Nothing (Just ye2021))) [1..7]
+      mapM_ (matchdow (DateSpan Nothing (Just ys2022))) [1..7]
 
   ]
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Errors.hs b/Hledger/Data/Errors.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Errors.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Errors.hs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 module Hledger.Data.Errors (
   makeTransactionErrorExcerpt,
   makePostingErrorExcerpt,
+  makePostingAccountErrorExcerpt,
+  makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt,
   transactionFindPostingIndex,
 )
 where
@@ -19,6 +21,9 @@
 import Hledger.Data.Transaction (showTransaction)
 import Hledger.Data.Types
 import Hledger.Utils
+import Data.Maybe
+import Safe (headMay)
+import Hledger.Data.Posting (isVirtual)
 
 -- | Given a problem transaction and a function calculating the best
 -- column(s) for marking the error region:
@@ -26,6 +31,7 @@
 -- on the transaction line, and a column(s) marker.
 -- Returns the file path, line number, column(s) if known,
 -- and the rendered excerpt, or as much of these as is possible.
+-- A limitation: columns will be accurate for the rendered error message but not for the original journal data.
 makeTransactionErrorExcerpt :: Transaction -> (Transaction -> Maybe (Int, Maybe Int)) -> (FilePath, Int, Maybe (Int, Maybe Int), Text)
 makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t findtxnerrorcolumns = (f, tl, merrcols, ex)
   -- XXX findtxnerrorcolumns is awkward, I don't think this is the final form
@@ -58,6 +64,7 @@
 -- on the problem posting's line, and a column indicator.
 -- Returns the file path, line number, column(s) if known,
 -- and the rendered excerpt, or as much of these as is possible.
+-- A limitation: columns will be accurate for the rendered error message but not for the original journal data.
 makePostingErrorExcerpt :: Posting -> (Posting -> Transaction -> Text -> Maybe (Int, Maybe Int)) -> (FilePath, Int, Maybe (Int, Maybe Int), Text)
 makePostingErrorExcerpt p findpostingerrorcolumns =
   case ptransaction p of
@@ -97,4 +104,41 @@
 transactionFindPostingIndex :: (Posting -> Bool) -> Transaction -> Maybe Int
 transactionFindPostingIndex ppredicate = 
   fmap fst . find (ppredicate.snd) . zip [1..] . tpostings
+
+-- | From the given posting, make an error excerpt showing the transaction with
+-- this posting's account part highlighted.
+makePostingAccountErrorExcerpt :: Posting -> (FilePath, Int, Maybe (Int, Maybe Int), Text)
+makePostingAccountErrorExcerpt p = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
+  where
+    -- Calculate columns suitable for highlighting the synthetic excerpt.
+    finderrcols p' _ _ = Just (col, Just col2)
+      where
+        col = 5 + if isVirtual p' then 1 else 0
+        col2 = col + T.length (paccount p') - 1
+
+-- | From the given posting, make an error excerpt showing the transaction with
+-- the balance assertion highlighted.
+makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt :: Posting -> (FilePath, Int, Maybe (Int, Maybe Int), Text)
+makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt p = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
+  where
+    finderrcols p' t trendered = Just (col, Just col2)
+      where
+        -- Analyse the rendering to find the columns to highlight.
+        tlines = dbg5 "tlines" $ max 1 $ length $ T.lines $ tcomment t  -- transaction comment can generate extra lines
+        (col, col2) =
+          let def = (5, maximum (map T.length $ T.lines trendered))  -- fallback: underline whole posting. Shouldn't happen.
+          in
+            case transactionFindPostingIndex (==p') t of
+              Nothing  -> def
+              Just idx -> fromMaybe def $ do
+                let
+                  beforeps = take (idx-1) $ tpostings t
+                  beforepslines = dbg5 "beforepslines" $ sum $ map (max 1 . length . T.lines . pcomment) beforeps   -- posting comment can generate extra lines (assume only one commodity shown)
+                assertionline <- dbg5 "assertionline" $ headMay $ drop (tlines + beforepslines) $ T.lines trendered
+                let
+                  col2' = T.length assertionline
+                  l = dropWhile (/= '=') $ reverse $ T.unpack assertionline
+                  l' = dropWhile (`elem` ['=','*']) l
+                  col' = length l' + 1
+                return (col', col2')
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs b/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Journal.hs
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@
   journalCommodityStyles,
   journalToCost,
   journalAddInferredEquityPostings,
+  journalAddPricesFromEquity,
   journalReverse,
   journalSetLastReadTime,
+  journalRenumberAccountDeclarations,
   journalPivot,
   -- * Filtering
   filterJournalTransactions,
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@
   filterJournalAmounts,
   filterTransactionAmounts,
   filterTransactionPostings,
+  filterTransactionPostingsExtra,
   filterTransactionRelatedPostings,
   filterPostingAmount,
   -- * Mapping
@@ -83,24 +86,17 @@
   journalAddAccountTypes,
   journalPostingsAddAccountTags,
   -- journalPrices,
-  -- * Standard account types
-  journalBalanceSheetAccountQuery,
-  journalProfitAndLossAccountQuery,
-  journalRevenueAccountQuery,
-  journalExpenseAccountQuery,
-  journalAssetAccountQuery,
-  journalLiabilityAccountQuery,
-  journalEquityAccountQuery,
-  journalCashAccountQuery,
   journalConversionAccount,
   -- * Misc
   canonicalStyleFrom,
   nulljournal,
+  journalConcat,
   journalNumberTransactions,
   journalNumberAndTieTransactions,
   journalUntieTransactions,
   journalModifyTransactions,
   journalApplyAliases,
+  dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder,
   -- * Tests
   samplejournal,
   samplejournalMaybeExplicit,
@@ -115,7 +111,7 @@
 import Data.Char (toUpper, isDigit)
 import Data.Default (Default(..))
 import Data.Foldable (toList)
-import Data.List ((\\), find, foldl', sortBy, union)
+import Data.List ((\\), find, foldl', sortBy, union, intercalate)
 import Data.List.Extra (nubSort)
 import qualified Data.Map.Strict as M
 import Data.Maybe (catMaybes, fromMaybe, mapMaybe, maybeToList)
@@ -139,6 +135,7 @@
 import Hledger.Data.TransactionModifier
 import Hledger.Data.Valuation
 import Hledger.Query
+import System.FilePath (takeFileName)
 
 
 -- | A parser of text that runs in some monad, keeping a Journal as state.
@@ -186,9 +183,7 @@
 -- The semigroup instance for Journal is useful for two situations.
 --
 -- 1. concatenating finalised journals, eg with multiple -f options:
--- FIRST <> SECOND. The second's list fields are appended to the
--- first's, map fields are combined, transaction counts are summed,
--- the parse state of the second is kept.
+-- FIRST <> SECOND.
 --
 -- 2. merging a child parsed journal, eg with the include directive:
 -- CHILD <> PARENT. A parsed journal's data is in reverse order, so
@@ -196,8 +191,22 @@
 --
 -- Note that (<>) is right-biased, so nulljournal is only a left identity.
 -- In particular, this prevents Journal from being a monoid.
-instance Semigroup Journal where
-  j1 <> j2 = Journal {
+instance Semigroup Journal where j1 <> j2 = j1 `journalConcat` j2
+
+-- | Merge two journals into one.
+-- Transaction counts are summed, map fields are combined,
+-- the second's list fields are appended to the first's,
+-- the second's parse state is kept.
+journalConcat :: Journal -> Journal -> Journal
+journalConcat j1 j2 =
+  let
+    f1 = takeFileName $ journalFilePath j1
+    f2 = maybe "(unknown)" takeFileName $ headMay $ jincludefilestack j2  -- XXX more accurate than journalFilePath for some reason
+  in
+    dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("journalConcat: " <> f1 <> " <> " <> f2 <> ", acct decls renumbered: ") $
+    journalRenumberAccountDeclarations $
+    dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("journalConcat: " <> f1 <> " <> " <> f2 <> ", acct decls           : ") $
+    Journal {
      jparsedefaultyear          = jparsedefaultyear          j2
     ,jparsedefaultcommodity     = jparsedefaultcommodity     j2
     ,jparsedecimalmark          = jparsedecimalmark          j2
@@ -224,6 +233,34 @@
     ,jlastreadtime              = max (jlastreadtime j1) (jlastreadtime j2)
     }
 
+-- | Renumber all the account declarations. This is useful to call when
+-- finalising or concatenating Journals, to give account declarations
+-- a total order across files.
+journalRenumberAccountDeclarations :: Journal -> Journal
+journalRenumberAccountDeclarations j = j{jdeclaredaccounts=jdas'}
+  where
+    jdas' = [(a, adi{adideclarationorder=n}) | (n, (a,adi)) <- zip [1..] $ jdeclaredaccounts j]
+    -- the per-file declaration order saved during parsing is discarded,
+    -- it seems unneeded except perhaps for debugging
+
+-- | Debug log the ordering of a journal's account declarations
+-- (at debug level 5+).
+dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder :: String -> Journal -> Journal
+dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder prefix
+  | debugLevel >= 5 = traceWith ((prefix++) . showAcctDeclsSummary . jdeclaredaccounts)
+  | otherwise       = id
+  where
+    showAcctDeclsSummary :: [(AccountName,AccountDeclarationInfo)] -> String
+    showAcctDeclsSummary adis
+      | length adis < (2*n+2) = "[" <> showadis adis <> "]"
+      | otherwise =
+          "[" <> showadis (take n adis) <> " ... " <> showadis (takelast n adis) <> "]"
+      where
+        n = 3
+        showadis = intercalate ", " . map showadi
+        showadi (a,adi) = "("<>show (adideclarationorder adi)<>","<>T.unpack a<>")"
+        takelast n' = reverse . take n' . reverse
+
 instance Default Journal where
   def = nulljournal
 
@@ -262,7 +299,7 @@
 journalFilePaths = map fst . jfiles
 
 mainfile :: Journal -> (FilePath, Text)
-mainfile = headDef ("", "") . jfiles
+mainfile = headDef ("(unknown)", "") . jfiles
 
 addTransaction :: Transaction -> Journal -> Journal
 addTransaction t j = j { jtxns = t : jtxns j }
@@ -368,7 +405,7 @@
 -- | Which tags are in effect for this account, including tags inherited from parent accounts ?
 journalInheritedAccountTags :: Journal -> AccountName -> [Tag]
 journalInheritedAccountTags j a =
-  foldl' (\ts a -> ts `union` journalAccountTags j a) [] as
+  foldl' (\ts a' -> ts `union` journalAccountTags j a') [] as
   where
     as = a : parentAccountNames a
 -- PERF: cache in journal ?
@@ -428,111 +465,6 @@
 letterPairs (a:b:rest) = [a,b] : letterPairs (b:rest)
 letterPairs _ = []
 
--- Older account type code
-
--- queries for standard account types
-
--- | Get a query for accounts of the specified types in this journal. 
--- Account types include:
--- Asset, Liability, Equity, Revenue, Expense, Cash, Conversion.
--- For each type, if no accounts were declared with this type, the query 
--- will instead match accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive 
--- regular expression provided as a fallback.
--- The query will match all accounts which were declared as one of
--- these types (by account directives with the type: tag), plus all their 
--- subaccounts which have not been declared as some other type.
---
--- This is older code pre-dating 2022's expansion of account types.
-journalAccountTypeQuery :: [AccountType] -> Regexp -> Journal -> Query
-journalAccountTypeQuery atypes fallbackregex Journal{jdeclaredaccounttypes} =
-  let
-    declaredacctsoftype :: [AccountName] =
-      concat $ mapMaybe (`M.lookup` jdeclaredaccounttypes) atypes
-  in case declaredacctsoftype of
-    [] -> Acct fallbackregex
-    as -> And $ Or acctnameRegexes : if null differentlyTypedRegexes then [] else [ Not $ Or differentlyTypedRegexes ]
-      where
-        -- XXX Query isn't able to match account type since that requires extra info from the journal.
-        -- So we do a hacky search by name instead.
-        acctnameRegexes = map (Acct . accountNameToAccountRegex) as
-        differentlyTypedRegexes = map (Acct . accountNameToAccountRegex) differentlytypedsubs
-
-        differentlytypedsubs = concat
-          [subs | (t,bs) <- M.toList jdeclaredaccounttypes
-              , t `notElem` atypes
-              , let subs = [b | b <- bs, any (`isAccountNamePrefixOf` b) as]
-          ]
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal which have been
--- declared as Asset (or Cash, a subtype of Asset) by account directives, 
--- or otherwise for accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive 
--- regular expression @^assets?(:|$)@.
-journalAssetAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalAssetAccountQuery j =
-  Or [
-     journalAccountTypeQuery [Asset] assetAccountRegex j
-    ,journalCashAccountOnlyQuery j
-  ]
-
--- | A query for Cash (liquid asset) accounts in this journal, ie accounts
--- declared as Cash by account directives, or otherwise accounts whose
--- names match the case-insensitive regular expression
--- @(^assets:(.+:)?(cash|bank)(:|$)@.
-journalCashAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalCashAccountQuery = journalAccountTypeQuery [Cash] cashAccountRegex
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal specifically declared as Cash by 
--- account directives, or otherwise the None query.
-journalCashAccountOnlyQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalCashAccountOnlyQuery j
-  -- Cash accounts are declared; get a query for them (the fallback regex won't be used)
-  | Cash `M.member` jdeclaredaccounttypes j = journalAccountTypeQuery [Cash] notused j
-  | otherwise = None
-  where notused = error' "journalCashAccountOnlyQuery: this should not have happened!"  -- PARTIAL:
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal which have been
--- declared as Liability by account directives, or otherwise for
--- accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive regular expression
--- @^(debts?|liabilit(y|ies))(:|$)@.
-journalLiabilityAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalLiabilityAccountQuery = journalAccountTypeQuery [Liability] liabilityAccountRegex
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal which have been
--- declared as Equity by account directives, or otherwise for
--- accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive regular expression
--- @^equity(:|$)@.
-journalEquityAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalEquityAccountQuery = journalAccountTypeQuery [Equity] equityAccountRegex
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal which have been
--- declared as Revenue by account directives, or otherwise for
--- accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive regular expression
--- @^(income|revenue)s?(:|$)@.
-journalRevenueAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalRevenueAccountQuery = journalAccountTypeQuery [Revenue] revenueAccountRegex
-
--- | A query for accounts in this journal which have been
--- declared as Expense by account directives, or otherwise for
--- accounts with names matched by the case-insensitive regular expression
--- @^expenses?(:|$)@.
-journalExpenseAccountQuery  :: Journal -> Query
-journalExpenseAccountQuery = journalAccountTypeQuery [Expense] expenseAccountRegex
-
--- | A query for Asset, Liability & Equity accounts in this journal.
--- Cf <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chart_of_accounts#Balance_Sheet_Accounts>.
-journalBalanceSheetAccountQuery :: Journal -> Query
-journalBalanceSheetAccountQuery j = Or [journalAssetAccountQuery j
-                                       ,journalLiabilityAccountQuery j
-                                       ,journalEquityAccountQuery j
-                                       ]
-
--- | A query for Profit & Loss accounts in this journal.
--- Cf <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chart_of_accounts#Profit_.26_Loss_accounts>.
-journalProfitAndLossAccountQuery  :: Journal -> Query
-journalProfitAndLossAccountQuery j = Or [journalRevenueAccountQuery j
-                                        ,journalExpenseAccountQuery j
-                                        ]
-
 -- | The 'AccountName' to use for automatically generated conversion postings.
 journalConversionAccount :: Journal -> AccountName
 journalConversionAccount =
@@ -949,6 +881,12 @@
   where
     equityAcct = journalConversionAccount j
 
+-- | Add inferred transaction prices from equity postings.
+journalAddPricesFromEquity :: Journal -> Either String Journal
+journalAddPricesFromEquity j = do
+    ts <- mapM (transactionAddPricesFromEquity $ jaccounttypes j) $ jtxns j
+    return j{jtxns=ts}
+
 -- -- | Get this journal's unique, display-preference-canonicalised commodities, by symbol.
 -- journalCanonicalCommodities :: Journal -> M.Map String CommoditySymbol
 -- journalCanonicalCommodities j = canonicaliseCommodities $ journalAmountCommodities j
@@ -1287,24 +1225,4 @@
               ]
       }
     @?= (DateSpan (Just $ fromGregorian 2014 1 10) (Just $ fromGregorian 2014 10 11))
-
-  ,testGroup "standard account type queries" $
-    let
-      j = samplejournal
-      journalAccountNamesMatching :: Query -> Journal -> [AccountName]
-      journalAccountNamesMatching q = filter (q `matchesAccount`) . journalAccountNames
-      namesfrom qfunc = journalAccountNamesMatching (qfunc j) j
-    in [testCase "assets"      $ assertEqual "" ["assets","assets:bank","assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:saving","assets:cash"]
-         (namesfrom journalAssetAccountQuery)
-       ,testCase "cash"        $ assertEqual "" ["assets:bank","assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:saving","assets:cash"]
-         (namesfrom journalCashAccountQuery)
-       ,testCase "liabilities" $ assertEqual "" ["liabilities","liabilities:debts"]
-         (namesfrom journalLiabilityAccountQuery)
-       ,testCase "equity"      $ assertEqual "" []
-         (namesfrom journalEquityAccountQuery)
-       ,testCase "income"      $ assertEqual "" ["income","income:gifts","income:salary"]
-         (namesfrom journalRevenueAccountQuery)
-       ,testCase "expenses"    $ assertEqual "" ["expenses","expenses:food","expenses:supplies"]
-         (namesfrom journalExpenseAccountQuery)
-       ]
   ]
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks.hs b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks.hs
@@ -6,32 +6,36 @@
 
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE NamedFieldPuns #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards #-}
 
 module Hledger.Data.JournalChecks (
   journalCheckAccounts,
   journalCheckCommodities,
   journalCheckPayees,
+  journalCheckRecentAssertions,
   module Hledger.Data.JournalChecks.Ordereddates,
   module Hledger.Data.JournalChecks.Uniqueleafnames,
 )
 where
 
 import Data.Char (isSpace)
-import Data.List (find)
 import Data.Maybe
 import qualified Data.Map.Strict as M
 import qualified Data.Text as T
-import Safe (atMay)
+import Safe (atMay, lastMay)
 import Text.Printf (printf)
 
 import Hledger.Data.Errors
 import Hledger.Data.Journal
 import Hledger.Data.JournalChecks.Ordereddates
 import Hledger.Data.JournalChecks.Uniqueleafnames
-import Hledger.Data.Posting (isVirtual)
+import Hledger.Data.Posting (isVirtual, postingDate, postingStatus)
 import Hledger.Data.Types
 import Hledger.Data.Amount (amountIsZero, amountsRaw, missingamt)
 import Hledger.Data.Transaction (transactionPayee, showTransactionLineFirstPart)
+import Data.Time (Day, diffDays)
+import Data.List.Extra
+import Hledger.Utils (chomp, textChomp, sourcePosPretty)
 
 -- | Check that all the journal's postings are to accounts  with
 -- account directives, returning an error message otherwise.
@@ -40,16 +44,18 @@
   where
     checkacct p@Posting{paccount=a}
       | a `elem` journalAccountNamesDeclared j = Right ()
-      | otherwise = Left $ 
-        printf "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%sundeclared account \"%s\"\n" f l col col2 ex a
+      | otherwise = Left $ printf (unlines [
+           "%s:%d:"
+          ,"%s"
+          ,"Strict account checking is enabled, and"
+          ,"account %s has not been declared."
+          ,"Consider adding an account directive. Examples:"
+          ,""
+          ,"account %s"
+          ,"account %s    ; type:A  ; (L,E,R,X,C,V)"
+          ]) f l ex (show a) a a
         where
-          (f,l,mcols,ex) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
-          col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
-          col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
-          finderrcols p _ _ = Just (col, Just col2)
-            where
-              col = 5 + if isVirtual p then 1 else 0
-              col2 = col + T.length a - 1
+          (f,l,_mcols,ex) = makePostingAccountErrorExcerpt p
 
 -- | Check that all the commodities used in this journal's postings have been declared
 -- by commodity directives, returning an error message otherwise.
@@ -60,11 +66,18 @@
       case findundeclaredcomm p of
         Nothing -> Right ()
         Just (comm, _) ->
-          Left $ printf "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%sundeclared commodity \"%s\"\n" f l col col2 ex comm
+          Left $ printf (unlines [
+           "%s:%d:"
+          ,"%s"
+          ,"Strict commodity checking is enabled, and"
+          ,"commodity %s has not been declared."
+          ,"Consider adding a commodity directive. Examples:"
+          ,""
+          ,"commodity %s1000.00"
+          ,"commodity 1.000,00 %s"
+          ]) f l ex (show comm) comm comm
           where
-            (f,l,mcols,ex) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
-            col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
-            col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
+            (f,l,_mcols,ex) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
       where
         -- Find the first undeclared commodity symbol in this posting's amount
         -- or balance assertion amount, if any. The boolean will be true if
@@ -83,6 +96,10 @@
             assertioncomms = [acommodity a | Just a <- [baamount <$> pbalanceassertion]]
             findundeclared = find (`M.notMember` jcommodities j)
 
+        -- Calculate columns suitable for highlighting the excerpt.
+        -- We won't show these in the main error line as they aren't
+        -- accurate for the actual data.
+
         -- Find the best position for an error column marker when this posting
         -- is rendered by showTransaction.
         -- Reliably locating a problem commodity symbol in showTransaction output
@@ -99,15 +116,15 @@
         --     assets      "C $" -1 @ $ 2
         --                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
         -- XXX refine this region when it's easy
-        finderrcols p t txntxt =
-          case transactionFindPostingIndex (==p) t of
+        finderrcols p' t txntxt =
+          case transactionFindPostingIndex (==p') t of
             Nothing     -> Nothing
             Just pindex -> Just (amtstart, Just amtend)
               where
                 tcommentlines = max 0 (length (T.lines $ tcomment t) - 1)
                 errrelline = 1 + tcommentlines + pindex   -- XXX doesn't count posting coment lines
                 errline = fromMaybe "" (T.lines txntxt `atMay` (errrelline-1))
-                acctend = 4 + T.length (paccount p) + if isVirtual p then 2 else 0
+                acctend = 4 + T.length (paccount p') + if isVirtual p' then 2 else 0
                 amtstart = acctend + (T.length $ T.takeWhile isSpace $ T.drop acctend errline) + 1
                 amtend = amtstart + (T.length $ T.stripEnd $ T.takeWhile (/=';') $ T.drop amtstart errline)
 
@@ -119,13 +136,126 @@
     checkpayee t
       | payee `elem` journalPayeesDeclared j = Right ()
       | otherwise = Left $
-        printf "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%sundeclared payee \"%s\"\n" f l col col2 ex payee
+        printf (unlines [
+           "%s:%d:"
+          ,"%s"
+          ,"Strict payee checking is enabled, and"
+          ,"payee %s has not been declared."
+          ,"Consider adding a payee directive. Examples:"
+          ,""
+          ,"payee %s"
+          ]) f l ex (show payee) payee
       where
         payee = transactionPayee t
-        (f,l,mcols,ex) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
-        col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
-        col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
-        finderrcols t = Just (col, Just col2)
+        (f,l,_mcols,ex) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
+        -- Calculate columns suitable for highlighting the excerpt.
+        -- We won't show these in the main error line as they aren't
+        -- accurate for the actual data.
+        finderrcols t' = Just (col, Just col2)
           where
-            col = T.length (showTransactionLineFirstPart t) + 2
-            col2 = col + T.length (transactionPayee t) - 1
+            col  = T.length (showTransactionLineFirstPart t') + 2
+            col2 = col + T.length (transactionPayee t') - 1
+
+----------
+
+-- | Information useful for checking the age and lag of an account's latest balance assertion.
+data BalanceAssertionInfo = BAI {
+    baiAccount                :: AccountName -- ^ the account
+  , baiLatestAssertionPosting :: Posting     -- ^ the account's latest posting with a balance assertion
+  , baiLatestAssertionDate    :: Day         -- ^ the posting date
+  , baiLatestAssertionStatus  :: Status      -- ^ the posting status
+  , baiLatestPostingDate      :: Day         -- ^ the date of this account's latest posting with or without a balance assertion
+}
+
+-- | Given a list of postings to the same account,
+-- if any of them contain a balance assertion,
+-- calculate the last asserted and posted dates.
+balanceAssertionInfo :: [Posting] -> Maybe BalanceAssertionInfo
+balanceAssertionInfo ps =
+  case (mlatestp, mlatestassertp) of
+    (Just latestp, Just latestassertp) -> Just $
+      BAI{baiAccount                 = paccount latestassertp
+          ,baiLatestAssertionDate    = postingDate latestassertp
+          ,baiLatestAssertionPosting = latestassertp
+          ,baiLatestAssertionStatus  = postingStatus latestassertp
+          ,baiLatestPostingDate      = postingDate latestp
+          }
+    _ -> Nothing
+  where
+    ps' = sortOn postingDate ps
+    mlatestp = lastMay ps'
+    mlatestassertp = lastMay [p | p@Posting{pbalanceassertion=Just _} <- ps']
+
+-- | The number of days allowed between an account's latest balance assertion 
+-- and latest posting.
+maxlag = 7
+
+-- | The number of days between this balance assertion and the latest posting in its account.
+baiLag BAI{..} = diffDays baiLatestPostingDate baiLatestAssertionDate
+
+-- -- | The earliest balance assertion date which would satisfy the recentassertions check.
+-- baiLagOkDate :: BalanceAssertionInfo -> Day
+-- baiLagOkDate BAI{..} = addDays (-7) baiLatestPostingDate
+
+-- | Check that this latest assertion is close enough to the account's latest posting.
+checkRecentAssertion :: BalanceAssertionInfo -> Either (BalanceAssertionInfo, String) ()
+checkRecentAssertion bai@BAI{..}
+  | lag > maxlag =
+    Left (bai, printf (chomp $ unlines [
+       "the last balance assertion (%s) was %d days before"
+      ,"the latest posting (%s)."
+      ])
+      (show baiLatestAssertionDate) lag (show baiLatestPostingDate)
+      )
+  | otherwise = Right ()
+  where 
+    lag = baiLag bai
+
+-- | Check that all the journal's accounts with balance assertions have
+-- an assertion no more than 7 days before their latest posting.
+-- Today's date is provided for error messages.
+journalCheckRecentAssertions :: Day -> Journal -> Either String ()
+journalCheckRecentAssertions today j =
+  let
+    acctps = groupOn paccount $ sortOn paccount $ journalPostings j
+    acctassertioninfos = mapMaybe balanceAssertionInfo acctps
+  in
+    case mapM_ checkRecentAssertion acctassertioninfos of
+      Right () -> Right ()
+      Left (BAI{..}, msg) -> Left errmsg
+        where
+          errmsg = chomp $ printf 
+            (unlines [
+              "%s:",
+              "%s\n",
+              "The recentassertions check is enabled, so accounts with balance assertions must",
+              "have a balance assertion no more than %d days before their latest posting date.",
+              "In account %s,",
+              "%s",
+              "",
+              "%s"
+              ])
+            (maybe "(no position)"  -- shouldn't happen
+              (sourcePosPretty . baposition) $ pbalanceassertion baiLatestAssertionPosting)
+            (textChomp excerpt)
+            maxlag
+            baiAccount
+            msg
+            recommendation
+            where
+              (_,_,_,excerpt) = makeBalanceAssertionErrorExcerpt baiLatestAssertionPosting
+              recommendation = unlines [
+                "Consider adding a more recent balance assertion for this account. Eg:",
+                "",
+                printf "%s *\n    %s    $0 = $0  ; <- adjust" (show today) baiAccount
+                ]
+
+-- -- | Print the last balance assertion date & status of all accounts with balance assertions.
+-- printAccountLastAssertions :: Day -> [BalanceAssertionInfo] -> IO ()
+-- printAccountLastAssertions today acctassertioninfos = do
+--   forM_ acctassertioninfos $ \BAI{..} -> do
+--     putStr $ printf "%-30s  %s %s, %d days ago\n"
+--       baiAccount
+--       (if baiLatestClearedAssertionStatus==Unmarked then " " else show baiLatestClearedAssertionStatus)
+--       (show baiLatestClearedAssertionDate)
+--       (diffDays today baiLatestClearedAssertionDate)
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Ordereddates.hs b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Ordereddates.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Ordereddates.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Ordereddates.hs
@@ -6,35 +6,37 @@
 import Control.Monad (forM)
 import Data.List (groupBy)
 import Text.Printf (printf)
-import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
+import qualified Data.Text as T (pack, unlines)
 
 import Hledger.Data.Errors (makeTransactionErrorExcerpt)
 import Hledger.Data.Transaction (transactionFile, transactionDateOrDate2)
 import Hledger.Data.Types
+import Hledger.Utils (textChomp)
 
 journalCheckOrdereddates :: WhichDate -> Journal -> Either String ()
 journalCheckOrdereddates whichdate j = do
-  let 
+  let
     -- we check date ordering within each file, not across files
     -- note, relying on txns always being sorted by file here
     txnsbyfile = groupBy (\t1 t2 -> transactionFile t1 == transactionFile t2) $ jtxns j
     getdate = transactionDateOrDate2 whichdate
-    compare a b = getdate a <= getdate b
-  either Left (const $ Right ()) $ 
-   forM txnsbyfile $ \ts ->
-    case checkTransactions compare ts of
+    compare' a b = getdate a <= getdate b
+  (const $ Right ()) =<< (forM txnsbyfile $ \ts ->
+    case checkTransactions compare' ts of
       FoldAcc{fa_previous=Nothing} -> Right ()
       FoldAcc{fa_error=Nothing}    -> Right ()
       FoldAcc{fa_error=Just t, fa_previous=Just tprev} -> Left $ printf
-        "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%stransaction date%s is out of order with previous transaction date %s" 
-        f l col col2 ex datenum tprevdate
+        ("%s:%d:\n%s\nOrdered dates checking is enabled, and this transaction's\n"
+          ++ "date%s (%s) is out of order with the previous transaction.\n"
+          ++ "Consider moving this entry into date order, or adjusting its date.")
+        f l ex datenum (show $ getdate t)
         where
-          (f,l,mcols,ex) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
-          col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
-          col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
+          (_,_,_,ex1) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt tprev (const Nothing)
+          (f,l,_,ex2) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
+          -- separate the two excerpts by a space-beginning line to help flycheck-hledger parse them
+          ex = T.unlines [textChomp ex1, T.pack " ", textChomp ex2]
           finderrcols _t = Just (1, Just 10)
-          datenum   = if whichdate==SecondaryDate then "2" else ""
-          tprevdate = show $ getdate tprev
+          datenum   = if whichdate==SecondaryDate then "2" else "")
 
 data FoldAcc a b = FoldAcc
  { fa_error    :: Maybe a
@@ -43,11 +45,11 @@
 
 checkTransactions :: (Transaction -> Transaction -> Bool)
   -> [Transaction] -> FoldAcc Transaction Transaction
-checkTransactions compare = foldWhile f FoldAcc{fa_error=Nothing, fa_previous=Nothing}
+checkTransactions compare' = foldWhile f FoldAcc{fa_error=Nothing, fa_previous=Nothing}
   where
     f current acc@FoldAcc{fa_previous=Nothing} = acc{fa_previous=Just current}
     f current acc@FoldAcc{fa_previous=Just previous} =
-      if compare previous current
+      if compare' previous current
       then acc{fa_previous=Just current}
       else acc{fa_error=Just current}
 
@@ -55,5 +57,5 @@
 foldWhile _ acc [] = acc
 foldWhile fold acc (a:as) =
   case fold a acc of
-   acc@FoldAcc{fa_error=Just _} -> acc
-   acc -> foldWhile fold acc as
+   acc'@FoldAcc{fa_error=Just _} -> acc'
+   acc' -> foldWhile fold acc' as
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Uniqueleafnames.hs b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Uniqueleafnames.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Uniqueleafnames.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/JournalChecks/Uniqueleafnames.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE NamedFieldPuns    #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 
 module Hledger.Data.JournalChecks.Uniqueleafnames (
@@ -11,13 +10,13 @@
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Text.Printf (printf)
-import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
 
 import Hledger.Data.AccountName (accountLeafName)
 import Hledger.Data.Errors (makePostingErrorExcerpt)
 import Hledger.Data.Journal (journalPostings, journalAccountNamesUsed)
 import Hledger.Data.Posting (isVirtual)
 import Hledger.Data.Types
+import Hledger.Utils (chomp, textChomp)
 
 -- | Check that all the journal's postings are to accounts with a unique leaf name.
 -- Otherwise, return an error message for the first offending posting.
@@ -26,10 +25,34 @@
   -- find all duplicate leafnames, and the full account names they appear in
   case finddupes $ journalLeafAndFullAccountNames j of
     [] -> Right ()
-    dupes ->
-      -- report the first posting that references one of them (and its position), for now
-      mapM_ (checkposting dupes) $ journalPostings j
+    -- pick the first duplicated leafname and show the transactions of
+    -- the first two postings using it, highlighting the second as the error.
+    (leaf,fulls):_ ->
+      case filter ((`elem` fulls).paccount) $ journalPostings j of
+        ps@(p:p2:_) -> Left $ chomp $ printf
+          ("%s:%d:\n%s\nChecking for unique account leaf names is enabled, and\n"
+          ++"account leaf name %s is not unique.\n"
+          ++"It appears in these account names, which are used in %d places:\n%s"
+          ++"\nConsider changing these account names so their last parts are different."
+          )
+          f l ex (show leaf) (length ps) accts
+          where
+            -- t = fromMaybe nulltransaction ptransaction  -- XXX sloppy
+            (_,_,_,ex1) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p (\_ _ _ -> Nothing)
+            (f,l,_,ex2) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p2 finderrcols
+            -- separate the two excerpts by a space-beginning line to help flycheck-hledger parse them
+            ex = T.unlines [textChomp ex1, T.pack " ...", textChomp ex2]
+            finderrcols p' _ _ = Just (col, Just col2)
+              where
+                a = paccount p'
+                alen = T.length a
+                llen = T.length $ accountLeafName a
+                col = 5 + (if isVirtual p' then 1 else 0) + alen - llen
+                col2 = col + llen - 1
+            accts = T.unlines fulls
 
+        _ -> Right ()  -- shouldn't happen
+
 finddupes :: (Ord leaf, Eq full) => [(leaf, full)] -> [(leaf, [full])]
 finddupes leafandfullnames = zip dupLeafs dupAccountNames
   where dupLeafs = map (fst . head) d
@@ -42,24 +65,3 @@
 journalLeafAndFullAccountNames :: Journal -> [(Text, AccountName)]
 journalLeafAndFullAccountNames = map leafAndAccountName . journalAccountNamesUsed
   where leafAndAccountName a = (accountLeafName a, a)
-
-checkposting :: [(Text,[AccountName])] -> Posting -> Either String ()
-checkposting leafandfullnames p@Posting{paccount=a} =
-  case [lf | lf@(_,fs) <- leafandfullnames, a `elem` fs] of
-    []             -> Right ()
-    (leaf,fulls):_ -> Left $ printf
-      "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%saccount leaf name \"%s\" is not unique\nit is used in account names: %s" 
-      f l col col2 ex leaf accts
-      where
-        -- t = fromMaybe nulltransaction ptransaction  -- XXX sloppy
-        col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
-        col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
-        (f,l,mcols,ex) = makePostingErrorExcerpt p finderrcols
-          where
-            finderrcols p _ _ = Just (col, Just col2)
-              where
-                alen = T.length $ paccount p
-                llen = T.length $ accountLeafName a
-                col = 5 + (if isVirtual p then 1 else 0) + alen - llen
-                col2 = col + llen - 1
-        accts = T.intercalate ", " $ map (("\""<>).(<>"\"")) fulls
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Period.hs b/Hledger/Data/Period.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Period.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Period.hs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
   where
     (y', q') | q==4      = (y+1,1)
              | otherwise = (y,q+1)
-    quarterAsMonth q = (q-1) * 3 + 1
+    quarterAsMonth q2 = (q2-1) * 3 + 1
     m  = quarterAsMonth q
     m' = quarterAsMonth q'
 periodAsDateSpan (YearPeriod y) = DateSpan (Just $ fromGregorian y 1 1) (Just $ fromGregorian (y+1) 1 1)
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/PeriodicTransaction.hs b/Hledger/Data/PeriodicTransaction.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/PeriodicTransaction.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/PeriodicTransaction.hs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
           nullperiodictransaction{ ptperiodexpr=t , ptspan=s, ptinterval=i, ptpostings=["a" `post` usd 1] }
           nulldatespan
 
-_ptgenspan str span = do
+_ptgenspan str spn = do
   let
     t = T.pack str
     (i,s) = parsePeriodExpr' nulldate t
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
       mapM_ (T.putStr . showTransaction) $
         runPeriodicTransaction
           nullperiodictransaction{ ptperiodexpr=t , ptspan=s, ptinterval=i, ptpostings=["a" `post` usd 1] }
-          span
+          spn
 
 --deriving instance Show PeriodicTransaction
 -- for better pretty-printing:
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@
 
 --nullperiodictransaction is defined in Types.hs
 
--- | Generate transactions from 'PeriodicTransaction' within a 'DateSpan'
+-- | Generate transactions from 'PeriodicTransaction' within a 'DateSpan'.
+-- This should be a closed span with both start and end dates specified;
+-- an open ended span will generate no transactions.
 --
 -- Note that new transactions require 'txnTieKnot' post-processing.
 -- The new transactions will have three tags added: 
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Posting.hs b/Hledger/Data/Posting.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Posting.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Posting.hs
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
   postingsAsLines,
   showAccountName,
   renderCommentLines,
+  showBalanceAssertion,
   -- * misc.
   postingTransformAmount,
   postingApplyValuation,
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@
 import Safe (maximumBound)
 import Text.DocLayout (realLength)
 
-import Text.Tabular.AsciiWide
+import Text.Tabular.AsciiWide hiding (render)
 
 import Hledger.Utils
 import Hledger.Data.Types
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@
     Right a -> Right p{paccount=a}
     Left e  -> Left err
       where
-        err = "problem while applying account aliases:\n" ++ pshow aliases 
+        err = "problem while applying account aliases:\n" ++ pshow aliases
           ++ "\n to account name: "++T.unpack paccount++"\n "++e
 
 -- | Choose and apply a consistent display style to the posting
@@ -419,19 +420,26 @@
 
 -- | Maybe convert this 'Posting's amount to cost, and apply apply appropriate
 -- amount styles.
-postingToCost :: M.Map CommoditySymbol AmountStyle -> ConversionOp -> Posting -> Posting
-postingToCost _      NoConversionOp p = p
-postingToCost styles ToCost         p = postingTransformAmount (styleMixedAmount styles . mixedAmountCost) p
+postingToCost :: M.Map CommoditySymbol AmountStyle -> ConversionOp -> Posting -> Maybe Posting
+postingToCost _      NoConversionOp p = Just p
+postingToCost styles ToCost         p
+    -- If this is a conversion posting with a matched transaction price posting, ignore it
+    | "_conversion-matched" `elem` map fst (ptags p) && noCost = Nothing
+    | otherwise = Just $ postingTransformAmount (styleMixedAmount styles . mixedAmountCost) p
+  where
+    noCost = (not . any (isJust . aprice) . amountsRaw) $ pamount p
 
 -- | Generate inferred equity postings from a 'Posting' using transaction prices.
+-- Make sure not to generate equity postings when there are already matched
+-- conversion postings.
 postingAddInferredEquityPostings :: Text -> Posting -> [Posting]
-postingAddInferredEquityPostings equityAcct p = taggedPosting : concatMap conversionPostings priceAmounts
+postingAddInferredEquityPostings equityAcct p
+    | "_price-matched" `elem` map fst (ptags p) = [p]
+    | otherwise = taggedPosting : concatMap conversionPostings priceAmounts
   where
     taggedPosting
       | null priceAmounts = p
-      | otherwise         = p{ pcomment = pcomment p `commentAddTag` priceTag
-                             , ptags = priceTag : ptags p
-                             }
+      | otherwise         = p{ ptags = ("_price-matched","") : ptags p }
     conversionPostings amt = case aprice amt of
         Nothing -> []
         Just _  -> [ cp{ paccount = accountPrefix <> amtCommodity
@@ -446,7 +454,7 @@
         amtCommodity  = commodity amt
         costCommodity = commodity cost
         cp = p{ pcomment = pcomment p `commentAddTag` ("generated-posting","")
-              , ptags = [("generated-posting", ""), ("_generated-posting", "")]
+              , ptags = [("_conversion-matched", ""), ("generated-posting", ""), ("_generated-posting", "")]
               , pbalanceassertion = Nothing
               , poriginal = Nothing
               }
@@ -454,7 +462,6 @@
         -- Take the commodity of an amount and collapse consecutive spaces to a single space
         commodity = T.unwords . filter (not . T.null) . T.words . acommodity
 
-    priceTag = ("cost", T.strip . wbToText $ foldMap showAmountPrice priceAmounts)
     priceAmounts = filter (isJust . aprice) . amountsRaw $ pamount p
 
 -- | Make a market price equivalent to this posting's amount's unit
@@ -490,7 +497,7 @@
 -- A space is inserted following the colon, before the value.
 commentAddTagNextLine :: Text -> Tag -> Text
 commentAddTagNextLine cmt (t,v) =
-  cmt <> (if "\n" `T.isSuffixOf` cmt then "" else "\n") <> t <> ": " <> v 
+  cmt <> (if "\n" `T.isSuffixOf` cmt then "" else "\n") <> t <> ": " <> v
 
 
 -- tests
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/StringFormat.hs b/Hledger/Data/StringFormat.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/StringFormat.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/StringFormat.hs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts  #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE PackageImports    #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies      #-}
 
 module Hledger.Data.StringFormat (
@@ -154,8 +153,8 @@
 formatStringTester fs value expected = actual @?= expected
   where
     actual = case fs of
-      FormatLiteral l                   -> formatText False Nothing Nothing l
-      FormatField leftJustify min max _ -> formatText leftJustify min max value
+      FormatLiteral l                 -> formatText False Nothing Nothing l
+      FormatField leftJustify mn mx _ -> formatText leftJustify mn mx value
 
 tests_StringFormat = testGroup "StringFormat" [
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Timeclock.hs b/Hledger/Data/Timeclock.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Timeclock.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Timeclock.hs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 import Hledger.Data.Dates
 import Hledger.Data.Amount
 import Hledger.Data.Posting
-import Hledger.Data.Transaction
 
 instance Show TimeclockEntry where
     show t = printf "%s %s %s  %s" (show $ tlcode t) (show $ tldatetime t) (tlaccount t) (tldescription t)
@@ -65,10 +64,10 @@
       o' = o{tldatetime=itime{localDay=idate, localTimeOfDay=TimeOfDay 23 59 59}}
       i' = i{tldatetime=itime{localDay=addDays 1 idate, localTimeOfDay=midnight}}
 timeclockEntriesToTransactions now (i:o:rest)
-    | tlcode i /= In = errorExpectedCodeButGot In i
-    | tlcode o /= Out =errorExpectedCodeButGot Out o
-    | odate > idate = entryFromTimeclockInOut i o' : timeclockEntriesToTransactions now (i':o:rest)
-    | otherwise = entryFromTimeclockInOut i o : timeclockEntriesToTransactions now rest
+    | tlcode i /= In  = errorExpectedCodeButGot In i
+    | tlcode o /= Out = errorExpectedCodeButGot Out o
+    | odate > idate   = entryFromTimeclockInOut i o' : timeclockEntriesToTransactions now (i':o:rest)
+    | otherwise       = entryFromTimeclockInOut i o : timeclockEntriesToTransactions now rest
     where
       (itime,otime) = (tldatetime i,tldatetime o)
       (idate,odate) = (localDay itime,localDay otime)
@@ -76,10 +75,19 @@
       i' = i{tldatetime=itime{localDay=addDays 1 idate, localTimeOfDay=midnight}}
 {- HLINT ignore timeclockEntriesToTransactions -}
 
-errorExpectedCodeButGot expected actual = errorWithSourceLine line $ "expected timeclock code " ++ (show expected) ++ " but got " ++ show (tlcode actual)
-    where line = unPos . sourceLine $ tlsourcepos actual
-
-errorWithSourceLine line msg = error $ "line " ++ show line ++ ": " ++ msg
+errorExpectedCodeButGot :: TimeclockCode -> TimeclockEntry -> a
+errorExpectedCodeButGot expected actual = error' $ printf
+  ("%s:\n%s\n%s\n\nExpected a timeclock %s entry but got %s.\n"
+  ++"Only one session may be clocked in at a time.\n"
+  ++"Please alternate i and o, beginning with i.")
+  (sourcePosPretty $ tlsourcepos actual)
+  (l ++ " | " ++ show actual)
+  (replicate (length l) ' ' ++ " |" ++ replicate c ' ' ++ "^")
+  (show expected)
+  (show $ tlcode actual)
+  where
+    l = show $ unPos $ sourceLine $ tlsourcepos actual
+    c = unPos $ sourceColumn $ tlsourcepos actual
 
 -- | Convert a timeclock clockin and clockout entry to an equivalent journal
 -- transaction, representing the time expenditure. Note this entry is  not balanced,
@@ -87,9 +95,23 @@
 entryFromTimeclockInOut :: TimeclockEntry -> TimeclockEntry -> Transaction
 entryFromTimeclockInOut i o
     | otime >= itime = t
-    | otherwise = error' . T.unpack $
-        "clock-out time less than clock-in time in:\n" <> showTransaction t  -- PARTIAL:
+    | otherwise =
+      -- Clockout time earlier than clockin is an error.
+      -- (Clockin earlier than preceding clockin/clockout is allowed.)
+      error' $ printf
+        ("%s:\n%s\nThis clockout time (%s) is earlier than the previous clockin.\n"
+        ++"Please adjust it to be later than %s.")
+        (sourcePosPretty $ tlsourcepos o)
+        (unlines [
+          replicate (length l) ' '++ " | " ++ show i,
+          l ++ " | " ++ show o,
+          (replicate (length l) ' ' ++ " |" ++ replicate c ' ' ++ replicate 19 '^')
+          ])
+        (show $ tldatetime o)
+        (show $ tldatetime i)
     where
+      l = show $ unPos $ sourceLine $ tlsourcepos o
+      c = (unPos $ sourceColumn $ tlsourcepos o) + 2
       t = Transaction {
             tindex       = 0,
             tsourcepos   = (tlsourcepos i, tlsourcepos i),
@@ -117,8 +139,8 @@
       -- since otherwise it will often have large recurring decimal parts which (since 1.21)
       -- print would display all 255 digits of. timeclock amounts have one second resolution,
       -- so two decimal places is precise enough (#1527).
-      amount   = mixedAmount $ setAmountInternalPrecision 2 $ hrs hours
-      ps       = [posting{paccount=acctname, pamount=amount, ptype=VirtualPosting, ptransaction=Just t}]
+      amt   = mixedAmount $ setAmountInternalPrecision 2 $ hrs hours
+      ps       = [posting{paccount=acctname, pamount=amt, ptype=VirtualPosting, ptransaction=Just t}]
 
 
 -- tests
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Transaction.hs b/Hledger/Data/Transaction.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Transaction.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Transaction.hs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 -}
 
+{-# LANGUAGE MultiWayIf        #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE NamedFieldPuns    #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
 , transactionApplyValuation
 , transactionToCost
 , transactionAddInferredEquityPostings
+, transactionAddPricesFromEquity
 , transactionApplyAliases
 , transactionMapPostings
 , transactionMapPostingAmounts
@@ -43,17 +45,23 @@
 , showTransactionOneLineAmounts
 , showTransactionLineFirstPart
 , transactionFile
+  -- * transaction errors
+, annotateErrorWithTransaction
   -- * tests
 , tests_Transaction
 ) where
 
-import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
+import Control.Monad.Trans.State (StateT(..), evalStateT)
+import Data.Bifunctor (first)
+import Data.Foldable (foldrM)
+import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe, isJust, mapMaybe)
+import Data.Semigroup (Endo(..))
 import Data.Text (Text)
+import qualified Data.Map as M
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as TL
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.Builder as TB
 import Data.Time.Calendar (Day, fromGregorian)
-import qualified Data.Map as M
 
 import Hledger.Utils
 import Hledger.Data.Types
@@ -210,13 +218,128 @@
 -- | Maybe convert this 'Transaction's amounts to cost and apply the
 -- appropriate amount styles.
 transactionToCost :: M.Map CommoditySymbol AmountStyle -> ConversionOp -> Transaction -> Transaction
-transactionToCost styles cost = transactionMapPostings (postingToCost styles cost)
+transactionToCost styles cost t = t{tpostings = mapMaybe (postingToCost styles cost) $ tpostings t}
 
 -- | Add inferred equity postings to a 'Transaction' using transaction prices.
 transactionAddInferredEquityPostings :: AccountName -> Transaction -> Transaction
 transactionAddInferredEquityPostings equityAcct t =
     t{tpostings=concatMap (postingAddInferredEquityPostings equityAcct) $ tpostings t}
 
+-- | Add inferred transaction prices from equity postings. For every adjacent
+-- pair of conversion postings, it will first search the postings with
+-- transaction prices to see if any match. If so, it will tag it as matched.
+-- If no postings with transaction prices match, it will then search the
+-- postings without transaction prices, and will match the first such posting
+-- which matches one of the conversion amounts. If it finds a match, it will
+-- add a transaction price and then tag it.
+type IdxPosting = (Int, Posting)
+transactionAddPricesFromEquity :: M.Map AccountName AccountType -> Transaction -> Either String Transaction
+transactionAddPricesFromEquity acctTypes t = first (annotateErrorWithTransaction t . T.unpack) $ do
+    (conversionPairs, stateps) <- partitionPs npostings
+    f <- transformIndexedPostingsF addPricesToPostings conversionPairs stateps
+    return t{tpostings = map (snd . f) npostings}
+  where
+    -- Include indices for postings
+    npostings = zip [0..] $ tpostings t
+    transformIndexedPostingsF f = evalStateT . fmap (appEndo . foldMap Endo) . traverse f
+
+    -- Sort postings into pairs of conversion postings, transaction price postings, and other postings
+    partitionPs = fmap fst . foldrM select (([], ([], [])), Nothing)
+    select np@(_, p) ((cs, others@(ps, os)), Nothing)
+      | isConversion p = Right ((cs, others),      Just np)
+      | hasPrice p     = Right ((cs, (np:ps, os)), Nothing)
+      | otherwise      = Right ((cs, (ps, np:os)), Nothing)
+    select np@(_, p) ((cs, others), Just lst)
+      | isConversion p = Right (((lst, np):cs, others), Nothing)
+      | otherwise      = Left "Conversion postings must occur in adjacent pairs"
+
+    -- Given a pair of indexed conversion postings, and a state consisting of lists of
+    -- priced and unpriced non-conversion postings, create a function which adds transaction
+    -- prices to the posting which matches the conversion postings if necessary, and tags
+    -- the conversion and matched postings. Then update the state by removing the matched
+    -- postings. If there are no matching postings or too much ambiguity, return an error
+    -- string annotated with the conversion postings.
+    addPricesToPostings :: (IdxPosting, IdxPosting)
+                        -> StateT ([IdxPosting], [IdxPosting]) (Either Text) (IdxPosting -> IdxPosting)
+    addPricesToPostings ((n1, cp1), (n2, cp2)) = StateT $ \(priceps, otherps) -> do
+        -- Get the two conversion posting amounts, if possible
+        ca1 <- postingAmountNoPrice cp1
+        ca2 <- postingAmountNoPrice cp2
+        let -- The function to add transaction prices and tag postings in the indexed list of postings
+            transformPostingF np pricep (n,p) =
+              (n, if | n == np            -> pricep `postingAddTags` [("_price-matched","")]
+                     | n == n1 || n == n2 -> p      `postingAddTags` [("_conversion-matched","")]
+                     | otherwise          -> p)
+            -- All priced postings which match the conversion posting pair
+            matchingPricePs = mapMaybe (mapM $ pricedPostingIfMatchesBothAmounts ca1 ca2) priceps
+            -- All other postings which match at least one of the conversion posting pair
+            matchingOtherPs = mapMaybe (mapM $ addPriceIfMatchesOneAmount ca1 ca2) otherps
+
+        -- Annotate any errors with the conversion posting pair
+        first (annotateWithPostings [cp1, cp2]) $
+            if -- If a single transaction price posting matches the conversion postings,
+               -- delete it from the list of priced postings in the state, delete the
+               -- first matching unpriced posting from the list of non-priced postings
+               -- in the state, and return the transformation function with the new state.
+               | [(np, (pricep, _))] <- matchingPricePs
+               , Just newpriceps <- deleteIdx np priceps
+                   -> Right (transformPostingF np pricep, (newpriceps, otherps))
+               -- If no transaction price postings match the conversion postings, but some
+               -- of the unpriced postings match, check that the first such posting has a
+               -- different amount from all the others, and if so add a transaction price to
+               -- it, then delete it from the list of non-priced postings in the state, and
+               -- return the transformation function with the new state.
+               | [] <- matchingPricePs
+               , (np, (pricep, amt)):nps <- matchingOtherPs
+               , not $ any (amountMatches amt . snd . snd) nps
+               , Just newotherps <- deleteIdx np otherps
+                   -> Right (transformPostingF np pricep, (priceps, newotherps))
+               -- Otherwise it's too ambiguous to make a guess, so return an error.
+               | otherwise -> Left "There is not a unique posting which matches the conversion posting pair:"
+
+    -- If a posting with transaction price matches both the conversion amounts, return it along
+    -- with the matching amount which must be present in another non-conversion posting.
+    pricedPostingIfMatchesBothAmounts :: Amount -> Amount -> Posting -> Maybe (Posting, Amount)
+    pricedPostingIfMatchesBothAmounts a1 a2 p = do
+        a@Amount{aprice=Just _} <- postingSingleAmount p
+        if | amountMatches (-a1) a && amountMatches a2 (amountCost a) -> Just (p, -a2)
+           | amountMatches (-a2) a && amountMatches a1 (amountCost a) -> Just (p, -a1)
+           | otherwise -> Nothing
+
+    -- Add a transaction price to a posting if it matches (negative) one of the
+    -- supplied conversion amounts, adding the other amount as the price
+    addPriceIfMatchesOneAmount :: Amount -> Amount -> Posting -> Maybe (Posting, Amount)
+    addPriceIfMatchesOneAmount a1 a2 p = do
+        a <- postingSingleAmount p
+        let newp price = p{pamount = mixedAmount a{aprice = Just $ TotalPrice price}}
+        if | amountMatches (-a1) a -> Just (newp a2, a2)
+           | amountMatches (-a2) a -> Just (newp a1, a1)
+           | otherwise             -> Nothing
+
+    hasPrice p = isJust $ aprice =<< postingSingleAmount p
+    postingAmountNoPrice p = case postingSingleAmount p of
+        Just a@Amount{aprice=Nothing} -> Right a
+        _ -> Left $ annotateWithPostings [p] "The posting must only have a single amount with no transaction price"
+    postingSingleAmount p = case amountsRaw (pamount p) of
+        [a] -> Just a
+        _   -> Nothing
+
+    amountMatches a b = acommodity a == acommodity b && aquantity a == aquantity b
+    isConversion p = M.lookup (paccount p) acctTypes == Just Conversion
+
+    -- Delete a posting from the indexed list of postings based on either its
+    -- index or its posting amount.
+    -- Note: traversing the whole list to delete a single match is generally not efficient,
+    -- but given that a transaction probably doesn't have more than four postings, it should
+    -- still be more efficient than using a Map or another data structure. Even monster
+    -- transactions with up to 10 postings, which are generally not a good
+    -- idea, are still too small for there to be an advantage.
+    deleteIdx n = deleteUniqueMatch ((n==) . fst)
+    deleteUniqueMatch p (x:xs) | p x       = if any p xs then Nothing else Just xs
+                               | otherwise = (x:) <$> deleteUniqueMatch p xs
+    deleteUniqueMatch _ []                 = Nothing
+    annotateWithPostings xs str = T.unlines $ str : postingsAsLines False xs
+
 -- | Apply some account aliases to all posting account names in the transaction, as described by accountNameApplyAliases.
 -- This can fail due to a bad replacement pattern in a regular expression alias.
 transactionApplyAliases :: [AccountAlias] -> Transaction -> Either RegexError Transaction
@@ -236,6 +359,13 @@
 -- | The file path from which this transaction was parsed.
 transactionFile :: Transaction -> FilePath
 transactionFile Transaction{tsourcepos} = sourceName $ fst tsourcepos
+
+-- Add transaction information to an error message.
+annotateErrorWithTransaction :: Transaction -> String -> String
+annotateErrorWithTransaction t s =
+  unlines [ sourcePosPairPretty $ tsourcepos t, s
+          , T.unpack . T.stripEnd $ showTransaction t
+          ]
 
 -- tests
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs b/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/TransactionModifier.hs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 -- 0000-01-01
 --     ping           $1.00
 -- <BLANKLINE>
--- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "ping" [("pong" `tmpost` amount{aquantity=3}){tmprIsMultiplier=True}]
+-- >>> test $ TransactionModifier "ping" [("pong" `tmpost` nullamt{aquantity=3}){tmprIsMultiplier=True}]
 -- 0000-01-01
 --     ping           $1.00
 --     pong           $3.00  ; generated-posting: = ping
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Types.hs b/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Types.hs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 import Data.Time.LocalTime (LocalTime)
 import Data.Word (Word8)
 import Text.Blaze (ToMarkup(..))
-import Text.Megaparsec (SourcePos)
+import Text.Megaparsec (SourcePos(SourcePos), mkPos)
 
 import Hledger.Utils.Regex
 
@@ -585,12 +585,14 @@
   ,aditags             :: [Tag]  -- ^ tags extracted from the account comment, if any
   ,adideclarationorder :: Int    -- ^ the order in which this account was declared,
                                  --   relative to other account declarations, during parsing (1..)
+  ,adisourcepos        :: SourcePos  -- ^ source file and position
 } deriving (Eq,Show,Generic)
 
 nullaccountdeclarationinfo = AccountDeclarationInfo {
    adicomment          = ""
   ,aditags             = []
   ,adideclarationorder = 0
+  ,adisourcepos        = SourcePos "" (mkPos 1) (mkPos 1)
 }
 
 -- | An account, with its balances, parent/subaccount relationships, etc.
diff --git a/Hledger/Data/Valuation.hs b/Hledger/Data/Valuation.hs
--- a/Hledger/Data/Valuation.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Data/Valuation.hs
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@
                                       -- Make default display style use precision 2 instead of 0 ?
                                       -- Leave as is for now; mentioned in manual.
       styleAmount styles
-      amount{acommodity=comm, aquantity=rate * aquantity a}
+      nullamt{acommodity=comm, aquantity=rate * aquantity a}
 
 -- | Calculate the gain of each component amount, that is the difference
 -- between the valued amount and the value of the cost basis (see
diff --git a/Hledger/Query.hs b/Hledger/Query.hs
--- a/Hledger/Query.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Query.hs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
   matchesTags,
   matchesPriceDirective,
   words'',
-  prefixes,
+  queryprefixes,
   -- * tests
   tests_Query
 )
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 -- >>> parseQuery nulldate "\"expenses:dining out\""
 -- Right (Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining out"),[])
 parseQuery :: Day -> T.Text -> Either String (Query,[QueryOpt])
-parseQuery d = parseQueryList d . words'' prefixes
+parseQuery d = parseQueryList d . words'' queryprefixes
 
 -- | Convert a list of query expression containing to a query and zero
 -- or more query options; or return an error message if query parsing fails.
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@
 
 -- XXX
 -- keep synced with patterns below, excluding "not"
-prefixes :: [T.Text]
-prefixes = map (<>":") [
+queryprefixes :: [T.Text]
+queryprefixes = map (<>":") [
      "inacctonly"
     ,"inacct"
     ,"amt"
@@ -285,10 +285,10 @@
 parseQueryTerm _ (T.stripPrefix "acct:" -> Just s) = Left . Acct <$> toRegexCI s
 parseQueryTerm d (T.stripPrefix "date2:" -> Just s) =
         case parsePeriodExpr d s of Left e         -> Left $ "\"date2:"++T.unpack s++"\" gave a "++showDateParseError e
-                                    Right (_,span) -> Right $ Left $ Date2 span
+                                    Right (_,spn) -> Right $ Left $ Date2 spn
 parseQueryTerm d (T.stripPrefix "date:" -> Just s) =
         case parsePeriodExpr d s of Left e         -> Left $ "\"date:"++T.unpack s++"\" gave a "++showDateParseError e
-                                    Right (_,span) -> Right $ Left $ Date span
+                                    Right (_,spn) -> Right $ Left $ Date spn
 parseQueryTerm _ (T.stripPrefix "status:" -> Just s) =
         case parseStatus s of Left e   -> Left $ "\"status:"++T.unpack s++"\" gave a parse error: " ++ e
                               Right st -> Right $ Left $ StatusQ st
@@ -412,9 +412,9 @@
 -- * modifying
 
 simplifyQuery :: Query -> Query
-simplifyQuery q =
-  let q' = simplify q
-  in if q' == q then q else simplifyQuery q'
+simplifyQuery q0 =
+  let q1 = simplify q0
+  in if q1 == q0 then q0 else simplifyQuery q1
   where
     simplify (And []) = Any
     simplify (And [q]) = simplify q
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@
 -- (Since 1.24.1, might be merged into filterQuery in future.)
 -- XXX Semantics not completely clear.
 filterQueryOrNotQuery :: (Query -> Bool) -> Query -> Query
-filterQueryOrNotQuery p = simplifyQuery . filterQueryOrNotQuery' p
+filterQueryOrNotQuery p0 = simplifyQuery . filterQueryOrNotQuery' p0
   where
     filterQueryOrNotQuery' :: (Query -> Bool) -> Query -> Query
     filterQueryOrNotQuery' p (And qs)      = And $ map (filterQueryOrNotQuery p) qs
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@
 queryEndDate True (Date2 (DateSpan _ (Just d))) = Just d
 queryEndDate _ _ = Nothing
 
-queryTermDateSpan (Date span) = Just span
+queryTermDateSpan (Date spn) = Just spn
 queryTermDateSpan _ = Nothing
 
 -- | What date span (or with a true argument, what secondary date span) does this query specify ?
@@ -594,8 +594,8 @@
 queryDateSpan :: Bool -> Query -> DateSpan
 queryDateSpan secondary (Or qs)  = spansUnion     $ map (queryDateSpan secondary) qs
 queryDateSpan secondary (And qs) = spansIntersect $ map (queryDateSpan secondary) qs
-queryDateSpan _     (Date span)  = span
-queryDateSpan True (Date2 span)  = span
+queryDateSpan _     (Date spn)  = spn
+queryDateSpan True (Date2 spn)  = spn
 queryDateSpan _ _                = nulldatespan
 
 -- | What date span does this query specify, treating primary and secondary dates as equivalent ?
@@ -605,8 +605,8 @@
 queryDateSpan' :: Query -> DateSpan
 queryDateSpan' (Or qs)      = spansUnion     $ map queryDateSpan' qs
 queryDateSpan' (And qs)     = spansIntersect $ map queryDateSpan' qs
-queryDateSpan' (Date span)  = span
-queryDateSpan' (Date2 span) = span
+queryDateSpan' (Date spn)  = spn
+queryDateSpan' (Date2 spn) = spn
 queryDateSpan' _            = nulldatespan
 
 -- | What is the earliest of these dates, where Nothing is earliest ?
@@ -732,16 +732,16 @@
 matchesPosting (Code r) p = maybe False (regexMatchText r . tcode) $ ptransaction p
 matchesPosting (Desc r) p = maybe False (regexMatchText r . tdescription) $ ptransaction p
 matchesPosting (Acct r) p = matches p || maybe False matches (poriginal p) where matches = regexMatchText r . paccount
-matchesPosting (Date span) p = span `spanContainsDate` postingDate p
-matchesPosting (Date2 span) p = span `spanContainsDate` postingDate2 p
+matchesPosting (Date spn) p = spn `spanContainsDate` postingDate p
+matchesPosting (Date2 spn) p = spn `spanContainsDate` postingDate2 p
 matchesPosting (StatusQ s) p = postingStatus p == s
 matchesPosting (Real v) p = v == isReal p
 matchesPosting q@(Depth _) Posting{paccount=a} = q `matchesAccount` a
 matchesPosting q@(Amt _ _) Posting{pamount=as} = q `matchesMixedAmount` as
 matchesPosting (Sym r) Posting{pamount=as} = any (matchesCommodity (Sym r) . acommodity) $ amountsRaw as
 matchesPosting (Tag n v) p = case (reString n, v) of
-  ("payee", Just v) -> maybe False (regexMatchText v . transactionPayee) $ ptransaction p
-  ("note", Just v) -> maybe False (regexMatchText v . transactionNote) $ ptransaction p
+  ("payee", Just v') -> maybe False (regexMatchText v' . transactionPayee) $ ptransaction p
+  ("note", Just v') -> maybe False (regexMatchText v' . transactionNote) $ ptransaction p
   (_, mv) -> matchesTags n mv $ postingAllTags p
 matchesPosting (Type _) _ = False
 
@@ -765,17 +765,17 @@
 matchesTransaction (Code r) t = regexMatchText r $ tcode t
 matchesTransaction (Desc r) t = regexMatchText r $ tdescription t
 matchesTransaction q@(Acct _) t = any (q `matchesPosting`) $ tpostings t
-matchesTransaction (Date span) t = spanContainsDate span $ tdate t
-matchesTransaction (Date2 span) t = spanContainsDate span $ transactionDate2 t
+matchesTransaction (Date spn) t = spanContainsDate spn $ tdate t
+matchesTransaction (Date2 spn) t = spanContainsDate spn $ transactionDate2 t
 matchesTransaction (StatusQ s) t = tstatus t == s
 matchesTransaction (Real v) t = v == hasRealPostings t
 matchesTransaction q@(Amt _ _) t = any (q `matchesPosting`) $ tpostings t
 matchesTransaction (Depth d) t = any (Depth d `matchesPosting`) $ tpostings t
 matchesTransaction q@(Sym _) t = any (q `matchesPosting`) $ tpostings t
 matchesTransaction (Tag n v) t = case (reString n, v) of
-  ("payee", Just v) -> regexMatchText v $ transactionPayee t
-  ("note", Just v) -> regexMatchText v $ transactionNote t
-  (_, v) -> matchesTags n v $ transactionAllTags t
+  ("payee", Just v') -> regexMatchText v' $ transactionPayee t
+  ("note", Just v') -> regexMatchText v' $ transactionNote t
+  (_, v') -> matchesTags n v' $ transactionAllTags t
 matchesTransaction (Type _) _ = False
 
 -- | Like matchesTransaction, but if the journal's account types are provided,
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@
 matchesPriceDirective (And qs) p    = all (`matchesPriceDirective` p) qs
 matchesPriceDirective q@(Amt _ _) p = matchesAmount q (pdamount p)
 matchesPriceDirective q@(Sym _) p   = matchesCommodity q (pdcommodity p)
-matchesPriceDirective (Date span) p = spanContainsDate span (pddate p)
+matchesPriceDirective (Date spn) p = spanContainsDate spn (pddate p)
 matchesPriceDirective _ _           = True
 
 
@@ -854,8 +854,8 @@
       (words'' [] "not:'a b'")             @?= ["not:a b"]
       (words'' [] "'not:a b'")             @?= ["not:a b"]
       (words'' ["desc:"] "not:desc:'a b'") @?= ["not:desc:a b"]
-      (words'' prefixes "\"acct:expenses:autres d\233penses\"") @?= ["acct:expenses:autres d\233penses"]
-      (words'' prefixes "\"")              @?= ["\""]
+      (words'' queryprefixes "\"acct:expenses:autres d\233penses\"") @?= ["acct:expenses:autres d\233penses"]
+      (words'' queryprefixes "\"")              @?= ["\""]
 
   ,testCase "filterQuery" $ do
      filterQuery queryIsDepth Any       @?= Any
diff --git a/Hledger/Read.hs b/Hledger/Read.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read.hs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 import System.Directory (doesFileExist, getHomeDirectory)
 import System.Environment (getEnv)
 import System.Exit (exitFailure)
-import System.FilePath ((<.>), (</>), splitDirectories, splitFileName)
+import System.FilePath ((<.>), (</>), splitDirectories, splitFileName, takeFileName)
 import System.Info (os)
 import System.IO (hPutStr, stderr)
 
@@ -108,15 +108,15 @@
 defaultJournalPath :: IO String
 defaultJournalPath = do
   s <- envJournalPath
-  if null s then defaultJournalPath else return s
+  if null s then defpath else return s
     where
       envJournalPath =
         getEnv journalEnvVar
          `C.catch` (\(_::C.IOException) -> getEnv journalEnvVar2
                                             `C.catch` (\(_::C.IOException) -> return ""))
-      defaultJournalPath = do
-                  home <- getHomeDirectory `C.catch` (\(_::C.IOException) -> return "")
-                  return $ home </> journalDefaultFilename
+      defpath = do
+        home <- getHomeDirectory `C.catch` (\(_::C.IOException) -> return "")
+        return $ home </> journalDefaultFilename
 
 -- | A file path optionally prefixed by a reader name and colon
 -- (journal:, csv:, timedot:, etc.).
@@ -139,9 +139,8 @@
 -- since hledger 1.17, we prefer predictability.)
 readJournal :: InputOpts -> Maybe FilePath -> Text -> ExceptT String IO Journal
 readJournal iopts mpath txt = do
-  let r :: Reader IO =
-        fromMaybe JournalReader.reader $ findReader (mformat_ iopts) mpath
-  dbg6IO "trying reader" (rFormat r)
+  let r :: Reader IO = fromMaybe JournalReader.reader $ findReader (mformat_ iopts) mpath
+  dbg6IO "readJournal: trying reader" (rFormat r)
   rReadFn r iopts (fromMaybe "(string)" mpath) txt
 
 -- | Read a Journal from this file, or from stdin if the file path is -,
@@ -161,7 +160,9 @@
     (mfmt, f) = splitReaderPrefix prefixedfile
     iopts' = iopts{mformat_=asum [mfmt, mformat_ iopts]}
   liftIO $ requireJournalFileExists f
-  t <- liftIO $ readFileOrStdinPortably f
+  t <-
+    traceAt 6 ("readJournalFile: "++takeFileName f) $
+    liftIO $ readFileOrStdinPortably f
     -- <- T.readFile f  -- or without line ending translation, for testing
   j <- readJournal iopts' (Just f) t
   if new_ iopts
diff --git a/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -141,13 +141,14 @@
 import Text.Megaparsec.Char (char, char', digitChar, newline, string)
 import Text.Megaparsec.Char.Lexer (decimal)
 import Text.Megaparsec.Custom
-  (FinalParseError, attachSource, customErrorBundlePretty, finalErrorBundlePretty, parseErrorAt, parseErrorAtRegion, HledgerParseErrors)
+  (FinalParseError, attachSource, customErrorBundlePretty, finalErrorBundlePretty, parseErrorAt, parseErrorAtRegion)
 
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Query (Query(..), filterQuery, parseQueryTerm, queryEndDate, queryStartDate, queryIsDate, simplifyQuery)
 import Hledger.Reports.ReportOptions (ReportOpts(..), queryFromFlags, rawOptsToReportOpts)
 import Hledger.Utils
 import Hledger.Read.InputOptions
+import System.FilePath (takeFileName)
 
 --- ** doctest setup
 -- $setup
@@ -194,10 +195,10 @@
         argsquery = lefts . rights . map (parseQueryTerm day) $ querystring_ ropts
         datequery = simplifyQuery . filterQuery queryIsDate . And $ queryFromFlags ropts : argsquery
 
-        commodity_styles = either err id $ commodityStyleFromRawOpts rawopts
+        styles = either err id $ commodityStyleFromRawOpts rawopts
           where err e = error' $ "could not parse commodity-style: '" ++ e ++ "'"  -- PARTIAL:
 
-    in InputOpts{
+    in definputopts{
        -- files_             = listofstringopt "file" rawopts
        mformat_           = Nothing
       ,mrules_file_       = maybestringopt "rules-file" rawopts
@@ -210,10 +211,11 @@
       ,reportspan_        = DateSpan (queryStartDate False datequery) (queryEndDate False datequery)
       ,auto_              = boolopt "auto" rawopts
       ,infer_equity_      = boolopt "infer-equity" rawopts && conversionop_ ropts /= Just ToCost
+      ,infer_costs_       = boolopt "infer-costs" rawopts
       ,balancingopts_     = defbalancingopts{
                                  ignore_assertions_ = boolopt "ignore-assertions" rawopts
                                , infer_transaction_prices_ = not noinferprice
-                               , commodity_styles_  = Just commodity_styles
+                               , commodity_styles_  = Just styles
                                }
       ,strict_            = boolopt "strict" rawopts
       ,_ioDay             = day
@@ -305,7 +307,7 @@
 -- - check all commodities have been declared if in strict mode
 --
 journalFinalise :: InputOpts -> FilePath -> Text -> ParsedJournal -> ExceptT String IO Journal
-journalFinalise iopts@InputOpts{auto_,infer_equity_,balancingopts_,strict_,_ioDay} f txt pj = do
+journalFinalise iopts@InputOpts{..} f txt pj = do
   t <- liftIO getPOSIXTime
   liftEither $ do
     j <- pj{jglobalcommoditystyles=fromMaybe mempty $ commodity_styles_ balancingopts_}
@@ -319,9 +321,14 @@
       >>= (if auto_ && not (null $ jtxnmodifiers pj)
               then journalAddAutoPostings _ioDay balancingopts_  -- Add auto postings if enabled, and account tags if needed
               else pure)
-      >>= journalBalanceTransactions balancingopts_      -- Balance all transactions and maybe check balance assertions.
-      <&> (if infer_equity_ then journalAddInferredEquityPostings else id)  -- Add inferred equity postings, after balancing transactions and generating auto postings
+      >>= (if infer_costs_  then journalAddPricesFromEquity else pure)      -- Add inferred transaction prices from equity postings, if present
+      >>= journalBalanceTransactions balancingopts_                         -- Balance all transactions and maybe check balance assertions.
+      <&> (if infer_equity_ then journalAddInferredEquityPostings else id)  -- Add inferred equity postings, after balancing and generating auto postings
       <&> journalInferMarketPricesFromTransactions       -- infer market prices from commodity-exchanging transactions
+      <&> traceAt 6 ("journalFinalise: " <> takeFileName f)  -- debug logging
+      <&> dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("journalFinalise: " <> takeFileName f <> "   acct decls           : ")
+      <&> journalRenumberAccountDeclarations
+      <&> dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("journalFinalise: " <> takeFileName f <> "   acct decls renumbered: ")
     when strict_ $ do
       journalCheckAccounts j                     -- If in strict mode, check all postings are to declared accounts
       journalCheckCommodities j                  -- and using declared commodities
@@ -439,8 +446,8 @@
 -- A version of `match` that is strict in the returned text
 match' :: TextParser m a -> TextParser m (Text, a)
 match' p = do
-  (!txt, p) <- match p
-  pure (txt, p)
+  (!txt, p') <- match p
+  pure (txt, p')
 
 --- ** parsers
 --- *** transaction bits
@@ -498,26 +505,28 @@
       let dateStr = show year ++ [sep1] ++ show month ++ [sep2] ++ show day
 
       when (sep1 /= sep2) $ customFailure $ parseErrorAtRegion startOffset endOffset $
-        "invalid date: separators are different, should be the same"
+        "This date is malformed because the separators are different.\n"
+        ++"Please use consistent separators."
 
       case fromGregorianValid year month day of
         Nothing -> customFailure $ parseErrorAtRegion startOffset endOffset $
-                     "well-formed but invalid date: " ++ dateStr
+                     "This date is invalid, please correct it: " ++ dateStr
         Just date -> pure $! date
 
     partialDate :: Int -> Maybe Year -> Month -> Char -> MonthDay -> TextParser m Day
-    partialDate startOffset mYear month sep day = do
+    partialDate startOffset myr month sep day = do
       endOffset <- getOffset
-      case mYear of
+      case myr of
         Just year ->
           case fromGregorianValid year month day of
             Nothing -> customFailure $ parseErrorAtRegion startOffset endOffset $
-                        "well-formed but invalid date: " ++ dateStr
+                        "This date is invalid, please correct it: " ++ dateStr
             Just date -> pure $! date
           where dateStr = show year ++ [sep] ++ show month ++ [sep] ++ show day
 
         Nothing -> customFailure $ parseErrorAtRegion startOffset endOffset $
-          "partial date "++dateStr++" found, but the current year is unknown"
+          "The partial date "++dateStr++" can not be parsed because the current year is unknown.\n"
+          ++"Consider making it a full date, or add a default year directive.\n"
           where dateStr = show month ++ [sep] ++ show day
 
 {-# INLINABLE datep' #-}
@@ -602,12 +611,12 @@
 modifiedaccountnamep :: JournalParser m AccountName
 modifiedaccountnamep = do
   parent  <- getParentAccount
-  aliases <- getAccountAliases
+  als     <- getAccountAliases
   -- off1    <- getOffset
   a       <- lift accountnamep
   -- off2    <- getOffset
   -- XXX or accountNameApplyAliasesMemo ? doesn't seem to make a difference (retest that function)
-  case accountNameApplyAliases aliases $ joinAccountNames parent a of
+  case accountNameApplyAliases als $ joinAccountNames parent a of
     Right a' -> return $! a'
     -- should not happen, regexaliasp will have displayed a better error already:
     -- (XXX why does customFailure cause error to be displayed there, but not here ?)
@@ -651,12 +660,12 @@
 -- | Parse non-empty, single-spaced text starting and ending with non-whitespace,
 -- where all characters satisfy the given predicate.
 singlespacedtextsatisfying1p :: (Char -> Bool) -> TextParser m T.Text
-singlespacedtextsatisfying1p pred = do
+singlespacedtextsatisfying1p f = do
   firstPart <- partp
   otherParts <- many $ try $ singlespacep *> partp
   pure $! T.unwords $ firstPart : otherParts
   where
-    partp = takeWhile1P Nothing (\c -> pred c && not (isSpace c))
+    partp = takeWhile1P Nothing (\c -> f c && not (isSpace c))
 
 -- | Parse one non-newline whitespace character that is not followed by another one.
 singlespacep :: TextParser m ()
@@ -699,20 +708,20 @@
 amountpwithmultiplier :: Bool -> JournalParser m Amount
 amountpwithmultiplier mult = label "amount" $ do
   let spaces = lift $ skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  amount <- amountwithoutpricep mult <* spaces
+  amt <- amountwithoutpricep mult <* spaces
   (mprice, _elotprice, _elotdate) <- runPermutation $
-    (,,) <$> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> priceamountp amount <* spaces)
+    (,,) <$> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> priceamountp amt <* spaces)
          <*> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> lotpricep <* spaces)
          <*> toPermutationWithDefault Nothing (Just <$> lotdatep <* spaces)
-  pure $ amount { aprice = mprice }
+  pure $ amt { aprice = mprice }
 
 amountpnolotpricesp :: JournalParser m Amount
 amountpnolotpricesp = label "amount" $ do
   let spaces = lift $ skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  amount <- amountwithoutpricep False
+  amt <- amountwithoutpricep False
   spaces
-  mprice <- optional $ priceamountp amount <* spaces
-  pure $ amount { aprice = mprice }
+  mprice <- optional $ priceamountp amt <* spaces
+  pure $ amt { aprice = mprice }
 
 amountwithoutpricep :: Bool -> JournalParser m Amount
 amountwithoutpricep mult = do
@@ -1085,8 +1094,8 @@
 
 -- | A custom show instance, showing digit groups as the parser saw them.
 instance Show DigitGrp where
-  show (DigitGrp len num) = "\"" ++ padding ++ numStr ++ "\""
-    where numStr = show num
+  show (DigitGrp len n) = "\"" ++ padding ++ numStr ++ "\""
+    where numStr = show n
           padding = genericReplicate (toInteger len - toInteger (length numStr)) '0'
 
 instance Sem.Semigroup DigitGrp where
@@ -1147,18 +1156,20 @@
 isSameLineCommentStart ';' = True
 isSameLineCommentStart _   = False
 
--- A parser combinator for parsing (possibly multiline) comments
--- following journal items.
+-- A parser for (possibly multiline) comments following a journal item.
 --
--- Several journal items may be followed by comments, which begin with
--- semicolons and extend to the end of the line. Such comments may span
--- multiple lines, but comment lines below the journal item must be
--- preceded by leading whitespace.
+-- Comments following a journal item begin with a semicolon and extend to
+-- the end of the line. They may span multiple lines; any comment lines 
+-- not on the same line as the journal item must be indented (preceded by
+-- leading whitespace).
 --
--- This parser combinator accepts a parser that consumes all input up
--- until the next newline. This parser should extract the "content" from
--- comments. The resulting parser returns this content plus the raw text
--- of the comment itself.
+-- Like Ledger, we sometimes allow data to be embedded in comments. Eg,
+-- comments on the account directive and on transactions can contain tags,
+-- and comments on postings can contain tags and/or bracketed posting dates.
+-- To handle these variations, this parser takes as parameter a subparser,
+-- which should consume all input up until the next newline, and which can
+-- optionally extract some kind of data from it.
+-- followingcommentp' returns this data along with the full text of the comment.
 --
 -- See followingcommentp for tests.
 --
@@ -1389,10 +1400,10 @@
 -- Left ...not a bracketed date...
 --
 -- >>> either (Left . customErrorBundlePretty) Right $ rtp (bracketeddatetagsp Nothing) "[2016/1/32]"
--- Left ...1:2:...well-formed but invalid date: 2016/1/32...
+-- Left ...1:2:...This date is invalid...
 --
 -- >>> either (Left . customErrorBundlePretty) Right $ rtp (bracketeddatetagsp Nothing) "[1/31]"
--- Left ...1:2:...partial date 1/31 found, but the current year is unknown...
+-- Left ...1:2:...The partial date 1/31 can not be parsed...
 --
 -- >>> either (Left . customErrorBundlePretty) Right $ rtp (bracketeddatetagsp Nothing) "[0123456789/-.=/-.=]"
 -- Left ...1:13:...expecting month or day...
@@ -1469,24 +1480,24 @@
    ,testCase "unit price"             $ assertParseEq amountp "$10 @ €0.5"
       -- not precise enough:
       -- (usd 10 `withPrecision` 0 `at` (eur 0.5 `withPrecision` 1)) -- `withStyle` asdecimalpoint=Just '.'
-      amount{
+      nullamt{
          acommodity="$"
         ,aquantity=10 -- need to test internal precision with roundTo ? I think not
         ,astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 0, asdecimalpoint=Nothing}
         ,aprice=Just $ UnitPrice $
-          amount{
+          nullamt{
              acommodity="€"
             ,aquantity=0.5
             ,astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 1, asdecimalpoint=Just '.'}
             }
         }
    ,testCase "total price"            $ assertParseEq amountp "$10 @@ €5"
-      amount{
+      nullamt{
          acommodity="$"
         ,aquantity=10
         ,astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 0, asdecimalpoint=Nothing}
         ,aprice=Just $ TotalPrice $
-          amount{
+          nullamt{
              acommodity="€"
             ,aquantity=5
             ,astyle=amountstyle{asprecision=Precision 0, asdecimalpoint=Nothing}
diff --git a/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs b/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read/CsvReader.hs
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@
 --- ** language
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts     #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances    #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE MultiWayIf           #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings    #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE PackageImports       #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards      #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables  #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies         #-}
@@ -38,7 +36,7 @@
 
 --- ** imports
 import Control.Applicative        (liftA2)
-import Control.Monad              (unless, when)
+import Control.Monad              (unless, when, void)
 import Control.Monad.Except       (ExceptT(..), liftEither, throwError)
 import qualified Control.Monad.Fail as Fail
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class     (MonadIO, liftIO)
@@ -104,13 +102,13 @@
 parse iopts f t = do
   let rulesfile = mrules_file_ iopts
   readJournalFromCsv rulesfile f t
-  -- journalFinalise assumes the journal's items are
-  -- reversed, as produced by JournalReader's parser.
-  -- But here they are already properly ordered. So we'd
-  -- better preemptively reverse them once more. XXX inefficient
-  <&> journalReverse
   -- apply any command line account aliases. Can fail with a bad replacement pattern.
   >>= liftEither . journalApplyAliases (aliasesFromOpts iopts)
+      -- journalFinalise assumes the journal's items are
+      -- reversed, as produced by JournalReader's parser.
+      -- But here they are already properly ordered. So we'd
+      -- better preemptively reverse them once more. XXX inefficient
+      . journalReverse
   >>= journalFinalise iopts{balancingopts_=(balancingopts_ iopts){ignore_assertions_=True}} f t
 
 --- ** reading rules files
@@ -193,14 +191,14 @@
 -- Included file paths may be relative to the directory of the provided file path.
 -- This is done as a pre-parse step to simplify the CSV rules parser.
 expandIncludes :: FilePath -> Text -> IO Text
-expandIncludes dir content = mapM (expandLine dir) (T.lines content) >>= return . T.unlines
+expandIncludes dir0 content = mapM (expandLine dir0) (T.lines content) <&> T.unlines
   where
-    expandLine dir line =
+    expandLine dir1 line =
       case line of
-        (T.stripPrefix "include " -> Just f) -> expandIncludes dir' =<< T.readFile f'
+        (T.stripPrefix "include " -> Just f) -> expandIncludes dir2 =<< T.readFile f'
           where
-            f' = dir </> T.unpack (T.dropWhile isSpace f)
-            dir' = takeDirectory f'
+            f' = dir1 </> T.unpack (T.dropWhile isSpace f)
+            dir2 = takeDirectory f'
         _ -> return line
 
 -- | An error-throwing IO action that parses this text as CSV conversion rules
@@ -257,7 +255,7 @@
 
 instance Eq CsvRules where
   r1 == r2 = (rdirectives r1, rcsvfieldindexes r1, rassignments r1) ==
-             (rdirectives r2, rcsvfieldindexes r2, rassignments r2) 
+             (rdirectives r2, rcsvfieldindexes r2, rassignments r2)
 
 -- Custom Show instance used for debug output: omit the rblocksassigning field, which isn't showable.
 instance Show CsvRules where
@@ -582,7 +580,7 @@
   newline
   body <- flip manyTill (lift eolof) $ do
     off <- getOffset
-    m <- matcherp' (char sep >> return ())
+    m <- matcherp' $ void $ char sep
     vs <- T.split (==sep) . T.pack <$> lift restofline
     if (length vs /= length fields)
       then customFailure $ parseErrorAt off $ ((printf "line of conditional table should have %d values, but this one has only %d" (length fields) (length vs)) :: String)
@@ -745,8 +743,8 @@
       -- than one date and the first date is more recent than the last):
       -- reverse them to get same-date transactions ordered chronologically.
       txns' =
-        (if newestfirst || mdataseemsnewestfirst == Just True 
-          then dbg7 "reversed csv txns" . reverse else id) 
+        (if newestfirst || mdataseemsnewestfirst == Just True
+          then dbg7 "reversed csv txns" . reverse else id)
           txns
         where
           newestfirst = dbg6 "newestfirst" $ isJust $ getDirective "newest-first" rules
@@ -757,7 +755,7 @@
       -- Second, sort by date.
       txns'' = dbg7 "date-sorted csv txns" $ sortBy (comparing tdate) txns'
 
-    liftIO $ when (not rulesfileexists) $ do
+    liftIO $ unless rulesfileexists $ do
       dbg1IO "creating conversion rules file" rulesfile
       T.writeFile rulesfile rulestext
 
@@ -804,7 +802,7 @@
 validateCsv rules numhdrlines = validate . applyConditionalSkips . drop numhdrlines . filternulls
   where
     filternulls = filter (/=[""])
-    skipCount r =
+    skipnum r =
       case (getEffectiveAssignment rules r "end", getEffectiveAssignment rules r "skip") of
         (Nothing, Nothing) -> Nothing
         (Just _, _) -> Just maxBound
@@ -812,7 +810,7 @@
         (Nothing, Just x) -> Just (read $ T.unpack x)
     applyConditionalSkips [] = []
     applyConditionalSkips (r:rest) =
-      case skipCount r of
+      case skipnum r of
         Nothing -> r:(applyConditionalSkips rest)
         Just cnt -> applyConditionalSkips (drop (cnt-1) rest)
     validate [] = Right []
@@ -869,15 +867,15 @@
     field    = hledgerField      rules record :: HledgerFieldName -> Maybe FieldTemplate
     fieldval = hledgerFieldValue rules record :: HledgerFieldName -> Maybe Text
     parsedate = parseDateWithCustomOrDefaultFormats (rule "date-format")
-    mkdateerror datefield datevalue mdateformat = T.unpack $ T.unlines
+    mkdateerror datefield datevalue mdateformat' = T.unpack $ T.unlines
       ["error: could not parse \""<>datevalue<>"\" as a date using date format "
-        <>maybe "\"YYYY/M/D\", \"YYYY-M-D\" or \"YYYY.M.D\"" (T.pack . show) mdateformat
+        <>maybe "\"YYYY/M/D\", \"YYYY-M-D\" or \"YYYY.M.D\"" (T.pack . show) mdateformat'
       ,showRecord record
       ,"the "<>datefield<>" rule is:   "<>(fromMaybe "required, but missing" $ field datefield)
-      ,"the date-format is: "<>fromMaybe "unspecified" mdateformat
+      ,"the date-format is: "<>fromMaybe "unspecified" mdateformat'
       ,"you may need to "
         <>"change your "<>datefield<>" rule, "
-        <>maybe "add a" (const "change your") mdateformat<>" date-format rule, "
+        <>maybe "add a" (const "change your") mdateformat'<>" date-format rule, "
         <>"or "<>maybe "add a" (const "change your") mskip<>" skip rule"
       ,"for m/d/y or d/m/y dates, use date-format %-m/%-d/%Y or date-format %-d/%-m/%Y"
       ]
@@ -894,7 +892,7 @@
     -- PARTIAL:
     date'       = fromMaybe (error' $ mkdateerror "date" date mdateformat) $ parsedate date
     mdate2      = fieldval "date2"
-    mdate2'     = maybe Nothing (maybe (error' $ mkdateerror "date2" (fromMaybe "" mdate2) mdateformat) Just . parsedate) mdate2
+    mdate2'     = (maybe (error' $ mkdateerror "date2" (fromMaybe "" mdate2) mdateformat) Just . parsedate) =<< mdate2
     status      =
       case fieldval "status" of
         Nothing -> Unmarked
@@ -904,12 +902,12 @@
               ["error: could not parse \""<>s<>"\" as a cleared status (should be *, ! or empty)"
               ,"the parse error is:      "<>T.pack (customErrorBundlePretty err)
               ]
-    code        = maybe "" singleline $ fieldval "code"
-    description = maybe "" singleline $ fieldval "description"
+    code        = maybe "" singleline' $ fieldval "code"
+    description = maybe "" singleline' $ fieldval "description"
     comment     = maybe "" unescapeNewlines $ fieldval "comment"
     precomment  = maybe "" unescapeNewlines $ fieldval "precomment"
 
-    singleline = T.unwords . filter (not . T.null) . map T.strip . T.lines
+    singleline' = T.unwords . filter (not . T.null) . map T.strip . T.lines
     unescapeNewlines = T.intercalate "\n" . T.splitOn "\\n"
 
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -918,7 +916,7 @@
 
     p1IsVirtual = (accountNamePostingType <$> fieldval "account1") == Just VirtualPosting
     ps = [p | n <- [1..maxpostings]
-         ,let comment  = maybe "" unescapeNewlines $ fieldval ("comment"<> T.pack (show n))
+         ,let cmt  = maybe "" unescapeNewlines $ fieldval ("comment"<> T.pack (show n))
          ,let currency = fromMaybe "" (fieldval ("currency"<> T.pack (show n)) <|> fieldval "currency")
          ,let mamount  = getAmount rules record currency p1IsVirtual n
          ,let mbalance = getBalance rules record currency n
@@ -930,7 +928,7 @@
                              ,pamount           = fromMaybe missingmixedamt mamount
                              ,ptransaction      = Just t
                              ,pbalanceassertion = mkBalanceAssertion rules record <$> mbalance
-                             ,pcomment          = comment
+                             ,pcomment          = cmt
                              ,ptype             = accountNamePostingType acct
                              }
          ]
@@ -967,7 +965,7 @@
     unnumberedfieldnames = ["amount","amount-in","amount-out"]
 
     -- amount field names which can affect this posting
-    fieldnames = map (("amount"<> T.pack(show n))<>) ["","-in","-out"]
+    fieldnames = map (("amount"<> T.pack (show n))<>) ["","-in","-out"]
                  -- For posting 1, also recognise the old amount/amount-in/amount-out names.
                  -- For posting 2, the same but only if posting 1 needs balancing.
                  ++ if n==1 || n==2 && not p1IsVirtual then unnumberedfieldnames else []
@@ -999,17 +997,53 @@
   in case discardExcessZeros $ discardUnnumbered assignments of
       []      -> Nothing
       [(f,a)] -> Just $ negateIfOut f a
-      fs      -> error' . T.unpack . T.unlines $  -- PARTIAL:
-        ["multiple non-zero amounts assigned,"
-        ,"please ensure just one. (https://hledger.org/csv.html#amount)"
-        ,"  " <> showRecord record
-        ,"  for posting: " <> T.pack (show n)
+      fs      -> error' . T.unpack . textChomp . T.unlines $  -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+          -- PARTIAL:
+        ["in CSV rules:"
+        ,"While processing " <> showRecord record
+        ,"while calculating amount for posting " <> T.pack (show n)
         ] ++
-        ["  assignment: " <> f <> " " <>
+        ["rule \"" <> f <> " " <>
           fromMaybe "" (hledgerField rules record f) <>
-          "\t=> value: " <> wbToText (showMixedAmountB noColour a) -- XXX not sure this is showing all the right info
-        | (f,a) <- fs]
-
+          "\" assigned value \"" <> wbToText (showMixedAmountB noColour a) <> "\"" -- XXX not sure this is showing all the right info
+          | (f,a) <- fs
+        ] ++
+        [""
+        ,"Multiple non-zero amounts were assigned for an amount field."
+        ,"Please ensure just one non-zero amount is assigned, perhaps with an if rule."
+        ,"See also: https://hledger.org/hledger.html#setting-amounts"
+        ,"(hledger manual -> CSV format -> Tips -> Setting amounts)"
+        ]
 -- | Figure out the expected balance (assertion or assignment) specified for posting N,
 -- if any (and its parse position).
 getBalance :: CsvRules -> CsvRecord -> Text -> Int -> Maybe (Amount, SourcePos)
@@ -1033,6 +1067,37 @@
 parseAmount :: CsvRules -> CsvRecord -> Text -> Text -> MixedAmount
 parseAmount rules record currency s =
     either mkerror mixedAmount $  -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
+      -- PARTIAL:
     runParser (evalStateT (amountp <* eof) journalparsestate) "" $
     currency <> simplifySign s
   where
@@ -1063,8 +1128,8 @@
                   -- the csv record's line number would be good
   where
     journalparsestate = nulljournal{jparsedecimalmark=parseDecimalMark rules}
-    mkerror n s e = error' . T.unpack $ T.unlines
-      ["error: could not parse \"" <> s <> "\" as balance"<> T.pack (show n) <> " amount"
+    mkerror n' s' e = error' . T.unpack $ T.unlines
+      ["error: could not parse \"" <> s' <> "\" as balance"<> T.pack (show n') <> " amount"
       ,showRecord record
       ,showRules rules record
       -- ,"the default-currency is: "++fromMaybe "unspecified" mdefaultcurrency
@@ -1183,7 +1248,7 @@
 
 -- | Show a (approximate) recreation of the original CSV record.
 showRecord :: CsvRecord -> Text
-showRecord r = "record values: "<>T.intercalate "," (map (wrap "\"" "\"") r)
+showRecord r = "CSV record: "<>T.intercalate "," (map (wrap "\"" "\"") r)
 
 -- | Given the conversion rules, a CSV record and a hledger field name, find
 -- the value template ultimately assigned to this field, if any, by a field
@@ -1247,17 +1312,19 @@
 -- column number, ("date" or "1"), from the given CSV record, if such a field exists.
 csvFieldValue :: CsvRules -> CsvRecord -> CsvFieldName -> Maybe Text
 csvFieldValue rules record fieldname = do
-  fieldindex <- if | T.all isDigit fieldname -> readMay $ T.unpack fieldname
-                   | otherwise               -> lookup (T.toLower fieldname) $ rcsvfieldindexes rules
+  fieldindex <-
+    if T.all isDigit fieldname 
+    then readMay $ T.unpack fieldname
+    else lookup (T.toLower fieldname) $ rcsvfieldindexes rules
   T.strip <$> atMay record (fieldindex-1)
 
 -- | Parse the date string using the specified date-format, or if unspecified
 -- the "simple date" formats (YYYY/MM/DD, YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY.MM.DD, leading
 -- zeroes optional).
 parseDateWithCustomOrDefaultFormats :: Maybe DateFormat -> Text -> Maybe Day
-parseDateWithCustomOrDefaultFormats mformat s = asum $ map parsewith formats
+parseDateWithCustomOrDefaultFormats mformat s = asum $ map parsewith' formats
   where
-    parsewith = flip (parseTimeM True defaultTimeLocale) (T.unpack s)
+    parsewith' = flip (parseTimeM True defaultTimeLocale) (T.unpack s)
     formats = map T.unpack $ maybe
                ["%Y/%-m/%-d"
                ,"%Y-%-m-%-d"
@@ -1294,6 +1361,37 @@
    ]
   ,testGroup "conditionalblockp" [
     testCase "space after conditional" $ -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
+       -- #1120
       parseWithState' defrules conditionalblockp "if a\n account2 b\n \n" @?=
         (Right $ CB{cbMatchers=[RecordMatcher None $ toRegexCI' "a"],cbAssignments=[("account2","b")]})
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Read/InputOptions.hs b/Hledger/Read/InputOptions.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read/InputOptions.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read/InputOptions.hs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     ,reportspan_        :: DateSpan             -- ^ a dirty hack keeping the query dates in InputOpts. This rightfully lives in ReportSpec, but is duplicated here.
     ,auto_              :: Bool                 -- ^ generate automatic postings when journal is parsed
     ,infer_equity_      :: Bool                 -- ^ generate automatic equity postings from transaction prices
+    ,infer_costs_       :: Bool                 -- ^ infer transaction prices from equity conversion postings
     ,balancingopts_     :: BalancingOpts        -- ^ options for balancing transactions
     ,strict_            :: Bool                 -- ^ do extra error checking (eg, all posted accounts are declared, no prices are inferred)
     ,_ioDay             :: Day                  -- ^ today's date, for use with forecast transactions  XXX this duplicates _rsDay, and should eventually be removed when it's not needed anymore.
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@
     , reportspan_        = nulldatespan
     , auto_              = False
     , infer_equity_      = False
+    , infer_costs_       = False
     , balancingopts_     = defbalancingopts
     , strict_            = False
     , _ioDay             = nulldate
diff --git a/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 -- | Parse and post-process a "Journal" from hledger's journal file
 -- format, or give an error.
 parse :: InputOpts -> FilePath -> Text -> ExceptT String IO Journal
-parse iopts = parseAndFinaliseJournal journalp' iopts
+parse iopts f = parseAndFinaliseJournal journalp' iopts f
   where
     journalp' = do
       -- reverse parsed aliases to ensure that they are applied in order given on commandline
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
 -- which should be finalised/validated before use.
 --
 -- >>> rejp (journalp <* eof) "2015/1/1\n a  0\n"
--- Right (Right Journal  with 1 transactions, 1 accounts)
+-- Right (Right Journal (unknown) with 1 transactions, 1 accounts)
 --
 journalp :: MonadIO m => ErroringJournalParser m ParsedJournal
 journalp = do
@@ -261,8 +261,8 @@
   prefixedglob <- T.unpack <$> takeWhileP Nothing (/= '\n') -- don't consume newline yet
   parentoff <- getOffset
   parentpos <- getSourcePos
-  let (mprefix,glob) = splitReaderPrefix prefixedglob
-  paths <- getFilePaths parentoff parentpos glob
+  let (mprefix,glb) = splitReaderPrefix prefixedglob
+  paths <- getFilePaths parentoff parentpos glb
   let prefixedpaths = case mprefix of
         Nothing  -> paths
         Just fmt -> map ((fmt++":")++) paths
@@ -298,21 +298,41 @@
       when (filepath `elem` parentfilestack) $
         Fail.fail ("Cyclic include: " ++ filepath)
 
-      childInput <- lift $ readFilePortably filepath
-                            `orRethrowIOError` (show parentpos ++ " reading " ++ filepath)
+      childInput <-
+        traceAt 6 ("parseChild: "++takeFileName filepath) $
+        lift $ readFilePortably filepath
+          `orRethrowIOError` (show parentpos ++ " reading " ++ filepath)
       let initChildj = newJournalWithParseStateFrom filepath parentj
 
-      -- Choose a reader/format based on the file path, or fall back
-      -- on journal. Duplicating readJournal a bit here.
+      -- Choose a reader/parser based on the file path prefix or file extension,
+      -- defaulting to JournalReader. Duplicating readJournal a bit here.
       let r = fromMaybe reader $ findReader Nothing (Just prefixedpath)
           parser = rParser r
-      dbg6IO "trying reader" (rFormat r)
+      dbg6IO "parseChild: trying reader" (rFormat r)
+
+      -- Parse the file (of whichever format) to a Journal, with file path and source text attached.
       updatedChildj <- journalAddFile (filepath, childInput) <$>
                         parseIncludeFile parser initChildj filepath childInput
 
-      -- discard child's parse info,  combine other fields
-      put $ updatedChildj <> parentj
+      -- Merge this child journal into the parent journal
+      -- (with debug logging for troubleshooting account display order).
+      -- The parent journal is the second argument to journalConcat; this means
+      -- its parse state is kept, and its lists are appended to child's (which
+      -- ultimately produces the right list order, because parent's and child's
+      -- lists are in reverse order at this stage. Cf #1909).
+      let
+        parentj' =
+          dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("parseChild: child " <> childfilename <> " acct decls: ") updatedChildj
+          `journalConcat`
+          dbgJournalAcctDeclOrder ("parseChild: parent " <> parentfilename <> " acct decls: ") parentj
 
+          where
+            childfilename = takeFileName filepath
+            parentfilename = maybe "(unknown)" takeFileName $ headMay $ jincludefilestack parentj  -- XXX more accurate than journalFilePath for some reason
+
+      -- Update the parse state.
+      put parentj'
+
     newJournalWithParseStateFrom :: FilePath -> Journal -> Journal
     newJournalWithParseStateFrom filepath j = nulljournal{
       jparsedefaultyear      = jparsedefaultyear j
@@ -340,6 +360,7 @@
 accountdirectivep :: JournalParser m ()
 accountdirectivep = do
   off <- getOffset -- XXX figure out a more precise position later
+  pos <- getSourcePos
 
   string "account"
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
@@ -359,7 +380,7 @@
     metype = parseAccountTypeCode <$> lookup accountTypeTagName tags
 
   -- update the journal
-  addAccountDeclaration (acct, cmt, tags)
+  addAccountDeclaration (acct, cmt, tags, pos)
   unless (null tags) $ addDeclaredAccountTags acct tags
   case metype of
     Nothing         -> return ()
@@ -392,15 +413,16 @@
             T.intercalate ", " ["A","L","E","R","X","C","V","Asset","Liability","Equity","Revenue","Expense","Cash","Conversion"]
 
 -- Add an account declaration to the journal, auto-numbering it.
-addAccountDeclaration :: (AccountName,Text,[Tag]) -> JournalParser m ()
-addAccountDeclaration (a,cmt,tags) =
+addAccountDeclaration :: (AccountName,Text,[Tag],SourcePos) -> JournalParser m ()
+addAccountDeclaration (a,cmt,tags,pos) = do
   modify' (\j ->
              let
                decls = jdeclaredaccounts j
                d     = (a, nullaccountdeclarationinfo{
                               adicomment          = cmt
                              ,aditags             = tags
-                             ,adideclarationorder = length decls + 1
+                             ,adideclarationorder = length decls + 1  -- gets renumbered when Journals are finalised or merged
+                             ,adisourcepos        = pos
                              })
              in
                j{jdeclaredaccounts = d:decls})
@@ -438,8 +460,8 @@
     string "commodity"
     lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
     off <- getOffset
-    amount <- amountp
-    pure $ (off, amount)
+    amt <- amountp
+    pure $ (off, amt)
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
   _ <- lift followingcommentp
   let comm = Commodity{csymbol=acommodity, cformat=Just $ dbg6 "style from commodity directive" astyle}
@@ -467,8 +489,8 @@
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
   sym <- lift commoditysymbolp
   _ <- lift followingcommentp
-  mformat <- lastMay <$> many (indented $ formatdirectivep sym)
-  let comm = Commodity{csymbol=sym, cformat=mformat}
+  mfmt <- lastMay <$> many (indented $ formatdirectivep sym)
+  let comm = Commodity{csymbol=sym, cformat=mfmt}
   modify' (\j -> j{jcommodities=M.insert sym comm $ jcommodities j})
   where
     indented = (lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1 >>)
@@ -491,10 +513,10 @@
          printf "commodity directive symbol \"%s\" and format directive symbol \"%s\" should be the same" expectedsym acommodity
 
 keywordp :: String -> JournalParser m ()
-keywordp = (() <$) . string . fromString
+keywordp = void . string . fromString
 
 spacesp :: JournalParser m ()
-spacesp = () <$ lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
+spacesp = void $ lift skipNonNewlineSpaces1
 
 -- | Backtracking parser similar to string, but allows varying amount of space between words
 keywordsp :: String -> JournalParser m ()
@@ -652,7 +674,7 @@
   -- first parsing with 'singlespacedtextp', then "re-parsing" with
   -- 'periodexprp' saves 'periodexprp' from having to respect the single-
   -- and double-space parsing rules
-  (interval, span) <- lift $ reparseExcerpt periodExcerpt $ do
+  (interval, spn) <- lift $ reparseExcerpt periodExcerpt $ do
     pexp <- periodexprp refdate
     (<|>) eof $ do
       offset1 <- getOffset
@@ -665,7 +687,7 @@
     pure pexp
 
   -- In periodic transactions, the period expression has an additional constraint:
-  case checkPeriodicTransactionStartDate interval span periodtxt of
+  case checkPeriodicTransactionStartDate interval spn periodtxt of
     Just e -> customFailure $ parseErrorAt off e
     Nothing -> pure ()
 
@@ -679,7 +701,7 @@
   return $ nullperiodictransaction{
      ptperiodexpr=periodtxt
     ,ptinterval=interval
-    ,ptspan=span
+    ,ptspan=spn
     ,ptstatus=status
     ,ptcode=code
     ,ptdescription=description
@@ -745,7 +767,7 @@
     let (ptype, account') = (accountNamePostingType account, textUnbracket account)
     lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
     mult <- if isPostingRule then multiplierp else pure False
-    amount <- optional $ amountpwithmultiplier mult
+    amt <- optional $ amountpwithmultiplier mult
     lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
     massertion <- optional balanceassertionp
     lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
@@ -755,7 +777,7 @@
             , pdate2=mdate2
             , pstatus=status
             , paccount=account'
-            , pamount=maybe missingmixedamt mixedAmount amount
+            , pamount=maybe missingmixedamt mixedAmount amt
             , pcomment=comment
             , ptype=ptype
             , ptags=tags
@@ -794,8 +816,8 @@
     ]
   ,testCase "datetimep" $ do
      let
-       good = assertParse datetimep
-       bad  = (\t -> assertParseError datetimep t "")
+       good  = assertParse datetimep
+       bad t = assertParseError datetimep t ""
      good "2011/1/1 00:00"
      good "2011/1/1 23:59:59"
      bad "2011/1/1"
@@ -1010,6 +1032,7 @@
         [("a:b", AccountDeclarationInfo{adicomment          = "type:asset\n"
                                        ,aditags             = [("type","asset")]
                                        ,adideclarationorder = 1
+                                       ,adisourcepos        = fst nullsourcepos
                                        })
         ]
       ]
diff --git a/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs b/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
--- a/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Read/TimedotReader.hs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 
 --- ** language
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE PackageImports #-}
 
 --- ** exports
 module Hledger.Read.TimedotReader (
@@ -173,7 +172,7 @@
   lift $ optional $ choice [orgheadingprefixp, skipNonNewlineSpaces1]
   a <- modifiedaccountnamep
   lift skipNonNewlineSpaces
-  hrs <-
+  hours <-
     try (lift followingcommentp >> return 0)
     <|> (lift durationp <*
          (try (lift followingcommentp) <|> (newline >> return "")))
@@ -187,7 +186,7 @@
           tstatus    = Cleared,
           tpostings  = [
             nullposting{paccount=a
-                      ,pamount=mixedAmount $ nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=hrs, astyle=s}
+                      ,pamount=mixedAmount $ nullamt{acommodity=c, aquantity=hours, astyle=s}
                       ,ptype=VirtualPosting
                       ,ptransaction=Just t
                       }
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/AccountTransactionsReport.hs b/Hledger/Reports/AccountTransactionsReport.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/AccountTransactionsReport.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/AccountTransactionsReport.hs
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
         datelessreportq = filterQuery (not . queryIsDateOrDate2) reportq
 
     items =
-        accountTransactionsReportItems reportq thisacctq startbal maNegate
+        accountTransactionsReportItems reportq thisacctq startbal maNegate (journalAccountType j)
       -- sort by the transaction's register date, then index, for accurate starting balance
       . ptraceAtWith 5 (("ts4:\n"++).pshowTransactions.map snd)
       . sortBy (comparing (Down . fst) <> comparing (Down . tindex . snd))
@@ -171,19 +171,21 @@
 -- in the report. This is not necessarily the transaction date - see
 -- transactionRegisterDate.
 accountTransactionsReportItems :: Query -> Query -> MixedAmount -> (MixedAmount -> MixedAmount)
-                               -> [(Day, Transaction)] -> [AccountTransactionsReportItem]
-accountTransactionsReportItems reportq thisacctq bal signfn =
-    catMaybes . snd . mapAccumR (accountTransactionsReportItem reportq thisacctq signfn) bal
+                               -> (AccountName -> Maybe AccountType) -> [(Day, Transaction)]
+                               -> [AccountTransactionsReportItem]
+accountTransactionsReportItems reportq thisacctq bal signfn accttypefn =
+    catMaybes . snd . mapAccumR (accountTransactionsReportItem reportq thisacctq signfn accttypefn) bal
 
-accountTransactionsReportItem :: Query -> Query -> (MixedAmount -> MixedAmount) -> MixedAmount
-                              -> (Day, Transaction) -> (MixedAmount, Maybe AccountTransactionsReportItem)
-accountTransactionsReportItem reportq thisacctq signfn bal (d, torig)
+accountTransactionsReportItem :: Query -> Query -> (MixedAmount -> MixedAmount)
+                              -> (AccountName -> Maybe AccountType) -> MixedAmount -> (Day, Transaction)
+                              -> (MixedAmount, Maybe AccountTransactionsReportItem)
+accountTransactionsReportItem reportq thisacctq signfn accttypefn bal (d, torig)
     -- 201407: I've lost my grip on this, let's just hope for the best
     -- 201606: we now calculate change and balance from filtered postings, check this still works well for all callers XXX
     | null reportps = (bal, Nothing)  -- no matched postings in this transaction, skip it
     | otherwise     = (b, Just (torig, tacct{tdate=d}, numotheraccts > 1, otheracctstr, a, b))
     where
-      tacct@Transaction{tpostings=reportps} = filterTransactionPostings reportq torig  -- TODO needs to consider --date2, #1731
+      tacct@Transaction{tpostings=reportps} = filterTransactionPostingsExtra accttypefn reportq torig  -- TODO needs to consider --date2, #1731
       (thisacctps, otheracctps) = partition (matchesPosting thisacctq) reportps
       numotheraccts = length $ nub $ map paccount otheracctps
       otheracctstr | thisacctq == None  = summarisePostingAccounts reportps     -- no current account ? summarise all matched postings
@@ -243,8 +245,8 @@
 -- balance amount) components that don't involve the specified
 -- commodity. Other item fields such as the transaction are left unchanged.
 filterAccountTransactionsReportByCommodity :: CommoditySymbol -> AccountTransactionsReport -> AccountTransactionsReport
-filterAccountTransactionsReportByCommodity c =
-    fixTransactionsReportItemBalances . concatMap (filterTransactionsReportItemByCommodity c)
+filterAccountTransactionsReportByCommodity comm =
+    fixTransactionsReportItemBalances . concatMap (filterTransactionsReportItemByCommodity comm)
   where
     filterTransactionsReportItemByCommodity c (t,t2,s,o,a,bal)
       | c `elem` cs = [item']
@@ -259,9 +261,9 @@
     fixTransactionsReportItemBalances items = reverse $ i:(go startbal is)
       where
         i:is = reverse items
-        startbal = filterMixedAmountByCommodity c $ triBalance i
+        startbal = filterMixedAmountByCommodity comm $ triBalance i
         go _ [] = []
-        go bal ((t,t2,s,o,amt,_):is) = (t,t2,s,o,amt,bal'):go bal' is
+        go bal ((t,t2,s,o,amt,_):is') = (t,t2,s,o,amt,bal'):go bal' is'
           where bal' = bal `maPlus` amt
 
 -- tests
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/BudgetReport.hs b/Hledger/Reports/BudgetReport.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/BudgetReport.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/BudgetReport.hs
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 import Data.Function (on)
 import Data.HashMap.Strict (HashMap)
 import qualified Data.HashMap.Strict as HM
-import Data.List (find, partition, transpose, foldl')
+import Data.List (find, partition, transpose, foldl', maximumBy)
 import Data.List.Extra (nubSort)
-import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe, catMaybes)
+import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe, catMaybes, isJust)
 import Data.Map (Map)
 import qualified Data.Map as Map
 import qualified Data.Set as S
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as TL
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.Builder as TB
+import Safe (minimumDef)
 --import System.Console.CmdArgs.Explicit as C
 --import Lucid as L
 import qualified Text.Tabular.AsciiWide as Tab
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@
 import Hledger.Reports.ReportOptions
 import Hledger.Reports.ReportTypes
 import Hledger.Reports.MultiBalanceReport
+import Data.Ord (comparing)
+import Control.Monad ((>=>))
 
 
 type BudgetGoal    = Change
@@ -96,27 +99,63 @@
       | otherwise = budgetgoalreport
     budgetreport = combineBudgetAndActual ropts j budgetgoalreport' actualreport
 
--- | Use all periodic transactions in the journal to generate
--- budget goal transactions in the specified date span.
--- Budget goal transactions are similar to forecast transactions except
--- their purpose and effect is to define balance change goals, per account and period,
--- for BudgetReport.
+-- | Use all (or all matched by --budget's argument) periodic transactions in the journal 
+-- to generate budget goal transactions in the specified date span (and before, to support
+-- --historical. The precise start date is the natural start date of the largest interval
+-- of the active periodic transaction rules that is on or before the earlier of journal start date,
+-- report start date.)
+-- Budget goal transactions are similar to forecast transactions except their purpose 
+-- and effect is to define balance change goals, per account and period, for BudgetReport.
+--
 journalAddBudgetGoalTransactions :: BalancingOpts -> ReportOpts -> DateSpan -> Journal -> Journal
 journalAddBudgetGoalTransactions bopts ropts reportspan j =
-  either error' id $ journalBalanceTransactions bopts j{ jtxns = budgetts }  -- PARTIAL:
+  either error' id $  -- PARTIAL:
+    (journalApplyCommodityStyles >=> journalBalanceTransactions bopts) j{ jtxns = budgetts }
   where
-    budgetspan = dbg3 "budget span" $ reportspan
-    pat = fromMaybe "" $ dbg3 "budget pattern" $ T.toLower <$> budgetpat_ ropts
+    budgetspan = dbg3 "budget span" $ DateSpan mbudgetgoalsstartdate (spanEnd reportspan)
+      where
+        mbudgetgoalsstartdate =
+          -- We want to also generate budget goal txns before the report start date, in case -H is used.
+          -- What should the actual starting date for goal txns be ? This gets tricky. 
+          -- Consider a journal with a "~ monthly" periodic transaction rule, where the first transaction is on 1/5.
+          -- Users will certainly expect a budget goal for january, but "~ monthly" generates transactions
+          -- on the first of month, and starting from 1/5 would exclude 1/1.
+          -- Secondly, consider a rule like "~ every february 2nd from 2020/01"; we should not start that
+          -- before 2020-02-02.
+          -- Hopefully the following algorithm produces intuitive behaviour in general:
+          -- from the earlier of the journal start date and the report start date,
+          -- move backward to the nearest natural start date of the largest period seen among the
+          -- active periodic transactions, unless that is disallowed by a start date in the periodic rule.
+          -- (Do we need to pay attention to an end date in the rule ? Don't think so.)
+          -- (So with "~ monthly", the journal start date 1/5 is adjusted to 1/1.)
+          case minimumDef Nothing $ filter isJust [journalStartDate False j, spanStart reportspan] of
+            Nothing -> Nothing
+            Just d  -> Just d'
+              where
+                -- the interval and any date span of the periodic transaction with longest period
+                (intervl, spn) =
+                  case budgetpts of
+                    []  -> (Days 1, nulldatespan)
+                    pts -> (ptinterval pt, ptspan pt)
+                      where pt = maximumBy (comparing ptinterval) pts  -- PARTIAL: maximumBy won't fail
+                -- the natural start of this interval on or before the journal/report start
+                intervalstart = intervalStartBefore intervl d
+                -- the natural interval start before the journal/report start,
+                -- or the rule-specified start if later,
+                -- but no later than the journal/report start.
+                d' = min d $ maybe intervalstart (max intervalstart) $ spanStart spn
+
     -- select periodic transactions matching a pattern
     -- (the argument of the (final) --budget option).
     -- XXX two limitations/wishes, requiring more extensive type changes:
     -- - give an error if pat is non-null and matches no periodic txns
     -- - allow a regexp or a full hledger query, not just a substring
+    pat = fromMaybe "" $ dbg3 "budget pattern" $ T.toLower <$> budgetpat_ ropts
+    budgetpts = [pt | pt <- jperiodictxns j, pat `T.isInfixOf` T.toLower (ptdescription pt)]
     budgetts =
       dbg5 "budget goal txns" $
       [makeBudgetTxn t
-      | pt <- jperiodictxns j
-      , pat `T.isInfixOf` T.toLower (ptdescription pt)
+      | pt <- budgetpts
       , t <- runPeriodicTransaction pt budgetspan
       ]
     makeBudgetTxn t = txnTieKnot $ t { tdescription = T.pack "Budget transaction" }
@@ -269,11 +308,11 @@
       | transpose_ = \(Tab.Table rh ch vals) -> Tab.Table ch rh (transpose vals)
       | otherwise  = id
 
-    (accts, rows, totalrows) = (accts, prependcs itemscs (padcells texts), prependcs trcs (padtr trtexts))
+    (accts, rows, totalrows) = (accts', prependcs itemscs (padcells texts), prependcs trcs (padtr trtexts))
       where
         shownitems :: [[(AccountName, WideBuilder, BudgetDisplayRow)]]
         shownitems = (fmap (\i -> fmap (\(cs, cvals) -> (renderacct i, cs, cvals)) . showrow $ rowToBudgetCells i) items)
-        (accts, itemscs, texts) = unzip3 $ concat shownitems
+        (accts', itemscs, texts) = unzip3 $ concat shownitems
 
         showntr    :: [[(WideBuilder, BudgetDisplayRow)]]
         showntr    = [showrow $ rowToBudgetCells tr]
@@ -342,10 +381,8 @@
       where
         actual' = fromMaybe nullmixedamt actual
 
-        budgetAndPerc b = uncurry zip
-          ( showmixed b
-          , fmap (wbFromText . T.pack . show . roundTo 0) <$> percbudget actual' b
-          )
+        budgetAndPerc b = 
+          zip (showmixed b) (fmap (wbFromText . T.pack . show . roundTo 0) <$> percbudget actual' b)
 
         full
           | Just b <- mbudget = Just <$> budgetAndPerc b
@@ -358,9 +395,9 @@
             (TB.fromText . flip T.replicate " " $ actualwidth - w) <> b
 
         (totalpercentwidth, totalbudgetwidth) =
-          let totalpercentwidth = if percentwidth == 0 then 0 else percentwidth + 5
-           in ( totalpercentwidth
-              , if budgetwidth == 0 then 0 else budgetwidth + totalpercentwidth + 3
+          let totalpercentwidth' = if percentwidth == 0 then 0 else percentwidth + 5
+           in ( totalpercentwidth'
+              , if budgetwidth == 0 then 0 else budgetwidth + totalpercentwidth' + 3
               )
 
         -- | Display a padded budget string
@@ -408,37 +445,43 @@
   = (if transpose_ then transpose else id) $
 
   -- heading row
+  
+
+  -- heading row
   ("Account" :
   ["Commodity" | layout_ == LayoutBare ]
-   ++ concatMap (\span -> [showDateSpan span, "budget"]) colspans
+   ++ concatMap (\spn -> [showDateSpan spn, "budget"]) colspans
    ++ concat [["Total"  ,"budget"] | row_total_]
    ++ concat [["Average","budget"] | average_]
   ) :
 
   -- account rows
+  
+
+  -- account rows
   concatMap (rowAsTexts prrFullName) items
 
   -- totals row
   ++ concat [ rowAsTexts (const "Total:") tr | not no_total_ ]
 
   where
-    flattentuples abs = concat [[a,b] | (a,b) <- abs]
+    flattentuples tups = concat [[a,b] | (a,b) <- tups]
     showNorm = maybe "" (wbToText . showMixedAmountB oneLine)
 
     rowAsTexts :: (PeriodicReportRow a BudgetCell -> Text)
                -> PeriodicReportRow a BudgetCell
                -> [[Text]]
     rowAsTexts render row@(PeriodicReportRow _ as (rowtot,budgettot) (rowavg, budgetavg))
-      | layout_ /= LayoutBare = [render row : fmap showNorm all]
+      | layout_ /= LayoutBare = [render row : fmap showNorm vals]
       | otherwise =
             joinNames . zipWith (:) cs  -- add symbols and names
           . transpose                   -- each row becomes a list of Text quantities
           . fmap (fmap wbToText . showMixedAmountLinesB oneLine{displayOrder=Just cs, displayMinWidth=Nothing}
                  .fromMaybe nullmixedamt)
-          $ all
+          $ vals
       where
-        cs = S.toList . foldl' S.union mempty . fmap maCommodities $ catMaybes all
-        all = flattentuples as
+        cs = S.toList . foldl' S.union mempty . fmap maCommodities $ catMaybes vals
+        vals = flattentuples as
             ++ concat [[rowtot, budgettot] | row_total_]
             ++ concat [[rowavg, budgetavg] | average_]
 
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs b/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReport.hs
@@ -165,15 +165,14 @@
             , cbcsubreportincreasestotal
             )
           where
+            ropts = cbcsubreportoptions $ _rsReportOpts rspec
             -- Add a restriction to this subreport to the report query.
             -- XXX in non-thorough way, consider updateReportSpec ?
-            q = cbcsubreportquery j
-            ropts = cbcsubreportoptions $ _rsReportOpts rspec
-            rspecsub = rspec{_rsReportOpts=ropts, _rsQuery=And [q, _rsQuery rspec]}
+            rspecsub = rspec{_rsReportOpts=ropts, _rsQuery=And [cbcsubreportquery, _rsQuery rspec]}
             -- Starting balances and column postings specific to this subreport.
             startbals' = startingBalances rspecsub j priceoracle $
-              filter (matchesPostingExtra (journalAccountType j) q) startps
-            colps' = map (second $ filter (matchesPostingExtra (journalAccountType j) q)) colps
+              filter (matchesPostingExtra (journalAccountType j) cbcsubreportquery) startps
+            colps' = map (second $ filter (matchesPostingExtra (journalAccountType j) cbcsubreportquery)) colps
 
     -- Sum the subreport totals by column. Handle these cases:
     -- - no subreports
@@ -315,20 +314,22 @@
     -- The valued row amounts to be displayed: per-period changes,
     -- zero-based cumulative totals, or
     -- starting-balance-based historical balances.
-    rowbals name changes = dbg5 "rowbals" $ case balanceaccum_ ropts of
-        PerPeriod  -> changeamts
+    rowbals name unvaluedChanges = dbg5 "rowbals" $ case balanceaccum_ ropts of
+        PerPeriod  -> changes
         Cumulative -> cumulative
         Historical -> historical
       where
-        -- changes to report on: usually just the changes itself, but use the
-        -- differences in the historical amount for ValueChangeReports.
-        changeamts = case balancecalc_ ropts of
-            CalcChange      -> M.mapWithKey avalue changes
-            CalcBudget      -> M.mapWithKey avalue changes
+        -- changes to report on: usually just the valued changes themselves, but use the
+        -- differences in the valued historical amount for CalcValueChange and CalcGain.
+        changes = case balancecalc_ ropts of
+            CalcChange      -> M.mapWithKey avalue unvaluedChanges
+            CalcBudget      -> M.mapWithKey avalue unvaluedChanges
             CalcValueChange -> periodChanges valuedStart historical
             CalcGain        -> periodChanges valuedStart historical
-        cumulative = cumulativeSum avalue nullacct changeamts
-        historical = cumulativeSum avalue startingBalance changes
+        -- the historical balance is the valued cumulative sum of all unvalued changes
+        historical = M.mapWithKey avalue $ cumulativeSum startingBalance unvaluedChanges
+        -- since this is a cumulative sum of valued amounts, it should not be valued again
+        cumulative = cumulativeSum nullacct changes
         startingBalance = HM.lookupDefault nullacct name startbals
         valuedStart = avalue (DateSpan Nothing historicalDate) startingBalance
 
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@
     avalue = acctApplyBoth . mixedAmountApplyValuationAfterSumFromOptsWith ropts j priceoracle
     acctApplyBoth f a = a{aibalance = f $ aibalance a, aebalance = f $ aebalance a}
     historicalDate = minimumMay $ mapMaybe spanStart colspans
-    zeros = M.fromList [(span, nullacct) | span <- colspans]
+    zeros = M.fromList [(spn, nullacct) | spn <- colspans]
     colspans = map fst colps
 
 
@@ -405,11 +406,11 @@
                   -> HashMap AccountName (Map DateSpan Account)
                   -> HashMap AccountName DisplayName
 displayedAccounts ReportSpec{_rsQuery=query,_rsReportOpts=ropts} unelidableaccts valuedaccts
-    | depth == 0 = HM.singleton "..." $ DisplayName "..." "..." 1
+    | qdepth == 0 = HM.singleton "..." $ DisplayName "..." "..." 1
     | otherwise  = HM.mapWithKey (\a _ -> displayedName a) displayedAccts
   where
     -- Accounts which are to be displayed
-    displayedAccts = (if depth == 0 then id else HM.filterWithKey keep) valuedaccts
+    displayedAccts = (if qdepth == 0 then id else HM.filterWithKey keep) valuedaccts
       where
         keep name amts = isInteresting name amts || name `HM.member` interestingParents
 
@@ -428,7 +429,7 @@
 
     -- Accounts interesting for their own sake
     isInteresting name amts =
-        d <= depth                                 -- Throw out anything too deep
+        d <= qdepth                                  -- Throw out anything too deep
         && ( name `Set.member` unelidableaccts     -- Unelidable accounts should be kept unless too deep
            ||(empty_ ropts && keepWhenEmpty amts)  -- Keep empty accounts when called with --empty
            || not (isZeroRow balance amts)         -- Keep everything with a non-zero balance in the row
@@ -439,8 +440,8 @@
             ALFlat -> const True          -- Keep all empty accounts in flat mode
             ALTree -> all (null . asubs)  -- Keep only empty leaves in tree mode
         balance = maybeStripPrices . case accountlistmode_ ropts of
-            ALTree | d == depth -> aibalance
-            _                   -> aebalance
+            ALTree | d == qdepth -> aibalance
+            _                    -> aebalance
           where maybeStripPrices = if conversionop_ ropts == Just NoConversionOp then id else mixedAmountStripPrices
 
     -- Accounts interesting because they are a fork for interesting subaccounts
@@ -452,7 +453,7 @@
         minSubs = if no_elide_ ropts then 1 else 2
 
     isZeroRow balance = all (mixedAmountLooksZero . balance)
-    depth = fromMaybe maxBound $  queryDepth query
+    qdepth = fromMaybe maxBound $ queryDepth query
     numSubs = subaccountTallies . HM.keys $ HM.filterWithKey isInteresting valuedaccts
 
 -- | Sort the rows by amount or by account declaration order.
@@ -533,10 +534,10 @@
              -> HashMap AccountName (Map DateSpan a)
 transposeMap = foldr (uncurry addSpan) mempty
   where
-    addSpan span acctmap seen = HM.foldrWithKey (addAcctSpan span) seen acctmap
+    addSpan spn acctmap seen = HM.foldrWithKey (addAcctSpan spn) seen acctmap
 
-    addAcctSpan span acct a = HM.alter f acct
-      where f = Just . M.insert span a . fromMaybe mempty
+    addAcctSpan spn acct a = HM.alter f acct
+      where f = Just . M.insert spn a . fromMaybe mempty
 
 -- | A sorting helper: sort a list of things (eg report rows) keyed by account name
 -- to match the provided ordering of those same account names.
@@ -580,11 +581,9 @@
     M.fromDistinctAscList . zip dates $ zipWith subtractAcct amts (start:amts)
   where (dates, amts) = unzip $ M.toAscList amtmap
 
--- | Calculate a cumulative sum from a list of period changes and a valuation
--- function.
-cumulativeSum :: (DateSpan -> Account -> Account) -> Account -> Map DateSpan Account -> Map DateSpan Account
-cumulativeSum value start = snd . M.mapAccumWithKey accumValued start
-  where accumValued startAmt date newAmt = let s = sumAcct startAmt newAmt in (s, value date s)
+-- | Calculate a cumulative sum from a list of period changes.
+cumulativeSum :: Account -> Map DateSpan Account -> Map DateSpan Account
+cumulativeSum start = snd . M.mapAccum (\a b -> let s = sumAcct a b in (s, s)) start
 
 -- | Given a table representing a multi-column balance report (for example,
 -- made using 'balanceReportAsTable'), render it in a format suitable for
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs b/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/PostingsReport.hs
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
 
       -- Postings, or summary postings with their subperiod's end date, to be displayed.
       displayps :: [(Posting, Maybe Period)]
-        | multiperiod = [(p, Just period) | (p, period) <- summariseps reportps]
-        | otherwise   = [(p, Nothing) | p <- reportps]
+        | multiperiod = [(p', Just period') | (p', period') <- summariseps reportps]
+        | otherwise   = [(p', Nothing) | p' <- reportps]
         where
           summariseps = summarisePostingsByInterval whichdate mdepth showempty colspans
           showempty = empty_ || average_
@@ -189,9 +189,9 @@
 -- with 0 amount.
 --
 summarisePostingsInDateSpan :: DateSpan -> WhichDate -> Maybe Int -> Bool -> [Posting] -> [SummaryPosting]
-summarisePostingsInDateSpan span@(DateSpan b e) wd mdepth showempty ps
+summarisePostingsInDateSpan spn@(DateSpan b e) wd mdepth showempty ps
   | null ps && (isNothing b || isNothing e) = []
-  | null ps && showempty = [(summaryp, dateSpanAsPeriod span)]
+  | null ps && showempty = [(summaryp, dateSpanAsPeriod spn)]
   | otherwise = summarypes
   where
     postingdate = if wd == PrimaryDate then postingDate else postingDate2
@@ -200,14 +200,14 @@
     clippedanames = nub $ map (clipAccountName mdepth) anames
     summaryps | mdepth == Just 0 = [summaryp{paccount="...",pamount=sumPostings ps}]
               | otherwise        = [summaryp{paccount=a,pamount=balance a} | a <- clippedanames]
-    summarypes = map (, dateSpanAsPeriod span) $ (if showempty then id else filter (not . mixedAmountLooksZero . pamount)) summaryps
+    summarypes = map (, dateSpanAsPeriod spn) $ (if showempty then id else filter (not . mixedAmountLooksZero . pamount)) summaryps
     anames = nubSort $ map paccount ps
     -- aggregate balances by account, like ledgerFromJournal, then do depth-clipping
     accts = accountsFromPostings ps
     balance a = maybe nullmixedamt bal $ lookupAccount a accts
       where
         bal = if isclipped a then aibalance else aebalance
-        isclipped a = maybe False (accountNameLevel a >=) mdepth
+        isclipped a' = maybe False (accountNameLevel a' >=) mdepth
 
 negatePostingAmount :: Posting -> Posting
 negatePostingAmount = postingTransformAmount negate
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs b/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@
 
 -- | Set the default ConversionOp.
 setDefaultConversionOp :: ConversionOp -> ReportSpec -> ReportSpec
-setDefaultConversionOp def rspec@ReportSpec{_rsReportOpts=ropts} =
-    rspec{_rsReportOpts=ropts{conversionop_=conversionop_ ropts <|> Just def}}
+setDefaultConversionOp defop rspec@ReportSpec{_rsReportOpts=ropts} =
+    rspec{_rsReportOpts=ropts{conversionop_=conversionop_ ropts <|> Just defop}}
 
 accountlistmodeopt :: RawOpts -> AccountListMode
 accountlistmodeopt =
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@
         (s,n) = break (==',') $ map toLower opt
         w = case drop 1 n of
               "" -> Nothing
-              c | Just w <- readMay c -> Just w
+              c | Just w' <- readMay c -> Just w'
               _ -> usageError "width in --layout=wide,WIDTH must be an integer"
 
         err = usageError "--layout's argument should be \"wide[,WIDTH]\", \"tall\", \"bare\", or \"tidy\""
@@ -390,14 +390,14 @@
 beginDatesFromRawOpts :: Day -> RawOpts -> [Day]
 beginDatesFromRawOpts d = collectopts (begindatefromrawopt d)
   where
-    begindatefromrawopt d (n,v)
+    begindatefromrawopt d' (n,v)
       | n == "begin" =
           either (\e -> usageError $ "could not parse "++n++" date: "++customErrorBundlePretty e) Just $
-          fixSmartDateStrEither' d (T.pack v)
+          fixSmartDateStrEither' d' (T.pack v)
       | n == "period" =
         case
           either (\e -> usageError $ "could not parse period option: "++customErrorBundlePretty e) id $
-          parsePeriodExpr d (stripquotes $ T.pack v)
+          parsePeriodExpr d' (stripquotes $ T.pack v)
         of
           (_, DateSpan (Just b) _) -> Just b
           _                        -> Nothing
@@ -408,14 +408,14 @@
 endDatesFromRawOpts :: Day -> RawOpts -> [Day]
 endDatesFromRawOpts d = collectopts (enddatefromrawopt d)
   where
-    enddatefromrawopt d (n,v)
+    enddatefromrawopt d' (n,v)
       | n == "end" =
           either (\e -> usageError $ "could not parse "++n++" date: "++customErrorBundlePretty e) Just $
-          fixSmartDateStrEither' d (T.pack v)
+          fixSmartDateStrEither' d' (T.pack v)
       | n == "period" =
         case
           either (\e -> usageError $ "could not parse period option: "++customErrorBundlePretty e) id $
-          parsePeriodExpr d (stripquotes $ T.pack v)
+          parsePeriodExpr d' (stripquotes $ T.pack v)
         of
           (_, DateSpan _ (Just e)) -> Just e
           _                        -> Nothing
@@ -589,12 +589,12 @@
       CalcGain -> journalMapPostings (\p -> postingTransformAmount (gain p) p) j
       _        -> journalMapPostings (\p -> postingTransformAmount (valuation p) p) $ costing j
   where
-    valuation p = maybe id (mixedAmountApplyValuation priceoracle styles (periodEnd p) (_rsDay rspec) (postingDate p)) (value_ ropts)
-    gain      p = maybe id (mixedAmountApplyGain      priceoracle styles (periodEnd p) (_rsDay rspec) (postingDate p)) (value_ ropts)
+    valuation p = maybe id (mixedAmountApplyValuation priceoracle styles (postingperiodend p) (_rsDay rspec) (postingDate p)) (value_ ropts)
+    gain      p = maybe id (mixedAmountApplyGain      priceoracle styles (postingperiodend p) (_rsDay rspec) (postingDate p)) (value_ ropts)
     costing     = journalToCost (fromMaybe NoConversionOp $ conversionop_ ropts)
 
     -- Find the end of the period containing this posting
-    periodEnd  = addDays (-1) . fromMaybe err . mPeriodEnd . postingDateOrDate2 (whichDate ropts)
+    postingperiodend  = addDays (-1) . fromMaybe err . mPeriodEnd . postingDateOrDate2 (whichDate ropts)
     mPeriodEnd = case interval_ ropts of
         NoInterval -> const . spanEnd . fst $ reportSpan j rspec
         _          -> spanEnd <=< latestSpanContaining (historical : spans)
@@ -611,11 +611,11 @@
     case valuationAfterSum ropts of
         Just mc -> case balancecalc_ ropts of
             CalcGain -> gain mc
-            _        -> \span -> valuation mc span . costing
+            _        -> \spn -> valuation mc spn . costing
         Nothing      -> const id
   where
-    valuation mc span = mixedAmountValueAtDate priceoracle styles mc (maybe err (addDays (-1)) $ spanEnd span)
-    gain mc span = mixedAmountGainAtDate priceoracle styles mc (maybe err (addDays (-1)) $ spanEnd span)
+    valuation mc spn = mixedAmountValueAtDate priceoracle styles mc (maybe err (addDays (-1)) $ spanEnd spn)
+    gain mc spn = mixedAmountGainAtDate priceoracle styles mc (maybe err (addDays (-1)) $ spanEnd spn)
     costing = case fromMaybe NoConversionOp $ conversionop_ ropts of
         NoConversionOp -> id
         ToCost         -> styleMixedAmount styles . mixedAmountCost
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@
 -- >>> _rsQuery <$> setEither querystring ["assets"] defreportspec
 -- Right (Acct (RegexpCI "assets"))
 -- >>> _rsQuery <$> setEither querystring ["(assets"] defreportspec
--- Left "this regular expression could not be compiled: (assets"
+-- Left "This regular expression is malformed...
 -- >>> _rsQuery $ set querystring ["assets"] defreportspec
 -- Acct (RegexpCI "assets")
 -- >>> _rsQuery $ set querystring ["(assets"] defreportspec
@@ -808,6 +808,8 @@
     reportOpts :: ReportableLens' a ReportOpts
     reportOpts = reportOptsNoUpdate
     {-# INLINE reportOpts #-}
+
+    -- XXX these names are a bit clashy
 
     period :: ReportableLens' a Period
     period = reportOpts.periodNoUpdate
diff --git a/Hledger/Reports/ReportTypes.hs b/Hledger/Reports/ReportTypes.hs
--- a/Hledger/Reports/ReportTypes.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Reports/ReportTypes.hs
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
 -- Part of a "CompoundBalanceCommandSpec", but also used in hledger-lib.
 data CBCSubreportSpec a = CBCSubreportSpec
   { cbcsubreporttitle          :: Text                      -- ^ The title to use for the subreport
-  , cbcsubreportquery          :: Journal -> Query          -- ^ The Query to use for the subreport
+  , cbcsubreportquery          :: Query                     -- ^ The Query to use for the subreport
   , cbcsubreportoptions        :: ReportOpts -> ReportOpts  -- ^ A function to transform the ReportOpts used to produce the subreport
   , cbcsubreporttransform      :: PeriodicReport DisplayName MixedAmount -> PeriodicReport a MixedAmount  -- ^ A function to transform the result of the subreport
   , cbcsubreportincreasestotal :: Bool                      -- ^ Whether the subreport and overall report total are of the same sign (e.g. Assets are normally
diff --git a/Hledger/Utils.hs b/Hledger/Utils.hs
--- a/Hledger/Utils.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Utils.hs
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
   where
     openFileOrStdin :: String -> IOMode -> IO Handle
     openFileOrStdin "-" _ = return stdin
-    openFileOrStdin f m   = openFile f m
+    openFileOrStdin f' m   = openFile f' m
 
 readHandlePortably :: Handle -> IO Text
 readHandlePortably h = do
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@
   return (h [])
   where
     go h [] = return h
-    go h (m:ms) = do
+    go h (m:ms') = do
       x <- m
-      go (h . (x :)) ms
+      go (h . (x :)) ms'
 
 -- | Like mapM but uses sequence'.
 {-# INLINABLE mapM' #-}
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@
     -- HasReportOpts class with some special behaviour. We therefore give the
     -- basic lenses a special NoUpdate name to avoid conflicts.
     className "ReportOpts" = Just (mkName "HasReportOptsNoUpdate", mkName "reportOptsNoUpdate")
-    className (x:xs)       = Just (mkName ("Has" ++ x:xs), mkName (toLower x : xs))
+    className (x':xs)       = Just (mkName ("Has" ++ x':xs), mkName (toLower x' : xs))
     className []           = Nothing
 
     -- Fields of ReportOpts which need to update the Query when they are updated.
diff --git a/Hledger/Utils/Debug.hs b/Hledger/Utils/Debug.hs
--- a/Hledger/Utils/Debug.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Utils/Debug.hs
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@
 module Hledger.Utils.Debug (
   -- * Pretty printing
    pprint
+  ,pprint'
   ,pshow
+  ,pshow'
+  ,useColorOnStdout
+  ,useColorOnStderr
   -- * Tracing
   ,traceWith
   -- * Pretty tracing
@@ -90,17 +94,33 @@
   -- ** Trace the state of hledger parsers
   ,traceParse
   ,dbgparse
+  -- ** Debug-logging to a file
+  ,dlogTrace
+  ,dlogTraceAt
+  ,dlogAt
+  ,dlog0
+  ,dlog1
+  ,dlog2
+  ,dlog3
+  ,dlog4
+  ,dlog5
+  ,dlog6
+  ,dlog7
+  ,dlog8
+  ,dlog9
+  -- ** Re-exports
+  ,module Debug.Breakpoint
   ,module Debug.Trace
-  ,useColorOnStdout
-  ,useColorOnStderr
-  ,dlog)
+  )
 where
 
+import           Control.DeepSeq (force)
 import           Control.Monad (when)
 import           Control.Monad.IO.Class
 import           Data.List hiding (uncons)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as TL
+import           Debug.Breakpoint
 import           Debug.Trace
 import           Hledger.Utils.Parse
 import           Safe (readDef)
@@ -113,25 +133,38 @@
 import Data.Maybe (isJust)
 import System.Console.ANSI (hSupportsANSIColor)
 import System.IO (stdout, Handle, stderr)
+import Control.Exception (evaluate)
 
+-- | pretty-simple options with colour enabled if allowed.
 prettyopts = 
-  baseopts
+  (if useColorOnStderr then defaultOutputOptionsDarkBg else defaultOutputOptionsNoColor)
     { outputOptionsIndentAmount=2
     , outputOptionsCompact=True
     }
-  where
-    baseopts
-      | useColorOnStderr = defaultOutputOptionsDarkBg -- defaultOutputOptionsLightBg
-      | otherwise        = defaultOutputOptionsNoColor
 
+-- | pretty-simple options with colour disabled.
+prettyopts' =
+  defaultOutputOptionsNoColor
+    { outputOptionsIndentAmount=2
+    , outputOptionsCompact=True
+    }
+
 -- | Pretty print. Generic alias for pretty-simple's pPrint.
 pprint :: Show a => a -> IO ()
 pprint = pPrintOpt CheckColorTty prettyopts
 
+-- | Monochrome version of pprint.
+pprint' :: Show a => a -> IO ()
+pprint' = pPrintOpt CheckColorTty prettyopts'
+
 -- | Pretty show. Generic alias for pretty-simple's pShow.
 pshow :: Show a => a -> String
 pshow = TL.unpack . pShowOpt prettyopts
 
+-- | Monochrome version of pshow.
+pshow' :: Show a => a -> String
+pshow' = TL.unpack . pShowOpt prettyopts'
+
 -- XXX some of the below can be improved with pretty-simple, https://github.com/cdepillabout/pretty-simple#readme
 
 -- | Pretty trace. Easier alias for traceShowId + pShow.
@@ -284,10 +317,9 @@
 ptraceAt :: Show a => Int -> String -> a -> a
 ptraceAt level
     | level > 0 && debugLevel < level = const id
-    | otherwise = \s a -> let p = pshow a
-                              ls = lines p
+    | otherwise = \s a -> let ls = lines $ pshow a
                               nlorspace | length ls > 1 = "\n"
-                                        | otherwise     = replicate (11 - length s) ' '
+                                        | otherwise     = replicate (max 1 $ 11 - length s) ' '
                               ls' | length ls > 1 = map (' ':) ls
                                   | otherwise     = ls
                           in trace (s++":"++nlorspace++intercalate "\n" ls') a
@@ -305,10 +337,6 @@
                         -- in trace (s++":"++nlorspace++intercalate "\n" ls') a
                         in trace p a
 
--- | Log a pretty-printed showable value to "./debug.log". Uses unsafePerformIO.
-dlog :: Show a => a -> a
-dlog x = unsafePerformIO $ appendFile "debug.log" (pshow x ++ "\n") >> return x
-
 -- "dbg" would clash with megaparsec.
 -- | Pretty-print a label and the showable value to the console, then return it.
 dbg0 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
@@ -344,6 +372,7 @@
 dbg9 = ptraceAt 9
 
 -- | Like dbg0, but also exit the program. Uses unsafePerformIO.
+-- {-# NOINLINE dbgExit #-}
 dbgExit :: Show a => String -> a -> a
 dbgExit msg = const (unsafePerformIO exitFailure) . dbg0 msg
 
@@ -419,6 +448,70 @@
 
 dbg9IO :: (MonadIO m, Show a) => String -> a -> m ()
 dbg9IO = ptraceAtIO 9
+
+-- | Log a string to ./debug.log before returning the second argument.
+-- Uses unsafePerformIO.
+-- {-# NOINLINE dlogTrace #-}
+dlogTrace :: String -> a -> a
+dlogTrace s x = unsafePerformIO $ do
+  evaluate (force s)  -- to complete any previous logging before we attempt more
+  appendFile "debug.log" (s ++ "\n")
+  return x
+
+-- | Log a string to ./debug.log before returning the second argument,
+-- if the global debug level is at or above the specified level.
+-- At level 0, always logs. Otherwise, uses unsafePerformIO.
+dlogTraceAt :: Int -> String -> a -> a
+dlogTraceAt level s
+  | level > 0 && debugLevel < level = id
+  | otherwise = dlogTrace s
+
+-- | Log a label and pretty-printed showable value to "./debug.log",
+-- if the global debug level is at or above the specified level.
+-- At level 0, always prints. Otherwise, uses unsafePerformIO.
+dlogAt :: Show a => Int -> String -> a -> a
+dlogAt level
+  | level > 0 && debugLevel < level = const id
+  | otherwise = \lbl a ->
+    let 
+      ls = lines $ pshow' a
+      nlorspace | length ls > 1 = "\n"
+                | otherwise     = replicate (max 1 $ 11 - length lbl) ' '
+      ls' | length ls > 1 = map (' ':) ls
+          | otherwise     = ls
+    in dlogTrace (lbl++":"++nlorspace++intercalate "\n" ls') a
+
+-- | Pretty-print a label and the showable value to ./debug.log if at or above
+-- a certain debug level, then return it.
+dlog0 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog0 = dlogAt 0
+
+dlog1 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog1 = dlogAt 1
+
+dlog2 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog2 = dlogAt 2
+
+dlog3 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog3 = dlogAt 3
+
+dlog4 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog4 = dlogAt 4
+
+dlog5 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog5 = dlogAt 5
+
+dlog6 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog6 = dlogAt 6
+
+dlog7 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog7 = dlogAt 7
+
+dlog8 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog8 = dlogAt 8
+
+dlog9 :: Show a => String -> a -> a
+dlog9 = dlogAt 9
 
 -- | Print the provided label (if non-null) and current parser state
 -- (position and next input) to the console. See also megaparsec's dbg.
diff --git a/Hledger/Utils/Parse.hs b/Hledger/Utils/Parse.hs
--- a/Hledger/Utils/Parse.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Utils/Parse.hs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
   skipNonNewlineSpaces',
 
   -- * re-exports
+  HledgerParseErrors,
   HledgerParseErrorData
 )
 where
diff --git a/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs b/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
--- a/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Utils/Regex.hs
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@
                              RegexpCI _ _ -> showString "RegexpCI "
 
 instance Read Regexp where
-  readsPrec d r =  readParen (d > app_prec) (\r -> [(toRegexCI' m,t) |
-                                                    ("RegexCI",s) <- lex r,
+  readsPrec d r =  readParen (d > app_prec) (\r' -> [(toRegexCI' m,t) |
+                                                    ("RegexCI",s) <- lex r',
                                                     (m,t) <- readsPrec (app_prec+1) s]) r
-                ++ readParen (d > app_prec) (\r -> [(toRegex' m, t) |
-                                                    ("Regex",s) <- lex r,
+                ++ readParen (d > app_prec) (\r' -> [(toRegex' m, t) |
+                                                    ("Regex",s) <- lex r',
                                                     (m,t) <- readsPrec (app_prec+1) s]) r
     where app_prec = 10
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 -- | Make a nice error message for a regexp error.
 mkRegexErr :: Text -> Maybe a -> Either RegexError a
 mkRegexErr s = maybe (Left errmsg) Right
-  where errmsg = T.unpack $ "this regular expression could not be compiled: " <> s
+  where errmsg = T.unpack $ "This regular expression is malformed, please correct it:\n" <> s
 
 -- Convert a Regexp string to a compiled Regex, throw an error
 toRegex' :: Text -> Regexp
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
 -- but there can still be a runtime error from the replacement
 -- pattern, eg a backreference referring to a nonexistent match group.)
 regexReplaceUnmemo :: Regexp -> Replacement -> String -> Either RegexError String
-regexReplaceUnmemo re repl s = foldM (replaceMatch repl) s (reverse $ match (reCompiled re) s :: [MatchText String])
+regexReplaceUnmemo re repl str = foldM (replaceMatch repl) str (reverse $ match (reCompiled re) str :: [MatchText String])
   where
     -- Replace one match within the string with the replacement text
     -- appropriate for this match. Or return an error message.
@@ -195,22 +195,22 @@
       case elems matchgroups of 
         [] -> Right s
         ((_,(off,len)):_) ->   -- groups should have 0-based indexes, and there should always be at least one, since this is a match
-          erepl >>= \repl -> Right $ pre ++ repl ++ post
+          erpl >>= \rpl -> Right $ pre ++ rpl ++ post
           where
             (pre, post') = splitAt off s
             post = drop len post'
             -- The replacement text: the replacement pattern with all
             -- numeric backreferences replaced by the appropriate groups
             -- from this match. Or an error message.
-            erepl = regexReplaceAllByM backrefRegex (lookupMatchGroup matchgroups) replpat
+            erpl = regexReplaceAllByM backrefRegex (lookupMatchGroup matchgroups) replpat
               where
                 -- Given some match groups and a numeric backreference,
                 -- return the referenced group text, or an error message.
                 lookupMatchGroup :: MatchText String -> String -> Either RegexError String
-                lookupMatchGroup grps ('\\':s@(_:_)) | all isDigit s =
-                  case read s of n | n `elem` indices grps -> Right $ fst (grps ! n)  -- PARTIAL: should not fail, all digits
-                                 _                         -> Left $ "no match group exists for backreference \"\\"++s++"\""
-                lookupMatchGroup _ s = Left $ "lookupMatchGroup called on non-numeric-backreference \""++s++"\", shouldn't happen"
+                lookupMatchGroup grps ('\\':s2@(_:_)) | all isDigit s2 =
+                  case read s2 of n | n `elem` indices grps -> Right $ fst (grps ! n)  -- PARTIAL: should not fail, all digits
+                                  _                         -> Left $ "no match group exists for backreference \"\\"++s++"\""
+                lookupMatchGroup _ s2 = Left $ "lookupMatchGroup called on non-numeric-backreference \""++s2++"\", shouldn't happen"
     backrefRegex = toRegex' "\\\\[0-9]+"  -- PARTIAL: should not fail
 
 -- regexReplace' :: Regexp -> Replacement -> String -> String
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@
         go :: (Int,String,String->String) -> (Int,Int) ->  (Int,String,String->String)
         go (pos,todo,prepend) (off,len) =
           let (prematch, matchandrest) = splitAt (off - pos) todo
-              (matched, rest) = splitAt len matchandrest
-          in (off + len, rest, prepend . (prematch++) . (transform matched ++))
+              (matched, rest2) = splitAt len matchandrest
+          in (off + len, rest2, prepend . (prematch++) . (transform matched ++))
 
 -- Replace all occurrences of a regexp in a string, transforming each match
 -- with the given monadic function. Eg if the monad is Either, a Left result
diff --git a/Hledger/Utils/String.hs b/Hledger/Utils/String.hs
--- a/Hledger/Utils/String.hs
+++ b/Hledger/Utils/String.hs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  -- quoting
  quoteIfNeeded,
  singleQuoteIfNeeded,
+ quoteForCommandLine,
  -- quotechars,
  -- whitespacechars,
  words',
@@ -118,15 +119,44 @@
     escapeQuotes (c:cs)   x = showChar c        $ escapeQuotes cs x
 
 -- | Single-quote this string if it contains whitespace or double-quotes.
--- No good for strings containing single quotes.
+-- Does not work for strings containing single quotes.
 singleQuoteIfNeeded :: String -> String
-singleQuoteIfNeeded s | any (`elem` s) (quotechars++whitespacechars) = "'"++s++"'"
+singleQuoteIfNeeded s | any (`elem` s) (quotechars++whitespacechars) = singleQuote s
                       | otherwise = s
 
-quotechars, whitespacechars, redirectchars :: [Char]
+-- | Prepend and append single quotes to a string.
+singleQuote :: String -> String
+singleQuote s = "'"++s++"'"
+
+-- | Try to single- and backslash-quote a string as needed to make it usable
+-- as an argument on a (sh/bash) shell command line. At least, well enough 
+-- to handle common currency symbols, like $. Probably broken in many ways.
+--
+-- >>> quoteForCommandLine "a"
+-- "a"
+-- >>> quoteForCommandLine "\""
+-- "'\"'"
+-- >>> quoteForCommandLine "$"
+-- "'\\$'"
+--
+quoteForCommandLine :: String -> String
+quoteForCommandLine s
+  | any (`elem` s) (quotechars++whitespacechars++shellchars) = singleQuote $ quoteShellChars s
+  | otherwise = s
+
+-- | Try to backslash-quote common shell-significant characters in this string.
+-- Doesn't handle single quotes, & probably others.
+quoteShellChars :: String -> String
+quoteShellChars = concatMap escapeShellChar
+  where
+    escapeShellChar c | c `elem` shellchars = ['\\',c]
+    escapeShellChar c = [c]
+
+quotechars, whitespacechars, redirectchars, shellchars :: [Char]
 quotechars      = "'\""
 whitespacechars = " \t\n\r"
 redirectchars   = "<>"
+shellchars      = "<>(){}[]$7?#!~`"
 
 -- | Quote-aware version of words - don't split on spaces which are inside quotes.
 -- NB correctly handles "a'b" but not "''a''". Can raise an error if parsing fails.
diff --git a/Text/Megaparsec/Custom.hs b/Text/Megaparsec/Custom.hs
--- a/Text/Megaparsec/Custom.hs
+++ b/Text/Megaparsec/Custom.hs
@@ -120,8 +120,10 @@
   -> HledgerParseErrorData
 parseErrorAtRegion startOffset endOffset msg =
   if startOffset < endOffset
-    then ErrorFailAt startOffset endOffset msg
-    else ErrorFailAt startOffset (startOffset+1) msg
+    then ErrorFailAt startOffset endOffset msg'
+    else ErrorFailAt startOffset (startOffset+1) msg'
+  where
+    msg' = "\n" ++ msg
 
 
 --- * Re-parsing
@@ -369,9 +371,9 @@
 
   -- A parse error thrown directly with the 'FinalError' constructor
   -- requires both source and filepath.
-  FinalError parseError ->
+  FinalError err ->
     let bundle = ParseErrorBundle
-          { bundleErrors = parseError NE.:| []
+          { bundleErrors = err NE.:| []
           , bundlePosState = initialPosState filePath sourceText }
     in  FinalParseErrorBundle'
           { finalErrorBundle = bundle
diff --git a/Text/Tabular/AsciiWide.hs b/Text/Tabular/AsciiWide.hs
--- a/Text/Tabular/AsciiWide.hs
+++ b/Text/Tabular/AsciiWide.hs
@@ -211,11 +211,11 @@
 renderHLine vpos borders pretty w h prop = [renderHLine' vpos borders pretty prop w h]
 
 renderHLine' :: VPos -> Bool -> Bool -> Properties -> [Int] -> Header a -> Builder
-renderHLine' vpos borders pretty prop is h = addBorders $ sep <> coreLine <> sep
+renderHLine' vpos borders pretty prop is hdr = addBorders $ sep <> coreLine <> sep
  where
   addBorders xs   = if borders then edge HL <> xs <> edge HR else xs
   edge hpos       = boxchar vpos hpos SingleLine prop pretty
-  coreLine        = foldMap helper $ flattenHeader $ zipHeader 0 is h
+  coreLine        = foldMap helper $ flattenHeader $ zipHeader 0 is hdr
   helper          = either vsep dashes
   dashes (i,_)    = stimesMonoid i sep
   sep             = boxchar vpos HM NoLine prop pretty
diff --git a/hledger-lib.cabal b/hledger-lib.cabal
--- a/hledger-lib.cabal
+++ b/hledger-lib.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hledger-lib
-version:        1.26.1
+version:        1.27
 synopsis:       A reusable library providing the core functionality of hledger
 description:    A reusable library containing hledger's core functionality.
                 This is used by most hledger* packages so that they support the same
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 license-file:   LICENSE
 build-type:     Simple
 tested-with:
-    GHC==8.6.5, GHC==8.8.4, GHC==8.10.4, GHC==9.0.1
+    GHC==8.10.7, GHC==9.0.2, GHC==9.2.4
 extra-source-files:
     CHANGES.md
     README.md
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
       Paths_hledger_lib
   hs-source-dirs:
       ./
-  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-name-shadowing -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
+  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
   build-depends:
       Decimal >=0.5.1
     , Glob >=0.9
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@
     , aeson-pretty
     , ansi-terminal >=0.9
     , array
-    , base >=4.11 && <4.17
+    , base >=4.14 && <4.17
     , blaze-markup >=0.5.1
+    , breakpoint
     , bytestring
     , call-stack
     , cassava
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@
     , cmdargs >=0.10
     , containers >=0.5.9
     , data-default >=0.5
+    , deepseq
     , directory
     , doclayout >=0.3 && <0.5
     , extra >=1.6.3
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@
   hs-source-dirs:
       ./
       test
-  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-name-shadowing -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
+  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
   build-depends:
       Decimal >=0.5.1
     , Glob >=0.7
@@ -153,8 +155,9 @@
     , aeson-pretty
     , ansi-terminal >=0.9
     , array
-    , base >=4.11 && <4.17
+    , base >=4.14 && <4.17
     , blaze-markup >=0.5.1
+    , breakpoint
     , bytestring
     , call-stack
     , cassava
@@ -162,6 +165,7 @@
     , cmdargs >=0.10
     , containers >=0.5.9
     , data-default >=0.5
+    , deepseq
     , directory
     , doclayout >=0.3 && <0.5
     , doctest >=0.18.1
@@ -188,7 +192,7 @@
     , uglymemo
     , unordered-containers >=0.2
     , utf8-string >=0.3.5
-  if impl(ghc < 9.2)
+  if impl(ghc >= 9.0) && impl(ghc < 9.2)
     buildable: False
   default-language: Haskell2010
 
@@ -198,7 +202,7 @@
   hs-source-dirs:
       ./
       test
-  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-name-shadowing -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
+  ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
   build-depends:
       Decimal >=0.5.1
     , Glob >=0.9
@@ -206,8 +210,9 @@
     , aeson-pretty
     , ansi-terminal >=0.9
     , array
-    , base >=4.11 && <4.17
+    , base >=4.14 && <4.17
     , blaze-markup >=0.5.1
+    , breakpoint
     , bytestring
     , call-stack
     , cassava
@@ -215,6 +220,7 @@
     , cmdargs >=0.10
     , containers >=0.5.9
     , data-default >=0.5
+    , deepseq
     , directory
     , doclayout >=0.3 && <0.5
     , extra >=1.6.3