Automatic Stock Quote fetch using gnucash and Perl F::Q

gnucashgetquotes

#!/bin/bash
#Script to fetch price updates for all stocks listed in Gnucash Accounts

#If you are behind a proxy you'll need to export the proxy name too:
#export http_proxy="http://proxyname.domain.com:PORT";
/usr/local/bin/gnucash --add-price-quotes  /path/to/gnucash-accounts/file.gnucash
exit

gnucashstockupdate

#!/bin/bash
#Script to fetch price updates for all stocks listed in Gnucash Accounts

#Export proxy if you are behind one:
#export http_proxy="http://proxyname.domain.com:PORT";

if [ $# = 0 ] 
then
#echo "Error: Missing filename";
#exit 1;
echo " "
fi

#Check if Gnucash is running by looking for the presence of a lockfile
if [ -e /path/to/gnucash-accounts/file.gnucash.LCK ]
then
echo "Target file locked by another instance of gnucash";
exit 1;
fi

echo ""
DATE=`date`;
echo "$DATE: Attempting to fetch updates for  $1";
echo "Warning: Target file name is hardcoded for now";

#Run the price fetch
#gnucash --debug --add-price-quotes="$1"
env `dbus-launch` sh -c 'trap "kill $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_PID" EXIT; /home/username/bin/gnucashgetquotes'
EXITSTAT=$?
echo Status:$EXITSTAT
exit $EXITSTATUS

Instructions

Read this carefully and completely before you run the commands!

1. First, tell crontab to run the update script periodically. Run crontab -e as user (not root!) and add this line: (replace your username, naturally)
0 9,11,13,15 * * 1,2,3,4,5 /home/username/bin/gnucashstockupdate /path/to/gnucash-accounts/file.gnucash >> /path/to/gnucash-accounts/file/PriceUpdate.log

2. Copy the accompanying script gnucashstockupdate to ~/bin and make it executable

3. Copy the accompanying script gnucashgetquotes to ~/bin and make it executable

4. Done! The crontab entry I have given will attempt to fetch updates on all weekdays at 9, 11, 1, 3 o'clock - which fits the tmings of our exchange. For international quotes change as desired.