Basic Questions

[Ingo Sorke]

New to Accordance . . . I plan to really dig into the program over Christmas and watch the Training DVD, but until then I have some basic questions:

 

- Does Accordance offer a Russian translation? Didn't notice it on the website or any modules. (Old Synod or Contemporary Russian Version would be great).

- Updates of Bible versions are updated individually, not as a group - seems inefficient

- How do I turn off the diacritical marks in Hebrew? I only want the pointed (vowels) text in Hebrew, nothing else. Can't seem to find a box to check to turn all other marks off.

- When I enter Daniel 2:34, for example, I can't conveniently just go to the next verse. I have to enter Daniel 2:35. Seems inefficient as well. Sometimes I don't know that I want to go to the next verse until I'm looking at a text.

The Book Chapter Verse buttons at the bottom of the screen only work if I enter a text range.

- BHS-W4 stays on the screen, even when I enter NT texts. That takes up a lot of screen real estate on my Macbook (really need a 15" screen). Do I really need to switch files or tabs when I move between the testaments?

- Is there a feature to see, for example, the NET notes just by hovering the cursor over the note number? I don't want to have to open a new window for those notes and lose my screen/spot - I just want the notes to pop up where I'm at.

- Can I open the Maps and Photoguide without having a specific term I'm looking for? Right now, unless I have a relevant term selected ("Bethlehem"), I can't access that module.

 

Questions only a Newbie would have, I'm sure, but they're my biggest hurdle for efficient use right now.

 

Thanks to anyone in advance for tips and tricks,

 

Ingo

[Helen Brown]

Wow, these are a lot of questions. Thanks for being willing to ask them. I'll try to answer in brief, but I strongly recommend that you upgrade to 8.4 if you didn't already, and then use the Help menu to access the free Training Videos and Podcasts which will give you a great explanation of the features which are now puzzling you.

 

We don't yet have a Russian version, hope to soon.

 

The Bible updates come together on the 8.4 DVD, but how can we update them all in one download when each user has a different set of Bibles.

 

You cannot turn off the Hebrew cantillation marks, but you can strip as much of the marks as you choose when you export the text (Preferences: Greek & Hebrew).

 

What you enter in the top entry box determines what you see in the window, so if you enter one verse, you cannot go to another verse. For what you want to do, it would be better to enter an * to display the entire text, and then enter the specific reference in the GoTo box at the bottom right. It will take you there but leave the context so you can explore up and down.

 

Yes, if you have an English text in your search text, and parallel panes for BHS-W4 and GNT-T, one or other of these panes will be empty, depending on where you are in the text. You could set up a duplicate tab for your NT searches, or switch the display text in the pane between the BHS and GNT, but they cannot be combined in a single pane, sorry!

 

To see the NET Notes, or any commentary or Notes, it's best to use the Add Pane button on the Search window, and add them in a pane of the same window. Then the note at the top of the pane will match the verse at the top pf the text pane. Another, new, way to see the note or commentary that is listed first in the Reference Tools pop-up menu, is to press the command key while the cursor is over the reference, and look in the Instant Details floating window.

 

You can open Maps or Photoguide (or anything else) in a new window without a search by:

• pressing tab first so that the cursor is in the entry box not the text pane, or
• pressing command as you choose the module from the Resource palette to override the selection in the text pane, or
• opening the module from the Library window.

I hope this helps you get a little way up the "learning curve."

[Lorinda H. M. Hoover]

In addition to Helen's suggestion of using the Go To box, there are a couple of other ways to do this, depending on what your needs are:

 

-set the Add Context drop down to something other than "none" (on the right hand side of the search window, under the circle with the looking glass

 

-With the cursor in the verse you want to see the context for, click on the Context button on the resource palette. That's the Scroll with the up and down arrow. A new tab (or window) will open showing the context of the verse.

 

Enjoy learning Accordance. I've found it to be a great joy.

 

 

 

Another, new, way to see the note or commentary that is listed first in the Reference Tools pop-up menu, is to press the command key while the cursor is over the reference, and look in the Instant Details floating window.

 

I had not caught this with commentaries! I knew it worked with dictionaries, but I hadn't tried it with verse references. How nice!

 

Lorinda

[Joel Brown]

- Updates of Bible versions are updated individually, not as a group - seems inefficient

 

A little known feature is that you can select multiple or all items in the group and update them all in one go. Use Shift-Click or Command-Click to select multiple items, or type Command-A to select them all at once.

[Ingo Sorke]

Thanks to all - I'll go from there!

[Ingo Sorke]

HB: What you enter in the top entry box determines what you see in the window, so if you enter one verse, you cannot go to another verse. For what you want to do, it would be better to enter an * to display the entire text, and then enter the specific reference in the GoTo box at the bottom right. It will take you there but leave the context so you can explore up and down.

 

I: Can you provide an example with the * search? Can't come up with a combination that works with *.

The "GoTo Window" doesn't do anything. If I'm in Rev 1:10 and type Rev 1:15 in the Go To Window, nothing happens. The up/down icons only show that I'm Revelation, but don't do anything either.

 

P.S. Switching between tabs for better screen real estate between OT and NT setups is most inconvenient. Too many clicks. Too many windows. I wanted to get away from windows (no pun!).

 

HB: You can open Maps or Photoguide (or anything else) in a new window without a search by:

• pressing tab first so that the cursor is in the entry box not the text pane,
   
  I: Tab yes, then what? Where are the Maps? Where is the Photoguide?
   
  HB: or
• pressing command as you choose the module from the Resource palette to override the selection in the text pane,
  I: Resource Palette offers no Maps or Photoguide
   
  HB: or
• opening the module from the Library window.

Ingo: Clicking on "Maps" doesn't do anything. Photoguide is not listed as an option.

 

Two more things:

After I install a Module (for example, Elberfelder Bible), the next time I open Accordance it asks "Where is the file for the Elberfelder text?

How do I install it so it stays? Why does it disappear? My HCSB doesn't go anywhere . . .

 

Font size selections are not retained by Accordance; I have to resize my Bible texts each time I open Accordance, correct?

 

Thanks, Ingo

[Timothy Jenney]

HB: What you enter in the top entry box determines what you see in the window, so if you enter one verse, you cannot go to another verse. For what you want to do, it would be better to enter an * to display the entire text, and then enter the specific reference in the GoTo box at the bottom right. It will take you there but leave the context so you can explore up and down.

 

I: Can you provide an example with the * search? Can't come up with a combination that works with *.

The "GoTo Window" doesn't do anything. If I'm in Rev 1:10 and type Rev 1:15 in the Go To Window, nothing happens. The up/down icons only show that I'm Revelation, but don't do anything either.

 

Let's take these questions one at a time. First, dbl-click on "verses" (it's just above the search box). The entire text of your Bible will appear in the Search Results window. You will also see an asterisk ("*") in the Search Entry Box. [in fact, in verse search mode, you can just enter an asterisk and press [enter] and see the same result.

 

Now that you have the entire text of the Bible displayed, you can use the "GO TO" box at the bottom of the Search Results window. Just enter the specific verse you want displayed. Hit [enter]. The text in the Search Entry Box will scroll to that exact verse.

 

===

If you only enter Rev. 1:10 [or any other verse, book, range, etc.] in the Search Entry Box, Accordance will only display that exact verse.

 

Play with this feature a while and get used to it. Then post your next question.

[Ingo Sorke]

Let's take these questions one at a time. First, dbl-click on "verses" (it's just above the search box). The entire text of your Bible will appear in the Search Results window. You will also see an asterisk ("*") in the Search Entry Box. [in fact, in verse search mode, you can just enter an asterisk and press [enter] and see the same result.

 

Now that you have the entire text of the Bible displayed, you can use the "GO TO" box at the bottom of the Search Results window. Just enter the specific verse you want displayed. Hit [enter]. The text in the Search Entry Box will scroll to that exact verse.

 

===

If you only enter Rev. 1:10 [or any other verse, book, range, etc.] in the Search Entry Box, Accordance will only display that exact verse.

 

Play with this feature a while and get used to it. Then post your next question.

 

Thanks - that works. I knew I was missing the obvious. I'm just so used to a Search Window dealing with Word search or Verse "Go To" doing both, without having to switch modes. What's the ergonomical reason for placing the Search Box and the GoTo Box at opposite ends of the screen? Lots of mouse travel . . .

[Joel Brown]

Thanks - that works. I knew I was missing the obvious. I'm just so used to a Search Window dealing with Word search or Verse "Go To" doing both, without having to switch modes. What's the ergonomical reason for placing the Search Box and the GoTo Box at opposite ends of the screen? Lots of mouse travel . . .

 

Ergonomically perhaps not, but the distance does keep them mentally separate, so its easy to distinguish the two. Plus, it aligns with the sense of navigation. As per the Accordance paradigm, the top determines what you see, while the bottom is the actual results. The Goto box doesn't determine what to show, it simply jumps to a portion of what already has been shown. Putting it at the bottom also aligns it with the other navigation arrows.

 

But, to save all the ergonomics, you can just use the tab key to get down there and start typing, eschewing the mouse entirely.

[mikes]

Font size selections are not retained by Accordance; I have to resize my Bible texts each time I open Accordance, correct?

 

I would suggest you first set up the standard display by the library window, then if you want specific modules formatted in a particular way, do that with that window open.

 

To persist text styles for everything, select the texts in your library window, then command+T (or right click and select "Set Default Display").

 

If you want to do one at a time, then while you have the text open, select that window pane, then command+T (right click and select "Set Text Display"), select your settings then click the button "Use as Default". I have individual settings for some of the reference items I like to have open in a small window that I'll use a lot of instant details with... for me "ESV Crossrefs" is a great example where I set the text size to 10 and a very slight grey in the background.

 

Enjoy!

 

Mike