New User Basic Questions

[proslambano]

1) How to create a new note? For example, one named "Ephesians", so I can collect my thoughts on Ephesians. All I see now is a "Sample Notes" in the Library under "My Notes". When I do, "File / New / User Notes", I only have an option to open "Sample Notes" or "My Mobile Notes". (Seems counter-intuitive to only be able to open a file from a "New" menu).

 

2) What is the Workbook - For what purpose would I use it.

 

3) Is there a single, written, help file that covers the topics in the videos? I've watched a few videos, but they are really time-consuming. And the Help Menu item, "Accordance Help" opens a browser window that doesn't load any content for me. I'm especially interested in helps with searching in both English and Greek texts - for example, how to find all the uses of aeon in the genitive, singular.

 

4) Is there a tool to record verse and passages that I want to memorize? Or, would I just use a note file for that?

 

 

 

TIA for the help.

Brian

 

 

[Joel Brown]

Hi, Brian, and welcome to Accordance! Lets talk about each item:

 

1) Our notes system is highly flexible, but admittedly a bit odd to get started in. We're probably going to do a nice revamp of it soon, but in the meantime! User notes are organized in files. Each file can have as many or as few notes throughout the Bible. So, you could have a single file spanning everything, or a 'Teaching Notes' vs. 'Study Notes', or a dedicated one on Ephesians - its up to you. To make a new file, do File -> User Files -> New User Notes... Once you have your file, simply click in a reference and type Command-U (or Selection -> Edit User Note, or Right-click -> Edit User Note) to add a note to that verse.

 

Now, if you'd rather organize your thoughts in a more generic, less verse-specific fashion, you probably want that to be part of a User Tool. Create one again with File -> User Files -> New User Tool.... Then, you can edit it in any structure or format that you'd like.

 

2) I'm not sure what you mean by Workbook, could you elaborate?

 

3) The Accordance Help that opens in the browser is your full help documentation. As you noted, it is accessible in Help -> Accordance Help. We've had a couple other users report their help opening blank. This is due to some new security settings by Safari in Mountain Lion that seems to affect some users. You have a couple of options:

a: Access the help online, where the same security restrictions don't prevent it: http://accordancefiles2.com/helpfiles/Test_V10/Default.htm

b: Use a different browser as your default browser (like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc.)

c: Enable the Develop menu in Safari Preferences -> Advanced, then in the Develop menu select 'Disable Local File Restrictions'.

 

4) Record in what way? You could make user notes for them, highlight them, add their references to a user tool, or my favorite: Add them to a Reference list. To do this, select any references and do Command-Control-R (Selection -> Add Selection to -> New Reference List Tab). You can add however many references here, display them in whatever version/parallel versions, and even save it or describe it at the top.

 

Let me know if this helps at all, or if you have any further questions!

 

Edit: Fixed online help URL.

[rcdeacon]

"We're probably going to do a nice revamp of it soon, but in the meantime!"

 

Oh Boy! Can't wait for the revamp of the notes! Between the upcoming IOS update which should include pin head highlighting and the revamp of the notes it feels almost like Christmas!

[proslambano]

Thanks Joel.

 

Just one more question at the moment - how do I save and re-open the notes file inside my workspace. For example, on the initial Cmd + Ctrl + R, a new Reference window opens up within my current workspace at the bottom right. If I then, "Save Active Tab", I can name it and then re-open it, but it opens in a new window. I also tried just closing the new reference tab, but there was no opportunity to save it, so I think I lost that reference file.

 

By Workbook (question #2 in original post), I meant "Tool", and you already explained that. I have a "tool" in "My Tools" called "Bird's Eye Workbook" - so I got confused.

 

Thanks again,

Brian

[Joel Brown]

Hey Brian.

 

To save an open window (like the Reference List), it can either be saved as a tab (as you noted), as a workspace (read: the entire window) via Save..., and as a session (all open windows) via Save Session... When opening any of these saved files, they do open in a new window to not conflict with your current workspace. However, you can easily drag and drop it back anywhere you like by grabbing its zone title bar (the part that changes color when highlighted).

 

If you prefer to be warned before closing documents, to make sure you save them, you can disable 'Suppress Save Warnings' in the Preferences -> General.

[Julia Falling]

Brian — You would really be benefitted by attending a free Training Seminar (http://www.accordancebible.com/Seminars-And-Shows). There is also an online version. There are email announcements of those, but there are a couple coming up very soon (https://attendee.gototraining.com/56hp2/catalog/8140406210915196416).

 

In the meantime, the podcasts are very helpful. Podcasts #30 and #30.2 show you how to create a User Tool; #63 shows you how to create a User Note. The look of the interface has changed since the first podcasts, but most of the how-to has remained the same.

 

I subscribe on iTunes — just do a search for "accordance" and the podcasts will come up. I rewatch the ones dealing with more complex tasks that I do less frequently.

 

Joel — I, too, am very much looking forward to a revamp of the User Notes. And thanks for the 10.2 update. I'm not having any problems with it at all, and the new features are great. The dropbox sync is particularly appreciated.

[Jonna Schmidt]

Hi: I had a question, and maybe I am missing something obvious. For at least two years, there has been a tab called: "My Mobile Notes" -- which is built in. I did not add "My Mobile Notes". Just what exactly is "My Mobile Notes" supposed to do? It does NOT sync to my iPAD -- or should it? Also, how do I get Dropbox sync started? I go to the Accordance>>Sync to dropbox. Now, in my Dropbox, I have this "applications" folder which "my notes", but I do not quite understand what that does.

 

Anyway: I happen to like the notes, just this issue that notes do not seamlessly sync to the iPAD.

[Michael J. Bolesta]

My Mobile Notes will store notes you make on verses. For examples, open Sample notes. You can also create a file with a different name that you select.

 

You turn on Dropbox synchronization by to to preferences (the gears icon at the bottom of the Library window. At the bottom, is User Content Syncing. Select Link to Dropbox. Dropbox will open and ask if it is okay. Select allow. Accordance will ask if you wish to synch. Do so and they will synchronize.

[davidmedina]

Jonna, you can sync "My Mobile Notes" to your desktop Accordance. I do it using the Sync with mobile device feature from the Accordance menu.