2 replies to this topic

[AbramKJ]

I'm curious to hear more about these two new file extensions. Helen mentioned some big plans for them here.

 

I've noticed that in my texts, my ESVS and GNT28-T and HCSBS all have the .atext extension, as well as a number of tools that have .atool.

 

I also see that the file type (using Get Info) has moved from com.OakTree.Accordance.module to com.OakTree.Accordance.module.text.package.

 

Just hoping to hear more about what this means for the old file types in the library, needs for future upgrades, etc. I just started using Accordance when 10 came out, so am curious if the filetypes have tended to change like this across the program's history. I plan to stay up to date with the new program versions as they move up, so it won't be an issue for me, I'm sure... just curious to know more.

[Joel Brown]

Hi, Abram.  This is a good question.  Usually we don't delve too much into the inner workings of filetypes and structures and whatnot, but I'll try to answer your questions a bit.

 

The fundamental text/tool type of Accordance hasn't changed for many, many years.  Sure, we've made improvements, and certain modules require new features, but its generally been very backwards and forwards compatible.  If you grabbed a module from v5 it would frankly work alright.  The move to .atext and .atool (and more coming) enables us a few nice advantages, moving forward, such as better cross-platform compatibility, better support for module 'extras' such as book covers, metadata, etc., and more flexibility.

 

This new data type is a very flexible format that should last for quite some time.  Now, as things change, new modules may require newer versions of Accordance, but I'm pretty sure that years from now, if you grab a .atext or .atool, Accordance 12 or 13 should read them just fine.  Obviously, there are no guarantees as who knows what the future brings, though

[AbramKJ]

Great! Thanks, Joel--that's just what I was looking for/wondering about.

 

By Accordance 13, surely a mind-reading feature will be included in the search functions.