The Resource palette is perhaps one of the most useful and recognizable aspects of the Accordance interface. It enables you to open any Accordance module, and if you first make a selection of text, to search any module you choose for that text (a process we call “amplifying” your selection). As a longtime Accordance user, I rely on the Resource palette a lot.
If you don’t like the default look of the Resource palette, you can modify it in a number of ways. First, you can collapse any sections of the palette you don’t use by clicking a disclosure triangle. For example, if you don’t have the Atlas or Timeline (what are you thinking?), and you don’t want those two icons reminding you how much you’re missing out on, you could collapse the Background section of the palette. You can also go into the Appearance settings of the Preferences and choose a horizontal orientation for the palette, or choose to use text buttons rather than icon buttons.
You can even close the Resource palette altogether. After all, the Resource palette isn’t the only way to open modules or amplify to them. To open modules, you could use the New submenu of the File menu to open a new window with your default Bible text, tool of each type, parallel, map, etc. You might also choose to leave your Library window open all the time. That way, you could use the Find box to locate specific modules very quickly, then hit return to open them.
As far as amplifying is concerned, all the options on the Resource palette are also available through the Amplify menu at the top of the screen. Many of those options are also available through the use of keyboard shortcuts and contextual menus.
It’s a radical vision, and one which this Accordance old-timer is not quite ready to adopt, but those of you who are looking for ways to save on screen real estate or simplify the interface may well want to consider living life without the Resource palette.