Jump to content

Display features wishlist


Simon Cozens

Recommended Posts

Hello all. After a lot of umming and aahing I finally got myself a copy of Accordance. So far I've been mighty impressed with it, but there are a few areas which surprised me.

 

First, I found that changes to the text display preferences don't take place immediately, but only apply to new panes. That was a surprise but not a major problem.

 

Second, when searching with context I would have expected gaps where the results are non-contiguous. When you search without context enabled, you know that you're looking at a set of individual verses. But when you search with context, you know that some of the verses are search results, and some of the verses are just context. I'd love to see some more visual distinction of the two, so we know where the context of one result ends and the context of another begins.

 

I'd also like to have a default set-up of panes for search results. That is, even if I search in KJV, I'd like to see my results in parallel with all the other texts normally I use, including commentaries. At the moment it looks like I have to set up all my panes all over again each time I do a search. Between "sets" and "recycling" and "text sets" I think there probably is a way to do this but if so I can't find it. (Even if there is a way, this should tell you what a new user finds unintuitive!)

 

I will (unless asked not to!) continue to use this thread for reporting other surprises and wishlist items as I continue to play with Accordance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First, I found that changes to the text display preferences don't take place immediately, but only apply to new panes. That was a surprise but not a major problem.

 

Simon, welcome. You're actually going to love this feature. When you go into preferences and change the text display, what you're actually changing is the default settings for bible text windows. (ie. each time you open a new window of this type, these settings will be used). The preference tabs below that is where you change the default text display for Tools, too.

However, if you're wanting to change the text display for the window you currently have active, you don't need to go into preferences... just select menu item: Display / Set Text Pane Display... or even quicker, Command T.

There you can change the display setting for the text you're currently working. There's a button at the bottom of the window where you can make these settings the default settings for this module, overriding default settings for that window type. Let's say everytime you open an NRSV, you like it to have pink text (not sure why)... you can set display preferences for each module... Greek, Hebrew, etc.

The Command T is a key combination you'll want to get intimate with.

 

I'd also like to have a default set-up of panes for search results. That is, even if I search in KJV, I'd like to see my results in parallel with all the other texts normally I use, including commentaries.
That's easy and very robust. Under the File menu, you'll see "Save Session..." Get things set up the way you like it, then save that session. In the future, just open that session (you can even store it in the Dock or whatever quicklaunch system you like, and voila.

 

I will (unless asked not to!) continue to use this thread for reporting other surprises and wishlist items as I continue to play with Accordance.

Using a new topic for a new issue in the appropriate forum may help you get more responses.

 

Cheers,

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First, I found that changes to the text display preferences don't take place immediately, but only apply to new panes. That was a surprise but not a major problem.

 

Simon, this is intentional, though admittedly a little unexpected. If you change the text display for an individual pane by selecting Set Text Pane Display from the Display menu, the changes you make will be applied as soon as you close the dialog box. But if you make global display changes in the main preferences of the program, Accordance does not apply those changes to panes which are currently open. We don't want users to carefully set up a window with a variety of display settings and then unintentionally wipe them out by making a minor change in the preferences.

 

I'd also like to have a default set-up of panes for search results. That is, even if I search in KJV, I'd like to see my results in parallel with all the other texts normally I use, including commentaries. At the moment it looks like I have to set up all my panes all over again each time I do a search. Between "sets" and "recycling" and "text sets" I think there probably is a way to do this but if so I can't find it. (Even if there is a way, this should tell you what a new user finds unintuitive!)

 

Once you've set up a Search window the way you want it, go to Preferences, select the General settings, then select Default Session from the section labeled Default Startup. When you do, the button labeled Set Default Session will become undimmed. Click this button to save the current set of windows as your default session. That way, every time you launch Accordance, you'll get a window with your custom set of panes.

 

Another option is to save this window and then drag it into the OS X dock. Then, any time you want a new search window with that set of panes, you can just click the dock icon.

 

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Simon, this is intentional, though admittedly a little unexpected.

 

OK, that one makes sense. Thank you.

 

Once you've set up a Search window the way you want it, go to Preferences, select the General settings, then select Default Session from the section labeled Default Startup. When you do, the button labeled Set Default Session will become undimmed. Click this button to save the current set of windows as your default session. That way, every time you launch Accordance, you'll get a window with your custom set of panes.

 

This sets the default setting for startup, but not the default setting for a new tab. If I want to do more than one search at once, I hit option-N, and I'm back to a blank canvas again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, that one makes sense. Thank you.

This sets the default setting for startup, but not the default setting for a new tab. If I want to do more than one search at once, I hit option-N, and I'm back to a blank canvas again.

 

Simon,

 

That's where saving the window and putting it in the dock would come in handy. Alternatively, you can always hit command-D to duplicate a window or tab you have set up.

 

Finally, if you're wanting to do a search for a word you're actually looking at in the text, you don't need to open or duplicate a tab at all. Simply select the word you want to find, and click the Search button at the bottom left corner of the Resource palette. A window with the same set-up as your current window will appear displaying every occurrence of that word in the text you selected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...