Make Accordance to accept N-dash in the Bible references

[Guntis]

«Feasting on the Word» commentaries use N-dash in the Bible references. When I copy and paste these references in the Accordance Bible reference entry field, I gen an error message. Please add new feature to accept N-dash as an ordinary dash in the Bible references.

[Joe Weaks]

Accordance does accept N-dash for scripture references. THE SBL style guides require it, in fact.

You can test this by typing the N-dash using ⌥- in the search box.

 

Or looking at both, first with a hyphen and then with an N dash:

John 1:1-2

John 1:1–2

 

So, Guntis, do you think there is something else going on? Paste a snippet of what you copy from Feasting on the Word. It must not be an N-dash, or there's some other bad character being including.

Edited May 5, 2018 by Joe Weaks

[Guntis]

Open FOTW, Year B, Vol. 2 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

 

Acts 1:15–17, 21–26

[Joe Weaks]

Guntis, when I copy the reference you provide there, and paste it into Accorance, it works perfectly.

 

1. Are you getting the error when you type the N-dash manually in a reference, like I suggested testing?

 

2. What language is your system set to?

Edited May 6, 2018 by Joe Weaks

[Guntis]

Guntis, when I copy the reference you provide there, and paste it into Accorance, it works perfectly.

1. Are you getting the error when you type the N-dash manually in a reference, like I suggested testing?

2. What language is your system set to?

 

 

Hi Joe,

For me it doesn't work. I have to replace all dashes manually. 

1. Yes, I get an error message: "There are extra characters after the end of the verse reference."

2. System is set this way: Region: Latvia (custom). First day o the week; Sunday, Calendar: Gregorian. Time format: 24-hour. List sort order: Universal. Preferred Languages: English — Primary. Then follow English (UK), Latviešu, Русский, Deutsch. Spelling is set to British English.

[Guntis]

It's interesting that when I hover mouse cursor over those links containing N-dash in the FOTW, Accordance shows Bible verses they refer to, I can click on them and they also open corresponding Bible passage(s). However, if I copy and paste them in the Bible reference entry field, I get an error message. I remember that about a year or two years ago it worked fine. 

 

 

[ukfraser]

Guntis, clutching at straws but What happens if you change your default bible on the left from a Latvian one to an English one like esv, nrsv or niv and search that?

[Guntis]

Guntis, clutching at straws but What happens if you change your default bible on the left from a Latvian one to an English one like esv, nrsv or niv and search that?

Hi ukfraser,

Strange things happen!

1. I have Latvian Bible open as the default Bible. I copy and paste Luk 10:30–37 and press Enter. Boom, error message.

2. I switch to NRSWS as my default Bible. Press Enter, the same error message. Delete reference and paste it again, it appears as Luk 10:30–37

So Accordance is not interpreting N-dash correctly if a Unicode Bible text has been opened before. If I remove last 5 characters and enter –37 and press enter, it works. Funny thing is, this Bible reference appears in grey color, but it works.

[Silas Marrs]

Guntis, can you do a test for me?  If you copy the Acts references that you mentioned in your second post from the web browser, then paste them into accordance from there, is the result the same as if you had pasted directly from Feasting on the Word?

[Guntis]

Guntis, can you do a test for me?  If you copy the Acts references that you mentioned in your second post from the web browser, then paste them into accordance from there, is the result the same as if you had pasted directly from Feasting on the Word?

 

If my default Bible is NRSVS, then it works fine. If I replace it with some other reference, open it, then change my default Bible to Latvian Bible 2012 and paste the same Bible reference, it brings up the same error message. Actually this is how it looks when I paste it again after changing Unicode Bible back to NRSVS: Acts 1:15–17, 21–26

So apparently it must be related with the Unicode Bible text. Accordance doesn't switch something correctly in the Bible reference field. And interprets some characters wrongly.

 

P.S. Another interesting thing is that if I copy this reference from this page once more, it is pasted correctly with the N-dashes. So after changing Unicode Bible text to plain Latin text (NRSVS/NIV) even the existing clipboard becomes somehow affected/corrupted and I have to copy reference again from this web page.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Guntis

[Joe Weaks]

Guntis, as a stop-gap solution, if you do this a lot such that it would be helpful, I can show you a macOS Service that would give you a system-wide keyboard shortcut/menu selection that would copy the current selection (in a "Feasting on the Word" commentary or anywhere), replace all N-dashes with hyphens, bring Accordance to the front and search for that in the currently active Accordance window.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Joe Weaks

[Silas Marrs]

I've found the problem, and you should see a fix in the next release.  Can't promise how soon we'll release though, so consider Joe's offer if this is a major hinderance.

[Guntis]

Thank you! I will wait.

It's a little bit annoying but not so much that I would be willing to create a special workflow

[Guntis]

I've found the problem, and you should see a fix in the next release. Can't promise how soon we'll release though, so consider Joe's offer if this is a major hinderance.

Could you please add one more feature? When I copy lectionary references in the Bible reference address field, all references are shown without a space. Like this: John 3:10-17;Eph 1:1-10;Psa 10:1-5. Could Accordance automatically insert spaces after ";" sign for better human reading? (To visually separate each Bible reference)

[Silas Marrs]

Which lectionary are you copying from?

[Guntis]

Which lectionary are you copying from?

 

Feasting on the Word (Readings), Year B

https://accordance.bible/link/read/Feasting-Readings#616

Just copy all four references and paste in the Accordance Bible reference bar.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Guntis