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Import Study Bibles into User Bible


jbritterjr

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In the past I have imported some of my Libronix/Logos study Bibles and commentaries into Accordance as User Tools with some success, once I learned how to tag the texts with html. I was somewhat dissatisfied that I couldn't scroll the texts side by side with my preferred Bible version; however, I have been finding success by importing MacArthur Study Bible and Spirit-filled Life Study Bible in from a .txt file with approrpriate editing and tagging with the new User Bible import. So far, so good.

 

Ideally, it would be great to import them as User Notes, but importing them note by note is not that appealing. Unless anyone knows a workaround for that, importing study Bibles as User Bibles can be a viable option. I'm assuming these imports are okay, since I have purchased the titles, which I am using.

 

Just curious to find out if anyone else has done this.

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I haven't done this yet, but I agree that User Bibles is the best format for importing these kinds of books at the present. The user notes feature is a really great feature. I use it almost daily. I would like to see it enhanced to accommodate this kind of importing, as well as being able to search by Scripture within the notes themselves. As I said, this is already a great feature, and it can only get better.

 

And speaking of user tools and html, David, are you going to finish you blog series on importing User Tools and how the html import works? I regularly have used the documentation you've already provided on the blog, and would like to see it completed!

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It can't be done. I'm hoping that User Notes is the next logical step after having added User Bibles. Seems it would make sense.

 

That said, if you really want to create a User Note from an etext you have, it can be done. I've done some of it myself, using an automation system.

 

All you have to do is create an Automator Workflow that loops through each reference in your source document.

A good rule is if you can do something using just the keyboard and the main thing holding you back is that you'd have to do it a thousand times, then you can automate it and let the computer do it for you (a thousand times) while you sleep.

(In addition to using Automator, it could also be done using QuicKeys or pure Applescript). The routine would use GUI scripting to simply walk through these steps more or less:

 

1. Select the next verse reference.

2. Copy the reference and it's text.

3. Bring Accordance search window to the front.

4. Paste the reference portion of the copied text (first paragraph?) and search.

5. Simulate a shift tab to select the verse in the result.

6. Simulate a Command U to edit user note of a recycled User Note module.

7. Paste the note portion of the text.

8. Close and save (Command w and pause and return key)

9. Bring source document back to the front, rinse and repeat.

It's the kind of routine that you set in motion and then head to bed and then wake up in the morning to a new User Tool. :)

 

Such a routine would require formatting your source text with consistency, and setting up your Accordance windows just so.

 

All that is to say, it truly is quite possible... takes a little know-how on the front end to get things working.

 

(Here's some funny trivia... wanna know the biggest limitation of trying to automate Accordance in this fashion? It's that Accordance doesn't have a "Next Window" or "Next Pane" key combination that I'm aware of. I hate it when apps don't have a "Next Window" option under the Window menu.)

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Not sure what you mean by "Next Window". The Help Reference section shows:

Tab goes between entry box and reference box

Shift-tab selects the next text pane

Option-tab cycles through open windows

Control-tab cycles through open tabs (to the right)

Shift-control-tab cycles through open tabs (to the left)

Command-tab cycles through all open programs

I think we may be able to add a key combination for the triangle access buttons at the bottom of the Edit windows.

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Shift-tab selects the next text pane

Option-tab cycles through open windows

Control-tab cycles through open tabs (to the right)

Shift-control-tab cycles through open tabs (to the left)

 

Helen,

These completely take care of the problem. I played around and couldn't discover them when testing out a short routine. I should've taken the time to look at the keyboard shortcuts in the help file. Shame on me.

I guess because those options aren't visible anywhere under the Window menu, I gave up on them being there. It is rather standard to find "Cycle to next window" or some such as an item under the Window menu when it is in fact an option.

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