Why can't Accordance automatically add a colon/period when searching for a reference?

[jhmulkey]

For simple, single-reference searches, why can't Accordance automatically add the required punctuation between chapter and verse(s) without a pop-up prompt to do so?  I would like to simply type, say, "phil 2 5" like I can in many online Bibles instead of "phil 2:5" or "phil 2.5".  I don't understand the point of the prompt vs. the app just automatically adding the required punctuation "silently" in the background without the extra step.  This seems like it should be eminently easy to implement and would be a really nice UI improvement.

 

 

[KevinPurcell]

I agree. I've gotten used to this feature in a competitor product. Very nice to type Phil 2 5 or John 3 1-6

[Abram K-J]

Good point. Hard to imagine an instance where the user would select Cancel in that pop-up.

[Donald Cobb]

On 12/15/2021 at 9:25 PM, jhmulkey said:

For simple, single-reference searches, why can't Accordance automatically add the required punctuation between chapter and verse(s) without a pop-up prompt to do so?  I would like to simply type, say, "phil 2 5" like I can in many online Bibles instead of "phil 2:5" or "phil 2.5".  I don't understand the point of the prompt vs. the app just automatically adding the required punctuation "silently" in the background without the extra step.  This seems like it should be eminently easy to implement and would be a really nice UI improvement.

 

 

Agreed! I've said that to myself on many occasions. It would be a nice addition.

[mhanel]

I'm sure it's in version 14 😇

[Fabian]

The suggestion is not bad, but for me there is a similar request which I would love to see. No I requested it years ago. 

 

If you use the Quick Entry, you have always to hit space until you write the chapter number. This is so unnecessary. Either Accordance add automatic a space from 

 to  .

 

Or it can handle the numbers right after the bookl 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Fabian

[jhmulkey]

While I appreciate the feedback from fellow Accordance users, I was really hoping to hear back from Accordance directly on this.  Can someone from Accordance let me know if this is something that's on the radar screen for an update in the near future?  Like I said, I can't imagine it would be complicated to implement.  Simply make the application immediately do what it does when a user clicks "OK" on the dialogue instead of generating the dialogue.  Voila!  Right?  It's just a matter of removing an extraneous intermediary step.

Edited December 23, 2021 by jhmulkey

[Mark Allison]

I don't understand how adding a space between numbers instead of a period is helpful. A space takes the same amount of keystrokes as a period, but it creates unnecessary ambiguity. For example, if you typed John 1 1 John 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "John 1:1 and "John 3" or "John 11" and "John 3". Or, if you typed in Psalm 12 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "Psalm 123" or "Psalm 12:3."

Edited December 23, 2021 by Mark Allison

[jhmulkey]

55 minutes ago, Mark Allison said:

I don't understand how adding a space between numbers instead of a period is helpful. A space takes the same amount of keystrokes as a period, but it creates unnecessary ambiguity. For example, if you typed John 1 1 John 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "John 1:1 and "John 3" or "John 11" and "John 3". Or, if you typed in Psalm 12 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "Psalm 123" or "Psalm 12:3."

 

That's why I said for simple, single-reference searches.  There is no ambiguity with "Psalm 12 3" because the space between the 12 and 3 would serve as the period or colon.  As others have said, other apps and websites handle this with no issues in single-reference searches.  The dialogue Accordance generates (as pictured in my OP) clearly reveals the app knows what you're trying to search for, so why can't it simply format the search for you without having to click "OK" on a dialogue first?  As another member here said, why would anyone ever click "cancel" on that dialogue?

 

As for the keystrokes being the same, that is true, but the space bar is a far larger "target" as you're typing and faster since my thumb is always hovering over it.

 

I simply see no downside to removing the unnecessary dialogue prompt.

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by jhmulkey

[Λύχνις Δαν]

1 hour ago, Mark Allison said:

I don't understand how adding a space between numbers instead of a period is helpful. A space takes the same amount of keystrokes as a period, but it creates unnecessary ambiguity. For example, if you typed John 1 1 John 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "John 1:1 and "John 3" or "John 11" and "John 3". Or, if you typed in Psalm 12 3, Accordance wouldn't know if you meant "Psalm 123" or "Psalm 12:3."

The chapter and the verse number must each be assumed to contain no whitespace. With that proviso the confusion here would only be between whether you meant John 1 and 1 John 3 or John 1:1 and John 3. The Psalms case is no problem, it could only mean Psalm 12:3. And while it is suggested that you could use this for just single references, you could actually support a comma between references and allow it to support multiple quite readily, so John 1 1, John 3 for example.

 

It should be a little faster to type.

 

It might require some consideration perhaps as to how this would work for non-biblical texts but I think it would probably be ok.

 

Thx

D

[Mark Allison]

I'll pass this on as a feature request 🙂

 

[jlm]

When I switched from BibleWorks, I wanted this, but by now I’ve retrained my brain to type a colon instead of a space. The advantage of the space bar was its size: since it’s so large, it’s the easiest key to press.

[jhmulkey]

9 minutes ago, jlm said:

The advantage of the space bar was its size: since it’s so large, it’s the easiest key to press.

 

Precisely - don't even have to change your hand position.  And if you're typing a colon (instead of a period) then you're actually adding a keystroke (shift key) to boot.  What really puzzled me though was the dialogue box.  I'm thinking, "Ok, so just DO IT, Accordance.  Why do I have to give you permission?"  LOL!  Anyway, a feature request has been submitted, so let's just hope it gets implemented sooner rather than later.  I know it may sound minor, but to me that's what sets great apps apart - attention to detail.

[Martin Z]

Hi,

If Accordance is hesitate to remove the alert window, is it at least possible to allow the users to customize whether they would like to keep the alert window or not?

[Fabian]

18 hours ago, Mark Allison said:

I'll pass this on as a feature request 🙂

 

Hopefully mine too. As I have it requested years ago.