ScripturePad Suggestion

Suggestions and Ideas about new features
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srice
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:53 am
Location: USA

ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by srice »

I have a quick suggestion for the ScripturePad that I have been using more and more. I would love it if ScripturePad would default to rtf. Rtf files are very versatile and easily opened and edited by many applications. That being said, I set my BibleAnalyzer Note folder inside of my Dropbox folder. Defaulting to rtf, would then allow my notes to be easily accessible on a mobile device. I have yet to find an xml viewer that renders the BA xml files correctly. I'm not sure if there is a lack of standard for xml files or maybe I'm just really ignorant about xml files, but it seems to me that rtf files are standard, and very usable. Just my thoughts. So how about a user option to set default to rtf? or xml? or html?

Shane
Serving the King,
Shane Rice
Romans 12:1-2
http://www.ricefamilyministries.com

Tim
Site Admin
Posts: 1454
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:14 pm

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by Tim »

Yes, we will look into this.

Due to the limitations of the control used in ScripturePad, the RTF it saves/reads has only the basic formatting elements. If one tries to open an RTF file made by another application there may be an error. However, other programs should be able to open those made by ScripturePad.

The XML files can save all the formatting of ScripturePad, but no other applications can reliably read them. If all the text development and/or printing is done through Bible Analyzer, this should not be an issue. but if another program is involved, it can be.
Tim Morton
Developer, Bible Analyzer

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Rom 4:5 AV)

srice
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:53 am
Location: USA

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by srice »

Understood! Is html an option at all with python? The end goal for this would be to default save the notes to Dropbox (ie any web cloud based option) and be able to reliably read them, edit them and re-open them in BA. For Message preparation, this would be very valuable as this could then be easily accessed with a Tablet, the then be further worked on, or even used at that point. I'm thinking this could be a valuable asset of BA for pastors, youth workers, and others.
Serving the King,
Shane Rice
Romans 12:1-2
http://www.ricefamilyministries.com

Tim
Site Admin
Posts: 1454
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:14 pm

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by Tim »

The RTF feature would be the only option for using on Dropbox, unfortunately. But depending on what you edit with on the other end ScripturePad may not be able to read it.

ScripturePad does save in html, but it can't read it back. I know that sounds odd, but the people who wrote the control haven't gotten to that yet.

I do hope we can add more complete reading/saving in ScripturePad soon.
Tim Morton
Developer, Bible Analyzer

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Rom 4:5 AV)

Catherine
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 3:12 am

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by Catherine »

PURPOSE OF QUESTION: Note taking in digital Bible Study is the **biggest issue** (next to the ease of quick references pop-ups) for using bible software.
Note taking **organization**, as well as resources (libraries), is the greater percentage of this **big issue**.
We've all been **burned** by software upgrades, dis-continued support of older versions (+ buyouts, lack of data conversions), finding the most expanded capabilities in formatting (without the heavy load background code), etc.

I follow Shane's desires to find a) generic word processing WITH capabilities, for access from the narrowing choices of Bible study software - **differing by**resources** preferred at different times - or progressively. DEVELOPERS LOOSE by trying to keeping their "Notes" in a **captive format** format.

But, I do not follow you Brother Morton, as to why BA (preferred, in my case because of the Bullinger + resources) is using THIS XML that is not even read by other XML, and can not read other editor created XML docs. ..... as you say, "used with Ba" should present no problems"..... but, that is HALF of us "User's" Note taking & organization issues! ..... HALF of our pursuit of Bible Study!

eSword has a **great Note Editor**, but no unique/hard to get Resources....

QUESTION:
Why would you choose this XML Editor OVER a Major / cros-platforms / used by a majority Editor (such as eS's Word-like Editor) or even RTF / HTML?
or....
Help me understand why this XML Editor is - I assume preferred by you / BA ?

(I'm noticing a weakness in it, as if **duplicates my verse notes, to the next vs, when / as the only way to "Save" my verse note, is to go onto the next note.... which is *copying the same note to it's intended verse AS WELL AS the next verse".... wiping out the next verse note that was there. This has happened on two different computers. ...not happy, when I prefer the resources of BA.

Thank you, Catherine
PS: THIS online editor HAS MORE Editing options by FAR! - I'd even LOVE this one over what is currently in BA

Tim
Site Admin
Posts: 1454
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:14 pm

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by Tim »

I understand the frustration with the limitations of ScripturePad. It is not that we don't desire more for it, its the limitations of the underlying wxWidgets/wxPython control that restrains it.

Bible Analyzer is developed with a cross-platform GUI that sometimes restricts certain features that may not be available on all platforms. The Limitations of ScripturePad is one area this is evident. The XML format used was designed by the control developer because of cross-platform use.

ScripturePad will save/read basic RTF formatting. Any page saved in RTF should open in WordPad or Word or any other RTF reader. However, ScripturePad cannot handle RTF that is generated by another word processor. It can read its own RTF ok, but not another.

Also, any formatted text copied from ScripturePad should retain most formatting (bold, italic, alignment, etc.) when pasted in a "Rich Text" word processor, like Word and Wordpad. These are features we have added to ScripturePad that are not in the native control. They are not complete, but they do help. We are looking at doing much the same with HTML. As you may have noticed, ScripturePad will save in HTML but it cannot open it.

We are constantly looking for ways to enhance ScripturePad, and the future looks promising, but again the weaknesses of ScripturePad are not by our choice.

Thanks for your feedback.
Tim Morton
Developer, Bible Analyzer

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Rom 4:5 AV)

Catherine
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 3:12 am

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by Catherine »

Thank you for your response. I love the BA Program and Resources, and I look forward to the future XML or your o/notes word processor(s) to come. Catherine

geekybryan
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:09 am

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by geekybryan »

I mentioned this elsewhere when reporting a bug in S-Pad Font Chooser in Yosemite ... but I really, really badly want bullets with indenting!

God Bless!

darrel_jw
Posts: 279
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2015 3:38 am

Re: ScripturePad Suggestion

Post by darrel_jw »

Two things I really miss. (1) mouse wheel scrolling within an S-Pad document and (2) ability to change font size.

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