Highlights on Kindle Fire HD no longer visible

BillW
BillW Member Posts: 59
edited November 21 in English Forum

First of all I'd like to say I really love this software and have been using it for many years!  Since the Android version came out I use this daily on my Kindle Fire HD and find it truly invaluable!

That being said, there has been a problem for the past couple of months I would really like to have addressed:

Two updates ago (I believe) all of the "Highlighter" style highlights in my Bible disappeared from both my android phone and my kindle (kindle fire hd gen 2).  Notes using this style highlight still displayed the note icon but the text appeared as though it was not highlighted. Highlights using solid colors (or any style other than "Highligher") are still visible.  Unfortunately nearly all my highlights & notes use the "Highlighter" style! All highlights were still visible on my PC. 

I reported this problem when it occurred, and was asked to look for a fix in the next update.  The next update fixed the problem for my phone only - the highlights still do not appear on my kindle fire hd (which is the device I use most for my Bible).  I have unloaded and reloaded the app, with no effect.

If I select a verse that is highlighted (even though the highlight is not visible), the highlight/note pop-up menu does come up.  However changes to the color have no visible effect on my kindle, the text still appears as though it is not highlighted (although this does in fact change the highlight color which can be seen on the PC or phone).

Since I use highlights extensively, this has been an annoyance for a couple months now and I'd like to know if this problem will be addressed soon.  Frankly, an issue this serious should never occur in production software! 

If this issue is not going to be fixed in the near future, I'd like to know where I could download the previous version that did not have this issue?  Otherwise I'll have to resort to changing all of my highlights to solid colors, which I'd really prefer not to do.

Thank you for your attention to this problem.

 

Bill

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Comments

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    Hi Bill,

    Can you post both a Desktop and Kindle screenshot of a particular highlighted verse that exhibits the problem?  To my knowledge we haven't heard of any other reports like this and it would help to have a specific example.  Thanks!

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    PC Screenshot (see next post below) - shows highlighted verse Prov 3:5

    1st Pic = Kindle Screenshot - shows Prov 3:5 with highlights missing (notice that the note icon is present)

    2nd Pic = Kindle Screenshot - showing note edit window indicating "Yellow Highlighter" Style

    NOTE:

    If the highlight style is changed to solid colors the highlight becomes visible.  The same behavior occurs no matter what color is chosen.

    This example shows a Note using the Highlighter style, but highlighted text (without note) shows exactly the same issue. 

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    PC Screenshot didn't display above so here it is:

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    Also I have to say it's somewhat disconcerting that you are unaware of this issue since I did report it when it first occurred a couple months ago.  Also, a quick search on this forum shows 2 recent posts indicating the same or similar problem:

    https://community.logos.com/forums/p/103097/712555.aspx#712555

    https://community.logos.com/forums/p/86995/695345.aspx#695345 (post #6)

    In any event, now you do see the issue... hopefully it will be fixed soon. 

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    Bill, I'm unable to reproduce this issue.  Our Kindle test devices are using the latest 4.5.3 version available here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201357170 

    Is the OS on your device up to date?

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    My software is up to date for this model kindle.  However, I just found out that I mistakenly referred to it as the 2nd Gen, amazon refers to it this model as Kindle Fire HD 7" (not 2nd Gen - even though it actually is the 2nd gen of the kindle fire, but it's the first gen of the HD).

    So my software is 7.5.1 which is the latest for this model Kindle Fire HD 7, not the same as your kindle test devices.

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    Okay, this makes more sense now.  Amazon's 7.5.1 is based on Android 4.0.3 which is no longer supported.  

    Android 4.1 is the minimum supported version for the current 4.5.0 release of our apps (please see the third line of the release notes at https://community.logos.com/forums/t/102734.aspx ).

    The fact that you were even able to install this version on your device is my fault... I apologize for that and will send you a link later today to an older version of our app that should work for you.

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    Ok I see, no problem.  Amazon says they will update this version Kindle but who knows when that will happen.

    Thanks for your help, will appreciate the link for the older version so I can see my highlights again.

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309
  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    As I stated in the initial post above, this issue showed up at least 2 revs ago, so the link for 4.4.7 you provided is useless because it has the same exact problem.  In fact I reported this issue to tech support on 1/24/15 stating that I identified this issue with version 4.4.6.

    I did find a couple of older version apk's on my kindle, rev 4.3.9 (build 287) does not exhibit the problem and I've re-installed that version.  The next one I have is 4.4.6 (build 347) which does have the issue.

    Could you find out when the code affecting highlights was updated and if there is a version newer than 4.3.9 (build 287) which would work properly on my kindle, please provide a link for that?

    ...I would like to have the newest version possible which doesn't have this issue and this would also be useful for everyone else using your software with a Kindle Fire HD 7".

    Thanks

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    I did find a couple of older version apk's on my kindle, rev 4.3.9 (build 287) does not exhibit the problem and I've re-installed that version. 

    Good to hear.

    Could you find out when the code affecting highlights was updated and if there is a version newer than 4.3.9 (build 287) which would work properly on my kindle, please provide a link for that?

    Build 4.4.5 was the only stable release between 4.3.9 and 4.4.6.  There isn't a way for me to test it on your device (since we don't have one in house); I've uploaded it to http://downloads.logos.com/Android/Logos/445/index.html .

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    Thanks will be glad to d/l and check it out, but the link didn't work... just says download failed.

  • BillW
    BillW Member Posts: 59

    That version also fails.  So, 4.3.9 (build 287) is the last version that works for the Kindle Fire HD 7.  ...at least I got my highlights back now.

    Hopefully Amazon will update their OS soon, but honestly I got this less than 2 years ago and that seems really too soon for your developers to consider it obsolete.  I don't have any problems with any other apps (and I have a lot of apps on it).

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    Okay, this makes more sense now.  Amazon's 7.5.1 is based on Android 4.0.3 which is no longer supported.  

    Android 4.1 is the minimum supported version for the current 4.5.0 release of our apps (please see the third line of the release notes at https://community.logos.com/forums/t/102734.aspx ).

    The fact that you were even able to install this version on your device is my fault... I apologize for that and will send you a link later today to an older version of our app that should work for you.

    Kevin,

    I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch running Amazon's system version 8.5.1 and I'm currently running version 4.5.0 of the Bible app.  But I've also had problems with the last couple of Bible app releases.  I know that when my Kindle was first released, it was based on Android 4.0.3 so I was concerned about updating the Bible app to 4.5.0 because of the Android 4.1 requirement.  Before updating to Bible 4.5.0, I called Amazon support to see if they could tell me if the Kindle 8.5.1 OS was still based on Android 4.0.3 or if it included an upgrade to at least 4.1.  The support rep said he couldn't answer that, but... he assured me that if the Bible app required Android 4.1 or above and my Kindle had anything less, that I wouldn't even be able to see build 4.5.0 as an update option.  I.e.  If I see it as an update option, my Kindle should be able to run it.

    Well, it did show up, so I updated the Bible app, but I've have had a couple of problems and now I'm wondering if perhaps the 8.5.1 OS is still based on something less than the Android 4.1 OS.  As noted, I could not get that question answered at Amazon, so I'm wondering if you have access to that info?

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch running Amazon's system version 8.5.1 and I'm currently running version 4.5.0 of the Bible app.

    Fire OS 8.5.1 is based on Android 4.0.3, so Logos 4.5.0 is not compatible with your device.  Please see https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/devices/kindle-fire/specifications/01-device-and-feature-specifications 

    he assured me that if the Bible app required Android 4.1 or above and my Kindle had anything less, that I wouldn't even be able to see build 4.5.0 as an update option.  I.e.  If I see it as an update option, my Kindle should be able to run it.

    This *should* be the case but it appears the last time we published to the Amazon store I mistakenly selected devices that were actually not compatible.  I will correct this for the next release.

    To get things working again on your device:

    1) Turn on "Allow Installation of Applications from unknown sources" in your Kindle Settings
    2) Remove the Logos 4.5.0 app and download version 4.3.9 from http://downloads.logos.com/Android/Logos/kindle/index.html 
    3) Install Logos 4.3.9 

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch running Amazon's system version 8.5.1 and I'm currently running version 4.5.0 of the Bible app.

    Fire OS 8.5.1 is based on Android 4.0.3, so Logos 4.5.0 is not compatible with your device.  Please see https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/devices/kindle-fire/specifications/01-device-and-feature-specifications 

    he assured me that if the Bible app required Android 4.1 or above and my Kindle had anything less, that I wouldn't even be able to see build 4.5.0 as an update option.  I.e.  If I see it as an update option, my Kindle should be able to run it.

    This *should* be the case but it appears the last time we published to the Amazon store I mistakenly selected devices that were actually not compatible.  I will correct this for the next release.

    To get things working again on your device:

    1) Turn on "Allow Installation of Applications from unknown sources" in your Kindle Settings
    2) Remove the Logos 4.5.0 app and download version 4.3.9 from http://downloads.logos.com/Android/Logos/kindle/index.html 
    3) Install Logos 4.3.9 

    Thanks for the instructions, Kevin.  I got the Fire HD specifically for Logos less than 17 months ago.  I guess I should have gone with the HDX instead--I just didn't expect the HD would become obsolete so quick in regard to the Logos Bible app.  [:(] 

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch running Amazon's system version 8.5.1 and I'm currently running version 4.5.0 of the Bible app.

    Fire OS 8.5.1 is based on Android 4.0.3, so Logos 4.5.0 is not compatible with your device.  Please see https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/devices/kindle-fire/specifications/01-device-and-feature-specifications 

    he assured me that if the Bible app required Android 4.1 or above and my Kindle had anything less, that I wouldn't even be able to see build 4.5.0 as an update option.  I.e.  If I see it as an update option, my Kindle should be able to run it.

    This *should* be the case but it appears the last time we published to the Amazon store I mistakenly selected devices that were actually not compatible.  I will correct this for the next release.

    To get things working again on your device:

    1) Turn on "Allow Installation of Applications from unknown sources" in your Kindle Settings
    2) Remove the Logos 4.5.0 app and download version 4.3.9 from http://downloads.logos.com/Android/Logos/kindle/index.html 
    3) Install Logos 4.3.9 

    Kevin,

    I tried this, but when I attempt to open the downloaded file on my Kindle Fire HD, I get a message that it can't open the file.  The name of the file is Logos-287.apk and the size is 28.3 MB.  (Just to confirm, the device is set to allow installation from unknown sources.)

    I went back to the Amazon App store and downloaded from there again, thinking perhaps the "markers" had now been applied in the store that would prevent the Fire HD from seeing versions of the app it could no longer support.  The app does still appear, but once again the downloaded version is 4.5.0.

    Thoughts?

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    I tried this, but when I attempt to open the downloaded file on my Kindle Fire HD, I get a message that it can't open the file.  The name of the file is Logos-287.apk and the size is 28.3 MB.  (Just to confirm, the device is set to allow installation from unknown sources.)

    Rick,

    Please take a look at this and see if it helps - http://www.howtogeek.com/178357/how-to-sideload-apps-onto-your-kindle-fire/ 

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    I tried this, but when I attempt to open the downloaded file on my Kindle Fire HD, I get a message that it can't open the file.  The name of the file is Logos-287.apk and the size is 28.3 MB.  (Just to confirm, the device is set to allow installation from unknown sources.)

    Rick,

    Please take a look at this and see if it helps - http://www.howtogeek.com/178357/how-to-sideload-apps-onto-your-kindle-fire/ 

    Thank you, Kevin--that worked.  Sadly, the two main issues I had with 4.5.0 still occurred with 4.3.9--i.e. 1) Very jumpy erratic scrolling and 2) Yellow highlights from a custom palette that completely overlay/block out the text when in low-light mode.

    The erratic scrolling has been happening for quite a while.   I don't remember which release it started with, but I guess it goes back to at least 4.3.9.  Actually, the one-finger scrolling in 4.5.0 provides the smoothest scrolling, but using that mode precludes the use of a "swipe" to turn pages--it requires a "tap" for page turning which can be problematic when the page you're on is saturated with links that get activated if tapped. [:(]  But the two-finger scrolling is so horribly erratic that it's unusable, so I'm forced to use the one-finger scrolling option.

    The problem with the custom highlight goes back to the first part of April, but I hadn't set up any custom palettes before then, so I don't know if it would have started with a specific release or if it's simply endemic to the Bible app.  I did report the highlight problem to Tech Support in early-mid April.

    Since I'm not seeing any difference in behavior so far between 4.3.9 and 4.5.0, can you advise as to what problems/issues are anticipated when 4.5.0 is installed on a Fire HD running Android 4.0.3?  

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    Rick, Android 4.0.3 is *not* supported and I don't have a list of problems/issues that are anticipated on your device.  Sorry!

    Based on the original post of this thread, I (wrongly) assumed you couldn't see highlights.  You didn't mention scrolling issues or low-light mode issues.  If these are the issues you are concerned with and they are no different between 4.3.9 and 4.5.0, I don't think there's much I can help you with.

    A screenshot of the highlight issue you are seeing might help me to determine whether a bug exists, however.

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    Rick, Android 4.0.3 is *not* supported and I don't have a list of problems/issues that are anticipated on your device.  Sorry!

    Based on the original post of this thread, I (wrongly) assumed you couldn't see highlights.  You didn't mention scrolling issues or low-light mode issues.  If these are the issues you are concerned with and they are no different between 4.3.9 and 4.5.0, I don't think there's much I can help you with.

    A screenshot of the highlight issue you are seeing might help me to determine whether a bug exists, however.

    Thanks, Kevin.  I did speak to LeAnn Billmeyer in support on April 13, about the highlighting problem, then at her request, I sent an email to tech support with a screen shot.  Do I need to resend it?  If so, should it just be to the general tech support email address again?

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    It would be easier if you posted it here, if possible...

  • Rick Ausdahl
    Rick Ausdahl Member Posts: 1,702 ✭✭✭

    It would be easier if you posted it here, if possible...

    Here's a copy of the problem description and screen shot I sent to Tech Support last April via email.

    Per LeAnn Billmeyer's request, I have attached a picture of the display on my Kindle Fire HD to demonstrate a problem with highlights created using a custom highlighter style.   The picture displays the results/affect of highlights made with two highlighter styles--the first a stock style which works as expected, the second a custom style which erroneously blocks out the text.  The style specifics are as follows.


    • First Highlight--Done with the stock Logos "HIGHLIGHTER PENS" palette, using the "Yellow Highlighter" style.


    • Second Highlight--Done with a custom palette.  The only style option selected when creating this custom highlighter style was "Natural highlighter" from the "BACKGROUND" drop-down menu.  The color selected from the color palette was "yellow".

    The problem with the custom highlighter only occurs when using the "Low Light" Color Scheme option in the Bible App Settings menu--it displays fine when using the "Normal" and "Sepia" options.  The problem occurs whether the highlighting is done with the Logos app on a Windows PC, or with the Bible app on the Kindle Fire HD.

  • Kevin Byford (Faithlife)
    Kevin Byford (Faithlife) Member, Logos Employee Posts: 4,309

    Okay, I see what you're talking about now.  Some highlighting colors work better than others for both Normal and Low Light color schemes, and this isn't just on Android but on iOS as well.

    I'll write up a case but I don't know how high of a priority it will be since there are existing highlighting choices that work in both normal and low-light schemes that are almost identical in color to the ones that don't work well.  If you stick with the Highlighter Pens palette they should work in both schemes.