Factbook lookup within Bible (suggestion)

When I select a word, I would like the Lookup area of the Context menu to include a Factbook option. For example, if I select "Ahaz", I cannot see anywhere to choose the Factbook.

It is surprising that it is not obvious how to find the Factbook in the Context menu, given how much richer the new Factbook is and that Faithlife is promoting the new Factbook as a major upgrade in Logos 9.

*Logos 9.3 Beta 3 on Windows 10

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Graham Criddle

When I select a word, I would like the Lookup area of the Context menu to include a Factbook option. For example, if I select "Ahaz", I cannot see anywhere to choose the Factbook.

Are you selecting the text or the tagged attribute?

Harry Hahne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152749#Comment_1152749

Are you selecting the text or the tagged attribute?

Good point. Selecting one of the tags, such as Ahaz (king) does bring up the Factbook as an action.

However, I still recommend that selecting text should offer this option. Many users would assume that they could select text and then look it up in the Factbook, just as the can select Lookup, Wikipedia and Power Lookup. This saves scanning a very complicated menu to find just the right tag. In essence it would like typing in Ahaz in the Factbook, but it much more efficient to highligh text in the Bible, then go to the Factbook with that selection. It is a natural "Look up" action.

I would also suggest that the Power Lookup does not have a link to Lookup in Factbook.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152754#Comment_1152754

However, I still recommend that selecting text should offer this option.

Isn't that the function of the Factbook filter? Outside the Factbook filter, how does the system know what entries you want to see - lemma? sense?. . .just playing devil's advocate to push to see how it would/could actually work.

Harry Hahne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152763#Comment_1152763

However, I still recommend that selecting text should offer this option.

Isn't that the function of the Factbook filter? Outside the Factbook filter, how does the system know what entries you want to see - lemma? sense?. . .just playing devil's advocate to push to see how it would/could actually work.

It would work the same as typing text in the Location box for the Factbook. The Factbook should make it simple to look things up. Selecting a word and then choosing Factbook from the Context menu would be quicker than typing the word in the Factbook.

Many casual users, for which I believe the Factbook is most suitable, might not even know which field is the best one to use. A lot of the fields don't have the Factbook anyway.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152788#Comment_1152788

It would work the same as typing text in the Location box for the Factbook.

So it would provide a drop-down menu? In the old Factbook that wouldn't be necessary but in the new it would be. Most of the entries that have a Factbook entry already have it linked in the Context Menu - I rarely type anything into Factbook - I either have the Factbook filter one which gives me 1 click access or I use the Context Menu which is 2 or 3 clicks. Somehow I thinking I'm missing something in what you want.

Harry Hahne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152796#Comment_1152796

If I go to the Factbook and type "Damascus" and hit Enter, it brings up information about the city of Damascus. I don't wait for the dropdown list to populate, but the first item is usually the right one when I just type and hit enter.

What I would expect from the context menu is to be able to select the word "Damascus" in 2 Chronicles 28:23 (for example), then see the Factbook as an action I could choose from the Context menu. I would expect it to appear under "Look up", but it would not matter to me where it is as long as it is on the context menu.

It is true that I can select the Hebrew lemma and then look up the Hebrew word in the Factbook, but that gives me information about the Hebrew word, not the location of the city of Damascus, which is what I want to know. That is why I would choose the English word, rather than the Hebrew word.

Here is what I get by typing "Damascus" and the Factbook and pressing Enter.

Here is what I get by selecting the Hebrew lemma from an English RI Bible and choosing Factbook.

This is very different information from the English word Damascus and not what I am looking for when I work from the English word.

I grant that selecting an English word or phrase may not always look up what I expect in the Factbook, but it would work right most of the time and be very close the rest of the time.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152875#Comment_1152875

I think I understand. You want Factbook to appear when Selection is chosen on the left rather than making the user chose city?

Harry Hahne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152902#Comment_1152902

I think I understand. You want Factbook to appear when Selection is chosen on the left rather than making the user chose city?

Damascus was just an example. It would not have to be a place. Regardless of what it is, I don't believe I should have to scan through a long list of tags to find one that will offer me the Factbook as an action choice. I would just like any selection to offer the Factbook as a choice.

I just want a faster way to see what the Factbook offers, while I am reading the Bible. I don't want to have to worry about which is the right tag. If Factbook is supposed to be the first stop for research by the casual user, it should not require a knowledge of the various tags. That reduces the simplicity of access to the tool.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152931#Comment_1152931

Okay, thanks for being patient with me while I figured out what you meant.

Harry Hahne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1152934#Comment_1152934

Okay, thanks for being patient with me while I figured out what you meant.

No problem. I did not want to belabor the point. I hope my answers to your clarifying questions helped you understand my suggestion.