Logos Personal Book Macros for MS Word

I am wanting to learn how to make Personal Books. In searching around, I found that a gentleman by the name of Steve Clark maintained a set of Macros for MS Word to help with making them. In reading through a couple threads I found, it seems Steve passed on to glory a few years ago. Here are some of the threads I found:

https://community.logos.com/forums/t/37157.aspx

https://community.logos.com/forums/t/116984.aspx

A few others have contributed Macros in the forum, too.

It seems the Macro templates and code aren't actively maintained. I am reasonably capable of doing so and maybe even improving them. The catch is, I really don't know much about PB's but I have a strong interest in using them. I have taken all the Macros I could find and built an initial template with them, just trying to make sure I could get them working (unfortunately, I don't know what many of them are intended to do, exactly).

I also noticed that some people had trouble getting these working on Office365. I think I was able to figure out what the problems with that are (some bugs in Office, and increased security settings more than likely). As a workaround, I figured out a slightly different approach than using .dotm (template) files as Steve originally had. The workaround is to basically use a .docm file and manually make a copy of it every time you want to start a new PB...not really a big deal. A benefit of this approach is the custom ribbon/buttons that Steve originally setup can be embedded in the file, independently and don't need to be "installed" which makes things a little easier.

I'm attaching my first working copy of the file here. I'd like to know: 1) how much interest there it in having this maintained; 2) if there are some folks here that make PB's and are willing to test this out and; 3) If there is a decent amount of interest and someone is willing to test it, if someone would be willing to give me a quick tutorial on PB's. I can read through the wiki, etc. but it would be really helpful, in particular, to see it in action from someone experienced...ideally from someone that is familiar with the macros that can explain to me how they use them. That should give me some ideas for improving them (and maybe help me find problems in my file to fix).

7776.Logos_Macros_v0-9_DEV.zip

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Comments

Ryland Brown

I'm going to play around with this. Would be a wonderful feature.

Scott Cooper

Thank you! Please let me know how it goes.

GaoLu

Could you have make the code available in a Word document as text rather than VBA macros? Save it as docx (or plain text, or whatever--just not as macros).

That would reduce security concerns,

Scott Cooper

I *can* but one still needs to create a macro-enabled file (.docm) and import the code. Given the latency and nature comments in the prior macro threads, I am guessing most people don't even know how to inspect it so all they'd be doing is foregoing a couple warnings.

It really just adds extra steps that I'm guessing most people want to (or need to if they barely know what we're talking about) avoid. Windows will initially block them in a download and one will have to unblock the file.

I understand the concern (I have 25 years in Cybersecurity) but at this point my main goal is to get them working and ensure they are usable. None of it is even really *my* code, at this point. Everyone should always be cautious and they'll just have to weigh the risks associated with getting the file from a user in this forum for what they think those risks are.

If anyone wants to know more about me than what is visible in my profile to assess my trustworthiness, feel free to send me an email or message.

Wolfgang Schneider

... As a workaround, I figured out a slightly different approach than using .dotm (template) files as Steve originally had. The workaround is to basically use a .docm file and manually make a copy of it every time you want to start a new PB...not really a big deal. A benefit of this approach is the custom ribbon/buttons that Steve originally setup can be embedded in the file, independently and don't need to be "installed" which makes things a little easier.

Hi Scott

the PB tool only works with docx files as source documents. Thus, since macros get lost when saving the Word file as a docx file, one would be well advised to keep the docm file as one's source where later additions, changes, corrections can be made using the macros, and the latest version saved docx file with which to compile the PB ...

I did use your sample docm file and it looked quite well. Since I already have a template docm / dotm file set up with various formatting options for my use with Bible related documents, I am wondering if it is possible to simply copy/export the macro components from the docm file to the template (I am not very familiar with Word functions and inner workings, but would think that it may be possible to copy/export.import macros from one document or template to another)?

Any ideas?

EDIT: I was able to export the macros to a template dotm file ... and when opening a new document, I can access the macros via the macros in the top menu. HOWEVER, there is no link for "Logos Macros" that displays the different macros available in the menu area.

instead of

How can I change this so it shows when creating new documents?

Scott Cooper

Thus, since macros get lost when saving the Word file as a docx file, one would be well advised to keep the docm file as one's source where later additions, changes, corrections can be made using the macros, and the latest version saved docx file with which to compile the PB

Hi Wolfgang,

Yes, that is the best approach...something like this:

1) Make a copy of the .docm provided (keeping the original blank).
2) Use the copy to make your PB.
3) Use "Save as" to make a .docx file for uploading into Logos. Keeping the .docm will allow you to make edits and resave, when necessary.

Exporting/importing the macros is fairly straightforward. You just need to make sure you get all the modules and forms from the VBA editor. The customizations to the Ribbon (toolbar) are necessary if you want to run the macros that way (many of them are not linked to a button). I used a different tool/method (Office RibbonX Editor) to customize this in the file I provided. It's a different approach than the original author used where he crated a custom Ribbon and exported it. If you simply use the file I provided as a source for your PB's you won't need to mess around with importing the custom Ribbon (or auto loading from a template). As you have noticed, the difference is you won't have those menus outside of the files it's embedded in. I think this is an easier and cleaner approach. You *can* export the Ribbon customizations and import them into Word (I think it will then store them in your global template). I'm not sure I would recommend that as it would be useless without the macro code.

Is there anything in your template that would be useful to include in the macros file? If so, I could look at incorporating it. I've been looking more closely at the macros and starting to learn the PB tags. I anticipate making a number of changes, as I'm able to, so if you play around with the file I posted, just recognize it will be deprecated fairly quickly.

Wolfgang Schneider

Hi Scott,

... As you have noticed, the difference is you won't have those menus outside of the files it's embedded in.

Another difference would be that I would only be working with a docx file in which I would make editions, changes, etc. and not have to work with both a docm and a docx file, since the macros would be available inside the docx file.

I think this is an easier and cleaner approach. You *can* export the Ribbon customizations and import them into Word (I think it will then store them in your global template). I'm not sure I would recommend that as it would be useless without the macro code.

...

Is there anything in your template that would be useful to include in the macros file?

I thought the ribbon customization was part of the macro module and would be imported into a file or template as part of the macro functions in your docm file. That doesn't seem to be the case even though it's obviously included in the docm document template ...

I'll test some more with some of my PB projects and see how it will work out for me.

What I needed to do for my use was to adjust the various text formats I use in my docx since these were quite different from what you have in your sample docm file.

Wolfgang Schneider

... I anticipate making a number of changes, as I'm able to, so if you play around with the file I posted, just recognize it will be deprecated fairly quickly.

Hi Scott,

thus far, in a current new file I've used the macros for inserting "Milestones" and some "DataLinks" and found them to be helpful.
Are you planning on posting an updated file in the forum?

Scott Cooper

Are you planning on posting an updated file in the forum?

Hi Wolfgang,

Thank you so much for the feedback. Yes, I have made significant improvements and am attaching a new file. I'd prefer to update the original post to replace the file but I don't see a way to do that. Anyway, here are the significant changes:

Removed a lot of macros that I had imported from user DominicM (I think that's the name, sorry if I'm wrong) that weren't linked to buttons. It seems he has a lot of useful routines but there's no point in including them until I work through them.
The code has been significantly optimized. There are far fewer lines of code and is now actually more functionality.
The Ribbon has been reworked. I removed a couple things until I figure out the code and added/improved a few things. There are some placeholders in there, too...mainly the "Automations" group to give you an idea of what I'm planning. Again, I'm new to PB's so ideas from people that know them better are welcomed and appreciated.

Specific comments on and changes to the functionality:

For the Milestones, DataLinks, and Fields groups, you can now insert individual tags OR highlight a block of text to wrap in a tag (or beginning/ending tags). For the Fields, if you have a selection highlighted and press one of the buttons that would normally insert a beginning/end tag, it will prompt you to wrap the text or cancel.
I have NOT done much with the Links group. I'm not sure if it's working or not and I'm not sure when I'll get to it. I need to review the PB documentation and ensure I know how they are supposed to work.
The Fields group uses drop-downs now to save space on the Ribbon. It may not look pretty but it works.
On the Tools group, I reworked a button the original author had used to toggle the Bible verse picker form on/off (i.e. to automatically launch it when inserting a Bible Milestone or DataLink tag). I made it a checkbox which is more intuitive...now you can see when it's on/off - you couldn't before. The "Strong's Toggle" is a placeholder. I plan to make a form much like the Verse Picker for Strong's tags.
As I said, the Automations group is intended to show some things I'm planning. There is ONE working example that I've included. If you hit the "Run Multiple" button, it will launch a dialog that has an option to add page numbers through a document. If you want to quickly test this, you can type: "=lorem(10,20)" in Word and hit enter. This will generate about three pages of placeholder text. Then hit the "Run Multiple" button, check the box to "Add page number tags" and then hit "Run Automations"

Hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you notice any problems or have any idea.

7573.Logos_Macros_v0-9-3_DEV.zip

Thanks and God bless you!

Scott