Changes to logos4 links coming to v39 and v40
Heads up that we'll be removing the ability to create logos4 links in v39 and v40. But don't worry. Existing logos4 links will continue to work, and everything you could do with logos4 links, you can now do with ref.ly links.
Here's why we're making the change:
- For years, ref.ly links have had the same functionality as logos4 links.
- logos4 links sometimes got blocked by other apps (bad!), but when they worked, they opened the desktop app directly (good!), which meant they worked offline (also good!). But when you pasted them into other apps, they weren't recognized as links, so they wouldn't be automatically clickable (bad!).
- ref.ly links never got blocked by other apps (good!), but they opened the web app, and then the web app opened the desktop app (bad!). They didn't work offline (also bad!). But, when pasted into other apps, they'd be automatically recognized and made clickable (good!).
- Now, from v39 on Windows and earlier on Mac, Logos listens for clicks on ref.ly links. From almost all apps, apart from web browsers, the desktop app will open directly without first opening the web app. That works offline, too.
- As a result, the advantages that logos4 links had over ref.ly links have all but gone away. This means there's no real need to create new logos4 links, and we can simplify the app by removing that option.
- So now, instead of choosing between two "sometimes good" options, you'll only have one "nearly always good" option.
- There's a bigger picture, too. There are often two — or more! — similar-but-not-quite-the-same ways of doing things in Logos. This makes the app more complex, which makes it harder for users to learn, and harder for us to maintain our code. We can't fix all that overnight, but we are slowly unifying features where we can, and we're not creating new tools where we can improve old ones. This is a small step along that road.
The ability to create logos4 links will likely be removed from the dynamic toolbar in v39 and from the panel menus in v40.
Comments
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Now, from v39 on Windows and earlier on Mac, Logos listens for clicks on ref.ly links. If those clicks happen outside the web browser, then the desktop app will open directly without first opening the web app. That works offline, too.
Wonderful! I love it! Thank you!
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So will old Logos4 links we have created in our Notes still work?
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Yes. Hopefully covered in the initial post:
Existing logos4 links will continue to work
Andrew Batishko | Logos software developer
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Missed that. Thanks!
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To confirm and clarify, the "Share > Copy Link" will allow us to create links to specific resources in specific locations in those resources and work with web and desktop versions of Logos going forward?
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That is correct, yes.
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I am running 39 Beta 2 on Windows 11 and ref.ly links still open in the browser first. I have restarted my computer after the update but am not sure what else I can do to get it working.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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exactly the same here. This doesn't work (yet).
Have joy in the Lord!
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So I want to make sure I understand, it will still default to the web app if the link is in the browser? Am I understanding that correctly?
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For those who find this isn't working, can you let us know what app you've pasted a ref.ly link into.
Could you also please test with either Apple Notes or WordPad and see if the link works there.
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Is there any way, and there may not be, to have a way to set those to open the app if it is present on the system?
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Wordpad does work as expected. Microsoft Word and Powerpoint open the browser first. If I create a shortcut on my desktop to a ref.ly link, it also opens the browser. Personally, Powerpoint is where I am most likely to put the links, since I will put shortcuts to Logos searches and tools in my presentations to quickly demonstrate in class.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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Wordpad does work as expected. Microsoft Word and Powerpoint open the browser first. If I create a shortcut on my desktop to a ref.ly link, it also opens the browser.
Exactly the same here. Apple Notes on Windows? And who uses Wordpad anyway? Somebody really should think again about the use cases…. When it works on Word and Powerpoint, it works, otherwise, it doesn't.
Have joy in the Lord!
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It does open the app (sometimes not really predictably for me whether Logos or Verbum comes up), no need to configure it that way. The problem is that it opens the web app first - and for offline usage, that it then sits at a browser tab displaying "no internet" without opening the app.
Have joy in the Lord!
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I asked people to try it on Apple Notes and WordPad because one of those apps would be available to every user. I wanted to know whether a specific app caused the problem or whether the problem was system-wide. That's the most useful information I could pass on to the developers.
We've since discovered there's a bug in Microsoft Office on Windows, which means that Office doesn't respect the system settings that Microsoft themselves recommend developers use 🤦. We have a workaround for that bug here.
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Thanks for the report. We've spent some time investigating these reports and have a bit more information to share here
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I see. Yeah, I wouldn't want the web app to come up at all if Logos is on the device I am using. Hmm… 🧐
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Awesome. Thank you for the quick work on this. It is a great feature.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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When I copy the share link from a clippings or passage list from the webapp and add the link on mobile Bible Study Builder, the links then open the webapp. It does not open in Logos app on IOS or Ipad Os.
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Thanks for the report. I experienced something similar over the weekend. I'll ask the team to look into it.
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@Lukas — Apparently, the first time you attempt to open a ref.ly link after installing the app, iOS will ask whether you want to open it in the app or in Safari. If you choose Safari, iOS will remember that choice and not ask you again.
To persuade iOS to start opening the links again, you can follow these steps:
- Paste a ref.ly link into the Apple Notes app. Any link will do, such as this one: https://ref.ly/Mk1.1;esv. It's possible that sending the link to yourself in iMessage or the Mail app might work, too, but I didn't test that.
- Long press on the link.
- When prompted, open the link in "Logos Bible".
From now on, any ref.ly link should open in the Logos app.
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@Mark Barnes (Logos) I dont get an option to open in Logos App when long pressing
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@Lukas With Mark's link, I'm experiencing the same thing on my iPad - no option to open in the Logos app, and the link opens directly in Biblia.com (🤔). On the iPhone, there is a quick attempt to open a browser page before the link opens in the Logos app.
With ref.ly links for books, the experience is different on the iPad - the link goes first to app.logos.com, and then I'm given the option to open in the mobile app.
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@Yasmin Stephen I don't get any option at all. So I don't know if this is normal or not. And I also don't know if the ref.ly is compatible with documents like passage list and clippings. As that is what I am using it for.
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@Mark Barnes (Logos) can we please get the ref.ly links sorted out and working with everything before you disable the function. I am a mobile user mostly and I use the l4 links to add clippings and passage list documents to my Bible Study document. But the web app I can’t copy a link for clippings but passage list it has the option. But then the problem is I cant get Logos app to open the passage list I added with the share link to open in the app. It keeps opening the web app even with the steps you have mentioned. I dont get any option to open in logos app. So please fix everything before you stop the l4 links. We as mobile users will be without a functioning feature.
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To persuade iOS to start opening the links again, you can follow these steps:
- Paste a ref.ly link into the Apple Notes app. Any link will do, such as this one: https://ref.ly/Mk1.1;esv. It's possible that sending the link to yourself in iMessage or the Mail app might work, too, but I didn't test that.
- Long press on the link.
- When prompted, open the link in "Logos Bible".
From now on, any ref.ly link should open in the Logos app.
I’ve just done this and was able to successfully open the ESV link in the Logos Bible app
However, even after that, trying to access a link to a notebook linked to in a Bible Study document opens on the web and not in the mobile app
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Thanks for the feedback. I'll ask someone on the mobile team to take a look.
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@Mark Barnes (Logos) can we please get something for us mobile users to be able to add link for a clippings document. On mobile we have no option of sharing or copying of link, and then again on web app we are not able to get a link from a clippings document. So I ask very nicely can we postpone the l4 links until we as mobile users have fully functional link platforms that works be it either web app or mobile, but we need one functional system as a mobile user.
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@Mark Barnes (Logos) I ask you again, regarding this ref.ly changes. To please get a working solution before ending a working function. I have copied the share link from a Bible Study Document, I then add the link to note. When I click on the note in web app the links open a new tab in browser and then says the Bible Study document cant be viewed, I must download the Logos Desktop app. What I dont understand is how can web app create the document but cant open it. Then on mobile if I open the note and press and hold the link and you get options to open in left or or bottom, or new tab nothing happens also. This is really a big big frustration. So please get a working solution and a fully functional application for mobile users before removing functions that worked for mostly mobile users. Not all Logos users as desktop users. So please start to think about the people that uses logos on mobile 90-100% of the time.
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