Introducing the New Logos Notes
We’ve been building a brand new notes system, and after beta testing it with hundreds of users for most of the year we’re excited to share it with you as part of Logos 8. We’re rolling it out as a cross-platform system on desktop (Windows and macOS), mobile (iOS and Android), and the web at https://app.logos.com/. It’s also available to use free of charge on the Logos 7 web app and will be included in the free versions of our Logos 8 desktop and mobile apps in early 2019.
All your notes and highlights are in one place, automatically organized, and instantly accessible. The new system is fast, scalable, secure, and ready to handle your note-taking and highlighting needs.
Since it’s one of the most significant changes in Logos 8, we want to provide you with as much help as we can so you can learn the new system and adapt your workflows to take advantage of all that it offers.
We’ve prepared a variety of articles and videos to help you navigate the transition:
As you explore Logos 8 and the new note system, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and let us know how we can help to make your transition as smooth as possible. We’re available to assist you through the following channels:
- the Logos Notes forum
- the Logos Notes Faithlife group
- by email at cs@logos.com
- over the phone at 800-875-6467
We’re looking forward to serving you.
Comments
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Love the new notes tool. Can't wait for some of the other features (like labels) to be brought over.
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Hey Phil!
I love using Logos, and really appreciate the work put into keeping this tool so productive! Thank you!
I have two requests.
The new format for notes only seems to sort based upon date created or date modified. Is there a plan to allow us to sort alphabetically? This is a big deal for the way I use the notes.
Also, the desktop version used to have an export feature where I could choose the "expand" option, and then export all my notes at once into an editable text file. I used that feature quite a bit, and would love to have it in the online and/or iOS applications. Any plans to add that feature?
Blessings!
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Phil, in another post (can't find it now) you had asked about wanting to know what's important to us. For what it's worth. I can't see myself upgrading to Logos 8 until these issues are resolved:
- Integration of notebooks in Your Documents search section in Everything search
- Integration of notebooks in My Content section of guides Copy
- Paste from resources with citation links
These three things are essential to my daily work and usage of Logos and it would be a significant drawback to not have these. I know there is planned integration of them on the FAQ page, but there is no timeline given as to when that would be (e.g. 6 weeks or 6 months) and these features are too important to me to go for very long without them.
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Hi Ryan
For what it's worth. I can't see myself upgrading to Logos 8 until these issues are resolved:
I totally understand that.
But are you aware you can upgrade to Logos 8 and continue using the Logos 7 style notes until the new Notes Tool has the functionality you require?
Could be useful if there are other features in Logos 8 you want to take advantage of, or if you want to make use of the current discounts.
Graham
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Hi Graham,
Thank you for reminding me about that. I remember having read that somewhere earlier (so many forums and websites [:D]) but if I recall correctly there was a warning. Something about using one system and then using another could have adverse effects on the notes or something like that. I have thousands of notes and am a bit paranoid about doing something that would cause me to mess them up. There are some other features I like but I'd feel more confident once these main sticking points are resolved. (I'm also hopeful that they'll have the bulk de-notebook-izer tool done by that time as well). Thanks again for chiming in. I always appreciate your help and advice.
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but if I recall correctly there was a warning. Something about using one system and then using another could have adverse effects on the notes or something like that
Yes, continually switching between the two systems is not recommended.
https://support.logos.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018336332 provides some useful information here.
If you use mobile devices - then upgrading to Logos 8 will, by default, cause the L8 mobile apps to be installed and these only use the new system. So that could be another reason to hold back on the switch
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It’s also available to use free of charge on the Logos 7 web app and will be included in the free versions of our Logos 8 desktop and mobile apps in early 2019.
Phil, love the web app!
Our you saying that this feature be available (in early 2019) to any one who has already upgraded to Logos 8?
Or just to people who buy the feature sets?
I went the "library only" (more books) route when I updated, did I make a mistake?
Tom, a little more confused then normal this morning
http://hombrereformado.blogspot.com/ Solo a Dios la Gloria Apoyo
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Our you saying that this feature be available (in early 2019) to any one who has already upgraded to Logos 8?
Or just to people who buy the feature sets?
Phil said:
will be included in the free versions of our Logos 8 desktop and mobile apps in early 2019.
Free for everyone who runs L8 by early 2019.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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Free for everyone who runs L8 by early 2019.
Thanks Mark, I just though it was too good to be true.
I think I will be very happy with the books and wait for the upgraded notes
http://hombrereformado.blogspot.com/ Solo a Dios la Gloria Apoyo
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If you use mobile devices - then upgrading to Logos 8 will, by default, cause the L8 mobile apps to be installed and these only use the new system. So that could be another reason to hold back on the switch
Good point. I hadn't thought of this. I just checked the app store for my iPhone and it is telling me to update my Logos mobile app to the new version. If I am staying on L7 desktop, would there be a problem if I upgrade my iPhone and iPad to the new Logos app or should I hold off until I upgrade to L8 in the future?
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Good point. I hadn't thought of this. I just checked the app store for my iPhone and it is telling me to update my Logos mobile app to the new version. If I am staying on L7 desktop, would there be a problem if I upgrade my iPhone and iPad to the new Logos app or should I hold off until I upgrade to L8 in the future?
If I understand Daniel's post at https://community.logos.com/forums/p/173720/1002804.aspx#1002804 correctly then you don't get access to the new Notes system in the mobile apps until you go ahead and purchase a Logos 8 base package. So you should be fine.
But it may be worth questioning this in that thread in the mobile app forum just to be sure.
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Free for everyone who runs L8 by early 2019.
Thanks Mark, I just though it was too good to be true.
I think I will be very happy with the books and wait for the upgraded notes
Considering how much work Faithlife has put in the new notes system (and will continue to do so), it is very generous of them to give us this tool. Free software upgrades for life isn't just marketing talk.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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In my old notes system, I had notes for each book of the Bible. When I added a new note to the notes for a particular book, the new entry would insert itself in the proper chapter/verse order. When labels are added to the new system, will new notes in a note book transparently insert themselves in chapter/verse order? if not, will a new sort option be added that allows me to sort notes within a notebook in chapter/verse order?
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will new notes in a note book transparently insert themselves in chapter/verse order? if not, will a new sort option be added that allows me to sort notes within a notebook in chapter/verse order?
Not at this time. Sorting by Bible reference will be coming in a later release. You can find what is present and what is planned here.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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thanks
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I have used the notes feature on Logos for nearly twenty years. I add notes on specific bible study topics, and title each note so that I can go back whenever I need to review my study. I sorted the notes based upon the topic title. I usually have dozens of bible verses in each note. I suppose that I have thousands of hours invested in these notes.
About three years ago I replaced my laptop with an iPad. the iOS version is awesome, and can nearly do everything I needed to do. The one significant feature it was missing was the ability to export notes to an editable text file. I have been concerned about not backing up my notes, but it looked like future development would add that feature. I’m still hoping it will come
The brand new note feature sorts by date only. After using the new system for a while now I can say that my notes are almost useless to me. I like the quick response of the search feature, but it searches the whole note which produces so many responses I can’t find the note I’m looking for. Unfortunately the online version does the same thing.
I realize more development is coming. However, I have waited for years for export features. The thought of waiting years before I can use my notes again in a meaningful way is depressing.
If anyone knows of a workaround I’m not seeing I would love to hear about it. I’m getting desperate enough that I’m considering using my last notes export from three years ago to import to another bible software, and just lose the last three years of work. since notes now sort by date, I guess I could hand type those new notes, but the editing I’ve done on old notes would be nigh impossible to capture.
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Steve, you are probably someone who needs to revert to the old notes system until the new notes system has these critical functions. How to do this is found here.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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After using the new system for a while now I can say that my notes are almost useless to me
I'd be interested in hearing what causes it to be unusable, or perhaps better, what would make it a dream come true?
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Two questions about notes in Logos 8 - Desktop
Is the range of data types limited or unlimited - for example under the facet browser there are Highlights and Notes.
Is the range of Anchors limited or unlimited -
I have attempted to outline how the note taking system is organized - am I thinking correctly?
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Is the range of data types limited or unlimited - for example under the facet browser there are Highlights and Notes.
There's a "Types" facet which is limited to Notes and Highlights.
There's a datatype facet which will support any datatype that Logos supports (e.g. Bible, Josephus, TDNT, etc.)
Is the range of Anchors limited or unlimited
This supports several options: Text Range (you've selected text then highlighted or added a note), Reference (you've right-clicked and added a highlight/note to a reference), or Unanchored (you've added a note but not attached it to any resource). There are other options for notes anchored to workflows and headwords. There may be others I haven't discovered yet.
Referring to the attached document
Your document is mostly correct — apart from:
- "Each highlighting style creates a notebook". Each highlight palette (not style) is linked to a notebook. But there's no reason that all the palettes can't link to the same notebook if that's what you prefer. You can also create arbitrary notebooks if you wish.
- "If a selected text in a book has been highlighted it becomes a notebook" — this isn't correct. Hopefully the answer above makes this clearer for you.
Is the range of data types limited or unlimited - for example under the facet browser there are Highlights and Notes.
This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!
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Thanks Mark,
It looks like that would be a great solution if I still used the desktop. I didn’t see how to revert back for iOS or online use.
Blessings
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It looks like that would be a great solution if I still used the desktop. I didn’t see how to revert back for iOS or online use.
You can revert back on iOS by re-installing the older version.
You can revert back on the web by going to https://7.app.logos.com/ but the web never supported 'old' notes so that won't help.
This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!
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Hi Reuben,
After reading some more (especially the link Mark provided), I think my main issue is not having the labels. I labeled all my notes so that I could easily go back to review and edit them. For example. I have a note labeled “Anger”. In that note I have a lot of scripture references with some thoughts by each verse. I also have quotes about anger from various authors. If I am in a study group and the topic of anger comes up, I can go to my note and have instant access to years of accumulated study on the subject. I have hundreds of such topics. With the new notes I have all my notes, but they won’t sort by the labels. So if I want to find my note on anger, I search anger and dozens of notes pop up. Then I have to scroll through until I find the right one. It is usually in the top twenty results, but not always.
The biggest thing that would help me is to add a sort feature that alphabetized the notes based upon the first letter of the first word in the note. Which so happens to be the old label. iOS sorts my iPhone Notes App in this way. It doesn’t need labels, it just sorts on that first letter. It seems like that could be a simple solution for my needs.
blessings
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Thanks for the idea Mark. I’m still researching to see if I can do this. I back up to the cloud since I don’t have a laptop/desktop. Not sure it’s possible based upon what I’ve seen so far, but it’s a great thought.
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I labeled all my notes so that I could easily go back to review and edit them.
How did you label notes? This is an option on the desktop - using labels with highlights - but as far as I know that particular feature never came to the mobile apps.
So just wondering what mechanism you used - to try and work through possible options.
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I guess I’m not sure. I used the desktop version for years. When adding a note I would put a topic title like “Anger” into the top section. Then I would type my note in the section below. When I went back to look for my notes which I had in the collapsed list, I would have an alphabetical listing of all my notes. I could click on the single line that had my “title”, and that one note would show in the side panel
When the iOS app came out our Notes didn’t transfer over right away, but eventually they were available. I could add or edit notes the same way I could on the desktop. That is when I started using my iPad so much I eventually ditched my laptop.
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I guess I’m not sure. I used the desktop version for years. When adding a note I would put a topic title like “Anger” into the top section. Then I would type my note in the section below. When I went back to look for my notes which I had in the collapsed list, I would have an alphabetical listing of all my notes. I could click on the single line that had my “title”, and that one note would show in the side panel
Understood - that was using the note "title", something that isn't included in the new Notes Tool.
The nearest equilvalent in the new Notes Tool is tags - allowing us to add as many tags as we want to any note
You can then filter on those tags to get the ones you want.
Some issues that would need to be addressed:
- Currently adding tags isn't supported in the mobile apps. It is on the webapp and you can filter on tags in the mobile apps
- All your labels currently use "titles" and moving them to tags would be quite a process
- Tags are sorted by count as opposed to alphabetically at the moment - so you would need to use a search box to find the tag you are interested in.
So just some thoughts - but no real solution I'm afraid.
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Phil - would it be possible to make this note "sticky" so we have easy access to the FAQ etc?
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One of my favorite features was the abilitiy to highlight books and then search the highlights for key words or ideas. With the new note system, that has been temporarily disabled. I just came across the upcoming features that Logos plans on working to implement in the future. Could someone assist me with what that feature is called-- is it number 5 or 18? I hope its 5.
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Notebooks in the Docs panel
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Sorting notes by reference
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Integration of notebooks in the Your Documents search section in Everything search
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Integration of notebooks in the My Content section of Guides
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Highlight search extension searches
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Labels
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Quotes view (currently supported for single resources in Notes & Highlights resource sidebar)
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Compact (i.e., one line) view (which will enable a comparable Split view)
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Full view
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Corresponding Notes & Highlights visual filter
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Send to sermon document
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Export to/save as word list/passage list?
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Previous/Next Annotation in the Locator Bar
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Remember your icon, color, and style preferences
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Guide notes
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Bible reference anchored notes on mobile
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CTRL+F on the desktop to find in Notes
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Search hit highlighting
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5
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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