Geographic commentary visual annoyance in the text

Is there a way to hide those blue and gray graphical markers scattered in the text?

I have to formulate my question in this way because I don't know the name for those. (I could invent a noun to describe them in Finnish, but I think it would be untranslatable).

I made a brave effort, but could not find a way to hide them.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

Fred Chapman

The Timeline flags can be turned off in the visual filters drop down. It does not appear that the people, places, etc can be turned off

Ted Weis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076580#Comment_1076580

I too find all the flags, figures, etc. annoying. I wish Logos would make the default off, not on.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076584#Comment_1076584

I wish Logos would make the default off, not on.

The question then would be for a newish user, how would they ever find the feature?

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076580#Comment_1076580

The Timeline flags can be turned off in the visual filters drop down. It does not appear that the people, places, etc can be turned off

I tried but could not get rid of the timeline flags. And I also want remove the other clutter from there.

It is either impossible or needs some specific user interface acrobatics.

Sorry, but I like a peaceful natural environment, I don't feel at home in a checkered commercial forest

I took this picture in Dallas in 1987

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076642#Comment_1076642

So here's my stereotypical Finland - near Grandma's home town [;)]

or the somewhat taller features where I grew up

Do I get to prefer clean and uncluttered too?

This works for me. Did you close and reopen the resource?

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076644#Comment_1076644

Did you close and reopen the resource?

Thanks for the advice, M.J! I did it now but it does not help.

I am using 8.9 SR-1 (8.8.0.0030), but the same problem has been there in the earlier versions.

Actually I waited until the newest resource update, but it did not help either (It did not update 20th November, I still have the Jul 25 version).

Andrew Batishko

Those markers are part of the resource, not a visual filter. There isn't a way to hide them.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076652#Comment_1076652

Did you close and reopen the resource?

Thanks for the advice, M.J! I did it now but it does not help.

I am using 8.9 SR-1 (8.8.0.0030), but the same problem has been there in the earlier versions.

Actually I waited until the newest resource update, but it did not help either (It did not update 20th November, I still have the Jul 25 version).

Vel, I'm also using 8.9 SR-1, although my verion number is 8.9.0.0030, not 8.8.0.0030). My version of the resource is also close to yours, if I'm reading it correctly, but not an exact match. Mine shows July 19 rather than July 25.

Toggling the timeline filter for the resource on and off does immediately affect the timeline icon in the resource text, but I agree that all the other remaining icons are a serious distraction/annoyance and wish they could be turned off. I wouldn't mind so much if the tagged words remained a different color from the rest of the text as they are now, though I'd prefer that could be filtered out if desired as well. But for me, the icons are major annoyance.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076657#Comment_1076657

Those markers are part of the resource, not a visual filter. There isn't a way to hide them.

With software, there is always a way. Please push the programmers to give us a Christmas present! [G]

****

Just wondering, do I have a wrong idea of a timeline flag, because nothing happens when I test the visual filter menu.

Could anyone provide a picture of it?

Robert Neely

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076662#Comment_1076662

Those markers are part of the resource, not a visual filter. There isn't a way to hide them.

With software, there is always a way. Please push the programmers to give us a Christmas present!

****

It is not a question of software. This symbology is built into the Lexham Geographic Commentary resources themselves. You will see the same thing if you look at the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076709#Comment_1076709

Those markers are part of the resource, not a visual filter. There isn't a way to hide them.

With software, there is always a way. Please push the programmers to give us a Christmas present!

****

It is not a question of software. This symbology is built into the Lexham Geographic Commentary resources themselves. You will see the same thing if you look at the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels.

Yes, even though the symbology is built in, everything is doable in software. They could write new code for the book display engine that checks for special glyphs in the text that are among the ones which some people don't want to see, and hides them if you have a particular setting turned off in a menu somewhere. MS Word does that for example when it shows or displays text formatted as "hidden".

So yes, it's possible. But whether the Faithlife programmers have time to create a feature like this is another question. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076662#Comment_1076662

Yes, even though the symbology is built in, everything is doable in software.

I think in this case the markers belong to a specific symbol set, and it would be relatively easy to change the pointer to a null glyph set (unless this triggers a minefield detonation elsewhere in the software)

Below are some pictures to encourage the programmers. In 1981 we were able to produce Ethiopic script on the screen with computers that are now considered antique.

*********

From the earlier post:

Just wondering, do I have a wrong idea of a timeline flag, because nothing happens when I test the visual filter menu.

I did not get an answer yet, hope someone knows.

My guess that the blue flag-like marker below can be interpreted as the timeline flag, but I may be wrong.

In the visual filters menu the timeline events box is not checked, but the flag persists.

Newest Logos, Windows 8.1.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076741#Comment_1076741

Yes, even though the symbology is built in, everything is doable in software.

I think in this case the markers belong to a specific symbol set, and it would be relatively easy to change the pointer to a null glyph set (unless this triggers a minefield detonation elsewhere in the software)

Below are some pictures to encourage the programmers. In 1981 we were able to produce Ethiopic script on the screen with computers that are now considered antique.

*********

From the earlier post:

Just wondering, do I have a wrong idea of a timeline flag, because nothing happens when I test the visual filter menu.

I did not get an answer yet, hope someone knows.

My guess that the blue flag-like marker below can be interpreted as the timeline flag, but I may be wrong.

In the visual filters menu the timeline events box is not checked, but the flag persists.

Newest Logos, Windows 8.1.

On my system, checking and unchecking the "Timeline events" option shown in your filter dropdown window does add and remove the timeline flag icon from the resource text.

Having worked for years in IT doing programming, analysis, and system design, I agree with others that providing an option to filter out all the different icons from the text should be possible, whether or not the icons actually are filters and set up the same way as other filters. The ease or difficulty will depend on how the display of the text is coded and if a solution could be found that would primarily affect the display for just these particular Lexham Geographic Commentaries without having a larger impact on other portions of the Logos engine code. But it's hard for me to imagine a design and coding that couldn't be changed to provide the option to block the display of those icons.

EDIT: I just discovered that while toggling the Timeline events option DOES toggle the timeline flag in the commentary for Acts through Revelation, it does NOT toggle it for the commentary on the Gospels. Apparently, the display of this icon is not set up the same for both commentaries, which does lend credence to the opinion that it's just a matter of coding changes to affect the other icons as well.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076657#Comment_1076657

Those markers are part of the resource, not a visual filter. There isn't a way to hide them.

I thought so, since it’s a unique resource originally created as a digital resource. I can only imagine a print version that includes all the extra information embedded in those hyperlinks. It would be a very thick volume!

DAL

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076744#Comment_1076744

Thanks Rick! I did some further testing and found out that the timeline flag toggle works intermittently in the Geographic Acts-Rel commentary, but I could not find a regular pattern for that behavior.

I also found out that the timeline flag is the gray flag filled with white, see below, in front of 722 BC:

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076760#Comment_1076760

Thanks Rick! I did some further testing and found out that the timeline flag toggle works intermittently in the Geographic Acts-Rel commentary, but I could not find a regular pattern for that behavior.

I also found out that the timeline flag is the gray flag filled with white, see below, in front of 722 BC:

You're right, Veli… and now seeing that there is a difference between a blue flag and a grey "timeline" flag, I acknowledge that the "Timeline event" toggle in the filters drop-down menu, does in fact work the same in both of the geographic commentaries. I.e. it toggles the grey flags on and off but does not affect the blue flags.

So far though, I haven't found the inconsistency you're experiencing when toggling the timeline events option from the filters drop-down menu.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076763#Comment_1076763

Finally I got hold of the intermittent problem:

Top picture shows it as it should be: box checked and flag visible. (in front of 722 BC)

The bottom picture shows the box checked and the flag is hidden and refuses to show up. (in front of 722 BC)

****

The problem might have something to do with the scrolling and/or resizing.:

If I check/uncheck the box when the fag is not visible, the paragraph does not reformat and the feature gets locked?

Currently just a conjecture.

Andrew Batishko

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076774#Comment_1076774

OK, let me see if I can resolve some of the confusion...

Event flag one is an image that is embedded in the resource. There is not currently a mechanism for hiding these images.

The visibility of event flags two and three are both controlled by the "Timeline events" visual filter. The solid flag (2) represents an event which can be found in the Timeline tool. You can use the context menu to navigate to that event in the Timeline tool (or just click on the flag). The hollow flag (3) represents a date without any specific associated event. Using the context menu (or just clicking on the flag) to open that date in the Timeline tool will just navigate to that date.

The Geographic Commentary contains dates which will display the hollow flag if the "Timeline events" visual filter is on, but changing the state of that filter will not affect the blue flag images that are found in the text.

Rick Ausdahl

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076785#Comment_1076785

OK, let me see if I can resolve some of the confusion...

Event flag one is an image that is embedded in the resource. There is not currently a mechanism for hiding these images.

The visibility of event flags two and three are both controlled by the "Timeline events" visual filter. The solid flag (2) represents an event which can be found in the Timeline tool. You can use the context menu to navigate to that event in the Timeline tool (or just click on the flag). The hollow flag (3) represents a date without any specific associated event. Using the context menu (or just clicking on the flag) to open that date in the Timeline tool will just navigate to that date.

The Geographic Commentary contains dates which will display the hollow flag if the "Timeline events" visual filter is on, but changing the state of that filter will not affect the blue flag images that are found in the text.

Andrew, thanks for the clarification regarding the hollow vs solid for the grey flags. And thanks for confirmation that the blue flag is not intended to be affected by the Timeline event option--that it's a "symbol" embedded in the text, same as all the other "symbols" documented in the resources. That was the conclusion I came to when replying to Veli in my previous post--i.e. that the blue flag wasn't affected because it was a "symbol" like the other embedded characters, rather than a Timeline event affected by the filter drop-down menu.

Considering we're only dealing with a couple of specialty purpose/use Lexham resources, I realize the ability to filter these symbols out will likely be of a very low priority (if done at all). But... if anyone is assigned to look at it and it's determined it would be a relatively easy/quick fix, being able to hide the icons would make the commentary more readable for some.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1076795#Comment_1076795

But... if anyone is assigned to look at it and it's determined it would be a relatively easy/quick fix, being able to hide the icons would make the commentary more readable for some.

I agree, but I am curious to hear a Logos software designer's point of view, and also a graphic artist's opinion.

Why to spoil a good book with ugly visual impression?

Sean Boisen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1077006#Comment_1077006

But... if anyone is assigned to look at it and it's determined it would be a relatively easy/quick fix, being able to hide the icons would make the commentary more readable for some.

I agree, but I am curious to hear a Logos software designer's point of view, and also a graphic artist's opinion.

Why to spoil a good book with ugly visual impression?

Veli, you can blame me. One of the features that makes the Geographic Commentary different from many other Logos resources is the large number of links embedded in the text. The current link styling makes them hard to see, and I wanted to make sure they were visible, since to me they're an important added value (we used the same practice with the Author Guides like Martin Luther, and again that's my fault).

Yes, it's possible to add to the software so these could be turned off, and that would be a helpful feature. We haven't done that work (nothing is ever as easy as it might seem), though I agree it would be desirable, and others feel, as you do, that they're visually intrusive.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1077110#Comment_1077110

Thanks, Sean!

I look forward to the improvement.

As I see it, having a large number of links in the text is a good idea, just the graphic layout needs some more thought.

Also I generally like the Geographic commentary.