Logos Interface
Friends, I have a fine version of Logos at my disposal, but after more than twenty years using an alternative package, I can hardly get my head around the Logos interface.
Is there a way to focus the interface principally on the biblical text functions, with a secondary focus on lexical and grammatical tools, and a tertiary focus on scholarly reference volumes — and eliminate entirely the homiletical/popular readings? I want to see Logos at its best, but that’s not happening as the interface persists in displaying devotional resources, sermons and sermon helps from a very different ecclesiastical milieu, and diagrams and videos?
thanks for taking time for a rookie inquiry —
Grace and peace,
AKMA
Find more posts tagged with
Comments
Adding to Graham, hiding the unneeded volumes is the first step.
But judging from your description, you're using the Factbook, which takes a broad swipe at libraries; I don't use it.
The easiest solution is to build yourself (as an example) a 'Bibleworks' layout ... maybe a Bible(s) on the left, some OL resources and exegetical guide in the middle, and your favorite commentaries on the right. Just illustrating. The Logos interface is so flexible, it's initially (very) confusing. I have both Accordance and Bibleworks, and both take a 'hard interface' approach ... quick, but inflexible. After Logos, they're quite frustrating.
Just suggesting, play around with layouts ... drag volumes out of your library to where you want them. Link them (little 3-dot menu on top-right of each resource/module). I've used a single layout with emphasis as you describe, for maybe 10 years or so.
'The Logos interface is so flexible, it's initially (very) confusing. I have both Accordance and Bibleworks, and both take a 'hard interface' approach ... quick, but inflexible. After Logos, they're quite frustrating.'
I'm sure they are frustrating if what one wants is flexibility. But if I want my application almost exclusively to do one thing, all the options that I don't want are the frustrating factor.
Do I take it, then, that if I want to open Logos and immediately get a text search window that will search a particular source (say, the NRSV or GNT or HB), to which I can then add refinements if I'm so moved — there's no way for me to achieve that without going through and blocking some resources, relativising others?
I've tried in the past to develop a starting interface window that behaves the way I want, but after a while it got so time-consuming and frustrating that I just went back to my old familiar analysis app.
Do I take it, then, that if I want to open Logos and immediately get a text search window that will search a particular source (say, the NRSV or GNT or HB), to which I can then add refinements if I'm so moved — there's no way for me to achieve that without going through and blocking some resources, relativising others?
No ... you can (1) set up exactly what you like to have, (2) save this setup as a layout, and then (3) in program settings set this layout to be loaded when you start up the software. Every time you start up Logos, it will load your customized layout and you are ready to go
I've tried in the past to develop a starting interface window that behaves the way I want, but after a while it got so time-consuming and frustrating that I just went back to my old familiar analysis app.
This sounds like you did step (1) mentioned above, but did not save it and thus at every start of Logos went through the same setup steps? Once you save it as a layout and then set it to be your startup layout when the software starts, you immediately can begin your reading or study with the resource and part of the layout you set up for your preferences and the way you work.
Wolfgang Schneider
(BibelCenter)
for me... I find Factbook just adds more confusion to my searches.. I know some people love it... but I just can't get my mind wrapped around it. And yet, it seems FL is trying to force it upon us... which I just don't cotton to. So I avoid it as much as possible. [8-|]
Edit:
As for searches in Logos.... if I am searching my Bible.... then I use the search within my Bible... I find it is better than the Search of Logos to find things within the Bible.. As to the Logos Search... well, as I have stated elsewhere... I find it confusing in many ways... and it always seems to take me forever to find what I am searching for... which I don't think should be.... and then I have to study Search just to try to find something I'm looking for.
I did set up a layout whereby I have Search and my Bible.... and I do try to work with it some.... but by far... I use other searches to find what I am looking for and then open the resource to use my finding.
I have argued for some time... and lost... that Search needs more work. I still contend that fact. But other people just love and want to make it more complicated than it is now.
I can find things.... I know how to do that... and I'll keep on with it.... and wish them well.
xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".
Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!
I would assume you are using the Guides - Passage and Exegetical. You can simply delete sections that are of no interest to you and they will not be shown unless you specifically request that they be added back in. Within the sections that are of interest, some allow you to specify a collection of resources to be used, some respond to prioritization. Give us a screen shot or a list of what you want and don't want and we can walk you through how to achieve it.
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."
If you know you don’t want particular resources at all you could hide them as per https://support.logos.com/hc/en-us/articles/360016299052-Hide-Resources
If you want to prioritise some resources over others you could do that - https://support.logos.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019683652-Prioritize-Resources
If those don’t address your concerns, please provide a few more details of the issues you are having
When I open my Bible app, I almost always want to search — so I want a Bible search window, and nothing else. I want the resultws of a Bible search, and not an ocean of other information (some of which may be very valuable, but not when I'm looking for different details).
When I'm satisfied with search results, I may want to follow up with a lexicon entry for a specific word. Excellent! I will then call up a lexicon. I may want to know what Fitzmyer says about this or that. Super, I will call up Fitzmyer.
But Logos reminds me of super helpful reference librarians who are so eager to help that they don't pay attention to the specific question I'm asking. 'Look over here, at this! We have that, over there! A lot of people like the other thing, under that tab! Or we could call something on interlibrary loan…'