Have you tried out Quick Actions?
A few weeks ago, we launched Quick Actions on our web app. They're designed to make it easy to open a commentary, study Bible, or other frequently-used tools and resources. If you don't need them, you can easily turn them off in settings. They're aimed primarily at new users who perhaps haven't created shortcuts yet, but "Open Commentary" is quite useful for everyone because many users prefer different commentaries for different books of the Bible, which makes a shortcut difficult.
We're considering bringing quick actions to the desktop app. Could you pop over to the web app, try it out, and let me know what you think?
- Would you use them?
- Do you think they'd benefit new users?
- What do you like most?
- What would you want to change?
Comments
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I tried it out for the first time just now. I like it and would use it in the desktop app, but only if it were availble in the skinny toolbar.
I did find a bug, I think. When my bible was open to a chapter, but not verse (i.e. John 1, not John 1:1), it opens Customs of the Bible.
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I also just tried & I did see it the other day but didn't even realize what I was looking at to be honest. I would use it especially the daily devotional because I send that out daily to a friend. I also like the quick bible comparisons option & yes, I think they will be easy for new users to jump right in & study.
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I guess. I'm on portrait-mode, so the real estate is not there. I suppose for desktop, but the quick layouts are better.
I try to imagine a friend I'm helping with Logos, and the app. I don't see the benefit. I'd instead have a quick menu of the last few opens, and if none, default to basics (Quick Actions). But is confusing, with also quick layouts.
Thinking more (we're assuming new users), I'd MUCH prefer a customizable Quick Action menu. Andrew's idea (below) is a good example. But mainly, the potential users I deal with, you have to set them up for the long haul. Not just this and that, watch some videos, and they're good to go.
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Speaking personally... I would love it if Search, Bible, Factbook, and Notes all moved to Quick Actions. Those are all buttons that open a panel (rather than a popup like the others (except home which is different for another reason)) and are all basically quick actions as well.
At a minimum, I would then free up some space because rows are smaller in Quick Actions than up above. But even better, I could hide Quick Actions and then have lots of room for my own shortcuts without having to have some actions which I don't find enough use for to always be visible!
Andrew Batishko | Logos software developer
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I think it could consume precious real estate in the desktop app, when I can do the same thing by creating a shortcut--if I want to.
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I like the idea. For the desktop, I would probably not use it for simple things (like opening a book) because in all the layouts I ever use, those kinds of things are already done to my satisfaction. But I can definitely see the benefit to someone new. I like what Andrew has said. I would probably use it for slightly more complicated things than opening a book but hadn't gotten around to making shortcuts for; things like "Compare Bible Versions". Yet, I can see how that list would get unwieldy, and I'm not sure having each action something to toggle in settings streamlines things for new users, and at that point, creating shortcuts just might be as easy.
But, as you know, my usage is atypical.
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Although the concept is well thought out, the methodology and manner is tedious. When I can accomplish the same thing by making a shortcut if I want to, I believe it could take up valuable space in the application on the desktop.
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Let's do it!
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!
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Mark Barnes (Faithlife) said:
I just tried it.
It is a good attempt to resolve some of the complexities of navigating Logos for the new user and getting them into the study of the Bible quickly
- Would you use them?
Probably not now. When I first started yes
- Do you think they'd benefit new users?
Yes, it's quick and easy, but limited. at some point in the learning process this becomes mostly unnecessary I think
- What do you like most?
That it can be turned off. Once a new user becomes more familiar with the software he or she will no longer need it, but there may be some who may never want to use more than this.
Open a commentary, but as has been mentioned, creating a shortcut to one would accomplish the same thing, however a new user most likely won't know how to do that at first
- What would you want to change?
I noticed that I was not able to cycle through my commentaries in the web app using the arrow keys. The only way to change the commentary that opened was to open the parallel commentaries // section and select another one from there. That leaves a new user to figure out how to change commentaries- kind of a dead end.
That raises questions to me like; how far will these quick actions be developed? and how much development time will be taken away from other unfinished tools such as Sermon Builder and Notes Tool?
Too soon old. Too late smart.
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I think it would be a great feature for the desktop.
It would be nice if it was developed even a little further to allow a right-click to bring up a side menu with your favorite resources to choose from.
Something like this:
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1. Quick App is not available when I put the toolbar on top.
2. Quick App takes up valuable real estate. Would be best if it was a colapsable folder
3. It seems the quick apps are predetermined. I would only be interested if I could decide what I want to have for quick apps
4. Why have quick apps when you can go to the document folder or guides and make your own quick app shortcuts from there?
5. Perhaps better to allow document and guides folders to be a drop down menu when hovered over
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I like the idea but I can't get the function to show unless I set the browser to 80% which is not my usual setting.
- They need a mouse over to say what commentary etc. will open e.g. last used? highest priority?
- Need to be able to open lectionary if one can open devotional; more importantly this is the perfect opportunity to fill this requests: Revive liturgical ribbon | Faithlife Remember lectionaries and church calendars including saints are common in several mainline Protestant Churches ... this is not a Verbum issue.
- Andrew's suggestion has sufficient merit to deserve serious consideration -- I'm not sure I'd agree
This feature is definitely worth bringing to the desktop and is another small step in simplifying the user interface.
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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Christian Alexander said:
, the methodology and manner is tedious.
Could you explain further? I'm not understanding.
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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MJ. Smith said:
I like the idea but I can't get the function to show unless I set the browser to 80% which is not my usual setting.
If you don't have enough vertical space, it will show in the overflow menu (i.e. on the "three dots").
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MJ. Smith said:
Could you explain further? I'm not understanding.
Yes I am not that good on the web app and it seems I need to zoom out to 75% to get the Quick Actions to be accesible.
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Thanks. I now understand as I had a similar problem.
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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Mark Barnes (Faithlife) said:
If you don't have enough vertical space, it will show in the overflow menu (i.e. on the "three dots").
That is how I figured out the problem ... but it does "hide" the quick actions from the newbies ...
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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MJ. Smith said:Mark Barnes (Faithlife) said:
If you don't have enough vertical space, it will show in the overflow menu (i.e. on the "three dots").
That is how I figured out the problem ... but it does "hide" the quick actions from the newbies ...
I experienced the same thing. I ended up stumbling on it with the overflow menu. I then confirmed that when I turned my tablet to portrait mode rather than landscape mode. That's when I saw something more like what Mark had originally shown. I think that Andrew's suggestion would help to make these Quick Actions more visible to more users from the start.
For God and For Neighbor
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Mark Barnes (Faithlife) said:
A few weeks ago, we launched Quick Actions on our web app. They're designed to make it easy to open a commentary, study Bible, or other frequently-used tools and resources
Mark Barnes (Faithlife) said:They're aimed primarily at new users
It appears that "a" resource could be quite random to a new user who has not prioritized resources on the desktop app, and the resource types shown may not be suitable. Also, the presentation is not available with the toolbar at the Top.
It is also clear that using shortcuts is difficult unless they have the toolbar at the Top (otherwise my single shortcut is not visible).
So it is Quick Actions or... Shortcuts. And I would prefer the latter as is.
If new users discover Library with the filter sidebar showing, they will quickly make better resource selections. So that could see Quick Actions as envisaged by Andrew. Then I would want Quick Actions as a drop-down from Top toolbar so I have plenty space for shortcuts.
Dave
===Windows 11 & Android 13
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How about a quick action called "Recent Resources" that gives you the option to view a drop down menu of your 5 most recently viewed resources so you can quickly get back into reading?
I would think that, for new users especially (who are used to a Kindle-esque user experience), this would be an attractive feature and a big timesaver.
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Matt, have you tried the history function under tools? You can drag it to the shortcut menu to speed up access.
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I won't use it because I put my toolbar on top. I would love to use it for a quick hit kind of thing. Sometimes I want to just look at a verse with a commentary or study bible and not do a deep dive.
Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
Brushy Mountain Baptist Association0 -
Any updates on this being a thing? I'm just getting started with Logos and really like this option and am hoping that I can select it on the app
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Welcome Joshua,
Joshua Ostertag said:Any updates on this being a thing? I'm just getting started with Logos and really like this option and am hoping that I can select it on the app
No update for the desktop app, but the current Beta of the web app puts them in the main Toolbar menu, not the actual toolbar.
Dave
===Windows 11 & Android 13
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Ok, thanks. Well, I will just let this be my vote that it would be a good feature to have and that I would use it 👍
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