Import and Export of Notes

I just bought Logos and there appears to be no way to import or export notes.

I've got over 100 notes in my previous bible program so copy and paste is a long and tedious process.

On the flip side, I find it critical to be able to export information. First, so I can reuse the information other places. Second, because almost all software is eventually replaced by something else. I've got tons of computer files that I can't open anymore because there are no programs that can read the files.

For me, import and export are must-have features. If I'd thought to check (at this point I expect programs that cost hundreds of dollars to have it) before I bought, I wouldn't have bought logos. It's nice to have tons of resources but then there's tomorrow.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

DMB

Tim, you're a smart man. Ever thought about software design?

I've now got 58,000 notes in my other Bible program. Imagine pasting those into Logos (whose notes I don't use for many reasons including potentially loosing them all). The large number of notes also illustrates the other limitation of Logos ... it's pretty much one at a time. In my other software the search allows sub-selection into the notes database and so quickly you have a growing 'commentary' of previous research.

By the way welcome to the forums ... your input will ALWAYS be welcomed!

Jack Hairston

Hi, Tim:

Importing notes into Logos is one at a time. Sorry. <Voice of Experience>

Exporting is much easier. The whole notes file can be dumped into an open Word document.

Open Word. A blank document is present.
Click on the Notes file you want to export.
Click "Full" to expand all the notes
Press [Ctrl+P]
In the dialog's lower-right corner, click on Paste into "Open Document: Microsoft Word"
Your notes will arrive in a two-column table that you can edit.

Tim Wood

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376203#Comment_376203

I've only been putting notes into the other program for about a year. There are things I haven't been putting into my old program that are more doable with Logos (e.g. notes for an entire bible study or --woo hoo! my first-- sermon next month, notes from some online bible classes I've been taking). But, 58,000... wow. Even if you were very fast, that's a full-time job for many many months.

Software design... Thanks. That's actually what I do; sling PHP, JS, Bash, etc., and occasionally admit to being a software architect :-)

I was about to shoot my mouth off about how useful a web api would be. With the right features and proper documentation, a good API would allow the creation of a basic web-based import/export utility in short order. One of the projects I'm juggling is initial work on a web-based writing/editing/publishing system so Logos integration would rock there, too. Hmmm... google google and, yes, there are a couple of mentions of a Logos Web API here and there. I had no luck in backtracking to any substantial information. In one discussion Bob Pritchett (appears to be a Logos employee) mentions a web API. I posted to that discussion to see what I can find out. If I get a reply, I post back over here.

Tim Wood

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376242#Comment_376242

Jack, thanks. Short term, that will help. Long term, maybe someone @ logos will clue me in on the mysterious web api (see my second post above).

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376247#Comment_376247

Yes, Bob seems to be pretty helpful. He's pretty well known in northern Washington. Plus in his spare time, he CEO's the company.

Tim Wood

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376250#Comment_376250

[:)]

tom

I just bought Logos and there appears to be no way to import or export notes.

I've got over 100 notes in my previous bible program so copy and paste is a long and tedious process.

On the flip side, I find it critical to be able to export information. First, so I can reuse the information other places. Second, because almost all software is eventually replaced by something else. I've got tons of computer files that I can't open anymore because there are no programs that can read the files.

For me, import and export are must-have features. If I'd thought to check (at this point I expect programs that cost hundreds of dollars to have it) before I bought, I wouldn't have bought logos. It's nice to have tons of resources but then there's tomorrow.

You can get a refund if you would like. Just call Logos during normal working hours.

Tim Wood

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376256#Comment_376256

Thanks. I thought of that. The catch is that I've now got too many new notes in there. My comment was intended to give a sense of the importance of the feature not be snarky. If it was the later, my apologies.

At this point it makes more sense to see if I can either push for the function to be added to Logos proper or get access to the web API to replicate the same functionality another way.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376263#Comment_376263

Actually, Tim, the Logos WIKI's been down all day but Logos4 has an API. It does the basics; not too fancy. 'Steve' (that's his forum name) writes against the API trying to solve various weaknesses in Logos. You might click on his name and send him an email (it's passed on by Logos to him).

Also I solve the notes problem by maintaining my notes in a separate Bible program, and then about every 60 days or so I update my Personal Book (PB). I keep two of them; one for the OT and one for the NT. It works great since the PB is open and linked to whatever I'm study. I don't have to mouse over all the little notes boxes etc. Plus I can manage them separately. Additionally another Bible program also has personal books so I keep all 3 programs updated with my notes.

fgh

I find it critical to be able to export information. First, so I can reuse the information other places. Second, because almost all software is eventually replaced by something else.

I'm completely on your side!

I'm not sure it's quite as easy as you make it sound, though. After all, the most important feature of Logos' notes (at least for me) is that they're attached to references or bits of text, so for import/export to actually be useful you first need a standard format, and then you need both your old and your new program to use that standard. An import/export function just in Logos is of little use in itself. And I'm not sure there is such a standard yet. (Does anyone know?) But I sure wish there was. Just as I wish Biblical People could import/export normal GEDCOM files, so that one could create genealogies in normal genealogy programs and import them into Biblical People.

Exporting is much easier. The whole notes file can be dumped into an open Word document.

That kind of export works for a few things. It won't help you much if you want to transfer to another Bible study program.

But, 58,000... wow. Even if you were very fast, that's a full-time job for many many months.

Logos Notes are considerably less bad in Windows, but on Mac I probably average about four an hour, so I'd rather say many many years. [:)]

API

I don't even know what an API is, so I've no idea if this is useful to you, but I do know that the Wiki is back up again and that it's got a page called Logos 4 COM API.

Yes, Bob is the founder and the CEO so he's the guy you need to persuade. Just to warn you: he doesn't like notes. But you'll do many of us a huge favour if you can change his mind on how important they are.

Btw, we could use your votes on Rework notes function - in one or multiple phases.

Jac Colon

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376242#Comment_376242

Thanks Jack,

Really appreciate this. I have looked all over the help file for some way to get my stuff out into my Editing software but just couldnt find this anywhere. Wish Logos would provide a little better documentation. Videos help, but are time consuming when you are looking for a simple process like this.

Thanks again

Jac Colón

Wes Draper

Don't know if this issue has been resolved in the past three years... but if it has how would one go about importing notes. Side note (pun intended) I have looked into make my notes into a book and formatting them so the book feature in Logos will pair the notes to the corresponding verses. also if the note import is under development, a field for tags would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for reviving a long dead thread, but it was the most relevant one I could find.

Many thanks

Jack Hairston

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/785692#Comment_785692

How would one go about importing notes?

As far as I know, nothing has changed in Logos import/export. I would not know about anything in development, but the official attitude has been to downplay such issues. Sorry.

Bob Pritchett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/785692#Comment_785692

We supported importing notes from various formats from many years, as well as a relatively open XML format and API's, back before Logos 4. Theses features were barely used at all, and added considerably to our code maintenance and testing burden, as well as constraining certain performance improvements.

So we didn't bring this functionality over to the Logos 4/5/6 generation.

We are presently working on internal APIs for stateless addition/retrieval of notes (letting you work with them without worrying about sync issues); these APIs aren't planned to be public immediately, but possibly could be in the future.

Jack Hairston

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/785765#Comment_785765

Thanks for the feedback, Bob. And thanks for paying close attention to the needs of users.

Collin McAdams

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376242#Comment_376242

thank you sir

Richard Templeton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/376242#Comment_376242

Thank you sir. I never would have figured this out on my own. I love it.