Organic Marking/Highlighting

With the rise of tablets that can use a digital pen (Microsoft Surface and iPad Pro) it would be nice to see a Logos app that allowed organic markings and highlights. This morning I tried this out on my Surface Pro 4 by copying a portion of Scripture from Logos in to OneNote and I loved the experience. It kept me much more focused than highlighting via mouse-drag and 'y' (or whatever your hotkey is). It felt much more like I was studying the Bible back in college, without the distraction of technology or the mediation of a program being between you, the user, and the text of the Bible.

Here is a small Sample of how it looked.

P S. Logos really needs to make that Windows 10 universal app.

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Doc B

I tried this out on my Surface Pro 4 by copying a portion of Scripture from Logos in to OneNote

Similarly, I've been doing this for a couple years with my iPad, using Logos and Notability (love that app!). Here's an example-

As for doing this natively in Logos, I'm not sure I want to go there yet. I'm content to copy to a dedicated note-taking app and do the work there. I'd much prefer FL get Logos fully implemented and operational before changing the interface.

If this could be accomplished simply, without major implementation changes, then I'd certainly play with it. The problem is, this kind of application would almost universally be a mobile app, not a desktop application. As such, it would need to be restricted to the mobile apps rather than the main software. As you probably know, the mobile apps are a bit of a stepchild in many ways. So I don't see that happening in the short term.

But ideas are the fuel that drives innovation. So I'm glad you posted this.

J. Remington Bowling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/776311#Comment_776311

Doc,

Thanks for the reply and example. A few years ago I used Notability myself when I first got an iPad, but using a stylus with a big nub didn't feel natural or precise, like a pen, so I gave up on it. That's why I was excited when Microsoft first came out with the Surface with a digitizer pen. I put off getting one until Surface Pro 4, when I figured the technology would be more improved. I think the proof of it's success is seen in Apple's development of the iPad Pro. And it does feel like a more natural experience, in my opinion.

The problem with copying to a dedicated note-taking app is that it only works for small portions of text transfer at a time. Of course it's theoretically possible to copy-paste an entire book or Bible into OneNote (or your lesser note-taking app of choice [;)]), but that's prohibitively impractical.

The small text transfer might work fine for sermon preparation, where you're just preaching from a few verses... but I'm not a preacher and I don't use Logos for any sermon prep. I primarily use Logos for research outside of and, occasionally, around the Bible. The fact that I can do my daily Bible reading on it is just a bonus. But suppose I want to dig in to some monograph and take extensive notes. To be capable of doing this organically in the way we've illustrated above natively in Logos would greatly simplify things.

If the digitizer model continues to see success through Microsoft and Apple then I think it won't be long before someone creates a pen-friendly Bible app (if not a pen-friendly book reading in general app).

Doc B

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/776437#Comment_776437

using a stylus with a big nub didn't feel natural or precise

Two words: Musemee Notier [:)]

Jamie Page

The new Notes app is gorgeous. Logos on one side - using Split View to put Notes on the other could be a fix for 'margin notes.' It's possible to 'sync' both pants manually, I suppose. (Line up notes from a screen page in Logos with a note. Keep folders of notes for each book of the Bible or each study).

I agree though, would love to be able to not just write in margins but on pages of the Bible text.