LogosNext V6 Feedback (Closed Beta)

245

Comments

  • James McAdams
    James McAdams Member Posts: 763 ✭✭✭

    If I open a link from anywhere (e.g. from the further reading section of the FSB study notes) to a resource that I don't own, it will open in a blank tab - I don't get the pop-up message advising that the resource isn't available.

  • Fred Chapman
    Fred Chapman Member Posts: 5,899 ✭✭✭

    I like the direction you are taking the app. Here are a few suggestions:

    1. Have the app open to the Home Screen (or at least provide that option in settings
    2. One the Home Screen provide the ability to access the Library, Documents, and Tools rather than simply clicking Done
    3. Provide a command to collapse or expand all sections in guides (Passage, Exegetical, etc.). This would be similar to the right click command command on the desktop app. Ideally, the guides would open with all sections collapsed. Currently they open expanded
    4. Provide the ability to link guides, text comparison, etc with bibles and other resources.
    5. In addition to the current search function, provide a search command within an open bible or resource (not in a new screen tab) that will enable a user to search within that resource whether online or offline. I understand that offline searches would be dependent on the resource being downloaded to the device.

    Some of these may already be in the plan. 

    Keep up the good work.

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    I am finding the proclivity of the top and bottom bars to appear for almost every touch of the screen a bit of a distraction.

    +1 [Y]

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
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  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    Apologies if these things have already been mentioned....

    Filtering by author in the library: When sorting by author in the library, and then filtering for a specific author (any author), no results appear on the right hand side of the library search panel.

    Checking off prayers in Today's Prayers: I was hoping that this would be fixed with the new beta, but apparently not. When clicking on prayers to check them off, some will disappear (the expected behavior, I presume) and others persist with a check mark. I'm not sure why some remain and others do not. Seems to me that they should all go away until they are due again.

    Home Page: Also, I was hoping there'd be some enhancements to the home page. It needs attention. To be fair, I don't know what it needs, but it needs to be refreshed, and should have more offerings..perhaps links to last read books, documents, courses, etc, Perhaps others would have ideas for more content for the home page to jazz it up a little.

    Printing documents: Can you implement the ability to print documents from the app? So many of my iphone apps now allow printing to my WiFi printer, which is nice. It would be great to be able to print documents from the app.

    Search results summary: Can you add the number of hits to the search results?

    Thanks for the work you guys have done thus far. This is an excellent improvement with so much potential! I'm very excited about they direction you guys are going with both the new mobile app and the Web app!

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    Checking off prayers in Today's Prayers: I was hoping that this would be fixed with the new beta, but apparently not. When clicking on prayers to check them off, some will disappear (the expected behavior, I presume) and others persist with a check mark. I'm not sure why some remain and others do not. Seems to me that they should all go away until they are due again.

    I don't use the app for prayers, but I do have a theory. What is the scheduled timing of the prayers? Do "daily" prayers remain, while "once a week" ones disappear?

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  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭

    Can I be invited to the Alpha / Beta PLEASE?

    Does this work on iPads?

    Thanks,

    Peter Li

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
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  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the TestFlight invite. I redeemed it on my iPad, but when I tried doing the same on the iPhone, it says it can only be redeemed once. I guess if I want to test it on both devices, I would need a new invite?

    Thanks,

    Peter

  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    Actually, what you are redeeming is the invite to beta test. Once done, the updates will show in Testflight on any devices logged into your iOS account. It may take a minute to sync on the other devices.

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • SineNomine
    SineNomine Member Posts: 7,043 ✭✭✭

    Matthew said:

    I have seen Apple mentioned several times on this thread and am confused. Are all the wonderful changes that are being discussed only available on Apple devices? If so, I would assume Android support will follow at some point?

    Yes, Android is coming soon. The final release will be simultaneous with iOS. We're just ahead on iOS. 

    Will there be a VerbumNext released simultaneously as well?

    “The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara

  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭
  • Andrew116
    Andrew116 Member Posts: 155 ✭✭

    Fredc said:

    In addition to the current search function, provide a search command within an open bible or resource (not in a new screen tab) that will enable a user to search within that resource whether online or offline. I understand that offline searches would be dependent on the resource being downloaded to the device.

    yes!

  • Mark Barnes
    Mark Barnes Member Posts: 15,432 ✭✭✭

    There seems to be a bug. Every time I start or stop reading On a reading plan, Logos is creating a new tab. 

    This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!

  • Mark Barnes
    Mark Barnes Member Posts: 15,432 ✭✭✭

    Others have touched on it, but it's worth highlighting. The UI trigger is too sensitive. When scrolling down, you only need a tiny movement up when you release your finger to trigger the UI. It happens to me about one scroll in three. I've turned off scrolling mode as a consequence. 

    This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!

  • Mark Barnes
    Mark Barnes Member Posts: 15,432 ✭✭✭

    I would appreciate more margin around the text, particularly top and bottom. I like that Kindle allows you to select margin size. 

    This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!

  • Graham Criddle
    Graham Criddle MVP Posts: 33,099

    There seems to be a bug. Every time I start or stop reading On a reading plan, Logos is creating a new tab. 

    Hi Mark

    i flagged this at https://community.logos.com/forums/t/148126.aspx and there are some thoughts on it there

  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    One issue I keep having - when using the text comparison tool, it will generally load up to requested verse, but after a second or two (without any interaction from me) it will jump back several verses.

    So just now, I typed in the reference for Genesis 32:20, and it displays those verses for under two seconds before it scrolls up to Genesis 32:7.

    This happens consistently, regardless of which collection I compare, or whether I type the passage manually or open the guide to a reference from the bible verse context menu.

    I cannot get an OT passage to even appear. Mine is stuck on Luke 23:36. Typing in the reference does noting, nor does using the book,chapter, verse selection tool. In either case, it reverts back to Luke 23:36. Once I try to scroll the comparison window, it then jumps back 10 verses or so.

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    It's "the Bible" button. A common complaint we here about the current app is that it's difficult to make your way back to the Bible. That button with 1.) Open your preferred Bible in a new tab (if it isn't open) OR 2.) Open the last used instance of your preferred Bible.

    Could you guys explore long-press options for this button. Perhaps a short press opens as you have indicated, but a long press would pop up a menu of a few selected favorites or would open a pres-selected function (like word study).

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    While the library icon (on the bottom) is great for quickly opening a resource in a new tab, it would still be nice to tap on the book name at the top of the window to change the resource of the current tab (already at the desired reference)

    Yes, It would be very helpful to have a Parallel Resources type feature that works when you tap the title or otherwise accessed. Ideal would be to show resources that have the same ref but It would be very helpful if it just showed resources of the same Type. IE. tap the title of your current bible and get a list of all bibles, ditto with commentaries. 

  • Myke Harbuck
    Myke Harbuck Member Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭

    I really like the idea of the blue button, but I don't think the icon is right. It feels like tapping the Logos logo should take you to the home page, not your Bible. I'd prefer a simple Bible icon (perhaps the cover of your preferred Bible, or a standard cover with the short title, such as NIV)

    \

    This sound like a good idea. Make the Bible icon the home page link, and then have a greyed bible icon to go to the last Bible (or whatever the current Bible icon functionality is). It think that would be the more naturally expected behavior of the Bible icon to go to the home page with a single click, and then provide access to a few favorites with long-press.

    Myke Harbuck
    Lead Pastor, www.ByronCity.Church
    Adjunct Professor, Georgia Military College

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    I think it's been mentioned quite a few times, but I definitely agree that Opening a New Tab is too often the default action and needs to be re-evaluated throughout. In many cases both options are useful and desirable; I'm just not sure the default should always be open in another tab.

    Some ways were both options could be available.

    Tap Menu -> History -> Tap a selection open in current tab, while going to Tab Manager, tapping PLUS, could (and should) present a History option to open in a new tab.

    Tapping Library could open a resource in same tab, and as alluded to by Myke a few posts above, Long pressing Library could open it in a new tab.

    Similary, as Myke mentions, tapping the Bible and Long pressing should have actions. Current tapping when you are already at your bible does nothing. It could open verse picker/recent in the current tab and long pressing could open in a new tab. There are probably other options that could validly be pulled up there but those stand out.

    Another thing that comes up with the tabs being created so often is that I very very often want a Close this Resource and take me Back to where it was create from. For example, Opening a Passage Guide, clicking a commentary will take me to a new tab. It seems a reasonable and common option would be to close this and take me back. This could be what that irritating Back button that does nothing can be employed for. On the other hand some might find it irritating if they press back too many times and the tab closes out from under them...

    EDIT: A simple Close this Tab button would be nice too for tabs where there is no where to go back to as above. It takes 3 movements using tab manager.

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    Others have touched on it, but it's worth highlighting. The UI trigger is too sensitive. When scrolling down, you only need a tiny movement up when you release your finger to trigger the UI. It happens to me about one scroll in three. I've turned off scrolling mode as a consequence. 

    Safari does this slightly different and I wonder how much difference it would make for others. Safari doesn’t open the UI until after you release AND there is still momentum, whereas Logos is opening as soon as your finger starts moving. Safari method generally feels right to me. You don’t have to see the UI when scrolling up if you don’t need it; you just release when the page is still.

  • Jack Caviness
    Jack Caviness MVP Posts: 13,583

    Don't know if this has been reported—haven't seen it.

    Copied some text from a commentary and pasted it into a new note. The copied text appeared, but with no bibliographic information and no link back to the source of the pasted text. I am spoiled by the way notes work elsewhere [:P]

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    Because the UI only comes up when you scroll down (not if you scroll up), it's hard to get the UI to appear when you're at the beginning of the resource.

    Also a known issue. We're addressing this.

    Similarly at the end. The UI pops up and you can’t see and interact with the final lines. The UI should come up here, but we need an inflated margin at the end so we can read the final lines. I noticed this in the Passage Guide.

  • Daniel Di Bartolo
    Daniel Di Bartolo Member, Logos Employee Posts: 326

    Others have touched on it, but it's worth highlighting. The UI trigger is too sensitive. When scrolling down, you only need a tiny movement up when you release your finger to trigger the UI. It happens to me about one scroll in three. I've turned off scrolling mode as a consequence.

    Lots of people mentioning this. The sensitivity is something we're working to improve. It's tricky to get it right! We want you to see it when you need it and and not see it when you don't. :)

  • Andrew116
    Andrew116 Member Posts: 155 ✭✭

    Others have touched on it, but it's worth highlighting. The UI trigger is too sensitive. When scrolling down, you only need a tiny movement up when you release your finger to trigger the UI. It happens to me about one scroll in three. I've turned off scrolling mode as a consequence.

    Lots of people mentioning this. The sensitivity is something we're working to improve. It's tricky to get it right! We want you to see it when you need it and and not see it when you don't. :)

    on this issue, I like the way the current Logos iphone app handles it. With "always show the tab bar" turned off, the bar is hidden when scrolling up and down. But a quick tap in a pane makes it appear. In other words, in the new version, if you just took away the "appear on scoll down" (leaving "appear on tap" Ithink it would be solved 

    Aside from that I prefer the look of the new app a lot more than the old one. Much cleaner

  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭

    I'm trying the new app on an iPad mini.

    Maybe I'm still getting used to the new panels concept, but how do you accomplish the following use case?

    - Having a split window, with Bible passage on the left, and either a commentary window or Passage Guide on the right; being able to read through different commentaries linked to the Bible passage by utilizing the commentaries list from the Passage Guide.

    Seems like a very common use case (at least for me), but couldn't really figure out the specific steps and windows / panels to open to accomplish this. Either I'm slow or the multi-panel interface still has room for improvement.

    Thanks in advance for your help.

    Peter

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    PL said:

    Having a split window

    • Open the "tabs" menu.
    • Tap the "two panels" icon (looks like equal sign)
    • Click on the new panel and open book you want to use. 

    If you are wanting to open a commentary from the passage guide into the second panel... you are out of luck, at least for now. The current behavior for EVERYTHING is to open a new tab. As has been mentioned elsewhere, this is true for things like reading plans. I <think> it would be considered an "unimplemented feature" at present. Hopefully it will be corrected before the app ships. 

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
    Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!

  • PL
    PL Member Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Alabama.

    Faithlife - Please address this very common use case, being able to pursue different commentaries relevant to a given Bible passage.

    While you're redesigning the mobile apps, can you also improve the Table of Contents function? Please make it more like the desktop version: you can see the TOC side by side with the book content so you can easily explore a book's content, and by default the  TOC tree opens to and highlights the current location.

    Peter 

  • Andrew116
    Andrew116 Member Posts: 155 ✭✭

    I agree with PL's comment immediately above.

    another thing I noticed: on the old version of the app, it was possible to batch download resources. I used this to download e.g a commentary set. This feature seems to have disappeared - is it coming back?

  • Andrew116
    Andrew116 Member Posts: 155 ✭✭

    It would be nice to be able to view page numbers as I am reading as well (at least in page turning mode). This will help as I reference things in my notes and assignments.

    ideally there would be 2 ways to make page numbers appear:

    1. In the footer, greyed out, as in the old version of the app

    2. In text, like one of the visual filter options in the desktop app. This is more intrusive but more precise. A useful thing if you need to reference for an assignment etc

  • Andrew116
    Andrew116 Member Posts: 155 ✭✭

    I'm getting a crash whenever I try to make a clipping.

    Also... I find I'm craving a gesture to take me to the panel/tap viewer. It's 2 presses to get there, which doesn't sound like much but gets annoying. what about 3 finger swipe up to go straight there instantly?

  • Phil Miller
    Phil Miller Member Posts: 42 ✭✭✭

    Andrew116 said:

        I find I'm craving a gesture to take me to the panel/tap viewer. what about 3 finger swipe up to go straight there instantly?

    [Y][Y]

  • John Kight
    John Kight Member Posts: 1,618 ✭✭✭

    Daniel, can you send me an invite when the public beta goes live? I'd love to help provide some feedback if possible. 

    For book reviews and more visit sojotheo.com 

  • Gavin Murphy
    Gavin Murphy Member Posts: 109 ✭✭
  • Gavin Murphy
    Gavin Murphy Member Posts: 109 ✭✭

    What about more linking options? Maybe A, B, C like the desktop app?

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 512 ✭✭

    Daniel, can I receive an invitation to participate in the testing of the app on my iPad Pro 10.5?

    Thanks

  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    What if you were able to name workspaces?

    Yes, but by default would be resource name.

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  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    What about more linking options? Maybe A, B, C like the desktop app?

    [Y]

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
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  • Gavin Murphy
    Gavin Murphy Member Posts: 109 ✭✭

    alabama24 said:

    Yes, but by default would be resource name.

    Yes!

  • Bohuslav Wojnar
    Bohuslav Wojnar Member Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭

    Hello Daniel, Somehow I noticed only now there is some new things to test. [:)]

    May I get an invitation please? Thank you.

    Bohuslav

  • Curiosity follow-up to thread => Remove Lexham English Bible from mobile App

    • Downloaded preferred Bible in Library (so two Bibles had Info with blue background)
    • Removed Lexham English Bible from Library (so preferred Bible has Info with blue background)
    • Closed app (flicked up from list of open apps)
    • Opened app
    • Library shows two Bibles with Info having blue background

    Effectively, Lexham English Bible (LEB) only appears to be "Removed" until app is closed.

    Possible suggestion is LEB Info appearance after "Remove" having white background. If user chooses to "Download" LEB, then Info instantly changes to blue background. When app starts up, if preferred Bible is not downloaded, then LEB Info changes to blue background (otherwise stays white to reflect user "removal" desire).

    Personally Thankful for LEB inclusion, which includes media option to download audio read aloud. Also like reading LEB so can dream about physical large print study bible with Lexham Study Bible notes.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Daniel Di Bartolo
    Daniel Di Bartolo Member, Logos Employee Posts: 326

    " rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) said:

    Effectively, Lexham English Bible (LEB) only appears to be "Removed" until app is closed.

    When you remove the LEB from the Bible app, it actually does *remove* it from your library. When you launch it again, the app talks to our servers and "remembers" that it should have the LEB downloaded to the app. 

    This creates confusion and is something we're actively working to fix. 

  • Dave Couch
    Dave Couch Member Posts: 164 ✭✭✭

    As a software developer, and a seminary student, I'd love to be able to help with any testing [:)]

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 512 ✭✭

    Does anyone find the Logos logo functioning as the Bible logo inconsistent with the UI? How about a logo such as this?

    '

    Edit: I don't know what happened when I inserted the image.

  • Gavin Murphy
    Gavin Murphy Member Posts: 109 ✭✭
  • JT (alabama24)
    JT (alabama24) MVP Posts: 36,523

    Or maybe the cover of your Preferred Bible?

    The actual behavior, from what I can gather, is as follows:

    • If no bible is open, your preferred bible is opened.
    • If ANY bible is open, you are taken to it.
    • If more than one bible is open, you are taken to the one furthest to the left in the "Tabs" section.

    macOS, iOS & iPadOS |Logs| Install
    Choose Truth Over Tribe | Become a Joyful Outsider!

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    Somebody fix this before we all create one.

    Keep the right colors & the logo, please. (What will Verbum/Noet look like?)

    The overlay is nice and give more detailed indication what's going to happen.

    alabama24 said:

    If more than one bible is open, you are taken to the one furthest to the left in the "Tabs" section.

    Didn't realize that. Hmmm...

  • Gavin Murphy
    Gavin Murphy Member Posts: 109 ✭✭

    alabama24 said:

    Or maybe the cover of your Preferred Bible?

    The actual behavior, from what I can gather, is as follows:

    • If no bible is open, your preferred bible is opened.
    • If ANY bible is open, you are taken to it.
    • If more than one bible is open, you are taken to the one furthest to the left in the "Tabs" section.

    I thought I saw somewhere on this thread that it always opens or goes to your Preferred Bible. Sorry!