Notes on iOS app

First, I love the new app! The team at Faithlife continues to amaze me with their dedication and the wealth of ideas that they come up with.

An issue that I’ve had for a long time is how the notes perform in Logos. Since the notes are essentially like files in a folder, that means that there are not individual note files that get created. I can deal with this, but it seems like the performance of that system just isn’t good. I use notes to keep all my teaching and research, so the note file can get pretty large. It’s bearable on a Windows PC, but on my iPad, it’s almost unusable. With the new tabbed interface, loading a decent-sized note file takes so long that it appears the app is totally and irretrievably locked up.

In the past, I assumed it was because I had an older iPad. But now, I have the 2017 model with the A9 processor. This should be more than able to keep up, but using notes is still a painful experience. It wouldn’t be a big deal, but notes are a huge part of my use of these tools.

If I could make a suggestion, it would be to come up with a new approach to notes entirely. On a Windows PC, I would prefer that Logos simply reflected the folder structure on the computer. So, for example, a folder named “Revelation” would contain all my notes files for Revelation, and each file would be a separate HTML file, for example. That would allow me to better manage my files, instead of having them locked into a proprietary database format. I realize that this might be difficult to do in a cross-platform environment.

On iOS, I wish I could individually open up a note. When I have lots of notes in a file, I’m forced to scroll through all of them to get to the one on the bottom. On the Windows version, those notes are closed by default and I can open them one at a time. I think this would be preferrable to the way it’s done on iOS.

I think I’ve rambled enough, and probably not very coherently. Again, I love the work that the wonderful Faithlife team is doing—you guys are the best! These are just some thoughts on the app that is most important to me on all my devices.

Bob

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Comments

Bob Price

Update: notes seem to be completely broken. If I hadn’t discovered the “reset workspace” option in settings, I would be stuck with a hopelessly locked up app. My notes file isn’t so big that this should be happening, so I hope this can be fixed. In the meantime, I’ll just have to use OneNote for my notes.

By the way, notes don’t work very well in the web app either. I would love to participate in a focus group or something where we could discuss this with the Faithlife team, and I could show you what I’m doing.

I’ll just wait and hope for a fix to this problem. Thanks!

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/943556#Comment_943556

By the way, notes don’t work very well in the web app either. I would love to participate in a focus group or something where we could discuss this with the Faithlife team, and I could show you what I’m doing.

I’ll just wait and hope for a fix to this problem. Thanks!

Bob notes are currently being redeveloped and the web platform is where they are doing the redevelopment work so if you want to have input then the web app and forum is the place to participate. Personally I am voiding the web app because notes on it are isolated from the rest of the Logos environment - something FL is not clear and upfront about - they are poor communicators to their customers of what they are and the consequences for users of those choices.

Graham Criddle

i Bob

On iOS, I wish I could individually open up a note. When I have lots of notes in a file, I’m forced to scroll through all of them to get to the one on the bottom. On the Windows version, those notes are closed by default and I can open them one at a time. I think this would be preferrable to the way it’s done on iOS.

I was wondering if you had come across the "Layout" option in notes on the mobile apps?

You access it from the three dots menu

and it allows you to switch between Full and Compact view - here I've switched to Compact

You can then tap on the note you are interested in - I've gone for the bottom one - and it opens it in edit mode

If you then switch back to Full mode you are left in that note

It's not perfect - and as you will see from the first screenshot - there are sometimes some layout issues in the notes title but it might be helpful to what you are trying to do

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/943556#Comment_943556

By the way, notes don’t work very well in the web app either. I would love to participate in a focus group or something where we could discuss this with the Faithlife team, and I could show you what I’m doing.

As Doc says the place to discuss the new notes functionality is in the web app forum.

It would be particularly useful to talk about how you see the approach being taken there - with the faceted browsing - addressing your requirements.

Bob Price

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/943571#Comment_943571

Thanks Graham, I appreciate your input. The screenshots were especially helpful. I may check that out, but the main problem I was having was that the app would completely freeze up whenever I tried to open a notes file. Killing the app and restarting does not help, as it seems the app is continuing to try to open the file. The "reset workspace" setting is a life-saver. Before I found that, I ended up deleting the app and reinstalling it to get it to work again.

Interestingly enough, I did not see this same behavior in the Android version. I have that on a Chromebook, and it opened my notes files with no problems.

I will continue to explore this functionality, and I'll check out the layouts feature you pointed out. Thanks again!

Bob Price

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/943619#Comment_943619

I just tried the compact layout, and that seems to help. First, I opened a shorter note file and turned on compact view. Then I opened my longer notes file, and it successfully opened in compact view. At least it opened! So, perhaps now I can make use of the notes.

I think I will participate in the web app notes forum. I'm intrigued by what I've seen there, so perhaps the new ideas will eventually reinvigorate the notes functionality.