Displaying PDF annotations in the reference window

[AsafKeller]

I'd like as many comments on this as possible

I would much prefer to have the ability to view annotations.

[ozean]

I have a (very slight) tendency to prefer a well-working cursor (but that may change when I re-settle into a different mode of working with my database, therefore the slightness).

[rickl]

I think I'd prefer to see the annotations.

[macula]

Perhaps we should kindly ask Jon to release and maintain two editions—one with a floating cursor and another with the annotated display—so that everyone is happy!

[Jon]

Everyone except Jon. :-)

Right now I'm leaning toward allowing Webkit display of pdfs in the reference window (in addition to the List View window, where it's available now of course). This is a lot more effort, but it adds functionality, while the cursor issue is cosmetic (annoying, but cosmetic). I'm willing to go with a consensus either way, but so far there doesn't seem to be one.

Jon
Sonny SOftware

[rickl]

Bookends FC and Bookends AD? Sounds like a great marketing strategy!

[macula]

Everyone except Jon.

Right now I'm leaning toward allowing Webkit display of pdfs in the reference window (in addition to the List View window, where it's available now of course). This is a lot more effort, but it adds functionality, while the cursor issue is cosmetic (annoying, but cosmetic). I'm willing to go with a consensus either way, but so far there doesn't seem to be one.

Oh the irony! As a firm believer that cursors should be visible rather than an ideal type in concept space, I begin to regret having created this thread myself!

But democracy should rule, unquestionably and unconditionally.

That said, I don't share the view that the cursor issue is cosmetic. Try to move your cursor to the middle of the previous word using the arrow keys, or to the seventh-last character of a 12-letter word you just typed, and you will realize how disconcerting text editing can be in this environment. It's almost ludicrous that, when moving around in the notes field using the cursor keys, I often have to stop and press a random character key just to find out where the cursor has gone… And if I have lots of notes to add to an item, I first type them in TextEdit and then copy-paste them into my database. Not flattering at all, in my opinion, for an otherwise top-notch application addressed to users who write for a living…

If I may ask—largely out of technical curiosity—what is it that causes the submarining? Is the blinking incorrectly timed? Or is it some sort of performance slowdown?

I don't want to give the impression of a whiner. I am honestly thrilled by Bookends 11 and Jon's work. Never before was it a genuine joy for me to use bibliographic software. And it has helped me extract knowledge out of my documents that would have otherwise remained concealed by information overload and noise.

[Jon]

I knew someone would object to the word cosmetic. But to me it is -- it makes one task a bit harder, but only that. certainly not impossible. And if you mouse instead of keyboard, like I do, even that's not an issue. The problem is caused by the way the window is drawn, as a composite window. It's a bug in the coding framework, as far as I'm concerned, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. I hope in the future to have a solution, but for the moment we have to live with it unless I return to the older drawing technology. But if I do, I can't display Webkit output in the reference window. But that's enough technical talk.

Jon
Sonny Software

[flix-b]

Not very technical, but, for the vote:
The submarining cursor is not a problem for me.
Not seeing my annotations is a significant one.

[Jon]

Viewing annotations in an attached pdf shown in the reference window, if you chose to use WebKit to displays pdfs, has been implemented in the upcoming 11.0.1. If anyone who has already posted to this thread wants to test it, please contact me with your forum alias.

Jon
Sonny Software

[CTurner]

Because I like working back and forth between Bookends (where I create attachments and manipulate citations) and and DevonThink Pro (where I do lots of annotating on the PDFs) the need to see my annotations in the reference window is not so great. Using the DT link command to connect to Bookends attachments folder makes, for me, a nice working flow with all the tools I need to track my research.