12.5 is a great update!

[iandol]

Hi Jon, just to say thanks for a great update, visual refresh (icons etc.) are great (I like the new main icon visually and is a better metaphor han an old bound bookshelf IMO) *and* new features (bookmarklet and drag-n-drop term management etc.)! Will check my various ODF formatting bugs, you say you've redone the RTF/DOC scanner which sounds great.

There are a few very minor glitches:

1) The F (formatted reference) pane has IMO too much padding top and bottom:

(1) excess padding

Screen Shot 2015-02-08 at 18.11.59.png (15.46 KiB) Viewed 15408 times

2) After scrolling some redraw issues:

(2a) Glitches top right of the reference list

Screen Shot 2015-02-08 at 18.11.43.png (2.79 KiB) Viewed 15408 times

(2b) scrolling causes glitches redrawing the right pane divider

Screen Shot 2015-02-08 at 18.12.08.png (59.15 KiB) Viewed 15408 times

[Jon]

I agree about the padding, and have uploaded a new build that you can download where it's not as exaggerated. I don't see the other issues you included, but I'll keep an eye out for them and see what I can do when they pop up.

Jon
Sonny Software

[iandol]

Just to add a bit more info, my machine is a retina MBP 10,1 and OS X is 10.10.2 (14C109). Thanks again!

[kga1978]

I agree, great update. However, I also get the redraw issues - basically it looks like some text is 'stuck' at the top of the window. I get this whether I scroll or not - have a look here

[Jon]

I've seen that sometimes, too, in Yosemite (not Mavericks). It may be more obvious on a retina display. There's no problem with the code, it's some drawing issue in the APIs. I'll see if there's a workaround.

Jon
Sonny Software

[NilsMS]

I notice that if the top of the programme window is shoved to the top, the small black line beneath the menu bar disappears (see attachment). BTW, the old icon (which I liked, being an historian) still shows up in the application switcher (tab-cmd).

Cheers,

Nils

[Jon]

The old icon appearing is an artifact of the OS, not Bookends. You can get rid of it by restarting LaunchServices. Google for that, there are lots of posts on how to do this (it involves using the Terminal).

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jasso]

My two cents about the new icon: While I like the new sleeker look, to me the icon doesn't signify bookends or references in any way. It looks like an icon for nVivo, or other CAQDAS coding software where you literally mark the text like that. (The icon shows what for example interview analysis looks like when done manually.)

Another problem is that it is close to generic icons of text editors, including Apple's TextEdit and Pages. (To see what I mean about generic icons, do a Google image search first on "text editor icon" and then on "books icon".) The similarity becomes especially problematic if one keeps these other tools close to Bookends in the Dock (image below).

writing_tools.png (4.83 KiB) Viewed 15147 times

I know the old icon was outdated, but at least it stood out. I would have much preferred to have the old one just upgraded to a sleeker look. (IANAL, but I am a graphic designer / visual communication researcher.)

Otherwise, love the update in general.

[Jon]

As you know, you can't please everyone. The icon was the product of an excellent Mac graphics designer, Janik Baumgartner (who also did Scrivener). http://kinaj.com, He was also deeply involved with the refresh of the UI. You can take it up with him.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jasso]

Understood.

[eleuteruiz]

Another problem is that it is close to generic icons of text editors, including Apple's TextEdit and Pages. (To see what I mean about generic icons, do a Google image search first on "text editor icon" and then on "books icon".) The similarity becomes especially problematic if one keeps these other tools close to Bookends in the Dock (image below).

I deeply agree with that. I keep choosing the wrong icon –and consequently, starting the wrong application– all the time...

[iljajj]

The reverse here - I kept selecting Calibre when I wanted to go to Bookends. The new icon may not be that distinctive, but its clever use of color makes it stand out - for me, at least.