Bookends 11 pre-announcememt

[Jon]

I've posted some information about the next Bookends release in the Announcements forum:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2528

Jon
Sonny Software

[aechallu]

Nice, I look forward to it. The new look is because you moved to Cocoa?

[Jon]

There are a few Cocoa APIs used, but Bookends 11 is still mainly a Carbon app.

Jon
Sonny Software

[Eingang]

Will we be able to access services from text widgets in version 11? That currently doesn't work. I'm asking because I'd like to use services to help automate some clean-up of citations that are imported, e.g. change "firstName lastName" author names to "lastName, firstName" and change titles to title case, etc.

Alternatively, being able to access things via AppleScript would be handy. I was just looking at the Bookends AppleScript dictionary and there didn't seem to be much there.

[Jon]

Will we be able to access services from text widgets in version 11? That currently doesn't work. I'm asking because I'd like to use services to help automate some clean-up of citations that are imported, e.g. change "firstName lastName" author names to "lastName, firstName" and change titles to title case, etc.

Bookends does that for you with various Global Change functions (Standardize Names, Change Case, etc.).

Alternatively, being able to access things via AppleScript would be handy. I was just looking at the Bookends AppleScript dictionary and there didn't seem to be much there.

There won't be any changes in AppleScript support in Bookends 11.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ozean]

I like the new look! The thinner separators will also give more space to the content of the main window. It will be interesting to see how you design the other windows (palettes or windows? semi-transparent, dark-style like the palettes for iPhoto and Aperture? full windows with toolbars?)

It would also be really nice to have some buttons that could be put into the toolbar: New Ref, Import, Export, Show Formats Manager, Online Search, Replicate as Book Chapter, Show Inspector (with a nice, standard, white on blue “i” icon), Get PDF, Term Lists etc. The menus are quite long by now and it would be neat to have some stuff at hand in the immediately visible UI. (Well, I use keyboard shortcuts most of the time, but people whom I introduce to Bookends often have a very hard time finding the functions they seek and understanding what the specific menu entries will actually do.)

Looking at the screenshot I am wondering why it is necessary to display the “Showing 10 out of 10 references” at one of the most prominent places that the interface has to offer. I think it would be fine to put this, for example, into the status line below the list, to the right of the four buttons. That way the extremely valuable space in the toolbar can be used for nicer stuff.

If it is possible, it would be great if one could add more than one sidebar to the right, showing for example notes and all fields at the same time in two columns.

Also looking forward to hear about the “useful to many and fun to use for all” feature!

[Jon]

Hi ozean,

For technical reasons it's hard to add a toolbar at this time. I'm aware that it would be nice addition, though, so don't assume it will never be added.

As for putting the "showing" information to the right of the 4 buttons, remember that there are controls (a popup menu plus formatted and pdf display icons) there, too, when the display pane is open. And as a further teaser, I'll mention that an icon for the "fun" feature will be placed to the left of the formatted display icon in Bookends 11.

Jon
Sonny Software

[aechallu]

Although I understand the bottom status bar could be over populated, I agree with Ozean that "Showing x out of X references" in the top bar doesn't "feel right." Maybe it can be shown as "x/X" (10/10 in the example) in the status or the title bars?

I'm ready for some BE fun!

[Jon]

Interesting. What if the "5 of 1000 refs" was placed to the right of the I (Info) control in the bottom pane? That would free up room for perhaps 5 toolbar items (in addition to the Live Search and Views that we already have).

Jon
Sonny Software

[aechallu]

What if the "5 of 1000 refs" was placed to the right of the I (Info) control in the bottom pane?

Yes, Jon, that's exactly what I was thinking on. If space is constrained (say because the user limited the window size) the 5 of 1000 refs could morph into 5/1000.

That would free up room for perhaps 5 toolbar items (in addition to the Live Search and Views that we already have).

My candidates for the freed space

• - Online search
  - Formats manager
  - Bibliography window
  - Import references

[Jon]

Based on the feedback in this thread, I've been reworking the List View window--you can see the results in the Announcement forum using the link at the top of this thread.

I am aware that different people will prefer different items in the "toolbar", but as I mentioned for technical reasons there are limitations right now. I expect this to change at some point in the future, but until then I've decided on Add, Delete, Online Search, View, and Inspector (and live search remains, of course). I'm thinking of adding Import (from files or clipboard), which I personally rarely use (I prefer file drag and drop). I don't anticipate any further changes before the initial release of Bookends 11, which is getting close.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ozean]

Very nice! This will be a very welcome addition.

I think an import button will be nice especially for new users, who try to decide if they want to buy your software or not. Hehe.


OT: I’d recommend using PNGs instead of JPGs for the screenshots – no artifacts and the transparency around the window works

[Reiner]

Hi Jon,

that looks really nice. Will we be able to have only symbols (without text) and also small symbols? Or is this also restricted by the same technical problems?

Thanks for your great work and best regards.

[Jon]

Hi Reiner, you won't be able to change the icon size or the text, at least not in the initial release. On the other hand, you're going to find a number of new features that I think you'll find especially useful (I even anticipated and solved issues that seem to specifically affect our German-speaking users... :-) ).

Jon
Sonny Software

[Reiner]

Hi Jon,

thanks for your answer. I'm yet nosy about the new features.

Best regards