16 replies to this topic

[Marvin]

A few years ago, I used Microsoft Word and loved the e-Sword macros that allowed me access to Bible materials without having to open the entire e-Sword program.

Since then I have switched over to Libre Office. It would be great if somehow I could convert one of the e-Sword macros to work with Libre Office. I am not up to date on any of the e-Sword conversion tools.

It would seem appropriate that a major free program, e-Sword, would support other major free programs. In this case I am thinking of Open Office and Libre Office.

Currently I work with Libre Office and e-Sword. I open both and switch screens as necessary. Allthough this works, it seems to be too much of a waste of computer power when I could just be accessing the Bible lists. I know about e-Sword Hotkey that allows me to type in a reference and the verse is then put into the memory for insertion into the word processor. The e-Sword macro's had an advantage over Hotkey because they allowed me to search by reference or by individual words in the passage.

Have I missed something? It would be nice if there were something out there that already does the job.

[BH.]

All the functionality of the macros in Word are available in other program such as Libre Office using e-Sword HotKey. The difference is that HotKey allows you to look up a list of references if you'd like, not just one. Search is available in HotKey albeit using the menus in HotKey instead of a button. With version 3.11, there is an option under the Mode menu to have the HotKey window stay on top of all other windows. So you can shrink the size of the window so only the menus show, and tuck in a corner. Click the Macro+Search menus, and you have the search function you have in Word. See the attached as a sample.

Attached Files

•  HotKey Sample.png   33.8K   33 downloads

Edited by BH., 15 March 2012 - 09:57 PM.

[Marvin]

Thank you for the information on HotKey. I have downloaded it to my system. I have been unable to get HotKey to work for me but I have finially determined the cause. I am replying to you in case it will help you with your work in this type of program. I work extensively with outlines and am normally in outline mode in my word processing program (Libre Office). When I am in outline mode, HotKey does not work. When I am in normal mode HotKey works fine. Thel pop-down lists of Bible passages work fine all the time.

Thank you for writing this program for us e-Sword users. I am afraid with the type of work that I currenty engage in on Libre Office, it will not be useful for me.

[BH.]

What part of HotKey does not work? Can you be a little more specific as to what is not working? The search function for e-Sword should not matter what mode Libre Office is in.

Can you post a small file sample that does not work for you in Libre Office?

Edited by BH., 16 March 2012 - 07:40 AM.

[Marvin]

I am glad to oblige. As I said, I work mostly in outline mode. That is a sub-mode of bullets and numbering. I have used that or the equivalent in Libre Office, Open Office, and Microsoft Office a couple of years ago (before I got rid of it.) I had similar troubles in Microsoft Office when I used HotKeys then but I did not isolate the problem.

When I am in outline mode, I can save to the using ctrl-C. I have had to change the default HotKey from f11 on the HotKey program because in all three cases, the program had another function for f11. I would like to use ctrl-Z. When I use ctrl-Z, nothing happens, even though I have e-Sword operating in the background. Sometimes, the HotKey works correctly when I do this but I have not been able to isolate the the reason it works then but not most other times. I have tried other HotKey default settings with the same lack of operation in the same manner.

The drop down Bible book lists call up the e-Sword reference accurately. I have not been able to figure out how to search for verses by word content. (Did you indicate that HotKey can do that?)

My wife and I teach at an adult Christian Bible school and I type all of our outlines. Here is one that I typed for her. It is not the one that I was testing with HotKey because this forum uploading tool will not let me upload Open Office or Libre Office documents. This is an older Microsoft Word document. I usually put in the entire reference now but this has enough actual references to test it with. I didn't have any luck with Microsoft either when I tried it earlier.

If you want the actual document that I had the difficulty with, I would be glad to send it to you by e-mail. I will need your e-mail address to do that. My address is mcarlclapp@yahoo.com.

I hope that this helps you.

Attached Files

•  Lesson 5.doc   13K   14 downloads

[BH.]

I am glad to oblige. As I said, I work mostly in outline mode. That is a sub-mode of bullets and numbering. I have used that or the equivalent in Libre Office, Open Office, and Microsoft Office a couple of years ago (before I got rid of it.) I had similar troubles in Microsoft Office when I used HotKeys then but I did not isolate the problem.

When I am in outline mode, I can save to the using ctrl-C. I have had to change the default HotKey from f11 on the HotKey program because in all three cases, the program had another function for f11. I would like to use ctrl-Z. When I use ctrl-Z, nothing happens, even though I have e-Sword operating in the background. Sometimes, the HotKey works correctly when I do this but I have not been able to isolate the the reason it works then but not most other times. I have tried other HotKey default settings with the same lack of operation in the same manner.

The drop down Bible book lists call up the e-Sword reference accurately. I have not been able to figure out how to search for verses by word content. (Did you indicate that HotKey can do that?)

My wife and I teach at an adult Christian Bible school and I type all of our outlines. Here is one that I typed for her. It is not the one that I was testing with HotKey because this forum uploading tool will not let me upload Open Office or Libre Office documents. This is an older Microsoft Word document. I usually put in the entire reference now but this has enough actual references to test it with. I didn't have any luck with Microsoft either when I tried it earlier.

If you want the actual document that I had the difficulty with, I would be glad to send it to you by e-mail. I will need your e-mail address to do that. My address is mcarlclapp@yahoo.com.

I hope that this helps you.

OK - you are uing non-breaking spaces within scripture references. Hotkey is not seeing them. I have modified it so that it now recognizes non-breaking spaces. (version 3.12 - now posted)

Search - do you have a "Macro" menu in the HotKey windows? If not, then you have not installed a copy e-Sword Macros. It does not matter if you have Word or not. Just install one version of the e-Sword Macros. see: http://www.e-sword.com/extras.html

BH

[Marvin]

Thank You!

For the first time I have been able to make HotKey operate correctly. I have always assumed that I was doing something wrong. In a sense, I was. I normally put non-breaking spaces in my Bible references to prevent them from being incorrectly formatted when I go back and re-work my outlines. I do that frequently. I must have found a breaking space between the book and the chapter number on the one that I tested that was not in an outline. It never occured to me that I was even putting the non-breaking space in there. I do it by habit.

Thank you again. I have been waiting for a couple of years to get something that would replace the macro module for e-Sword. I have just downloaded a macro module to my computer so the search function works too. I had removed the macro module previously when I got rid of Microsoft Office.

Keep up the good work.
God bless you,

Marvin Clapp

[BH.]

Actually, using a non-breaking space is a very logical thing to do! It just has never been my habit. You say you are using Ctrl+Z for your hotkey. Is that not the Undo key combination? In Libre Office, is the key combination to enter a non-breaking space Ctrl+Shift+Space? I have Ctrl+Space for my Macro Hotkey, and Ctrl+N for my e-Sword Hotkey, mainly because these do not conflict with other key combos I commonly use.

I'm glad to hear HotKey is now working correctly for you. I use that program ALL the time. It is great for studying. It is useful for editing. I always have it running when I have e-Sword running. You don't even need to hvae e-Sword running if you are using only the Macro functions. I hope you will now find it useful too.

[Marvin]

You are correct about Ctrl+Z. I have never used that shortcut before. I always have used the icon in the top toolbars for undo. I have adopted your suggested shortcuts for hotkeys. I am liking HotKey more and more, the more that I use it.

Thank You again,

Marvin Clapp

[Marvin]

P. S. Yes, I use Ctrl+Shift+Space for non-breaking spaces. I do it almost by habit for my verse references.

Marvin Clapp