How to change Bible in Synopsis Tool the fast way?

[MortenJensen]

Hi all,
Is there a way to change Bible in the Synopsis Tool without opening up a new file and the close the tool and reopen it (in order to get to the current place you are studying)?

I would like go back and forth between Greek and English (or whatever).

When I open the aland-file, I have "Default" and "BGT" under Display - is it possible also to have ESV (etc) there?

Thanks,
Morten

The Edit reads - and if I type ind ESV in the Display line, I am getting the English text below the Greek:
/Versions BGT BGT BGT BGT
/Display BGT

[DavidR]

Sounds like you're finding your way into the customization that you need to do. The Synopsis tool operates from pre-defined .sdf files, and editing those files is the only way to make adjustments. But they are quite editable, esp. the opening parameters, as you've discovered. I've got one called aland-nrs_grk.sdf, and its opening lines are:
/Versions GNT GNT GNT GNT
/Display GNT NRS

This gives me the Greek and the English in each gospel column. Of course you can plug in ESV or any version you want for the display. (I also just edited the above to replace GNT with BNT.) When you make changes, choose File > Save, and if you want to you can save it under a new name. This way you can have quite a variety of display options in the Synopsis tool; but you do have to load a different one every time you want to see it.

If you want to change the sequence of Greek and English in the display, that (I discover) is controlled elsewhere. In the main BW window, do Tools > Options, then under Bible Versions select Version Order. Here you can gain complete control over the sequence of versions in any multi-version window/column. Just put your preferred Greek version at the top, and it will also display first in each of the gospel columns in the Synopsis tool.

[MortenJensen]

Thanks, David,

I know it is possible to have different versions displayed under each other. This it not, what I am hoping for (it is not all that easy to navigate often long pericopes that way).

What I would like, is a swift way of changing the one Bible version, I am looking at in the Synopsis Tool. Like if you had a dropdown-box allowing you to change Bible version with one click.

Is that possible - or not - via the Edit settings?

Morten

[Mark Eddy]

Morten,
What you want to do is not possible at this time for the synopsis window. The synopsis files use only the versions which are specified in the .sdf files, as David explained.
Mark Eddy

[MortenJensen]

Thanks for the clarification, Mark.

I will send it in as an official suggestion a long with the wish for dynamic update with Command Line searches.

Morten

[DavidR]

Morten, you're right about the awkwardness of having the Bible versions "stacked" vertically in long passages in the Synopsis tool; and about how convenient it would be to switch versions quickly.

Perhaps what you're talking about would be a blend of the Parallel Versions and Synopsis tools. The Parallel Versions tool shows different versions side-by-side, and allows you to change the current version with a drop-down menu; but it doesn't link the current passage to its synoptic parallels. I have no idea how much reprogramming would be needed to create this combination, but it would be a definite boon.

OTOH, the current structure of the Synopsis tools allows the creation of new synopses very easily, for instance, of Colossians and Ephesians, or of a few related passages from the gospels (I did one for an article I was working on about the cleansing of the temple).

[MortenJensen]

Hi David,
Yes exactly, it is something like that, I would love to see. I agree the the synopsis tool is very flexible and that is not to be lost. On the whole, BW is such a flexible and powerful tool!
Morten