Book Module help Using Forge

[Pastor Langley]

I have read Forge help files. Just a little guidance is all I'm looking for. In the process of completely using SwordSearcher for everything!
Yep, thats a mouthfull, but this is my plan. I think this is on modules but maybe more technical. How will one learn if one does not use the Forum?
Please forgive if this is not the right place?

1 - Build module using editor in SwordSearcher
2 - Export Module for Forge using SwordSearcher
3 - Use this text file
4 - Make edits in this text file, use html codes if nesscesay
4 - Use Forge to take that text file and Do Import for use as a SwordSearcher [User Module]
5 - Depending on # 4 it will be editable or non-editable
6 - Does one not need the {ModuleAssets} when building from Forge?
7 - This is to help me study and build my book Library in SwordSearcher

Questions most concerning in back of my head is this.
How does one deal with the obvious, using Forge {ModuleAssets}? (Forge is for text files only)
No files and no images linked, no {ModuleAssets} folder needed, I assume. (speaking of building and using Forge here)
If we have files and images linked in that Module using {ModuleAssets} folder, when we use Forge, will it grab those things from the {ModuleAssets} contents folder and place them inside a the outputs module whether it is a Editable or NON-EDITABLE MODULE BUILD?
I hope this is the answer:
Answer: All this is done when exporting any (book) Module from SwordSearcher as Export Module for Forge?
If this is the answer sorry for the boring POST here.
Thanks to anyone in advance...

 

[Brandon Staggs]

The design editor will automatically generate correct module asset links and copy the files into the assets folder. Forge doesn't do any of that. If you for some reason want to add module assets while editing the Forge source files you have to manually do it all, which I would not recommend.

Why do you want to use Forge for this?

 

[Brandon Staggs]

I hope this is the answer:
Answer: All this is done when exporting any (book) Module from SwordSearcher as Export Module for Forge?

Yes and no. The module asset links are created during the design edit phase. The links will be in your Forge output, but it would be pretty easy to break them from that point on, since they rely on correct file placement. If you're just exporting the Forge source to make edits and then rebuild the module, it should be fine, as long as you don't change the links or move the files out of the expected structure.

 

[Pastor Langley]

Thanks. Trying to cut down my steps on building the modules. The added Forge concept is not sunk in yet.

 

[Brandon Staggs]

Thanks. Trying to cut down my steps on building the modules. The added Forge concept is not sunk in yet.

Forge is really meant for projects where a large source of text is being converted to a SwordSearcher module, which has been prepared with some kind of text processing. It's akin to how I build the extremely large modules for the official library. If you are building a module one entry at a time or do not have programming experience, I don't think Forge is going to be particularly helpful. It would just add a layer of complexity.

 

[Pastor Langley]

So if I build a module, use forge send

Forge is really meant for projects where a large source of text is being converted to a SwordSearcher module, which has been prepared with some kind of text processing. It's akin to how I build the extremely large modules for the official library. If you are building a module one entry at a time or do not have programming experience, I don't think Forge is going to be particularly helpful. It would just add a layer of complexity.

i agree. It is helpful do global changes. Also wanted to see how the “ right-click information “ got into a module. So after this may just stick with plain Jane stuff.
it

 

[Pastor Langley]

Forge is really meant for projects where a large source of text is being converted to a SwordSearcher module, which has been prepared with some kind of text processing. It's akin to how I build the extremely large modules for the official library. If you are building a module one entry at a time or do not have programming experience, I don't think Forge is going to be particularly helpful. It would just add a layer of complexity.

So when building modules with SwordSearcher the Dark Mode is built in? I have a module that is not changing to the Dark Mode, what did I do wrong? Is there a html code to fix this?

 

[Brandon Staggs]

So when building modules with SwordSearcher the Dark Mode is built in? I have a module that is not changing to the Dark Mode, what did I do wrong? Is there a html code to fix this?

If you want to honor the SwordSearcher color/font settings, you need to scrub all the hardcoded stuff out of the module. You can do this with the style and format cleaner. User menu, Advanced User Module Maintenance, Rebuild, check Remove Style and Formatting... but be sure to read what it says before you do it!

If you build your content inside of SwordSearcher by typing text or pasting small snippets, it will generally "just work" when you switch between light and dark mode. There is a lot of work going on to try to make sure the text is legible in both color modes. But if you paste documents in from external sources that include formatting, there is only so much that can be done, and it may not work well if you change color modes. Also there is nothing SwordSearcher can do about images that may be pasted in -- they will display as images and not be inverted by SwordSearcher, etc.

 

[Pastor Langley]

I know once you told me best practice run Format Cleaner. Obviously for SwordSearcher content and users. Agreed. And I see that being good for users. Now what If I just cannot part with the format as layed out, but honors SwordSearchers fonts, darkmode, etc. then would that be acceptable or frowned upon? [knowing that anyone could just click Format Cleaner on their own].
If submitting book modules, in my mind was the actual page for page format to format, idea that it was like turning pages of the real book. Now maybe this is wrong thinking, but what is in my mind.
Maybe SwordSearcher is saying this is electronic bible study data not paper books so the whole landscape needs to change for users, the content is important not so much the astetics. I hope soon to have a book module to submit that actally relates to this very subject. I have a few edits left. Will await your opinion on that one.
Thank you again for the SwordSearcher program and the Forum, its been a great help for me. I am now preaching from my laptop using SwordSearcher. I am an old paper preaching guy, this in itself has been a bid deal but most helpful.
Final words, hope you got my response to the deleted module conversation.

 

[Pastor Langley]

I am only talking about certain (Special) book modules here, all general purpose book modules I am using Advanced User Module Maintenance, as you instructed. Hopefully (my experience in module building) in the future will allow me to conform to the forums way.
May the Forum be with me...

 

[Brandon Staggs]

Maybe SwordSearcher is saying this is electronic bible study data not paper books so the whole landscape needs to change for users, the content is important not so much the astetics.

There are no "pages" in SwordSearcher. It starts with that. SwordSearcher is indexed by verse and entry names. Not pages.

Some people may need an 18 pt font size. Others may prefer a 12 pt font size. Some people want their background to be a soft white, others like bold colors for their background. Some like wide panels of text, others configure their layout so everything is narrow and tall. Enforcing a printed page layout into this doesn't work.

Breaking with the idea of text as being laid out for printing makes it possible for everyone to adjust to their own needs and also makes searching/indexing more logical.

I would definitely say that trying to preserve the actual printed page organization of material would be a mistake for data you bring into SwordSearcher. You have to fight the flow the whole way.

But please feel free to use it any way you want. Their are a lot of color and layout options available in the editor and you can use them. Just keep in mind what it means for others if you want to share your work.

And if you are pasting in complex color formatting it may make it harder for SwordSearcher to automatically "fix" illegible color combinations when switching into dark mode.

 

[Eric]

Regarding pages. The computer presentation of text has nearly eliminated the usefulness of page numbers, except as references to show where a certain piece of information is located. When converting paper books to electronic form, it might be wise to insert markers for where the paper page breaks occur. Something like this works: [page 1 ends]. Sometimes I've used something like [page 1 begins]. The reasons I do it: (1) so I can go back and forth from paper to electronic and (2) can document page references if I cite something.

 

[Ken Sturgeon]

While I recognize that all projects differ, it would be great to have a couple videos that show the basic steps using Forge to create books and commentaries.

 

[Pastor Langley]

Brandon and Eric, you have you have "hit my head with the nail" with this post, and given me what it is that I have been missing. Thank you both. Agree with your statements about "pages", did not want to let go of that one. I wanted fancy stuff inside my module, again not wanting to let go. It is truly what I needed to be told. I get it... Thanks!
Dr. Curtis Hutson would say about Soul Winning; "keep it simple, stay on track, and let the Holy Spirit work."

 

[Pastor Langley]

There are no "pages" in SwordSearcher. It starts with that. SwordSearcher is indexed by verse and entry names. Not pages.

Some people may need an 18 pt font size. Others may prefer a 12 pt font size. Some people want their background to be a soft white, others like bold colors for their background. Some like wide panels of text, others configure their layout so everything is narrow and tall. Enforcing a printed page layout into this doesn't work.

Breaking with the idea of text as being laid out for printing makes it possible for everyone to adjust to their own needs and also makes searching/indexing more logical.

I would definitely say that trying to preserve the actual printed page organization of material would be a mistake for data you bring into SwordSearcher. You have to fight the flow the whole way.

But please feel free to use it any way you want. Their are a lot of color and layout options available in the editor and you can use them. Just keep in mind what it means for others if you want to share your work.

And if you are pasting in complex color formatting it may make it harder for SwordSearcher to automatically "fix" illegible color combinations when switching into dark mode.

Yes sir found that out, I am out of that "fight" ha!

 

[Brandon Staggs]

While I recognize that all projects differ, it would be great to have a couple videos that show the basic steps using Forge to create books and commentaries.

The trouble with this is that using Forge is really the easy part. Preparing text for Forge to compile is the hard part and I can't think of a way to generalize it beyond what I wrote in the Forge documentation. I have prepared text for SwordSearcher hundreds of times using internal tools similar, but less approachable, to Forge, and almost every single module I have built has required some custom prep work on my part and I can't generalize it (I wish I could, it would save me a ton of time!). Other than providing the specs and examples for what Forge expects, as the manual that is included with it does, there is nothing more I can think of to add that doesn't involve getting into the details on individual projects. For almost everyone, I recommend just using the built in editing features in SwordSearcher.

 

[Pastor Langley]

The trouble with this is that using Forge is really the easy part. Preparing text for Forge to compile is the hard part and I can't think of a way to generalize it beyond what I wrote in the Forge documentation. I have prepared text for SwordSearcher hundreds of times using internal tools similar, but less approachable, to Forge, and almost every single module I have built has required some custom prep work on my part and I can't generalize it (I wish I could, it would save me a ton of time!). Other than providing the specs and examples for what Forge expects, as the manual that is included with it does, there is nothing more I can think of to add that doesn't involve getting into the details on individual projects. For almost everyone, I recommend just using the built in editing features in SwordSearcher.

Agree with you Brandon, you have done a wonderful job. The videos, the Help guides, all these things direct the user to what is needed in all aspects of SwordSearcher modules, books, commentaries, etc. It has just taken me a while to get the hang of it. Thank all of you that has helped me in my module buidling. Like I said the "light turned on" after reading these posts for me.
Hope my upcoming book module will "honor the SwordSearcher color/font settings." as you stated earlier. Thanks Pastor Langley

 

[Pastor Langley]

Used Format Cleaner on latest modules. Happy to do so and liked the outcome.
Confused about the fix you did for me? I usually download a copy from SS Forum, then double check it (on my laptop) so that I have "exact" copy of what people see, redundant but that's me. Will do more on help and videos on this subject.
Do we (I) need to delete the ver 1.0 Today at 12:52 AM?