SwordSearcher 6.1 Release Announcement

Brandon Staggs

Brandon Staggs

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SwordSearcher version 6.1 is now available!

This release adds the highly-requested Companion Bible notes and appendixes, support for MP3 audio Bible integration into the Bible panel, Verse Widgets, the newly Expanded Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and lots more!

Current users will find upgrade details here. (Scroll down a bit on that page for the Upgrade FAQ for information on how/what to upgrade depending on what you have.)

The following is a summary of what's new in version 6.1 (since 6.0). A detailed list of revisions from each release since 4.0 is available here.

What's new in 6.1:

Library Additions:

Library Module Updates:

  • Expanded Treasury of Scripture Knowledge [TSK]
  • King James Bible Companion updated to 2010 edition [KJBC]
  • Added Chinese Union Translation Simplified to Foreign Language Bible Pack.
  • Various minor corrections to other modules.
Program:

  • New! Bible Audio support.
    • Support for verse-level, synchronized scrolling, and verse-list playback of AMG Publishers' Alexander Scourby Narration of the KJV.
    • Support for chapter playback of other MP3 audio Bible sources, including Max McLean's Listener Bible, Stephen Johnston's narration from Firefighters.org, and any other MP3 Bible set with a supported file structure.
    • See File, Configure Bible Audio to link audio files to SwordSearcher.
  • New! Verse Widgets. Verse widgets are user-configurable icons which appear below the verse reference tag in the Bible panel. Choose which ones appear in File, Preferences, Verse Widgets. The following widgets are available:
    • Active Verse & Sync. Works like double-clicking the verse tag (performs Go To Verse options).
    • Topic and Verse Guide.
    • Find Related Verses.
    • Copy Verse.
    • Play Bible Audio. Same as option in Configure Bible Audio but included here for intuitive completeness.
    • Favorite Commentaries. You can select up to three commentary widgets to include. These work like Bible margin links, except that they always show even if the commentary is empty (in which case the icon is faded). Also, clicking a widget on a user-editable commentary that is empty opens the editor, and finally, shift-clicking opens the editor as well.
  • Added Ctrl+Click behavior for verse links in book and commentary panels. Ctrl+Clicking opens the reference in a cloned Bible panel.
  • Additional Reference Pattern Search options added.
  • The Load All Referenced Verses function of the Book and Commentary panels now loads the verse list in the order they are referenced (instead of chronological Bible order.)
  • Module Selector Tool improvements:
    • Items on the list indicate if they have visible tabs and if they are user-editable.
    • Improved behavior of item selection when filtering the list with keyboard input.
    • Shift-Clicking an item on the list toggles visibility of the module tab in its panel (Bible, Book, Commentary).
    • Added right-click menus for items on the list for various module-related actions, including deleting/renaming user-created modules.
    • Added "Select User Module" item to User menu, which opens the Module Selector filtered for only user-editable modules.
  • User editor improvements:
    • Added range option to the Insert Link to Bible Search function.
    • Editor File menu item "Book Exclusions" re-named to "Configure Verse Reference Recognition."
    • Added option to disable Roman numeral chapter recognition for verse linking under Configure Verse Reference Recognition.
    • Improvements to verse reference recognition.
  • Added Show Strong's Numbers as Lexicon Words option to File, Preferences, Text Display Options. Leaving this item checked (default) shows Strong's links in the KJVSL as Strong's lexicon words, as previous versions of SwordSearcher always have. You can un-check this option to make the links show as Strong's numbers.
  • Book and Commentary tabs now show a "pen" icon next to the module abbreviation for user-editable modules. This can be disabled in File, Preferences, Library Tab Appearance.
  • Added option: File, Preferences, Bible Margin Links, Use bold type for user-editable module links in the Bible margin.
  • Added additional user-configurable options for colors in File > Preferences > Fonts and Colors.
  • Full Library Search window remembers the last-used Reference Set between sessions.
  • Improved speed of adding and renaming entries in user-created books.
  • User modules whose files are marked "read only" in Windows will no longer be editable in SwordSearcher.
  • Workaround for bug in Internet Explorer 9 Beta and certain video drivers which could cause a crash in SwordSearcher.
  • Workaround for some virus scanners intermittently causing SwordSearcher to crash after saving edits to user modules.
  • Fixed: some extremely long verse references in the Scan Text for Verse References Tool could cause a crash.
  • Fixed: certain Bible searches with long lists of alternations could cause a crash.
  • Lots of other small fixes and improvements.
Keyboard and mouse commands:

  • Ctrl+Click a verse reference in the Book and Commentary panels to open the reference in a new cloned Bible panel.
  • Pause or Ctrl+Space: pause/resume Bible audio playback.
  • Ctrl+M: Opens Module Selector Tool for all module types.
  • Ctrl+H in Bible panel: applies default highlighting to selected text.
 
Also, you can read information on how the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge has been enhanced in version 6.1. I've included the Expanded TSK in the free program update pack as well as added it to the free evaluation download, because I think it could be considered an "essential" study resource.
 
More information about audio Bible support has been posted here. I'll add more details to the website, as well as a video demo, when time permits.
 
Yes good work Bro. Brandon, thank you very much, and praise our God!
 
Thank you, Brandon. I am a long-time SS user. Lurked in the forum a bit, but not much ... mostly just looked for new info and info on SS modules.

But last week I got an email about version 6.1 and saw that it would support an audio Bible; that got me. I got the 6.1 upgrade that day (also downloaded it for immediate use). Tried to use the audio Bible feature on a version of Scourby that was on my hard drive, but it did not set up properly. Yesterday (1/31) my new AMG Scourby arrived and when I got home I installed it on SS. Works perfectly.

What a blessing to be able to read and hear the Bible so effortlessly.

I listened last night to the 2nd half of Revelation as I read it on SS. I try to read the NT each month, and this SS setup will help me immensely. I also read from Psalms each day and Psalm 119 (in thirds) each day. The day's Proverbs chapter is also part of my daily reading. I use 5 bookmarks on the SS program for this daily reading.

In recent months I've been listening online and was not satisfied with the quality or accuracy of the text or the reading of the text. I am grateful that folks have put so much effort into what they have put out there, but they cannot hold a candle to SS's KJVPC and -- now -- the Scourby audio that I love so well. I let the computer play while I sleep -- sometimes radio, sometimes hymns, and sometimes the audio Bible. Now I have that perfect audio, and my evenings and nights will be blessed. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you put this feature in version 6.1.
 
Just keeps getting better and better. Not quite like my relationship with the Lord, but pretty good nonetheless.
 
Good morning and thank you again, Brandon, for your dedication to His Word, for getting it out to the world in this blessed package, SwordSearcher. I still am totally amazed at all we get for under $60.00. What a blessing!

I do have a couple of questions. I am pretty good at computers but mostly to do with my work - accounting, excel, word, etc... but certainly I am not like a lot of you guys apparently are. So here goes...

1. When you mention audio Bible is that specifically the one narrated by Scourby? Or is there a way to hook up my Hebrew audio OT to SwordSearcher, too? http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Online_Store/Audio/audio.html

2. Is there a way to install SwordSearcher on those new little rectangle I think they are called "tablets" or something, they're like 5x7 or maybe a bit bigger, kind of like Kindle or maybe a bit bigger. Or how about Kindle or similar, can SwordSearcher be installed in anything smaller like that?

3. Is there a way to have two or maybe even three "Books and Dictionaries" sections or folders, so I can prioritize what I use the most, and so I can click on which one I want to view in SwordSearcher, (maybe in a tab up at the top,) without having to go in and out of Program Files folders to display what I want? My collection is huge (thank you) but I don't use all of them all of the time, but I sure would like them easily available all of the time, if you see what I mean. I apologize if I've missed a lesson or explanation from before of how to do configure this.

Thanks

Terri P.
 
TerriP said:
1. When you mention audio Bible is that specifically the one narrated by Scourby? Or is there a way to hook up my Hebrew audio OT to SwordSearcher, too? http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Online_Store/Audio/audio.html
Click to expand...

Any set of audio files can be used if they consist of one file per chapter of the Bible, and the file names contain book and chapter references. If the audio set you're looking at is Old Testament or New Testament only, it won't work. SwordSearcher expects a complete set of files for the audio Bible.

2. Is there a way to install SwordSearcher on those new little rectangle I think they are called "tablets" or something, they're like 5x7 or maybe a bit bigger, kind of like Kindle or maybe a bit bigger. Or how about Kindle or similar, can SwordSearcher be installed in anything smaller like that?
Click to expand...
SwordSearcher is Windows software, so it would require a tablet that runs a full-blown Windows OS. There are a few available but they aren't the small ones you're talking about, nor is SwordSearcher optimized for that kind of form factor. I am looking into developing a tablet version of SwordSearcher (most likely an Android version) but I am in the very early stages of exploring that.

3. Is there a way to have two or maybe even three "Books and Dictionaries" sections or folders, so I can prioritize what I use the most, and so I can click on which one I want to view in SwordSearcher, (maybe in a tab up at the top,) without having to go in and out of Program Files folders to display what I want? My collection is huge (thank you) but I don't use all of them all of the time, but I sure would like them easily available all of the time, if you see what I mean. I apologize if I've missed a lesson or explanation from before of how to do configure this.
Click to expand...
You can disable all but the few tabs you use regularly by going to the top Tabs menu and selecting "Select which tabs to show." At any time, the "hidden" tabs can still be accessed with the Bible, Book, and Commentary menus, or all of the tabs can be temporarily shown with the corresponding option on the tab menu. There isn't currently an option to configure multiple sets of "favorite tabs" but this is something I am thinking about adding -- perhaps integrating the same "reference set" system available for the Full Library Search window.
 
I've moved the discussion about future feature development than began here into a different thread.
 
Hi Brandon,

I think I am going to buy the upgrade CD and I wish to ask if the disk would have SS 6.1 on it?

Also, I have downloaded most of the "extra" modules from the module site, how will the upgrade handle these modules? Will I have to move these modules in to a new folder or will SS 6.1 have those other modules already included or other?

Thank you,
Dave
 
David Joseph said:
I think I am going to buy the upgrade CD and I wish to ask if the disk would have SS 6.1 on it?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Also, I have downloaded most of the "extra" modules from the module site, how will the upgrade handle these modules? Will I have to move these modules in to a new folder or will SS 6.1 have those other modules already included or other?
Click to expand...

They will be retained automatically.
 
Wow thanks Brandon I really like the audio bible feature.The instructional videos are a real help too.:D I never really used the TSK Ill have to check that out.:-|.
kfc
 
I haven't been here in a while...and look what you are doing! STOP making all these improvements!!! ;) LOL!

I am just gonna have to order a whole new CD! I have too many "updates" lying around and I'm starting to lose track of them!

Thanks for all your hard work Brandon! God bless you!

Pete
 
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