Questions about Bible+

[Pgr]

Hi,

I am helping a friend build a "Palm Missal", a solution to accompany the Texts of the Holy Mass with two languages, like your language and some foreign language (or latin).

I have my eye on Bible+ for this purpose, because:
1. it is free;
2. it has a great split screen feature, which keeps the two texts in synch.

I have two questions, and Google has pretty much answered them for me, but if anyone could confirm this or add new ideas, I would appreciate it:

1. Can I create non-Biblical texts in Bible+ format? It seems so, if I just make up some book numbers and use the same in both languages of the Missal, I should be ok; the Bible+ format seems easy enough to create, much like HTML.

2. Can this ever work in Windows Mobile? It seems there is no Bible+ port to Windows Mobile (except usig StyleTap which is expensive). Is there any hope of ever getting this, or is it technically impossible, or too challenging? I personally don't use WM, actually I detest it, but a lot of nice people do use it... :)

3. Is there any other software that could do this well?

Thanks!

[pruss]

Hi,

I am helping a friend build a "Palm Missal", a solution to accompany the Texts of the Holy Mass with two languages, like your language and some foreign language (or latin).

I have my eye on Bible+ for this purpose, because:
1. it is free;
2. it has a great split screen feature, which keeps the two texts in synch.

I have two questions, and Google has pretty much answered them for me, but if anyone could confirm this or add new ideas, I would appreciate it:

1. Can I create non-Biblical texts in Bible+ format? It seems so, if I just make up some book numbers and use the same in both languages of the Missal, I should be ok; the Bible+ format seems easy enough to create, much like HTML.

Sounds right, though the verse numbering will look ugly. You might want to modify PB+ to add an option to remove verse numbering (I will commit it to cvs for you if you like).

Another option would be to use iSilo or Plucker and tables to keep two columns aligned. Unfortunately, I think viewing will be slow. Note: iSilo has better table support than Plucker.

A more expensive solution is two Palm TXs taped together, plus Plucker on both--one for English, and the other for Latin. A bit of work to keep the two in sync would be needed. :-)

2. Can this ever work in Windows Mobile?

There are surely good WM Bible viewers. I don't know if they support split screen, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[Treo Musketeer]

LOL Alex. That cracked me up.

[Pgr]

Sounds right, though the verse numbering will look ugly. You might want to modify PB+ to add an option to remove verse numbering (I will commit it to cvs for you if you like).
I was thinking of simply changing the verse number color to white, matching the background color; this way it would be invisible (but would still take up some space).

Thanks for your answers!

[MikeB]

1. Can I create non-Biblical texts in Bible+ format? It seems so, if I just make up some book numbers and use the same in both languages of the Missal, I should be ok; the Bible+ format seems easy enough to create, much like HTML.


Yes, in fact I put the Course in Miracles in Bible+, using the command line conversion tool.


2. Can this ever work in Windows Mobile? It seems there is no Bible+ port to Windows Mobile (except usig StyleTap which is expensive). Is there any hope of ever getting this, or is it technically impossible, or too challenging? I personally don't use WM, actually I detest it, but a lot of nice people do use it... :)


Styletap?

[Pgr]

Styletap?
If you mean "I suggest you use Styletap", you probably missed my remark above ("except for Styletap, which is expensive")..

If you mean "what is Styletap?", it's an emulator that allows Pocket PC's and Windows Mobiles to run Palm OS apps...

http://www.styletap.com/

:)

There are surely good WM Bible viewers. I don't know if they support split screen, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm pretty sure, by now, that my ideal setup does not exist: a free viewer, which works on both platforms, with split screen.

I think I will try the following strategy: a) create the texts in a generic format (XML based). b) create transformations (like XSLT) to easily turn it into the necessary source formats for each platform c) create the final book in both formats.

[MikeB]

If you mean "I suggest you use Styletap", you probably missed my remark above ("except for Styletap, which is expensive")..


Oops, yes, I missed your remark...sometimes I don't read slow enough to catch the details. It's obvious now that I reread the original message. ;(