[Request] No Download

[Matt Zabojnik]

Just a thought,

When AndBible launches without any modules installed, it asks if you want to download them. If you press cancel, the app closes. Is there any way that the initial dialog prompt could be an option between download, and load document from zip?

This could be useful in persecuted countries where the software is distributed without any online connections, as well as in other situations.

[Тoly]

Immediately closing AndBible if there is no Bible downloading is confusing even in non-persecuted countries. The app should stay open with an explanatory text (e.g. "no Bible to display".  Download a Bible from the internet (not recommended if you are in a persecuted country) or install from SD card.)

[Martin Denham]

I did attempt to allow Zip install instead of Download during the release of the Zip install functionality but it was not easy.  Maybe I should take another look because I agree it would be very useful in persecuted countries.

Martin

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[Matt Zabojnik]

Any update on this, or projection for implementing it?

Thanks

[Martin Denham]

Hi Matt,

It is on my 'want to do' list with several other things.  First I need to finish off migration to Android Studio which should make it easier for others to contribute.

Martin

On 15 March 2016 at 18:22, Matt Zabojnik <mat...@gmail.com> wrote:

Any update on this, or projection for implementing it?

Thanks

[Martin Denham]

I have given some thought as to how 'Install from Zip' would ideally be triggered during initial install, but could you give some idea of the process that might be followed by users in persecuted countries or without an internet connection.  I can't think how a user without a connection would come to have downloaded zips, or even obtained And Bible.  The only way I can think is if an expert is beside them telling the user what to press and already having zips on an SD card.

Extra Button

Matt's initial idea is an extra button on the initial 'Download a Bible from the internet?' screen allowing installation from Zip, so the options would be Cancel, OK, Have Zip.  However, this would not be used by 99% of users so might just cause confusion and extra support issues (I get a fair number of support e-mails).

Extra Dialog

Another idea might be to display an extra dialog if the user presses Cancel with 'Load document from Zip' and the same OK, Cancel buttons.  I don't like chained the idea of chained dialogs (I can't think of any good example of chained dialogs).  One advantage of this is that no more text would need to be translated and people would be steered initially to the download option.

Special Version

A third idea is to create a special offline version of And Bible that has Download disabled and replaces the 'Download a Bible from the internet?' dialog with a 'Load document from Zip' dialog.

Cancel Does not Exit

A fourth idea is as Toly suggests above.  Cancel does not exit but takes you into And Bible; the central Bible view will display a message like 'No Bible installed'.  The user is then able to navigate to 'Install document from Zip'.

However, the key thing for me is how this would actually be used by people either in persecuted countries or without an internet connection, and I can't see the process yet because I can't think how they would install And Bible, get zips and know what to do.

Martin

[BV]

Martin,
I like the fourth/last option you mentioned above.
People in persecuted regions can use a flash drive to put all the bibles on it even Andbible apk can be put on there. Btw, if you are thinking how the zip files are transferred to the flash drive? people bringing it from outside when traveling.

Ben

[Luke]

The Lord must have brought me here today.  I was going to request this from you and I had one more question besides this one.  I clicked on the forum and here is the topic I would bring up.  I can describe to you the process of how someone gets both app and module offline, because I often do this very thing and we work in a context somewhat similar to what is described as the purpose for this feature.

There are several translation projects who are not ready to publish to a crosswire repository, but they want their available scriptures to go out.  Therefore they only have the .zip files available and do not have the internet option.  Also the believers for said groups live in remote areas with little internet access.  I always have the andbible .apk on my phone and also 5 different Bible modules for 5 different languages ready on my phone.  I pass through bluetooth the andbible apk and then I have to manually pass both the mods.d and module files to the phone and set up the net.bible.android.activity folder in the Android>Data folder.  I can do this, but it isn't something that can be taught very easily to someone who goes home to their province and wants to install the Bibles on their cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews phones.  Actually when they see me do it on the phone it is quite intimidating.

Simplifying this process will be a big help.  Your ordinary android user here  (younger generation) already knows how to send/receive files by bluetooth.  Often they know more than the translators/missionaries.  If they can watch me do the install once using this process: bluetooth apk and zip file > enable install from unknown sources > open apk file > open andbilbe > cancel internet download option > Navigate to install document from Zip...then they would be able to duplicate the process when they go to their remote home areas / critical areas.

My vote goes to doing the Cancel Does not Exit option because when teaching someone to pass a Bible in this way they will learn the regular process for installing a Bible in andBible through zip.  This would allow them to install several modules without having to learn two processes.

I hope this helps and I can answer any questions you might have.

Thanks

[Luke]

I forgot to mention that many languages with Bible translations in countries with persecution have created language specific websites for their scripture materials.  I am in process of doing the same.  On the website we will be providing video documentation for how to install andbible and the modules.  Once a few people understand how to do this well, it opens up the possibility of electronic scriptures going viral.

[Martin Denham]

The only positive votes were for Option 4 - 'Cancel Does not Exit'.  However, having thought about this and played around a bit this method has various disadvantages.  'Normal' users who decided not to download straight away and press Cancel in the first Dialog will be left inside a 'functionless' And Bible with all menus available but non-operational.  The only menu items that work would be the 2 download items hidden under the Administration menu.  So, this option would negatively impact the 'Normal' users who will probably comprise 99% of users.  It would probably also require some development effort to stop the app throwing errors with no Documents installed.

Option 5 - Subtle link in Initial Dialog

This is a new idea I have come up with that has the advantages of being easier for those wishing to go straight to Zip Installation and better for Normal users who can still press Cancel to abort install.  The idea is to add some small 'Install from Zip' text at the bottom of the initial Dialog which would take the user to the Zip install view.  This is a modification of Option 1 but it has been tweaked to reduce potential confusion for Normal users while retaining availability of the Zip install dialog for the specific users requiring that option.

Martin

On 24 March 2016 at 02:09, Luke <luke...@sinama.org> wrote:

I forgot to mention that many languages with Bible translations in countries with persecution have created language specific websites for their scripture materials.  I am in process of doing the same.  On the website we will be providing video documentation for how to install andbible and the modules.  Once a few people understand how to do this well, it opens up the possibility of electronic scriptures going viral.

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[BV]

Martin,
Awesome, that seems to be the best option thus far.

Ben

[Martin Denham]

I have add an 'Install from Zip' link to the initial download dialog and released a build to the Play Store alpha channel.  You can also download the apk from My Drive.

Please test this.  However, it might be a little tricky for you to test because the affected dialog is only displayed during initial install, which means you would have to uninstall And Bible completely, or install on a spare test device, or use an AVD.

During my tests I discovered that some devices do not have a File Explorer installed so are not able to select a zip.  Nobody has commented on this before but I wonder how big an issue this is.

Martin

[BV]

Martin, I tested it and it works beautifully. I completely uninstalled it and reinstalled and was able to load from a zip file on the first dialog window. It's a nice improvement. Thanks again.

Ben

[Ildar Mulyukov]

Missing File explorer may be an issue, I'm afraid. Is it possible to check at least post factum?

BR Ildar

пн, 28 марта 2016, 22:27 Martin Denham <mjde...@gmail.com>:

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Ildar Mulyukov,
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email: ildar.m...@gmail.com
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blog: http://johan-notes.blogspot.com/

[BV]

The instruction could be put in the ops procedure instead of having the program check for different file manager programs.

[Martin Denham]

This problem has always affected Zip Install so this change has not made the situation any worse and I can't think of a quick solution so plan to leave it for now.

It would be good to get feedback from those who need to use this feature in the field

Martin

On 29 March 2016 at 17:28, BV <bva...@gmail.com> wrote:

The instruction could be put in the ops procedure instead of having the program check for different file manager programs.

[Luke]

I cleared my phone of the app and its data and then downloaded and installed this alpha release.  It worked like a charm.  I was able to install the zip easily.  One thing that happened that you might not have expected was that upon trying to install the zip Avast flagged And-Bible as being a suspicious program.  I had to press ignore on the Avast dialogue before the module actually became visible in the program.  If I would have chose "resolve" I may not have had a successful install.  However, the new setup is a great setup for the type of sharing we need.  I will get the chance to teach a few colleagues who aren't very cellphone savvy how to do it and I'll report back to you on how it goes.

[Luke]

The cell phone I installed on this afternoon had a file browser, but it only gave me the option to choose a contact, an image from the photo gallery, a song, or a movie.  I assume this is the same issue as mentioned here.  As far as how big of an issue is it. Right now I'm 2/3 as far as successful installs from zip file are concerned.

[Martin Denham]

The quick solution would be to carry a file explorer apk with you for installation if required. A different solution might be for And Bible to have is own file explorer built in but I hesitate to go that route.

Martin

[Samuel Greenway]

I want to thank you for this contribution.

I believe this will be of great benefit for those who have stored the files and want to share them with others, either in a natural disaster situation or in third world countries.

Yes you would probably have to have some sort of file manager installed to install the zip files.

There is another open source project called Serval Mesh (also on Play Store and downloadable from their website) that allows for phone calls, texting, and file sharing over a wifi network (or ad hoc mesh if phones are rooted), without cell phone services, and was designed for the same situations (third world, natural disasters).

Personally I wanted this because I am putting together survival/backpacking bags, including old cell phones with And Bible, GPS hiking app (OruxMaps), Serval Mesh App, a compass app, Survival Guide App, Star Chart App, Flashlight App, etc.  And I wanted to be able to store apk files separately so that I would not have to worry about ever needing an internet connection again.  Even have a solar charger and a BioLite camp stove that will charge USB items.  Heh. You can get days/weeks out of your phones battery just by going into airplane mode, and separately turning on/off items like location and wifi (which can be done and still maintain airplane mode / cellular service off)

Thanks again brother,

I believe this will be a blessing to others.

Samuel G.

[Ildar Mulyukov]

вт, 5 апр. 2016, 22:16 Samuel Greenway <samuel....@gmail.com>:

And I wanted to be able to store apk files separately so that I would not have to worry about ever needing an internet connection again. 

Hi, Samuel,

You'd want to look at the F-Droid local repo/repo sharing features.

Though F-Droid currently has some problems with the latest Several mesh but I'll figure out why is that.

Sorry for a small offtopic

Regards, Ildar