[sword-devel] Chapter-centric browsing (was: iPhone frontend alpha screenshots)

[Eeli Kaikkonen]

Jonathan Morgan wrote:

> I do think that in general removing the arbitrary chapter limitation
> would be a good thing, but these considerations and others could be
> important to getting it right.
>
>   

Most modern translations have a passage structure. I have played with 
this idea: we could have a fixed rough passage division, handled by the 
Sword library or a frontend. When the user wants to see a chapter the 
frontend could load the chapter but also preceding and following context 
so that if the chapter breaks a passage the whole passage would still be 
shown. It could be something like this:

Passage1: 2:5-3:4
Passage2: 3:1-3:20
Passage3: 3:20-4:2
Passage4: 4:2-5:1

 If user asks for ch.3 he gets 2:5-4:2. If he asks for ch.4 he gets 
3:20-5:1. The frontend decides the visual details.

Notice how the passages are not restricted by other passages. This is 
because it's easier to find a safe, large enough sequence for every 
verse/chapter. There's another reason, too. Different translations 
divide the passages differently. This way we would hurt those as little 
as possible when always choosing a larger, "safe" passage. Even if a 
translation's passage would be cut, the wanted passage would always be 
included.

This requires some work, of course. The whole Bible would need the 
passage database. It should have professional quality (modeled in modern 
academic translations/editions).

Pros:
- works for all modules which use ch/v.
- technically not too difficult to implement
- fits well for the existing frontend styles, doesn't need any new UI 
techniques
- no memory/speed overhead
Cons:
- may break the translation's own passage structure - one size must fit all
- database needs work

--Eeli Kaikkonen