How To Create Your Own Bible
Versions
To prepare a new Bible version, follow the directions below.
Step 1: Define the Module
- In the menu go to "Tools > User Module Tools > Define
User Material".
Basic Options
Name
- Enter the Bible name starting it with an underscore. Names may
be up to 31 characters long and contain upper and lower case
characters.
Example: _MyNewBible
Title
- Enter a descriptive title for your Bible. This title will be
displayed when you select your Bible. For best viewing it should be
less than 35 characters.
Type
- Select "BibleText" as the type.
Advance Options
Associated Bible Version
- Select the associated Bible version you want to use. We suggest
using the AV Bible
Font Charset
- It is recommended that you leave the font charset at the
default setting.
Bible Text Options
- Select the features you want to add such as footnotes, Strong's
numbers etc.
Click on the "OK" button to create the module.
Step 2: Creating the Text
- Create a text file using the name you entered for the Bible
module and the extension "exp".
Example:
If you named the module "_MYNEWBIBLE" the file would be named
"_mynewbible.exp".
Hint:
We have a blank exp file posted on our North
American web site which you may download and use to create your
Bible. Simply add your text to each verse number as shown in the
sample below. Be sure to re-name the file.
- The file should be in plain ASCII or ANSI format.
- Start the file with $$$ Ge 1:1 and place the passage below the
reference
Example
$$$ Ge 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
$$$ Ge 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the
face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters.
- To indicate footnotes in a passage, enclose the footnote in
{...}.
- To indicate variant readings in a passage, enclose the readings
with a "|".
Example
In the beginning God created the | heaven | heavens | and the
earth.
To indicate Strong's numbers in a text, just add in the
numbers:
In the beginning 7225 God 430 created 1254 8804 853 the heaven 8064
and 853 the earth 776.
Add a zero "0" as the first word in Matthew 1:1. If your Bible
text does not include Matthew 1:1 but includes Strong's numbers,
the text for Matthew 1:1 will look like: "0". This will be deleted
before the note set is compiled but will indicate the text contains
Strongs numbers.
Step 3: Importing Your Text
After you have finished creating the text it needs to be
imported into the module.
- In the menu go to "Tools > User Module Tools > Import
> Note/Book/Lexicon."
- Select your Bible from "To Module" list. Check "Batch Input
Mode" and locate the drive and directory of your EXP file. Be sure
to double click on the location. When the program finds the file
the OK button will be enabled.
See the help Importing a
Module for more information.
Step 4: Compiling
- In the menu click on Tools > User Module Tools > Compile
Tools > Check Module. Select the module name and choose the
options you want to use from the selection on the right. Click on
"OK" to check.
- Correct any errors that show up and then compile the Bible
module under Tools > User Module Tools > Compile Tools >
Compile Module.
Book Names
- To change the book names for compiled Bible versions include a
text file NewBkNms.Lst in the note control directory of the
Bible notes set.
- Each line consists of several entries. The last entry on the
line is the bookname abbreviation and the rest of the text of the
line is the book name.
- Abbreviations must not exceed four characters and must be
unique. Booknames cannot exceed 15 characters in length.
The following is sample file for Xhosa bible with control
directory of ..\xhosa00.
Example
Contents of file NewBkNms.Lst
IGenesis Ge
IEksodus Ek
ILevitikus Le
INumeri Nu
IDuteronomi Du
UYoshuwa Yos
etc.
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