Compare references

A place for users to ask each other questions, make suggestions, and discuss Bookends.
Post Reply
emiliospeciale
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:39 pm

Compare references

Post by emiliospeciale »

I really do not understand why an extremely important function was removed:

• The Compare References window is now read-only, it doesn't support copying of text from one reference to another.

WHAT!? This feature needed to be improved not removed!!!!!!!!

Disappointed.
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: Compare references

Post by Jon »

The copying text from one reference to another with Compare References has been broken for some time -- no one has written to complain. I can only infer that it's not used.

In any case, this feature has been superseded since version 12.5.1 by the fact that you can now have multiple reference windows open simultaneously. So you can still copy text from one to another. It's an improvement over the old method (which frankly I thought was kind of clunky and was glad to retire).

Jon
Sonny Software
emiliospeciale
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:39 pm

Re: Compare references

Post by emiliospeciale »

Dear Jon,

thanks for the quick and clarifying answer. I agree with you that the Compare References window was clunky and not working properly. And I see that you can open two windows references and exchange text on these two windows. BUT:

1. The Compare Reference window gives you immediately the picture of what is different, excluding fields that are not filled with text. I expected to have this feature empowered: like the new window for the Duplicates where you can exchange content of two fields (the difference is signaled by the red arrow). It would also be of great help if in the Duplicate Window you could manipulate text (enter new text, copy only portions, etc.) and not only exchange.

2. In order to have simultaneously two open windows of two references you must set preferences accordingly: namely in Preferences->Refs you must have Editing references in Standalone Window and One Window per Reference. This is really inconvenient because I prefer to have also Editing preferences in Library window. It is not possible to eliminate this preference and have both (Editing in Standalone Window and Library Window)?

Thanks for your continous and admirable support!
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: Compare references

Post by Jon »

You can't have editing of references in two different windows simultaneously, that's really a terrible idea (think about all the problems there would be if the same reference was open in both windows). As for the other requests, I'll that about that. Actually, I was thinking about getting rid of Compare References altogether. Does anyone else use this?

Jon
Sonny Software
NilsMS
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:13 am

Re: Compare references

Post by NilsMS »

Jon wrote:You can't have editing of references in two different windows simultaneously, that's really a terrible idea (think about all the problems there would be if the same reference was open in both windows). As for the other requests, I'll that about that. Actually, I was thinking about getting rid of Compare References altogether. Does anyone else use this?
Actually, I have not noticed this function yet, but I can see its potential usefulness for my future work, especially as I prefer to edit (and view) references in the library window. In such an instance, it seems that Compare References is the only way to see two references side by side. Or am I wrong?

Nils
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: Compare references

Post by Jon »

Prior to 12.5.2 it was the only way. But that's when multiple standalone reference windows were introduced. If you edit in the library window then Compare References is the only way to view them at the same time.

BTW, I went back to Bookends 12.2.4 (about a year old) and see that editing references in the Compare References window was broken even then. So it seems no one is using this feature. I don't see much point in making an effort to restore it if it's not used (not only does it wasted effort, it adds complexity to Bookends for no purpose).

Jon
Sonny Software
macvet
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:06 am

Re: Compare references

Post by macvet »

Jon,
I have used the „Compare References“ window in the past. Because this is typically part of maintenance work and was somewhat clunky, I was doing this from time to time but not regularly. Recently I saw errors when I tried to change some fields but not all of them.

IMHO "Compare References“ needed a click to much. I have an email to you in my drafts box, suggesting a compare reference window, where both references show open fields. No second click should be necessary to open each field. So I could directly copy text from one reference to the other. Arrows like now in the duplicates process could be added as well.

The new duplicates procedure is good for mass work. But unfortunately I have often information in both references that I want to merge. Best example are keywords which often differ between those references and the sum of both keyword collections would be way better than just one keyword collection.

I think you are right, that we don’t need anymore a „Compare References“ function like it was. I would be happy if a click on „Compare References“ would open the two references in "edit reference“ windows next to each other.

Thanks
Jan
emiliospeciale
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 1:39 pm

Re: Compare references

Post by emiliospeciale »

I totally agree with Jan!
When you have thousands of references it is very helpful to have a window to compare only two references and smoothly exchange text.
So I vote for a Compare References Window Revamped!
Thanks
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: Compare references

Post by Jon »

macvet wrote: IMHO "Compare References“ needed a click to much. I have an email to you in my drafts box, suggesting a compare reference window, where both references show open fields. No second click should be necessary to open each field. So I could directly copy text from one reference to the other.
That's actually how it did work, one click. But the window that opened where you could copy from one field to the other didn't work.
The new duplicates procedure is good for mass work. But unfortunately I have often information in both references that I want to merge. Best example are keywords which often differ between those references and the sum of both keyword collections would be way better than just one keyword collection.
Perhaps Option-clicking on the red arrowheads would open a window where you could handle a merge yourself?
I think you are right, that we don’t need anymore a „Compare References“ function like it was. I would be happy if a click on „Compare References“ would open the two references in "edit reference“ windows next to each other.
A simple solution, but problematic because now you could have the reference open for editing in two different places at the same time (library window and reference window). That could cause problems for the UI.

Jon
Sonny Software
macvet
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:06 am

Re: Compare references

Post by macvet »

That's actually how it did work, one click.
If you wanted to copy from one reference to the other - as I remember -, you had to click on each field and then the according fields of both references opened side by side. I meant this „a click too much“ having in mind that both references could have open all fields next to each other in the first window. Then you wouldn’t have to click on each field to copy, drag or whatever, you could have done that in the compare references window directly.
I think there is a concept of "micro-laziness“ in human beings which leads to likes or dislikes and one click more could be the difference in acceptance of a procedure.
But as I have learned two open references in compare view could maybe interfere with a possible open reference on another place and so wasn’t an option anyway.
Perhaps Option-clicking on the red arrowheads would open a window where you could handle a merge yourself?
This is a great idea and I would be happy to use this feature.

Thanks
Jan
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: Compare references

Post by Jon »

No, you just clicked on one field and it, and the corresponding field from the other reference, would open side by side.

OK, I'll work on it.

Jon
Sonny Software
Post Reply