[Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

A place for users to ask each other questions, make suggestions, and discuss Bookends.
Nhaps
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Nhaps »

Thank you for considering the request of users who use BibTex. The beta version works wonders: it creates a BibTeX with ALL references and, in addition, syncs any updated references with a keyboard shortcut. Jon's effort has been superb, and it will save those who cannot apple script a lot of time! :D

Suggestion to users: keep a backup of your own custom Bib format (.fmt) because you will have to rename it as BibTeX.fmt and place it on: your home folder / library / application support / bookends / formats. I say this because the new version may overwrite your custom format with the default BibTeX format.
Last edited by Nhaps on Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:45 am, edited 3 times in total.
Jon
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Jon »

Note to those reading this...one-way syncing to a linked BibTeX file on demand has been implemented and is coming in the next update.

Jon
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Jon
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Jon »

We will be providing an improved BibTeX.fmt, but when it is installed it will not overwrite any custom format with that name (which is stored in a different folder, Custom Formats, and supersedes a default format of the same name).

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Nhaps
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Nhaps »

Top notch! :wink:
naupaka
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by naupaka »

Awesome!
Dellu
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Dellu »

Thank you for @iandol for bringing it up again, and of course, for @jon, for working it out.

You hit a hot key, and, you have all your references updated, ready to be compiled in your TEX document. Nothing can be better than this.

This is really wonderful.

WE can now recommend BE for our scientist friends, with confidence.
iandol
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by iandol »

Totally brilliant, this is such a wonderful addition, many thanks to Jon for considering this and adding it. Bookends rocks!
joao
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by joao »

From the release notes:

"Note that Bookends stores the .bib file's alias, so you may rename it or move it to another location on the HD and Bookends will still find it."

That's a nice idea. :-)
joao
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by joao »

As this is a one-way sync, am I right in thinking that any edits of the generated bibtex with an external program will not be changed by Bookends upon subsequent syncs? That would be great for those of use that use Jabref's bibtex cleanup function.
Jon
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Jon »

Any edits to a reference in the text file should be preserved (unless you then modify the reference in Bookends of course).

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Dellu
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Dellu »

Jon wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 7:09 am Any edits to a reference in the text file should be preserved (unless you then modify the reference in Bookends of course).
Wow, I didn't expect that one would be possible.

I was a bit worried about the sorting of items in the last couple of days.

Natbib (bibtex) wants the referenced Book to appear after article (incollection) entries for cross-referencing to work.

Code: Select all

@incollection{xxxx, 
Author = Mary, 
Title = Mary's article
crossref = John2010,
}

@Book{John2010,
Title = Title of the book/collection,
Editor = John,
Year = 2010,
}
If you put the book before the @incollection, the crossref will not work. The tradition is to use tools such as bibtool to sort the entries to behave the right way.

I didn't have any knowledge how BE would sort the entries. Now, if we can edit the text file, we can still use bibtool https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... jd-pHQnuvX or some other tool (such as Jabref) to sort the entries correctly so that cross-referencing will work.
Last edited by Dellu on Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jon
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Jon »

On sync, Bookends should only modify the file in three cases: a reference has been edited (the replacement will be in the same location as the original), a reference has been added (it is appended to the file without changing the order of the others), and a reference has been deleted (it's removed from the file but the rest are left as ordered).

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joao
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by joao »

It's working perfectly.

I noticed what I would consider a bug though (others may not). One of my references shows up in Jabref with html tags in the title field. I found out this is because the title in Bookends was in rich text and bold (probably copied pasted there from the title field in the pdf). I would think the bibtex generated file should be output in plain text.
Jon
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by Jon »

BibTeX markup preserves text styles. It should be output as \textbf{text}, not as HTML.

Jon
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joao
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Re: [Feature Request] Auto-sync to a BibTeX File

Post by joao »

sorry... that's what I meant. it was output as bibtex markup.
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