Wish list

[everett]

I downloaded a trial version of Bookends today and it looks like a very capable replacement for EndNote, at one quarter the price for the competitive upgrade. It does, however, require an adjustment in thinking as the window containing a single reference is the default working window, unlike EndNote where the entire list is the default window. My preference would be to see the entire database list as the starting point (command-L) and have the single reference window closed.

There are a few features in EndNote that I would like to see in Bookends.

1. Keep the hits window opened after compiling a bibliography
2. Sort the hits list (e.g. by author and date); this option is grayed-out in the Hits menu when the hits window is at the front
3. Able to sort reference (hits) lists by first author only
4. In the View Formatted section below the list of references, include a pop-up menu to select different journal styles
5. Include Greek symbols within a title, and have this appear in the formated bibliography list (it doesn't seem to work correctly at present)
6. Include Save and Cancel buttons when editing a journal style (to avoid saving unwanted changes that escape notice)
7. Import journal abbreviations from EndNote into the Bookends Journal Glossary
8. More comprehensive sorting options for the bibliography compilation, such as by author, number of authors, and year

The Group function is a very useful addition, and is a feature that doesn't appear to be in EndNote. And the Term List seems to provide much more useful information in Bookends and is more intuitive to use compared to EN.

I look very much forward to experimenting around with version 8 when it comes out.

[Jon]

I downloaded a trial version of Bookends today and it looks like a very capable replacement for EndNote, at one quarter the price for the competitive upgrade. It does, however, require an adjustment in thinking as the window containing a single reference is the default working window, unlike EndNote where the entire list is the default window. My preference would be to see the entire database list as the starting point (command-L) and have the single reference window closed.

There is an option in Preferences (Hits tab): Show all refs on database open.

Check this ON and the experience will be more to your liking. This will be further improved in Bookends 8.

1. Keep the hits window opened after compiling a bibliography
2. Sort the hits list (e.g. by author and date); this option is grayed-out in the Hits menu when the hits window is at the front
3. Able to sort reference (hits) lists by first author only
4. In the View Formatted section below the list of references, include a pop-up menu to select different journal styles
5. Include Greek symbols within a title, and have this appear in the formated bibliography list (it doesn't seem to work correctly at present)
6. Include Save and Cancel buttons when editing a journal style (to avoid saving unwanted changes that escape notice)
7. Import journal abbreviations from EndNote into the Bookends Journal Glossary
8. More comprehensive sorting options for the bibliography compilation, such as by author, number of authors, and year

Most (not all) of the issues you raise will be dealt with in Bookends 8. Once that is out, perhaps we can revisit the few that haven't been addressed and that you still wish for.

Jon
Sonny Software