Papers to Bookends export script

Users asking other users for AppleScripts that work with Bookends.
Jon
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Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by Jon »

No, they won't. Have you tried the approach here?

https://www.sonnysoftware.com/bookends/ ... mport.html

Jon
Sonny Software
vinpages
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 11:41 am

Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by vinpages »

Thanks!
I just bought Bookends and tried the approach. It worked, but only for about half of my references.
I realized that Papers3 has organized its library in a very weird manner. Some of the pdf are well organized in folders as specified in the preferences : Articles > Year > Author
These were well imported in Bookends and transferred to the attachement folder

But some other are organized in the "Files" folder of the library that contains Folders with names like 00, 0A, 0B, etc... with no logic? Those references were also imported in Bookends, but the attachement is still linked to the pdf in these weird folders from the Papers3 library and not to the attachement of bookend.

Why is that?
Any idea on how I can fix it?

Thanks a lot for your help!
I can't wait to have my library working in Bookends!
Jon
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Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
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Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by Jon »

I don't understand. Bookends imported the weird attachment names (with the references) and the links work, finding the PDFs with the weird names? But you want the PDFs moved somewhere else. Is that it?

Jon
Sonny Software
vinpages
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 11:41 am

Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by vinpages »

Nevermind. I fixed it.
Actually, I deleted everything, got the paper library from a backup and did a repair of the library before doing the import.
This ways there was no more weird references and they all got imported properly in bookends.

Except for the collections that were messed up... probably because they were nested into sub-collections into Papers. So I flatten all the collections in papers before the import, did a 3rd attempt and it seems that it was the good one.

Thanks again for the quick response and your help.
DaveB
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:46 pm

Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by DaveB »

Help! New user attempting to import a very large library from Papers3 without success. My goal is to have my references and associated pdf's available on Bookends for Mac and the iOS version (I've purchased both).

Running macOS 10.15.6 and following the directions here and outlined below:
https://www.sonnysoftware.com/bookends/ ... mport.html

What I've done/observed:

Step 1: "...you must allow Bookends Full Disk Access in System Preferences -> Privacy." - done

Step 2:
In Papers 3:

"In Preferences, Sync tab, turn OFF syncing." - done
"Make sure Preferences -> Library -> "Rename files in library folder" is checked." - done
"Make sure that all the references you want to import are showing in the library window." - after crashing trying to export the entire library, I highlighted a smaller subset of papers under the "All Papers" section
"File -> Export PDF Files and Media, and in the resulting Save Dialog click the Option button and make sure "Include annotations" is checked." - done
"Export the PDFs to the Bookends default attachment folder (not a subfolder)." - exported to Documents/Bookends/Attachments (and pdf's show up here after export)

Step 3:

In Bookends:
"File -> Import From Papers 3" - on my menu, says File -> Import References -> From Papers 3 - I choose this and it switches the window back to Papers 3 then Bookends appears to lock up - have left it alone for a few hours without success. No references populate in Bookends after forcing a quit.


Appreciate any help and guidance!
Jon
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Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
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Re: Papers to Bookends export script

Post by Jon »

It's impossible to know what the problem is -- I've had users with this issue that send me their Papers library and it imports here with no problem. What the local issue is I can't say.

I suggest you try the alternative method given on our web site -- export from Papers 3 as EndNote XML and import that into a fresh new Bookends library.

Jon
Sonny Software
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