record entry and sorting

[GertW]

Hi there,
I am new to Bookends (currently use Endnote but keen to switch and would like to get some advice on the following issue:
I am assigning a unique number (in a field called "Label") to each of my references which is written also on my print-outs for finding them in the drawers.
Now: I have a student entering citations, which I occasionally do as well, and would like the last entered citation (with obvioulsy the highest label number) to appear topmost in the list window, so the student (and I) knows which was the last number entered.

In Endnote I can sort the "label" field such that entries are sorted in descending order, same with the record# field, where Endnote assigns unique record numbers.

However, in Bookends I can not sort in descending order correctly cause all sorts in Bookends are alphanumeric, and Bookends does not know entries in "Label" are numeric.

Any suggestions?

Could you make one of the cutsom fields numeric, Jon?

[Jon]

Hi GertW,

In Bookends each reference is assigned a reference number that appears in sequence (not to be confused with the unique ID, which is random).

You can always go to the last-entered reference by

(1) Refs -> Go To Reference # (Command-5) and typing in the number of refs in the db.

(2) Opening the reference window view and using the slider to move to the last reference.

or half a dozen variants of these.

You can also turn off sorting of the List View window, in which case the references are displayed in their numerical order (I don't advise this particularly, but you can do it).

Jon
Sonny Software

[Guest]

In Bookends each reference is assigned a reference number that appears in sequence (not to be confused with the unique ID, which is random).

Thanks for the tip, Jon!

Can you disply the reference number in list view?

You can also turn off sorting of the List View window, in which case the references are displayed in their numerical order

great. done this and now they are all displayed with the last record at the top. would be good (and quicker), however, to have the record number displayed if at all possible.

best wishes, and thanks

Gert

[Jon]

Can you disply the reference number in list view?

No, that's not an option.

would be good (and quicker), however, to have the record number displayed if at all possible.

Quicker than Command-4? I think I'll enable those menu options when the List View is in front, so this is possible.

Jon
Sonny Software

[GertW]

Quicker than Command-4? I think I'll enable those menu options when the List View is in front, so this is possible

Certainly not quicker than command-4, but it would definetly be great to have those menu options enabled in List view.

I played around with enabling/disabling the sorting option in preferences>lists (have to close my database each time to get the changes), when sorting is disabled, it displays the records in ascending order in list view from (1) top to (last) bottom. any chance to get this the otherway round (last @ top)? did so first time (see earlier post) but never again.
great piece of software - and I really appreciate your quick attention to the various and sometimes small issues!
cheers - Gert

[Jon]

It's not an issue of ease, but of interface. I think it makes sense to have it from first to last.

Of course you could easily create and save an SQL/REGEX search, which ordered by id (the name for the sequential record field) in DESC order. That would give you what you want...

Jon
Sonny Software

[alexwein]

Is it possible in List view to sort by more than one category? I have many multiple listings for the same author and I'd like to be able to have it list alphabetically according to title. (Kind of the same problem I am having with the three-em-dash issue as well, come to think of it.)

Thanks,

Alexandria

[Jon]

Is it possible in List view to sort by more than one category? I have many multiple listings for the same author and I'd like to be able to have it list alphabetically according to title.

In Bookends 8.1 the list will be sorted by author/date when first opened (in earlier versions it was just author). If you click on a particular header to sort after that, it will sort on just that field.

FYI, you can of course type in the first few letters of the authors name in the Live Search box and then click on the Title header...

Jon
Sonny Software

[alexwein]

In Bookends 8.1 the list will be sorted by author/date when first opened (in earlier versions it was just author). If you click on a particular header to sort after that, it will sort on just that field.

FYI, you can of course type in the first few letters of the authors name in the Live Search box and then click on the Title header...

Jon
Sonny Software

Many thanks for the response, Jon. I wonder if in future revisions there might be a way to sort by author and a user-selected second field? I don't sort things by date in my work at all, and it would also be a lot easier to find specific works when browsing (yes, I know I can do a search).

Thanks again,

Alexandria

[Jon]

Yes, this could be a Preference setting (not for 8.1, which is basically done). I'll try to keep it in mind (and don't hesitate to remind me)...

Jon
Sonny Software