Many websites export citation lists with strange names that cause Mac OS X and Bookends to fail to identify them as the plain text documents which they are. This would not be a problem except that Bookends won't let you attempt to import anything which is not identified by the system as a plain text document. As a result, I often have to first change the filename, giving it the ".txt" extension before I can import the references into bookends. But why does Bookends need to do such a test? Why not allow you click on any file in the finder and attempt to import it?
As it is, Bookends does not always fail gracefully if it cannot read the import file. I've seen Bookends give a spinning wheel and crash in this situation. But this was NOT because the file was not a plain text file - it was because the file was not the same format I had selected for import. The last time this happened I attempted to import a Refer file as Endnote XML because I was fooled by the filename.
In other programs (including the finder) I've seen check boxes which allow you to select "only recommended files" or "all files" when using a file selection window. That could be a possibility as well, but why not just turn off checking altogether and trust the user to know that the file they just downloaded from the web is a text file?
Request: Disable filetype test on import
You know that if you hold the Shift key down when you drag a file onto Bookends it will offer to import it regardless of its metadata, right?
What do other people think? Should file type checking be turned off for importing via dialogs (it must be checked when performing a drag and drop, because that's how Bookends distinguished between a drop to import and a drop to attach)?
As for crashing on import, if you have a file that crashes when you try to import it with the wrong filter, you know where to send it.
Jon
Sonny Software
What do other people think? Should file type checking be turned off for importing via dialogs (it must be checked when performing a drag and drop, because that's how Bookends distinguished between a drop to import and a drop to attach)?
As for crashing on import, if you have a file that crashes when you try to import it with the wrong filter, you know where to send it.
Jon
Sonny Software
I had exactly the same problem as Luhman yesterday and thought it would be nice if I could select any file, rather than just say '.ris' files (Science magazine doesn't give their exported references any extensions).
However, I wasn't aware of the shift-drag import, so I will probably just use that in the future instead!
However, I wasn't aware of the shift-drag import, so I will probably just use that in the future instead!
If Bookends doesn't filter by file type there is the danger that people will be confused when they try to import the wrong kind of file (.rtf, .doc, etc.) and it doesn't work. Then they contact tech support and of course we have to go back and forth about are they sure it's a text file, etc. Having the filter prevents all this.
Having said that, it would be easy to have Bookends not filter for text files in the dialog. How about this:
If the Option key is held when you import via a dialog, the dialog doesn't filter by file type. Otherwise it does (current behavior). We have to use the Option key, because the keyboard shortcut for Import References already includes the Shift key.
Seem OK or not?
Jon
Sonny Software
Having said that, it would be easy to have Bookends not filter for text files in the dialog. How about this:
If the Option key is held when you import via a dialog, the dialog doesn't filter by file type. Otherwise it does (current behavior). We have to use the Option key, because the keyboard shortcut for Import References already includes the Shift key.
Seem OK or not?
Jon
Sonny Software
Jon, that sounds like a good idea.
I wonder, though, if it would be more transparent (and easy to remember) if the file dialogue for importing had a dropdown for file type, with two settings: Text files (.txt); and All files. You could even combine the two ideas by making the Option key shortcut open the file dialogue with the dropdown preset to 'All files'.
Just a thought, in case it is useful to you. I don't know whether it is feasible to code, not being a programmer.
I wonder, though, if it would be more transparent (and easy to remember) if the file dialogue for importing had a dropdown for file type, with two settings: Text files (.txt); and All files. You could even combine the two ideas by making the Option key shortcut open the file dialogue with the dropdown preset to 'All files'.
Just a thought, in case it is useful to you. I don't know whether it is feasible to code, not being a programmer.
As a first step I've added this. When you use the Import References menu a dialog box comes up that lets you choose the filter. If you hold the Shift key down when you click OK to begin the import, Bookends will display all files (no filter). After the file is selected Bookends will reject a few obvious mistakes (applications, .zip files, etc.) but let most through. It's up to the user to make sure they are legitimate text files, of course.
I'll re-evaluate whether it's worth putting a checkbox or some other UI element in the dialog box when we get some feedback about the release.
Jon
Sonny Software
I'll re-evaluate whether it's worth putting a checkbox or some other UI element in the dialog box when we get some feedback about the release.
Jon
Sonny Software