Sonny Software

Hi

Under Bookends Preferences / Attachments / 'Rename using', there is a list of filename formats. Are any of those filename formats of the form <Year><Author>', or anything that has <Year> at the start of the filename?

Also if I did use 'Rename using' to specify a new format for attachment names, is there a way to do a global rename of all PDFs attached to my references, to the new format?

Finally is there a way to identify any 'orphan' attachments in my Bookends PDF folder, which are not attached to a reference in my libraries? (I have more than one library).

Thank you
Paul

That is a list of all enabled format, not a list of "filename formats". You have to create a format for renaming yourself, if that's what you want.

In this case, you'd have a format with the order

d a

and you'd have to have set the authors names as you like (e.g. Surname only, show only the first author, etc.).

There is a Global Change function for renaming some or all reference PDFs. But practice on one, first, or you may end up with thousands of PDFs with names you don't want.

Bookends won't remove PDFs from attachment folder. There is an AppleScript in our AppleScript forum that finds such files

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4679

But I believe it only works with the open library.

Jon
Sonny Software

Thanks. Do I use
Formats Manager / Bibiliography Options / Type / Add Type
as the starting point to create a format? Is there a way to give the format my own choice of name rather than an existing name like 'Unused'?

No, you'd go to the Format Manager and create a new format (based on whatever is selected. Give it a useful name (e.g. Rename PDF format.fmt) and then edit it to give you the output you want. Make sure it's checked ON in the format manager. When done, go to Preferences and select it as the renaming format.

Experiment to make sure you've got it right before deploying. All the info you need about editing formats is in the user guide (and the video and PDF tutorials).

Jon
Sonny Software

How do I create a new format in the format manager, and give it my choice of name?

I don't see any obvious 'create' option apart from the 'Add type' that I mentioned.

Thx, Paul

There's a + (plus button) below the list of formats. You should refer to the User Guide (Help menu) for information about how formats work so you can create and edit them.

Jon
Sonny Software

OK thanks for all info, also for the script.
Best, Paul

Sorry, I went through all the help suggestions for search terms 'format' and for 'pdf' but could not see any link to help page for setting up a custom filename format. Please could you send a link to that help?

The TOC is sometimes more useful than searching. See the entry FORMATS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES, it has all the information you need. Start on p. 205.

Jon
Sonny Software

I am having the same issue - where in create a new format is the option to create a new format for pdf renaming? I looked at the Help Guide starting on p. 205 as suggested but didn't see this there either.

You create the new format independently of what it's used for. You can select it for renaming in preferences (General tab).

Jon
Sonny Software