Custom format for file renaming

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yot
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2018 6:00 pm

Custom format for file renaming

Post by yot »

Hello again,

is it possible to have a custom format for file rename? I am using Author Date currently, but this results in very (very...) long file names, as often also the full journal name is included. My ideal format would be [first author surname]_[journal abbreviation]_[date].pdf - is it possible?

Best
yot
Jon
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Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by Jon »

Yes. Please refer to the User Guide on creating/editing formats. The one you want is easily do-able.

There's also a short video tutorial that takes you through the basics of editing formats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CowJRIu ... load_owner

Jon
Sonny Software
yot
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2018 6:00 pm

Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by yot »

Hi Jon,

thank you for this - I did RTFM and set up the custom name formatting for the attachments! However, when I subsequently ran "Refs → Global Change → Rename attachments → Entire library", the journal field, instead of being an abbreviated journal name (e.g. Nat Genet) is included in full *and* in abbreviated format - but only on some of the attachments (see Waldron D in the screenshot below). In others, the journal name is included in full, without the abbreviated version (e.g. Wagner A). In yet others, journal name is in the correct, abbreviated format (e.g. Wakefield JG). I also attach my custom formatting options.

I suspect this is more of a problem of file metadata rather than renaming options, but can it be fixed?

Best
yot
Attachments
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Screenshot 2022-10-19 at 11.55.29.png (89.38 KiB) Viewed 2520 times
Screenshot 2022-10-19 at 11.55.06.png
Screenshot 2022-10-19 at 11.55.06.png (38.36 KiB) Viewed 2520 times
Jon
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Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by Jon »

You have to have enabled the Concise Medline glossary if you want Bookends to default to the short name automatically. As for the names with both forms, check those references and make sure only one journal name is entered. I'm guessing both are present.

Jon
Sonny Software
yot
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2018 6:00 pm

Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by yot »

Ah, you are right, these entries have journal names in both formats... Arghhh, this is going to be such a pain to correct!

Thank you very much for all your help, Jon, it's much appreciated!

Best
yot
Jon
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Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by Jon »

Assuming you imported them from PubMed, check the PubMed.fltr and make sure it's not set to import both the short and full journal names.

And you can create an SQL search to find the references that have more than one journal name. Create a new SQL search from our option "More Than One Attachment" and change the field in it from attachments to journal.

Jon
Sonny Software
yot
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2018 6:00 pm

Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by yot »

Hi Jon,

just to let you know that it all worked out. It wasn't a PubMed filter, I think these double entries must have been a leftover from importing papers from Zotero and Papers. Anyway, I filtered out these entries with the SQL query (easy-peasy) and cleaned up the names. Also, Global Change menu is awesome, thank you very much.

Best
yot
damo.clarky
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 10:42 pm

Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by damo.clarky »

Hi Jon,

Related to this topic, I'm processing PDFs in my Bookends library with external software tools, and I'd like to be able to use the Bookends ref #id value in the pdf filenames to maintain a 1:1 association. The #id is used in citations as well making it an especially useful choice for my use case. I've had a look through all the fields with the formats editor, and I can't find an option to allow me to add this value.

Just checking whether I've overlooked this option, and if not, whether it is something that could be added?

Many thanks.

Damien.
Jon
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Re: Custom format for file renaming

Post by Jon »

It's not in the Fields popup in the format window, it's in the Special Characters popup. The = sign will be replaced with the unique id.

Jon
Sonny Software

P.S. Information like this is of course available in the User Guide (Help menu). Probably most easily find by perusing the TOC section on formatting and going to that area of the documentation. p. 219 in this case.
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