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Using Libraries |
A library is a subset of a database. Its contents are linked to original bib items in the database (it is similar to aliases of files in Finder), so that library items and database items are synchronized each other. A library can hold items whose original databases are different, i.e. you can create a library that is spread over databases. You can not create a bib item directly in a library. Only a database accepts appending a new bib item.
BibCompanion supports two kinds of libraries, one is a manual library and another is a smart library. There is no limit in number of libraries except for RAM capacity and CPU power of your Macintosh. In addition, you can create library groups to classify libraries.
This section contains the following topics.
A manual library is a library whose contents can be changed by yourself. Using a manual library, you can create a references list such as “ Important Papers”, “Referred from Currently Preparing Paper”, etc. You can copy bib items from databases and other libraries into the manual library. As describe above, the contents of the library should be linked to original database, therefore, if you remove a bib item from the original database, the bib item is also removed from the library.
To create a manual library, choose [File - Create Manual Library] menu. Then enter appropriate name (description) for the library. The name can be changed in the library properties which is appeared when you double click on the library.
The easiest way to add bib items from a database (or another library) is to drag them to the manual library as shown below.
You can also choose [Edit - Copy/Paste] menu to do the same thing. You can manipulate (editing, sorting, etc.) bib items in a library as is in a database. Editing field data of a bib item in a library also reflects to its original item.
If you want to remove items from a library, choose them in the bib item list and press <delete> key. You will be prompted to remove the items, then choose <Remove> to remove items from the library. Removing items from a library does not affect original databases.
As noticed above, removing items from a database also removes them from all libraries. You can not store a bib item that does not exist in any database.
If you close a database, library items that is linked to the database lost their original items. In this case, the items are not removed from the library, but they are shown in red color as shown below. They are called broken link items.
A broken link item can browse as well as other items, however, editing is not permitted. If a data field includes database macros, those macros can not be expanded. It is also impossible to access to attached files.
When the original database is opened again, broken links are automatically fixed.
A smart library is an intelligent library that searches databases and collect bib items that matches user defined search conditions. Using a smart library, you can create a references list related to a specific topic such as “Nanotubes”, “Electric Transport”, etc. It is also possible to obtain a list for a specified first author, a list of duplicated items, a list of recent published items, a list of recent modified (edited) items, a list of items with broken file link, etc. A smart library can be set to search into all opened databases as well as to search a specified database.
To create a smart library, choose [File - Create Smart Library] menu. Then library property window appears. The following is an example of a smart library properties. In the example library named “Nakahara:Si”, bib items that the author field contains “nakahara” (case insensitive) and title field contains a word “Si” (case sensitive) are searched.
You can combine at most 16 search conditions with ether ‘AND’ or ‘OR’ binding condition. Details of each settings are described in the library properties section.
There are three choices for update timing of a smart library, fully automatic, automatic only on launch and manual update. Fully automatic is applied by default, that is, every time you open a database, create new item and edit an item, a smart library scans the modification and rebuild its list. It is the recommended choice, but it may take several seconds for updating a library depending on CPU power of your Macintosh. If you get irritated, try the following choices. If you choose the second choice, a smart library searches items automatically only on launch. You need to update the library manually by choosing [File - Update Smart Library] menu. For the third choice, you always choose the update menu to rebuild the list. To update all manual (including only on launch) update library, choose [File - Update All Smart Libraries] menu.
You can classify libraries by using library groups. A library group can contain both of manual and smart library, but not a database.
To create a new group, choose [File - Create Library Group] menu. Only you can change is the name of the group.
To move a library into a group, drag it onto the group or group contents as shown below. You can also change the order of libraries and groups by dragging among the list.
In the database list, a group has a small triangular icon at the left. Click this icon to show/hide its contents.
When you select a library group in the list, all items those are included in the contents of the group is listed. If a group contains libraries in which the same bib item is stored, the duplicated item is ignored, therefore, sum of numbers of items (numbers indicated by parentheses) may not equal to that of the group itself.
A library group can be nested. There is no limit in the nesting level, however, making a too deep library group is not practical.
A library and a group can be saved as an independent BibTeX database. With this function, you can combine bib items on different databases, create a subset list for submission etc. The following dialog appears when you choose [File - Save Library as a Database] menu.
In addition to the name and the location choice, attachments, encoding and line ending choice appear. If you choose “Discard Attachments”, all ‘file’ fields in the items are discarded. “Link to Originals” creates full path links to the original database attachments. There is no choice to create a new set of attachment files. For encoding and line ending, choose appropriate one.
If you want to remove a library or a library group, select the library and choose [File - Remove Library/Remove Group] menu. Click <Remove> button in the confirmation dialog removes it from the database list. If you select a library group, group contents are also removed. You can not undo removing a library.