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Name

bibcard - an X based interface for BiBTeX databases.

Synopsis

bibcard [bibfile]

Description



Bibliographic entries can be displayed for each type of reference defined by BiBTeX. Required fields are listed first, followed by the optional fields for that type. Users can select with the mouse the reference type desired. The user interface follows the OpenLook style.

Three menu buttons contain most of the command functions:

FILE: functions for loading and saving bib files.    New Bib - Clear all entries.
   Load Replace - Load a new bib file replacing existing entries
   Load Merge - Load a new bib file and leave the existing
entries
   Save - Save the current bib file
   Save As - Save all entries into a new file
   Save Selection As - Save all selected entries (in the list
window) into a new file
   Revert - Reload current file replacing any changes
   Quit - Quit bibcard

EDIT:    Delete - delete the currently shown bib entry.    Add - add a new empty bib entry.
   Duplicate - copy and add the currently shown entry.
   Undo - undo any changes to the current entry.
   Copy to buffer - copy the currently shown entry to the clip
buffer
   Paste from buffer - add the entry in the clip buffer after
the currently shown entry.

   (Note: To cut and paste more than one entry at a time, use
the "Save Selection As" and "Load Merge" functions).

VIEW: Next/Previous - for showing sequential bib entries. List - pops up a scrollable list of all cite keys in
the database. A mouse click on any key will
show that entry and select it. Multiple entries can be
selected. Use the OPENLOOK Menu Button (usually the
right button) to clear all selections or to find the
next selection in the list. This list is updated with
each change. For really big files this updating can
disabled to speed things up by selecting the
"updating: off" option.
Find - pops up a dialog box for entering a search
string for any field. Entries that match the string will
be selected in the list window.
Sort - pops up a dialog box for specifying a field by which
to sort the entries. The sort order; ascending (a-z, 1-9)
or descending (z-a, 9-1), can also be specified.
Annotation - shows a window that displays the
"annote" field for the current entry.
Abbreviation - shows a window that displays the
@STRING entries. Users will be able to
modify and add new abbreviations, but
must have some knowledge of BiBTeX syntax.
Other fields - shows a window to enter and display
non-standard BiBTeX fields. These are user
defined and will be ignored by BiBTeX
Clip buffer - shows a window that displays the clip buffer.

Entering Macros (string abbreviations): Macros must be entered into the bibcard fields prefixed with a special
character. Currently this character is "#". Thus, if you have a
string abbreviations like this:
@string{ joj = "Journal of Jokes"}
you will have to enter:
#joj
into the bibcard Journal field which will result in the bib file entry:
Journal = joj

Bibcard will NOT retain the format of existing bib files when re-saved. Be sure to save a back-up of your existing bib files until you are sure bibcard's format suits you. For example, bibcard will throw away comments that appear between entry items.

**HIDDEN FUNCTION** A mouse click (left button) on the label of any field will display
a larger text editing area for that field.

Files will be loaded from the current working directory unless an optional $BIBINPUTS envronment variable is set. The name of this variable can be changed by editing the file bt.h and re-making bibcard.
If help is installed, information about each BiBTeX field is available through the OpenWindow help facility.

Bibcard requires the XView 2.0 libraries distributed either by SUN or contained in the X11/R4 contributions. It *should* run under your favorite X window manager.

Please send comments and bug reports to ogden@nmsu.edu.


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