LaTeX `\textit{..}` is not redered correctly in Main table

[halirutan]

Entry to reproduce:

@Article{Abdala2007,
  author    = {Fernando Abdala},
  title     = {{{Redescription} {of} \textit{Platycraniellus elegans} ({Therapsida}, {Cynodontia}) {from} {the} {Lower} {Triassic} {of} {South} {Africa}, {and} {the} {cladistic} {relationships} {of} {eutheriodonts}}},
  journal   = {Palaeontology},
  year      = {2007},
  volume    = {50},
  number    = {3},
  pages     = {591--618},
  month     = {may},
  doi       = {10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00646.x},
  file      = {Abdala2007.pdf:Abdala2007.pdf:PDF},
  groups    = {Nanictosaurus, Ictidosuchoides},
  keywords  = {Platycraniellus elegans, Cynodontia, galesaurids, Early Triassic, South Africa.},
  publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  url       = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00646.x},
}

Gives the following representation in the main table

The Preview is not affected.

MacOS Sierra 10.12.6
JabRef current master branch
Mac OS X 10.12.6 x86_64 
Java 1.8.0_144

[halirutan]

This issue seems not related to JabRef. It is related to JLabel and Swing. A minimal working example can be found here (I'll attach the code below). I'm not setting any different font or font size. Still, what I get is

Note that I see the correctly rendered label in the debugger. So the Unicode conversion is correct

There are several similar issues on SO but none fits to such a simple example. Can someone on OS X try this by creating a class in the jabref package and pasting the content?

package org.jabref;


import java.awt.GridLayout;

import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.SwingConstants;
import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
import javax.swing.WindowConstants;

import org.jabref.model.strings.LatexToUnicodeAdapter;

public class SwingJLabelTester extends JPanel{

    private SwingJLabelTester() {
        super(new GridLayout(3,1));  //3 rows, 1 column
        final String latexString = LatexToUnicodeAdapter.format("This is a \\textit{test for italics} and \\textbf{a test for bold}");
        final JLabel label = new JLabel(latexString, SwingConstants.CENTER);
        label.setVerticalTextPosition(SwingConstants.BOTTOM);
        label.setHorizontalTextPosition(SwingConstants.CENTER);
        add(label);
    }

    private static void createAndShowGUI() {
        final JFrame frame = new JFrame("LabelDemo");
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.add(new SwingJLabelTester());
        frame.setSize(400,400);
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }

    public static void main(final String[] args) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(SwingJLabelTester::createAndShowGUI);
    }

}

[Siedlerchr]

The problem reminded me of the issue #2784 and the follow up discussion we had on this.

[AEgit]

See discussion here:
#2784
here:
#2752
and here:
#3008

I thought this was fixed with #3008, but I encounter this issue again in:
JabRef 4.1-dev--snapshot--2017-10-23--master--451b6f3de
Windows 10 10.0 amd64
Java 1.8.0_151

Could it be that when reinstalling a new version of JabRef, old preferences for system fonts are imported, which cause the issue (see also #3008)?

[halirutan]

@Siedlerchr @AEgit Oh god, this is a lot of information. I only skimmed over some issues to see if this has been reported recently. This quote from @lenhard

Before that change, you could have italics in the main table with the right font. Now, I can't find one that supports it.

It was my first guess as well and I tried different settings but nothing helped. That's why I implemented the test-class. Additionally, I read through some SO posts and finally asked with this minimal example here.

When it is indeed a font issue that comes and goes with setting different fonts it would be bad since users can change this as they like. Since the main table is only displayed and not edited directly, would it be an option to use HTML like we do in the preview?

[Siedlerchr]

HTML could be an option, should be possible, https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/components/html.html
In JabRef all MainTable stuff is in the org.jabref.gui.maintable package

[AEgit]

Maybe a stupid question: Was there a reason for why HTML wasn't used in the first place for the main table? Could this influence the performance in large databases?

[AEgit]

The first time I started (after new installation)

JabRef 4.1-dev--snapshot--2017-10-26--master--3d4b5104d
Windows 10 10.0 amd64
Java 1.8.0_151

this issue seemed to be fixed, i. e. the \textit{} was interpreted correctly and text appeared in italics in the main table.

The second time I started the same JabRef version, the issue reported above reappeared, i. e. text that should render in italics is replaced by squares in the main table. This issue persists when restarting JabRef. This indicates, I guess, that something changes in the default settings between the first installation of JabRef and subsequent use.

[Siedlerchr]

We could use the latex2html converter, similar as in #3574

[tobiasdiez]

This should be fixed in the latest development version. Could you please check the build from https://builds.jabref.org/maintable-beta/. Thanks! Note this version is in a very early beta stage and might not work as expected. See #3621 for further details.