Generic way to store preferences in .bib file / self-contained library settings

[ColinScarato]

Jabref allows to store part of its settings in a database-specific way directly in a given .bib file: https://docs.jabref.org/setup/databaseproperties

I would find super useful to be able to store more of these settings in a .bib file (use case: a big group of collaborators working on a database under version control, with a lot of settings that we currently need to maintain for every collaborator separately). Given that there is already a mechanism to export/import these preferences with an .xml file, could it be possible to implement this in a similar way for .bib files, in order to automatically load all of these preferences if present when opening a given database? Or does Jabref only support globally setting some of these values?

In particular I would need the following settings:

• mainTableColumnNames
• mainTableColumnSortTypes
• mainTableColumnSortOrder
• customTabName_0
• customTabFields_0
• useOwner
• addCreationDate
• reformatFileOnSaveAndExport
• useRemoteServer
• bibLocAsPrimaryDir
• customizedBibtexTypes

Thanks!

[yanyanliu1400]

Hi, I am a new contributor to and I would like to make an attempt at resolving this issue. Could it please be assigned to me?

I have followed the instructions and set up a local workspace.

I have also read the contribution guide.

I was hoping I could receive some advice/pointers on where to begin with this issue.

[ThiloteE]

Marking this with devcall to explore the idea of storing more preferences in the bib file.

Related issue: #8836

What speaks for this:

• Eases maintaining of shared databases

What speaks against:

• Bib file pollution (When it is NOT wanted to automatically load preferences from colleagues in a shared database)
• Most (but not all) JabRef preferences are stored elsewhere (might lead to confusion)

@yanyanliu1400 this is a tough issue that requires a lot of thinking so as to not create problems for many people that are not in need of these specific preferences. Since this is your first contribution to JabRef, please have a look at our projects page with "good first issues". If you are a student, the "candidates for university projects" page offers some issues of varying difficulty and scope and that have been estimated to be compatible with university courses as well and often bring a larger feature to JabRef. I think you already found another issue to work on though.

[koppor]

Workaround

Alternatively, one could export the JabRef preferences and have all users importing the database.

Local Library Settings (Solution with one file)

• useOwner
  
• addCreationDate
  
• reformatFileOnSaveAndExport
• useRemoteServer --> This is already possible when a bib file is synchronized with a local file - https://docs.jabref.org/collaborative-work/sqldatabase. Maybe, it does not work as expected when the bib file is opened by a user not having connected to the database yet
  
• bibLocAsPrimaryDir --> This is not required because one can set "." as main file directory
  
• customizedBibtexTypes - Documentation: https://docs.jabref.org/setup/customentrytypes - currently, JabRef stores the used entry types
• Linked File Name
  • 
  • 
• mainTableColumnNames
• mainTableColumnSortTypes
• mainTableColumnSortOrder
• customTabName_0
• customTabFields_0

UI: Each check tri-state: selected, unslected, grayed-out. If grayed-out, the global setting is used and the grayed-out box should be in the state of the global configuration.

Note: This approach is simlar to the file directory setting approach of JabRef:

Solution with multiple files (workspace concept)

JabRef could introduce the concept of a workspace, where multiple files are included. When sharing, the complete folder could be shared. The folder could contain

• Shared preferences
• Related references (see Added support to explore citation relations #7160 (comment))

Similar to IntelliJ's global preferences and module-/project-specific preferences.

(not chosen) Solution with exported preferences handled by JabRef

Filename is papers.bib. There could be a file papers.jabref-preferences.xml. If JabRef finds that file, it loads these preferences when the library is focused. If it is unfocused, then the "old" preferences are restored.

Alternative: In the meta data, the path to the preferences can be configured.

1. --> preferences of "test541.bib" are loaded
2. --> global preferences are used

• Bad, because performance could go low (because of the abbreviations)
• Bad, because possibly non-understandable by users

[koppor]

If tackling this issue, each setting has to be investigated separately:

• Locate the settings component in our property dialog code and make that component resuable (see the Key Patterns component as example)
  
  
• Include the setting in the library properties
• Have the preference resolution ask the library setting and then the global setting
• Adapt initialization of setting