Re: [Ebib-users] mastersthesis

[<ts...@ts...>]

Hi Joost,

Joost Kremers <joo...@fa...> writes:

> Hi Tom,
>
> On Tue, Sep 06, 2011 at 05:11:26AM -1000, Thomas S. Dye wrote:
>> Joost Kremers <joo...@fa...> writes:
>> > Could you send me a copy of the relevant .bib file and also a list of the Ebib
>> > customisations you made? TBH, I haven't got a clue what might be going on, but
>> > I'll try and figure it out. :-)
>> 
>> Here are the ebib entries in custom.el:
>> 
>>  '(ebib-file-associations (quote (("pdf" . "/Applications/Skim.app/Contents/MacOS/Skim") ("ps" . "/Applications/Preview.app/Contents/MacOS/Preview"))))
>>  '(ebib-file-search-dirs (quote ("~/Desktop/reprints/")))
>>  '(ebib-insertion-commands (quote (("cite" 1 nil) ("citep" 1 nil) ("citet" 1 nil))))
>>  '(ebib-preload-bib-files (quote ("/Users/dk/Public/projects/bibliography/bib/bib/tsd.bib")))
>
> These shouldn't have any effect on how the .bib file is saved, so...
>
>> I've attached the .bib file after a save with ebib (so the 'type' field
>> is added to @mastersthesis).
>
> Thanks. However, there doesn't seem to be anything in the .bib file that causes
> your problem. If I load it, change something, save it, then manually remove the
> 'type = {masterstesis}' fields from the bib file and reload it, change something
> else, then save it, the type fields are not there.
>
> Ebib stores each entry in a hash table, where each field name is a key. There is
> a special key 'type*' (note the asterisk) that stores the entry type (article,
> book, mastersthesis, etc.) This type* key is not saved as a field into the bib
> file, but (obviously) as the entry type (@book, @article, etc.) But if for some
> reason the key 'type*' in the hash table is replaced with a key 'type', then
> Ebib will save it as a normal field.
>
> The one thing I cannot figure out, though, is how this key 'type' is created.
> And why it only happens with the mastersthesis entries. That to me just doesn't
> make any sense.
>
> Does this happen with a completely fresh Emacs session as well? What if you
> start Emacs with:
>
> $ emacs -Q -l /path/to/ebib.el
>
> then start Ebib with 'M-x ebib'.

This works as you describe it.  There is no extraneous 'type' field
added during the save operation.

>
> What happens if you start Emacs and Ebib this way, then load the relevant .bib
> file (with the 'type = {mastersthesis}' lines removed), lower Ebib again, then
> type 'M-x ielm' (to get an interactive Elisp prompt) and at the prompt type
> (copy/paste) the following:
>
> (gethash "wilson76:_o_posses_marker_hawaiian" (edb-database ebib-cur-db))
>
> That should show some info about the hash table that stores the relevant entry,
> together with a list of all the fields. There shouldn't be a type field there.
> If there is, there's definitely something weird going on.

There is no type field there.

So, it must be a customization (sigh).  I'll keep my eye on this and let
you know if I track down the culprit.

In the meantime, thanks for looking into the mystery.  I'm getting
addicted to ebib.  With a little practice, it is an easy and efficient
way to manage bibliographies.

All the best,
Tom

-- 
T.S. Dye & Colleagues, Archaeologists
735 Bishop St, Suite 315, Honolulu, HI 96813
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