[Refdb-users] Curious refdbc -C "getref ..." behaviour

[David N. <dav...@bi...>]

I have observed some curious behaviour regarding getref when used with 
refdbc's batch mode.

In summary:

 - Using getref to output to file in refdbc interactive mode: works for 
all tried formats (scrn, ris, risx, html, xhtml).
 - Using getref to output to file in refdbc batch mode: works only for 
ris format, fails with scrn, risx, html, xhtml.
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Demonstrating the problem:

Let's output a reference to screen:

These all work:

refdbc -C "getref -t scrn :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -t risx :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -t ris :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -t html :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -t xhtml :ID:=7"


Now, let's output to file:

This works:

refdbc -C "getref -o foo.ris -t ris :ID:=7"

These do not work:

refdbc -C "getref -o foo.txt -t scrn :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -o foo.xml -t risx :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -o foo.html -t html :ID:=7"
refdbc -C "getref -o foo.xhtml -t xhtml :ID:=7"

What is written to the file in each failed case is the following text:
........................
select failed
........................


Let's use refdbc's interactive mode to make sure it's a problem with the 
batch mode:

These all work:

refdbc: getref -o foo.txt -t scrn ":ID:=7"
refdbc: getref -o foo.xml -t risx ":ID:=7"
refdbc: getref -o foo.ris -t ris ":ID:=7"
refdbc: getref -o foo.html -t html ":ID:=7"
refdbc: getref -o foo.xhtml -t xhtml ":ID:=7"

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Workaround:

The workaround is obvious: use ris format when scripting, work in 
interactive mode if using other formats.

This, however, limits the use of refdbc in scripting -- one of the 
stated design goals of refdb.