refdb-users

[Refdb-users] User feedback 2

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

[... continued]

3. When importing files from other formats _with their own citation 
keys_, it is possible to end up with refdb citation keys that have 
colons in them.  Any such citation will not appear in the final output.

I presume this is to do with parsing for the A: and Y: parts of the 
citations.

I imagine possible solutions may include preventing such references 
being uploaded, silently removing the colon or simply ignoring the 
citation key and adding a new one according to the usual algorithms.

4. When using RIS format you must use BT for book titles -- if TI is 
used the title doesn't print in the reference list.  The manual (p.44) 
says that BT and TI are the same for books, but it doesn't say you 
_must_ use BT.

5. The makefile will fail on the runbib command unless the runbib file 
is edited to include at least the user's username.  Adding password 
prevents runbib from pausing to ask for password.

Here is the output when username is _not_ present in runbib:

$ make html
refdbxp -t db31x < basic-doc.short.xml > basic-doc.xml
runbib -d refs_computing -S Eur.J.Pharmacol. -t db31x basic-doc.xml
Please enter your password:
server error: could not connect to database server
.
mv: cannot stat `Eur.J.Pharmacol.xsl': No such file or directory
make: *** [basic-doc.bib.xml] Error 1

The username and password lines in runbib occur _after_ the 
user-customisable section, so it may not be readily apparent to users 
that they need to amend them.

Perhaps runbib should prompt for username?

[To be continued...]

Regards,
David.

[Refdb-users] User feedback 2

[Markus H. <mar...@mh...>]

David Nebauer writes:
 > [... continued]
 > 
 > 3. When importing files from other formats _with their own citation 
 > keys_, it is possible to end up with refdb citation keys that have 
 > colons in them.  Any such citation will not appear in the final output.
 > 
 > I presume this is to do with parsing for the A: and Y: parts of the 
 > citations.
 > 
 > I imagine possible solutions may include preventing such references 
 > being uploaded, silently removing the colon or simply ignoring the 
 > citation key and adding a new one according to the usual algorithms.
 > 

Yes, this is an oversight. Colons should be stripped from citation
keys. I'll fix that.

 > 4. When using RIS format you must use BT for book titles -- if TI is 
 > used the title doesn't print in the reference list.  The manual (p.44) 
 > says that BT and TI are the same for books, but it doesn't say you 
 > _must_ use BT.
 > 

This is an attempt to make things a little more reasonable and to get
this stuff in line with risx. The manual more or less reflects the tag
usage of Reference Manager which is quite a mess. I'll fix this
section in the manual.

 > 5. The makefile will fail on the runbib command unless the runbib file 
 > is edited to include at least the user's username.  Adding password 
 > prevents runbib from pausing to ask for password.
 > 
 > Here is the output when username is _not_ present in runbib:
 > 
 > $ make html
 > refdbxp -t db31x < basic-doc.short.xml > basic-doc.xml
 > runbib -d refs_computing -S Eur.J.Pharmacol. -t db31x basic-doc.xml
 > Please enter your password:
 > server error: could not connect to database server
 > .
 > mv: cannot stat `Eur.J.Pharmacol.xsl': No such file or directory
 > make: *** [basic-doc.bib.xml] Error 1
 > 
 > The username and password lines in runbib occur _after_ the 
 > user-customisable section, so it may not be readily apparent to users 
 > that they need to amend them.
 > 
 > Perhaps runbib should prompt for username?
 > 

I'm afraid you did not set up a .refdbibrc config file. This should
contain the username (if it is different from the current login name)
and either the password or a '*' to get the password prompt. runbib is
just a script that calls refdbib at some point.

regards,
Markus

-- 
Markus Hoenicka
mar...@ca...
(Spam-protected email: replace the quadrupeds with "mhoenicka")
http://www.mhoenicka.de

Re: [Refdb-users] User feedback 2

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

Hi Markus,

> I'm afraid you did not set up a .refdbibrc config file. This should
> contain the username (if it is different from the current login name)
> and either the password or a '*' to get the password prompt. runbib is
> just a script that calls refdbib at some point.

Hmm, quite right.  In my defence, may I plead a _slight_ lack of clarity
in the manual.  In the section "The non-interactive mode of refdbib"
(http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x2084.html) you refer readers to
"Starting refdbib" (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x6660.html) which
refers back to "The mystery of the configuration files"
(http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x575.html#SECT1-MYSTERY-INIT-FILES)
for a general discussion of config files.

However, in that first section I mentioned, "The non-interactive mode of
refdbib" (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x2084.html), you recommend
that users instead use runbib and refer them to "The runbib shell script"
(http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x8190.html).  No mention is made in
this page of the need to set up a .refdbibrc config file.

Many users like myself may skip the details about refdbib configuration,
instead going straight to runbib as you recommend.

Perhaps you could add a short para to the runbib page mentioning the need
to set up .refdbibrc file?

Regards,
David.

Re: [Refdb-users] User feedback 2

[Markus H. <mar...@mh...>]

David Nebauer writes:
 > Hi Markus,
 > 
 > > I'm afraid you did not set up a .refdbibrc config file. This should
 > > contain the username (if it is different from the current login name)
 > > and either the password or a '*' to get the password prompt. runbib is
 > > just a script that calls refdbib at some point.
 > 
 > Hmm, quite right.  In my defence, may I plead a _slight_ lack of clarity
 > in the manual.  In the section "The non-interactive mode of refdbib"
 > (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x2084.html) you refer readers to
 > "Starting refdbib" (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x6660.html) which
 > refers back to "The mystery of the configuration files"
 > (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x575.html#SECT1-MYSTERY-INIT-FILES)
 > for a general discussion of config files.
 > 
 > However, in that first section I mentioned, "The non-interactive mode of
 > refdbib" (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x2084.html), you recommend
 > that users instead use runbib and refer them to "The runbib shell script"
 > (http://refdb.sourceforge.net/manual/x8190.html).  No mention is made in
 > this page of the need to set up a .refdbibrc config file.
 > 

No need to defend yourself. If reading the docs didn't do the trick,
then the docs need to get better.
 
 > Many users like myself may skip the details about refdbib configuration,
 > instead going straight to runbib as you recommend.
 > 
 > Perhaps you could add a short para to the runbib page mentioning the need
 > to set up .refdbibrc file?
 > 

Sure. I put this on my list.

regards,
Markus

-- 
Markus Hoenicka
mar...@ca...
(Spam-protected email: replace the quadrupeds with "mhoenicka")
http://www.mhoenicka.de

Re: [Refdb-users] User feedback 2

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

Hi Markus,

>I'm afraid you did not set up a .refdbibrc config file. This should
>contain the username (if it is different from the current login name)
>and either the password or a '*' to get the password prompt. runbib is
>just a script that calls refdbib at some point.
>  
>
A small point: the refdbibrc.example file contains a bit of old comment:

# Bibliography output type. Currently only "db31" available
#outtype    db31

Regards,
David.

Re: [Refdb-users] User feedback 2

[Markus H. <mar...@mh...>]

David Nebauer writes:
 > A small point: the refdbibrc.example file contains a bit of old comment:
 > 
 > # Bibliography output type. Currently only "db31" available
 > #outtype    db31
 > 

Well, this probably reflects the status as of 2001. Thanks for
pointing this out. It is fixed in CVS.

regards,
Markus

-- 
Markus Hoenicka
mar...@ca...
(Spam-protected email: replace the quadrupeds with "mhoenicka")
http://www.mhoenicka.de