Export to .bib File in One Click

zxvc

Could Zotero provide a button on the Zotero pane such that we can easily export the library to a .bib file by one mouse click?

Bionatsci

I think this is a good idea, although I don't personally use LaTeX* from what I know about it it would make the BibTeX workflow smoother.

However, given that LaTeX users tend to be quite tech-savvy would it be acceptable to have this as a (well documented) hidden pref, to save cluttering the Zotero interface for the majority of users who would never have need of such a button?

*My university requires electronic submission of .doc files, otherwise I would definitely go down the LaTeX route.

zxvc

In the current, the steps we do for export are:
1. Click Action button
2. Export Library...
3. Choose format - BibTex and Press OK button.
4. Choose the path and the filename for export.
5. If the file exists, you also have to answer the overwritten dialog.

I would like one mouse click to do all these steps.

zxvc

Bionatsci:

I agree with your opinions.

It maybe add this function "Quick Export Library..." in Action menu.
And the related settings of these steps maybe located in "Zotero Preferences."

dstillman

You might want to look at the LyZ extension.

Depending on the size and destination of your BibTeX document, you can also use Quick Copy with a single shortcut.

zxvc

Hi, Dan Stillman:

Thank you. I have tried LyZ. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on my LyX 1.6.5 + Zotero 2.0. It might have some bugs. LyZ really inserts some objects into my article, however, the PDF output has no citation.

Zotero Quick Copy works. However, I have to manually number the citation ID in my articles (I don't mean the numbering of citations in the reference section, because Quick Copy automatically numbers them.). It will be difficult to maintain.

Exporting BibTeX database file might be a preferred solution.
And it is also usable for pure-LaTeX users.

anders_royce

Just chiming in that I am also in favor of this idea. I am in the process of moving from Word to LyX, and the loss of Zotero integration is really the only negative part of the transition. A way to quickly update/overwrite a .bib file would be great. I was not aware of Lyz, and will give it a shot, but I think a quick export button or something along those lines would be an excellent feature. Maybe a hotkey would be preferable if cluttering of the UI is a concern, but I think a quick export button would fit well and seem logical next to the create collection and group buttons.

dstillman

I have tried LyZ. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on my LyX 1.6.5 + Zotero 2.0.

Then LyZ should be fixed, no?

dstillman

I'm not necessarily opposed to built-in functionality that offered one-click export to a specified file, but 1) any built-in solution would have to be format-agnostic, like Quick Copy, since there's no way we'd add BibTeX-specific functionality and 2) I suspect that very few people would have any reason to export the entire library to other formats. Together, this suggests to me that this is plugin territory. LyZ already aims to serve this need, with various features that presumably make it better than regular export. If it doesn't work, it should be fixed. If a pure LaTeX solution is needed, someone should probably create a plugin for that.

zxvc

Hi, Dan Stillman:

1) I think it can add format settings in Zotero Preferences Dialog for "Quick Export."
The format settings may provide other database formats (not only BibTeX) for exporting.

2) LyZ maybe a good solution. However, it is not a part of Zotero official maintenance. If there is a version change of Zotero, it might be broken. Really, LyZ website claims it only supports Zotero 2.0Beta. And it doesn't work on my computer.

Additionally, I feel it maybe more convenient if Zotero supports directly accessing what databases format the user selects (e.g. BibTeX, just like JabRef). On the word, we evenly need not any step to export a library. Why don't I use JabRef? Because it is not integrated with my browser.

ajlyon

LyZ maybe a good solution. However, it is not a part of Zotero official maintenance.

Please remember that Zotero is an open-source project with limited development staff. It is intentionally open to plugin developers, and connections with common software like LaTeX/BibTex is just the job for a plugin, as Dan has said. You can rest assured that Zotero will not intentionally break LyZ, and with time we (the user/developer community) will hopefully see more developers step up to work on plugins like LyZ that are not done internally by the Zotero team of CHNM. The OpenOffice and Word plugins were essential for Zotero to have any traction whatsoever, so they had to be written and maintained in-house.
(note: I am not a member of the Zotero developer team, and don't speak for them. This is just my sense, from reading the forums and following the project.)

zxvc

After some tries, my LyZ works. LyZ achieves most functions I wanted.

Thanks, everyone.

EonStrife

it will be nice, if it can also export Bib to the clipboard...

dstillman

EonStrife: http://zotero.org/support/creating_bibliographies#quick_copy

EonStrife

@Dan
Cool, thanks :D