[MLZ] Best way to edit CSL-m file?

wonblee

I need to edit a CSL-m file to accommodate a foreign citation format. What is the best way to edit the citation style? Is a separate visual editor for CSL-m on the horizon?

adamsmith

I know that Frank has looked at the visual editor, but right now your best bet is to just edit the CSL/XML. The main advantage of the visual editor is finding similar styles, anyway - the actual editing is only somewhat easier.

wonblee

Does that mean I have to use a text editor to hard-code the CSL file?

adamsmith

basically, yes. But you can use the test pane
http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/citation_styles/reference_test_pane
for trying out the style - it works in MLZ, too.
Note, though, that you need to copy the style to a text editor and save it there. You cannot save directly from the test pane.

fbennett

@wonblee,

What is the format? If the requirements are straightforward, I can extend the American Law style to cover your needs in that jurisdiction.

For small edits, the "CSL Edit" panel in Zotero is the simplest tool, as adamsmith indicates. For larger changes I use other tools -- a program editor and a fast little program that I customized to run large batches style tests -- but you probably don't want to go there.

fbennett

Eventually I want to make the legal styles modular, so that you can request a style with support for specific jurisdictions (instead of having everything in one massive style). That's some distance off in the future, though.

wonblee

@fbennett,
There is more than one. I'm pursuing publication in a couple of journals in an Asian jurisdiction, and each journal has its own citation format. I'll have to tailor a CSL-m for each journal.

fbennett

Are their citation guides online? I can't promise coverage right away, but it would be great to have information on the requirements that people encounter out there. It will be useful for the eventual move toward modular styles.

wonblee

@fbennett,

I'll send you via email.

tuomasgreen

Old thread, but relevant problem, so here goes:

I have a need for a CSL-m style -- used on our deparment for theses etc. -- that is quite similar to the style "The Journal of Roman studies". I would need to make few minor edits to this style. I'm quite sure that with all the documentation, I can manage to make these minor edits.

For example, in JoRs style the footnote reads Smith 2015: 15, and I would like to have Smith 2015, 15, and also in the bibliography I would like to have instead of Smith 2015: Wealth of Nations Smith 2015. Wealth of Nations. Also, after Accessed there should be a space, and I would need to include the publisher along with the place where it was published.

But the main problem is that I am not sure of the following:

1. If I edit the style with notepad++, how do I make the style CSL-m -style, and not normal CSL-style?
2. The reason why I'm asking this is because I would also like to use translitterations and translations of book, article names, in the bibliography. If I understand correctly, that requires CSL-m -style?

fbennett

Translations and transliterations are possible with any style, including standard CSL styles, using the Juris-M reference manager. If you don't need legal style support, standard CSL should work fine. For editing alternatives, you could use the CSL visual editor, or (for a more techie solution, but one that I like for my own work) the Juris-M style editor (GitHub account required, click on the "Source" label to upload a file).