Exporting to BibTeX format, keeping original citation keys

harrelfe

I found how to use an add-on to keep my BibTeX citation keys upon importing into a group in zotero. But when I export back to BibTeX the citation keys are all changed to use the automatic naming convention. How can I make the export keep the original keys?

bwiernik

Use the BetterBibTeX plugin and “pin” the citation key.

harrelfe

Thank you very much. I'll use that. I assume 'pin' means 'permanently attach the current citation key as the key to use in every future context'.

Where do I find the option to 'pin'?

When I use Zotero Connector to add new references how do I define a reference key that uses my own personal key-construction format?

bwiernik

Install betterBibTeX and you can define your own key format that will be used every time. The pin option will be in the right click menu.

harrelfe

Thanks - I see that this is the workflow: on desktop client:
Highlight articles to export ... right click ... better BibTeX ... pin
BibTeX key ... export

As far as defining your own key format I'd like to manually construct that each time I import a new article. I gather there is no way to do that but you must use a formula.

adamsmith

While it seems cumbersome to me & I'd recommend to an automated pattern, you can define custom cite keys using BBT as described here: https://retorque.re/zotero-better-bibtex/citation-keys/ under the "Set your own..." heading.

harrelfe

I'll go there. Thanks for all the great information.

emilianoeheyns

If you always want to manually construct your own, you can do this by ignoring the automatically generated key and just typing "bibtex: yourcitekey" in the extra field. That's all the "pin" option does anyway; it takes the current key, and adds it to the extra field. What is in the extra field always takes precedence, regardless of how it got there.

WRT retaining original keys, that's the default when you import with BBT installed. On import, BBT will add the existing citekey to the extra field.

harrelfe

Excellent. Thanks.