export to Harvard/RTF incorrect when name contains (properly escaped) "and"

[timobaumann]

JabRef version 3.2

• I have tested the latest development version from http://builds.jabref.org/master/ and the problem persists (JabRef-5.0-dev--snapshot--2018-11-23--master--742cfce7e.jar)

The export filter interprets all "and"s in name fields as breaking multiple names even when the author is properly escaped with curly braces.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. consider the bibtex

@article{test,
  author = {{Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development}}
}

2. verify that latex+biber properly output "Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development" as author
3. export with Harvard filter and find "Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development".
4. change name to {{Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other stuff}} and rejoice at "for Economic Cooperation, O.; Development & other stuff"

Clearly, the export plugin does not honor the double curly braces that should prohibit breaking names.

I haven't found any other way of quoting the "and" to avoid breaking the name into multiple names that are then recombined, either.

[Siedlerchr]

Probably related to the latex to Unicode converter which kills the braces

[github-actions]

This issue has been inactive for half a year. Since JabRef is constantly evolving this issue may not be relevant any longer and it will be closed in two weeks if no further activity occurs.

As part of an effort to ensure that the JabRef team is focusing on important and valid issues, we would like to ask if you could update the issue if it still persists. This could be in the following form:

• If there has been a longer discussion, add a short summary of the most important points as a new comment (if not yet existing).
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Thank you for your contribution!

[timobaumann]

the problem persists exactly as before.

[timobaumann]

@Siedlerchr , @github-actions , can you please re-open this? apparently us standard humans can't re-open our own issues in the github tracker... thanks.

[Siedlerchr]

@timobaumann So the problem exists in the latest development version 5.x?

[timobaumann]

yes. Downloaded most recent:
JabRef 5.3--2021-01-13--4d8e4f0
Linux 5.4.0-53-generic amd64
Java 15.0.1
JavaFX 15.0.1+1

put the bibtex from above, export to Harvard.

[Siedlerchr]

Okay, thanks for the feedback. I think I found the problem.
The RTFChars kills the extra braces and it's called before the authors formatter. That's why the authors formatter treats this as two different authors and cuts it at the "and"

[Siedlerchr]

@k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27 I just debugged this and found out that the AuthorLastFirst formatter somehow kills the braces for corporate authors {Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development} is turned into Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the AuthorAbbreviator then think it's two different authors.
\format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,RTFChars]{\author} (\year),

Do you have any idea why the AuthorsFormatter does remove the braces?

[k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27]

In theory Author.java should kill the braces. I have considered extending it with an Author.isInstitute method. Perhaps that would work? (assuming that is the issue for you)
Is it a similar issue to

jabref/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/citationkeypattern/BracketedPattern.java

Lines 493 to 510 in e173764

	private static AuthorList createAuthorList(String unparsedAuthors) {
	AuthorList authorList = new AuthorList();
	for (Author author : AuthorList.parse(unparsedAuthors).getAuthors()) {
	// If the author is an institution, use an institution key instead of the full name
	String lastName = author.getLast()
	.map(lastPart -> isInstitution(author) ?
	generateInstitutionKey(lastPart) :
	LatexToUnicodeAdapter.format(lastPart))
	.orElse(null);
	authorList.addAuthor(
	author.getFirst().map(LatexToUnicodeAdapter::format).orElse(null),
	author.getFirstAbbr().map(LatexToUnicodeAdapter::format).orElse(null),
	author.getVon().map(LatexToUnicodeAdapter::format).orElse(null),
	lastName,
	author.getJr().map(LatexToUnicodeAdapter::format).orElse(null)
	);
	}
	return authorList;

?

My best guess is that it is being removed because there is no-where in JabRef's code-base where it is explicit what the use of the String is (e.g., should it be viewed by the user -> remove braces, should it be exported or used by bracketed patterns -> keep braces).

[k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27]

I am sorry, I don't have more time to look at it today. I can take a closer look tomorrow. #7301 (comment) might also relate to the issue.

[Siedlerchr]

@k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27 Yes, there needs to be a kind of check for institution that is the problem here.

[k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27]

I don't understand what the correct output format should be for this issue. Should the output contain curly braces?

If I understand \format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,RTFChars]{\author} correctly It will call both AuthorLastFirst and AuthorAbbreviator (left to right?)?
Barring the problem with wether or not this should be possible, they are both based on Author.getLastFirst so calling them in a row shouldn't be done (perhaps there is a different LayoutFormatter that does the trick or maybe it is time for a new LayoutFormatter for this circumstance?).

Regarding what to do about the braces being removed, is in my opinion, a different and much longer discussion. Whether or not the braces should be removed is dependent on what the resulting String is supposed to be used for afterwards.

[k3KAW8Pnf7mkmdSMPHz27]

My current belief regarding the formatters and AuthorList.parse is that

1. Formatters always output in a way that can be shown to the user (no BibTeX formatting)
2. AuthorList.parse only supports BibTex formatting (with one small extension to allow comma separated authors)

[Siedlerchr]

Ah okay thanks for the insight. So I will try with only one author formatter and the rtfchars I think the layout file hasn't been touched for years...

[Siedlerchr]

@timobaumann This issue is now resolved in the latest master. For other layout based exporters see issue #7356. They need to be adapted to the new AuthorsFormatter Syntax as well

[timobaumann]

Thanks @Siedlerchr !