BibTeX, biblatex and biber ⇒ Database Import from EndNote into JabRef

[dreadypelicang]

hi

Sorry to bother you. I just started using LaTeX and as I understand it, if I want to be able to use references from my EndNote library I have to use BibTeX and/or JabRef (not exactly sure what BibTeX is, software or format, but well).

I tried exporting my EndNote references and obtained a single text document. I then tired to import this document in the online version of JabRef ("Web Start" on the right portion of the site) by asking JabRef to import it with each of the seemingly relevant filters. None of them worked : I got the "could not find a suitable import format" error.

All my references look like this :

Barrera, M. E., Maurer Daphne (1981). "The Perception of Facial Expressions by the Three-Month-Old." Child Development 52(1): 203-206.
Blablablalabablablalabablabla blabablablabla bablablalabablabla blalabablabla blalababla ...(abstract)

and the file that contains them is called "References.txt"

(it was generated by EndNote X5, I could not even get EndNote X4 to import it )

What is wrong with this file? I tried doing some research on JabRef importing but got seriously annoyed after some time. My confusion only grew bigger and bigger the more I looked into the subject. All I want is to be able to synchronise my EndNote library to any library format usable with LaTeX without making my head explode. Next time I will try using a BibTeX reference manager from the start, but for now I have to convert all those references. Plus I know I will have to use EndNote for some references not available in BibTeX format so the same problem will likely occur again and again.

Thank you so much for any help. It is so frustrating! Managing referencing should not be the hardest part of writing papers, but I just don't understand what I am supposed to do here

[cgnieder]

Hi dreadypelicang,

Welcome to the LaTeX community!

I cannot help with the Endnote issues as I have never used it. What I can tell you is how a bibliography file should look like for the use with LaTeX. Such a file typically has the file extension bib and is a text file that contains the bibliographic entries similar to the following form:

Code: Select all

% this is the file `references.bib'
@article{author12,
  author  = {Adam Author},
  title   = {An Awesome Title},
  journal = {Journal Name},
  volume  = {12},
  pages   = {123--127},
  year    = {2012}
}
@book{buthor12,
  author    = {Bob Buthor},
  title     = {The Book's Title},
  edition   = {3},
  publisher = {Some Publisher},
  year      = {2012}
}

Now as far as I know you should be able to export your endnote library to a bib file. A search for “endnote bibtex export” leads to several guides.

If you have managed that you have two ways to proceed: either use the classical way:

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\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\cite{author12} and another \cite{buthor12}

\bibliographystyle{plain}% choose bibliography style that suits your needs
\bibliography{references}% argument is the name of the bib file
\end{document}

This file must then be processed (=compiled) in the following order:

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pdflatex file
bibtex file
pdflatex file
pdflatex file

Bibtex is the program that recognizes which references have been cited and adds them to the bibliography according to the specified style.

The other way would be to use biblatex. The syntax is slightly different:

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\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=authoryear]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}% the file name including the extension
\begin{document}
\cite{author12} and another \cite{buthor12}

\printbibliography
\end{document}

Compilation is the same as before but you have to use the right backend. You can choose backend=bibtex and compile the file exactly like before or choose backaned=biber (as I did in my example) and use biber instead of bibtex:

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pdflatex file
biber file
pdflatex file
pdflatex file

Regards