BibTeX, biblatex and biber ⇒ bibstyles and reference alignment

[cvilhelm]

Hello,

I'm quite a newbie. This document will eventually contain my final exam answers, but right now I'm just setting it up. I want to get the problems dealt with before I freak out about the test questions, which I haven't even received yet.

I tried to get jurabib to work, but to no avail. Biblatex is still in beta, so I can't use that either because I use MikTeX (or is there a way?). So, I settled on using the bibstyle from http://web.reed.edu/cis/help/LaTeX/imag ... eb.bst.zip. If you look at the attached PDF, you'll notice that the first source listed under References isn't lined up like all the rest. Why is that, and how do I fix it? Sorry for being nit-picky, but I'm just a curious perfectionist.

Also, every time I build the document with TeXnicCenter, there are 8 identical error messages saying:

Code: Select all

! Extra }, or forgotten \endgroup.
\par ...m \@noitemerr {\@@par }\fi \else {\@@par}
                                                \fi

Will these errors screw up my document later on? How do I resolve them?

This is the actual document:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\topmargin=-.5in    % Make letterhead start about 1 inch from top of page 
\textheight=9in  % text height can be bigger for a longer letter
\oddsidemargin=-0.25in % leftmargin is 1 inch
\textwidth=6.75in   % textwidth of 6.5in leaves 1 inch for right margin
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{tgschola}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{latexsym}
\usepackage{natbib}

\begin{document}

\bibliographystyle{ChicagoReedWeb}

\begin{flushleft}
W--- C---\\
Dr. D---\\
PS-0042-01\\
7 May 2009\\
\end{flushleft}

\begin{center}
Final Exam
\end{center}

\footnote{\cite{Descartes:1988}}
\footnote{\cite{Hobbes:1958}}
\footnote{\cite{MarxandEngels:2002}}
\footnote{\cite{Mill:1987}}
\footnote{\cite{Nietzsche:1992}}
\footnote{\cite{Rousseau:1987}}
\footnote{\cite{Smith:2002}}
\footnote{\cite{Tocqueville:2000}}

\bibliography{Master}

\end{document}

This is by .bib file:

Code: Select all

@book{Descartes:1988,
	author={René Descartes},
	year={1998},
	title={Discourse on the method for conducting one's reason well and for seeking truth in the sciences},
	publisher={Hackett Pub. Co.},
	address={Indianapolis},
	pages={44},
	keywords={Methodology; Science -- Methodology},
	isbn={9780872204225}
}
@book{Hobbes:1958,
	author={Thomas Hobbes},
	year={1958},
	title={Leviathan---Parts One and Two},
	publisher={Prentice Hall},
	address={Englewood Cliffs, NJ},
	isbn={9780024077509}
}
@book{MarxandEngels:2002,
	author={Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and Gareth S. Jones},
	year={2002},
	title={The Communist Manifesto},
	publisher={Penguin},
	address={London},
	pages={288},
	note={Originally published: London : William Reeves, 1888.},
	keywords={Communism; Socialism},
	isbn={9780140447576}
}
@book{Mill:1987,
	author={John Stuart Mill},
	year={1978},
	title={On Liberty},
	publisher={Hackett Pub. Co.},
	address={Indianapolis},
	pages={113},
	keywords={Liberty},
	isbn={9780915144433}
}
@book{Nietzsche:1992,
	author={Friedrich Nietzsche},
	year={1992},
	title={Basic Writings of Nietzsche},
	publisher={Random House},
	address={New York}
}
@book{Rousseau:1987,
	author={Jean-Jacques Rousseau},
	year={1987},
	title={Basic political writings},
	publisher={Hackett Pub. Co.},
	address={Indianapolis},
	pages={227},
	note={Discourse on the sciences and arts -- Discourse on the origin of inequality -- Discourse on political economy -- On the social contract.},
	keywords={Political science},
	isbn={9780872299470}
}
@book{Smith:2002,
	author={Adam Smith},
	year={2002},
	title={The Theory of Moral Sentiments},
	publisher={Cambridge University Press},
	address={New York},
	pages={411},
	keywords={Ethics -- Early works to 1800},
	isbn={0521598478}
}
@book{Tocqueville:2000,
	author={Alexis de Tocqueville},
	year={2000},
	title={Democracy in America},
	publisher={University of Chicago Press},
	address={Chicago},
	pages={722},
	keywords={Democracy -- United States; United States -- Politics and government; United States -- Social conditions -- To 1865},
	isbn={9780226805368}
}

Any and all pointers you may have would be appreciated. Oh, and does anybody know how to make a Chicago-style cover-page?

Thanks for all the help,
-Wm

[monamipierrot]

Biblatex is still in beta, so I can't use that either because I use MikTeX (or is there a way?)

I'ma a happy BibLATeX user. I also use MikTeX in WinXP and I also made BibLaTeX perfectly work with LyX 1.6.2, so I doubt it could any problem with you.
It seems to me the beta status of BibLaTeX is just a scrupolous definition: it works great with almost no problems, you just have to manually install it (read its doc) and (better) study how it works, and choose a style. Then it's very easy to change dozens of settings and do every single hack and tweak for your purpouse. Actually, I didn't understand your exact needs, but I can bet BibLaTeX manual DOES can.

Piero

[cvilhelm]

I bit the bullet and installed biblatex... I put the files where the readme said... updated the MikTeX's FNDB... ...got a Chicago style sheet from CTAN... and after looking at the example... I got it to work. YAY!