BibTeX, biblatex and biber ⇒ Refsection -- no output

[tjaenare]

Hey everyone,
after long hours of searching for a solution and going through several posts addressing similar topics, I hope that someone more knowledgeable than me can help me.

What I am trying to achieve is a separate bibliography for each chapter using biblatex' refsection.
My main file MWE looks as follows:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[paper=a4,11pt,draft=false,index=totoc,
version=last,headsepline]{scrbook} 
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
\usepackage[backend=bibtex8,style=authoryear-icomp,
sortcites=false,isbn=false,citereset=section,
uniquename=init,maxcitenames=3,maxbibnames=40,
hyperref,pagetracker=spread,ibidtracker=constrict,
abbreviate=true,refsection=section]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{References.bib}

\begin{document}

\include{Subchapter1}

\end{document}

The chapter looks as follows:

Code: Select all

\chapter{Tescht1}
\begin{refsection}
\parencite{AnyReference}
\printbibliography[heading=subbibliography]
\end{refsection}

The problem is, that no output is generated, i.e. neither the reference nor the bibliography.
What I understood from the various post is, that the aux-file for each refsection needs to be run by bibtex on its own, in order to generate separate bib-files. Did I get that right?
So, what I did was to compile the main file, the aux-file is generated. Then I ran bibtex on the subchapter. A bbl-file was generated, is, however, empty. Then I ran the whole document twice.

The log-file reads -- at least in my eyes -- that everything is working fine, except for the fact that the citation is undefined. This is no path finding issue, no backend issue, and independent of what reference is used -- in the document I want to compile none of the references is "defined".

Code: Select all

...
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliography style 'authoryear-icomp'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'authoryear-icomp.bbx' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\bbx\authoryear-icomp.bbx
File: authoryear-icomp.bbx 2012/08/17 v2.2 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliography style 'authoryear'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'authoryear.bbx' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\bbx\authoryear.bbx
File: authoryear.bbx 2012/08/17 v2.2 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliography style 'standard'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'standard.bbx' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\bbx\standard.bbx
File: standard.bbx 2012/08/17 v2.2 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
\c@bbx:relatedcount=\count287
)))
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load citation style 'authoryear-icomp'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'authoryear-icomp.cbx' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\cbx\authoryear-icomp.cbx
File: authoryear-icomp.cbx 2012/08/17 v2.2 biblatex citation style (PK/JW/AB)
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\cite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\parencite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcitetext'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\smartcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\textcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\cites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\parencites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcitetexts'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\smartcites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\textcites'.
)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load configuration file...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'biblatex.cfg' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\biblatex.cfg
File: biblatex.cfg 
)))
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load language 'english'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'english.lbx' found.

(C:\Users\Alitzanda\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex\biblatex\lbx\english.lbx
File: english.lbx 2012/08/17 v2.2 biblatex localization (PK/JW/AB)
)
\@quotelevel=\count288
\@quotereset=\count289
 (tescht.aux (Subchapter1.aux))
\openout1 = `tescht.aux'.

LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for OML/cmm/m/it on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for T1/cmr/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for OT1/cmr/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for OMS/cmsy/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for OMX/cmex/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for U/cmr/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    Checking defaults for PD1/pdf/m/n on input line 13.
LaTeX Font Info:    ... okay on input line 13.
\AtBeginShipoutBox=\box27
Package hyperref Info: Link coloring OFF on input line 13.

("C:\Program Files\MiKTeX2.9\tex\latex\hyperref\nameref.sty"
Package: nameref 2012/10/27 v2.43 Cross-referencing by name of section

("C:\Program Files\MiKTeX2.9\tex\generic\oberdiek\gettitlestring.sty"
Package: gettitlestring 2010/12/03 v1.4 Cleanup title references (HO)
)
\c@section@level=\count290
)
LaTeX Info: Redefining \ref on input line 13.
LaTeX Info: Redefining \pageref on input line 13.
LaTeX Info: Redefining \nameref on input line 13.
 (tescht.out) (tescht.out)
\@outlinefile=\write4
\openout4 = `tescht.out'.

Package biblatex Info: Input encoding 'latin1' detected.
Package biblatex Info: Automatic encoding selection.
(biblatex)             Assuming data encoding 'latin1'.
\openout3 = `tescht-blx.bib'.

Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliographic data...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'tescht.bbl' found.
 (tescht.bbl)
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'tescht1-blx.bbl' not found.

No file tescht1-blx.bbl.
Package biblatex Info: Reference section=0 on input line 13.
Package biblatex Info: Reference segment=0 on input line 13.
\openout2 = `Subchapter1.aux'.

(Subchapter1.tex
Chapter 1.
LaTeX Font Info:    Try loading font information for T1+cmss on input line 1.
("C:\Program Files\MiKTeX2.9\tex\latex\base\t1cmss.fd"
File: t1cmss.fd 2014/09/29 v2.5h Standard LaTeX font definitions
)
Package biblatex Info: Reference section=1 on input line 2.
\openout3 = `tescht1-blx.aux'.

Package biblatex Info: Setting label 'refsection:1' on input line 2.

LaTeX Warning: Citation 'Alber2008' on page 1 undefined on input line 4.

LaTeX Warning: Empty bibliography on input line 6.

Package biblatex Info: Reference section=0 on input line 7.
) [1

{C:/Users/Alitzanda/AppData/Local/MiKTeX/2.9/pdftex/config/pdftex.map}]
Package atveryend Info: Empty hook `BeforeClearDocument' on input line 26.
Package atveryend Info: Empty hook `AfterLastShipout' on input line 26.
 (tescht.aux (Subchapter1.aux))
Package atveryend Info: Executing hook `AtVeryEndDocument' on input line 26.
Package atveryend Info: Executing hook `AtEndAfterFileList' on input line 26.
Package rerunfilecheck Info: File `tescht.out' has not changed.
(rerunfilecheck)             Checksum: B4B906EE7B83B01924DC603F0C449930;43.

LaTeX Warning: There were undefined references.

Package biblatex Warning: Please (re)run BibTeX on the file(s):
(biblatex)                tescht1-blx
(biblatex)                and rerun LaTeX afterwards.

Package logreq Info: Writing requests to 'tescht.run.xml'.
\openout1 = `tescht.run.xml'.
...

Did I miss something? (Yes, apparently , but where?) What have I done wrong?

Thanks a lot for your ideas in advance!

[Johannes_B]

A file called Subchapter1-blx.aux should have been created, you have to run bibtex8 on that one.

With biber, you don't have to do it. It creates just one auxiliary file no matter how many refsections are included. One of the many advantages.

[tjaenare]

Hey Johannes_B,
thanks a ton for your reply!
Though there was no Subchapter1-blx.aux I tried it with Tescht-blx.aux, which worked perfectly fine! So, this is good news!

I also gave biber a try, but though I exchanged the backend and called biber instead of bibtex, the same result got replicated as before: Undefined references and no output. So, apparently something is still not working properly. Given the sheer number of auxiliary files that want to be compiled by bibtex, biber would indeed be a good alternative! Any idea what I should look after in order to find the error with biber?

Thanks a lot!

[Johannes_B]

When you switch the backend to biber and run latex, the auxiliary files say they are generated by BibTeX, but biber is set. That confuses LaTeX (biblatex to be more precise).
You need to trash all the helper files and start over: latex, biber, latex, latex.

Everything should be fine then.

If not, please check your blg-file (or post here). The blg contains the log of biber.

[tjaenare]

Hey again,
and thank you once again for your help! As these are my first steps with biber, there must be something wrong with what I do. As suggested, I deleted all auxiliary files, then I ran latex. You wrote that the following process to start over with latex, biber, latex, latex. Does that mean I need to call biber separately or is this done automatically (biber instead of bibtex)? If not, which file should I call, tex-file or any other auxiliary file? The result is in any so far the same: a blank bibliography...

As far as I understand the log, the bibliography is found, the citation is found. Then, it states, however, that references are invalid or undefined. In addition, the log mentions entries in the bibliography that were not cited in the document. Is this the usual way biber works?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance!

[Johannes_B]

You have to run biber with the basename of your texfile as the argument (tescht), you have done that correctly.

Biber informs you implicitely, that your version of biblatex does not match. Using the update manager of your distribution for biblatex and biber should fix that.

The errors tell you (or me) that the found entry in the database is giving biber some troubles, the program cannot parse certain entries.

If you show us the item, i am sure we can point you to what exactly is wrong.

[tjaenare]

Hey and thank you once again for your help!
I updated both the admin branch and the non-admin branch of my MikTeX distribution, the problem and warning, however, persist. So, there is still the mismatch in version numbers.

However, for the first time using biber, output is generated. It replicates the problem I had with bibtex8 as the backend already in that it prints the key, but does not give any further outputs.

If running PDFLaTeX and calling biber separately (i.e. not automatically when running PDFLaTeX called by TeXnicCenter), biber issues the warning that the biber control file cannot be found -- even though it is present in the very same directory.

In addition, I have copied the two references biber is nagging about. I guess the problem are the brackets for the year and author respectively, that come rather unexpected for biber, right? Is there any way to circumvent that and still get the same result?

@InCollection{Weber1991(1904),
author = {Weber, Max},
title = {{D}ie {O}bjektivit\"at sozialwissenschaftlicher und sozialpolitischer {E}rkenntnis},
booktitle = {{S}chriften zur {W}issenschaftslehre},
year = {1991 (1904)},
publisher = {Reclam},
pages = {21--101},
owner = {ahaarmann},
timestamp = {2008-12-30}
}

@Booklet{MinisterieVolksgezondheidWelzijnenSport(VWS)2007,
author = {{Ministerie Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport (VWS)}},
title = {Invoering Wmo - Nieuwsbrief},
year = {2007},
address = {Den Haag},
institution = {Ministerie VWS},
shorttitle = {Invoering Wmo - Nieuwsbrief}
}

Any clues?
Best wishes and thanks a lot for your patience!

[Johannes_B]

Code: Select all

ERROR - BibTeX subsystem: line 42, syntax error: found "(", expected one of: number, name (entry type, key, field, or macro name), end of entry ("}" or ")") or quoted string ({...} or "...")

You cannot have parens in your citekey.

How should i maintain my MikTeX installation?

[tjaenare]

Hey Johannes_B,
thanks a lot again for your help! It seems like MikTeX has an issue (on my computers?), that biblatex is not updated automatically, even though updates exist. After two unsuccessful manual updates, I got it sorted out (manual install via the package manager, that does NOT have admin-rights!). So, finally, the expected and desired output was generated and everything seems to work as it should in my MWE.
Let's see how this works with the real files and the adaptation for APA-style. But that is probably a different story!

So, thanks a ton again!