Zettelkasten Forum


References: an app for BibTeX libraries on iPad/iPhone

Hi folks,

Those who do some of this stuff on iPads and iPhones from time to time might be interested in a relative newcomer to the App Store called References. At least for me, the app was a great find after several fruitless searches for something that could do the job. I’ve no affiliation, I’m just impressed!

References will give you a nice view of a BibTeX library that can be browsed, searched etc., and by linking a folder you can also refer to and share PDFs etc. attached to the records. You can add libraries and folders from either iCloud or Dropbox. Also handy is that you can opt to foreground the cite keys in the list, copy the cite keys with a single tap, and can view the BibTeX source if needed. All of that has made it very easy to insert a reference, check a cite key, refer to a PDF etc. on these devices.

What you can’t do (yet?) is add or edit references – but hey, for everything else, there's a text editor?

Mark

Comments

  • That's great, thanks for the link! No Dropbox linking of libraries yet, unfortunately?

  • Tried it, and it works for me. You have to link a folder first, then select the file from all linked folders. That's a bit awkward for the initial setup, but that's also about all you can do when the app is fresh :)

    Note it's a BibTeX library reader, you cannot edit anything, Dropbox or no.

    Author at Zettelkasten.de • https://christiantietze.de/

  • Ah, I see. Perfect, thanks!

  • Yes, exactly. No editing, but the latest release has added linked Dropbox folders, which seemed a minimum threshold for me to broadcast its existence! I suppose the way setup works, though awkward, allows for multiple folders per library or several libraries drawing on a single folder? But I’ve no use for that personally!

  • edited May 2020

    Hi folks,

    Just a quick note to say that a new release of the app adds support for Bibdesk URL scheme links. Very handy, if you use them!

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