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BibTeX

I've ported BibTeX to run smoothly under the MacOS. It handles apple-events, drag and drop, integrates with the premier MacOS text editor "Alpha", ... It is freeware, system 7 friendly, and is now at version 1.1.7. It also ships with OzTeX.

There is also a version 1.1.8 I made available, which is basically identical to 1.1.7, but recompiled with a newer version of Codewarrior. It should also cope with aliases which 1.1.7 doesn't (however this makes it slower).

I am not actively maintaining this port of BibTeX at the moment. I've made the source available to Andrew Trevorrow (author of OzTeX) who intends to update it. If you are interested in helping or taking over, please contact myself and/or Andrew. Alternatively, the source is available here: source code, if anyone with a recent version of codewarrior wants to re-compile it for OS X.

Download BibTeX 1.1.7 from my site

Download BibTeX 1.1.6 from MIT hyperarchive

finally you can report a bug online.

If you want to run BibTeX with very big internal constants, read the files which come with it, and try this preference file to help you out.

Contents:

What is BibTeX?

BibTeX is the bibliography handling tool related to the TeX/LaTeX typesetting system (available on almost all conceivable OS platforms). When a document is typeset with LaTeX, an auxiliary file (with extension '.aux') is generated. This auxiliary file contains, amongst other things, a list of references (to books, articles, research reports, web-url's,...) cited in the original document. BibTeX takes this list, together with the name of a style file (extension '.bst') and a list of bibliography databases (extension '.bib') which are also given in the auxiliary file, and produces a wonderfully formatted list of references which the LaTeX system subsequently (and automatically) appends to your typeset document. Hence BibTeX is really not at all useful without TeX/LaTeX (there are several freeware/shareware/commercial versions for the MacOS: OzTeX, CMacTeX, DirecTeX Pro, Textures). In fact this port of BibTeX is now distributed with OzTeX 2.0. It is useful to have a good text editor which knows about the particular format of LaTeX documents: on the Mac, the editor Alpha is indispensible in this regard, both for editing and for its apple-event communication with the various parts of a LaTeX system. For those who think this sounds a bit too complicated, the benefits in terms of quality of output (both textual and mathematical) and automatic generation of all manner of numbering schemes (figures, equations, sections), and document parts (table of contents, index, bibliography), together with cross-platform availability, mean that many people consider it the _best_ current system for producing quality documents. Here are some links for further information:

• Mathematical relevance: http://e-math.ams.org/
• General TeX documentation: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/TeXdoc/TeXdocs.html
• Archive of LaTeX documenation: http://www.loria.fr/tex/english/index.html
• More LaTeX links: http://molscat.giss.nasa.gov/LaTeX/externals.html
• The editor 'Alpha': http://www.cs.umd.edu/~keleher/alpha.html
• Various TeX-related links: http://www.bluesky.com/TeXlinks
• CMacTeX: http://www.math.tamu.edu/~tkiffe/cmactex.html
• OzTeX: http://www.kagi.com/authors/akt/oztex.html
• Textures: http://www.bluesky.com/
• Archive of all TeX related material: http://www.ora.com/homepages/CTAN-Web/

BibTeX version 1.1.7

Before reporting bugs, please make sure your problem is not really an extension conflict --- restart your machine with extensions off and see if BibTeX works then.

Features:

Basic features

• Processes .aux files
• Examine new or old log files and cmd-click to jump to errors, warnings, etc. in your editor.
• Very fast (now more than 10 times faster!).
• Friendly to other applications (actually calls WaitNextEvent);
• Fat binary; runs on PPC or 68k machines;
• Copes with both Unix and Mac standard eol characters.
• Internet Config aware

TeX details:

• Switchable between 'big' and 'small' modes. The 'big' mode increases the size of biobiography resources such as the number of strings allowed. This should let you use 'Camel' the up-and-coming bibliography stuff for LaTeX2e;
• Search path (for .bib, .bst files) is as follows: (1) The two paths you set in the options dialog (2) the "BibTeX inputs" folder, (3) the location of the '.aux' file being processed. This search path is used for both .bst and .bib files, although you can of course keep them in separate directories if you like;
• Source code available;

Interface details:

• Supports high-level apple events etc. so you can drag a '.aux' file (or several) onto it for processing, or send it an odoc event from Alpha...
• You can command-click on warnings, errors and filenames in the log window to leap to the correct file, line, error position etc. in your favorite editor. Read the section 'Apple-events and BibTeX' for more details.
• Links from the about box to the BibTeX web page, so you can check for upgrades.
• If available, it uses Internet Config for file types of .blg, .bbl files it creates. If you make BibTeX ('Vbib') the creator of .blg files, you can double click them to open them in the log window.
• Balloon help is available for all dialog box items.

Version history:

1.1.7

Many small improvements/fixes to 'bibEngine.tcl'. Increased buffer size of BibTeX at the big setting. Worked around an odd 'longjmp' bug which could cause a crash when the buffer overflowed. Increased a bunch of other 'big' settings. Fixed one bug which could crop up after a fatal error on a .bib file. You can now (if desperate) adjust the size of a number of internal bib constants. See the end of the 'reporting bugs' readme file for details. I now distribute the original BibTeX documentation with my port. See the folder 'BibTeX docs' for that. Added bug report web page. Recompiled with CW Pro 1, updating some powerplant classes. The log window's text manipulation capability should be a little more complete now. Added ability to abort processing, using 'cmd-.', and made sure the log window scrolls as text is added, so you can see what is going on. Fixed some cosmetic scrolling issues with the window too.

1.1.6

Numerous small improvements and bug-fixes to the 'bibEngine.tcl' scripts which handle the receiving end of apple-events from BibTeX. Recompiled the application with Codewarrior 11. Updated to MoreFiles 1.4.5, and MSL C/C++. Few other minor code improvements. Click-drag scrolling works in the log window now. Still no drag'n'drop though. Changed app's memory allocation slightly. After a fatal error, memory is freed immediately now, previously allocations would accumulate until the end of a non-fatal run. Rewrote a few code sections so less of the MSL C library is linked in (reduced code size significantly). Now use some styled text in the log window. Improved a couple of error/help messages. Rewrote preferences file code using powerplant rather than a separate, rather old library; makes for a much faster startup.

1.1.5

Minor bug-fix in which some sorts of fatal bibtex error would ignore the 'stay open on error' flag. Slight improvements to interaction with Alpha, and minor additions to the log file on some fatal errors. Increased global strings to 15 (so it works with indxcite now).

1.1.4

Fixed a couple small GUI buglets. Added processing time message to end of log window. Command clicking in opened .blg files sends correct file information now. Minor changes to about box. Fixed so prefs file has an icon; startup will be slow the first time, because BibTeX will have to rewrite your preferences. Added an icon resource for TEXT files which can be used for .blg log files. Set this up in Internet Config, and you can double click .blg files to launch. Now you can look at old .blg files and decide if you wish to regenerate them (cmd-G = Go will reprocess the corresponding .aux file), or cmd-click to edit problems using your editor. Fixed quite old (I think) bug in which you could have two log windows after hitting 'Cancel' in the options dialog. Feature change: BibTeX now rejects any text file that's not '.aux' or '.blg'; before it would be passed to the core code and of course cause errors. Added more Balloon help. Feature change: type/creator of .blg and .bbl files created are taken from Internet Config if possible, if not then from the .aux file as before. Copes with filenames containing spaces. Remember if you use spaces, your files will not work on other platforms. Fixed a minor buffer-overflow problem in which not all warnings would be given in the log window. Added command-clicking features to the log window (very useful and cool new feature!). Fixed one source of preferences problems (startup with no preferences file, quit and restart => default preferences are garbage).

1.1.3

Really fixed end-of-file problem. Other minor changes.

1.1.2

Fixed setting end-of-files correctly. I somehow reintroduced this bug when I rewrote all the file i/o stuff. Balloon help in dialogs.

1.1.1

Added options 'Stay open on warning', 'Stay open on error' which counter-act the 'Quit when finished' option, and leave BibTeX open if anything went wrong. Fixed the 'text-jumping' visual bug in the log window (thanks to a helpful soul on comp.sys.mac.programmer.codewarrior). Updated to MoreFiles 1.4.3. Preferences file now has its version number updated if necessary when you start BibTeX, and I always create a preferences file now, and any old preferences are updated with any new options. This fixes an old 'bug' in which BibTeX would take a long time starting up, because it's looking for a preferences file, or trying to read information from it which doesn't exist. Fixed a subtle 68k only bug which has been around for a long time, but only now reared its head --- caused horrible crashes on 68k machines, somewhat randomly since useful memory was being over-written. However it's fixed now. Fixed a small bug introduced in 1.1.0, which would show up only after multiple runs, especially after a fatal error, and could result in a crash. Added message to the log window after a fatal error.

1.1.0

Did some serious profiling and optimisation. Opening files is really rather slow on MacOS, probably due to the emulated nature of the file-system. Now about 10+ times faster than 1.06. Rough timing is as follows: v1.06 75secs, v1.07 62secs, v1.10 7secs (All using Speed Doubler on a 5300cs on a large BibTeX run) Huge rewrite of all the IO code: uses PowerPlant buffered IO classes, which makes everything rather simpler, and on the whole a lot faster. The code is much, much cleaner now, as I've cleared out a lot of the old vestiges of MakeIndex and the ancient web2c source code has been modernised. Therefore the BibTeX --- Interface links are simple now. Added option to monopolise the CPU. Significant interface improvements: You can now set two folders to search in the options dialog box, (but the old technique of using Resedit still works). Note that by default BibTeX now searches in: € The same folder as the '.aux' file being processed. € The folder 'BibTeX inputs' located wherever the BibTeX application resides on your hard drive. € Any folders you add manually using ResEdit (not normally necessary) € The two folders you specify in your preferences. Added links from the 'about box' to the BibTeX web-page, and to mail me, etc. Recompiled using Codewarrior 10

1.07

(Never released publicly) Significant internal changes: (i) Speed increases. (ii) Increased sizes of things for 'Big' mode. This version of BibTeX should support Camel (the up-and-coming LaTeX 2e bibliography system). (iii) Added a couple of options which were requested: 'beep when finished' and 'no log window'.

1.06

Now copes with extended character set 'όφι...'. Not all TeX implementations allow them, but if you pass one to BibTeX, it will happily output it, assuming your version of TeX can cope. Changed name of log window.

1.05

Recompiled with CW9, updated to take account of Powerplant changes. Cosmetic change when selecting 'go' to re-run a file - the window is now cleared first.

1.04

Minor (non-fatal) bug fixes --- all files properly closed and flushed after a bibtex error, file eof's set correctly for .bbl and .blg files. Thanks for the bug reports!

1.03

Minor changes --- it now gives a message 'BibTeX run complete.' in the log window, rather than just finishing. Documentation update. I've fixed the FREF/BNDL problems, so drag'n'drop really should work now ;-)

1.02

Switchable between Big and Small. Uses new memory allocation scheme from Rick, so temporary memory is used rather than the system heap. This means the application's given partition can be much smaller (300k works for me). Added fref 'TEXT' resource which was missing previously (so drag and drop will work under all circumstances now).

1.01

Copes with Unix as well as Mac EOL characters

1.0

Original; soon to be distributed with OzTeX 2.0

Using BibTeX:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
% My bibstyle requires the use of 'chicago.sty'
% which defines '\citeN', 'citeA' etc.
\usepackage{chicago}

\begin{document}

Here is my document.

% My bibliographies are called 'TheKnowledge.bib' and
% 'economics.bib'
\bibliography{TheKnowledge,economics} 
% I'm using the bib style 'chicago.bst'
\bibliographystyle{chicago}

\end{document}

Using BibTeX with Alpha

If you don't have or use Alpha, download it immediately! Make sure you pay the shareware fee.

Apple-events and BibTeX:

As of version 1.1.4, command-clicking in the log window will now send GURL 'bibresult' events. To make use of these, open Internet Config, select 'helpers' and 'add' a helper for 'bibresult', and select as helper your editor. Of course your editor needs to be able to receive and interpret GURL bibresults. I've enclosed some procedures for Alpha which do this, but if you use BBEdit/TeXtures or something else, you're currently on your own. The format of the 'bibresult' GURL event is as follows:

	bibresult:FULLFILENAME:MESSAGE

	The top-level auxiliary file: FILENAME.aux
	A level-X auxiliary file: FILENAME.aux
	Warning--I didn't find a database entry for "ENTRY"
	Database file #X: FILENAME.bib
	Warning--WARNING ENTRY
	The style file: FILENAME.bst
	ERROR---line LINENUM of file FILENAME a 'UP-TO-ERROR' at POSITION

Problems/Bugs:

Since BibTeX sends actual line numbers and positions, if you're correcting a lot of errors/warnings, those line number can become out of date. The receiving scripts are designed to alleviate this problem (they search locally for something matching the error), but with heavy editing, these problems are not completely avoidable.

Technical Stuff:

To Do:

• Write to .blg and .bbl files asynchronously.
• Some minor code tidying.
• Incorporate fixed powerplant classes when available.
• A few _minor_ speed improvements are still possible.
• Perhaps switch to using WASTE, instead of TextEdit.

Sources:

Based on the C code of the original MacBibTeX (0.99c) which I grabbed from CTAN, and code generously donated by Rick Zaccone from his 'Makeindex'. Icon adapted from one I grabbed off a folder from some collection on the net. 'IC++' written by Dan Crevier is used for the about box links. I also use LBalloonTracker by Paul Lalonde which is © 1996-7 Corporate Software & Technologies Int. Inc. (CS&T), and very convenient. Many thanks!

Compilation (with CodeWarrior Pro 1):

• Open the source code folder
• Open BibTeX.΅
• Compile the target 'BibTeX FAT'

Personalisation:

You can edit a string resource with ResEdit to specify your own search path. To do this open the app with ResEdit and look at the STR# resource called "Path". You can add entries which look like this: '2:Hard Disk:My Search Path:'; the '2' signifies to BibTeX that this is a complete path specification. If you prefer, '0:' indicates a path relative to the .aux file, and '1:' relative to the BibTeX application.

You can now (if desperate) adjust the size of a number of internal bib constants. See the end of the 'reporting bugs' readme file for details.

Mail me:vince@santafe.edu, or go back to the top, or return to the main menu.