Any comments or suggestions? Please email me: george mackerron com.
Zotero-BibDesk integration Firefox extension
A simple extension for Firefox and Zotero. You choose a .bib file from within Zotero. Then, any time you click the Zotero URL-bar icon to add a resource to your collection, it's automatically imported into that file in BibDesk.
Update, 28 May 2008
The current release, with support for Firefox 3, is 1.0.5. An all-new version 2 (it has an interface!) is still in the works: it will be out in the next month or two, I hope.
Do you have any thoughts on how the extension could be extended or improved? I'd be happy to hear them, at george mackerron com.
Why?
- Zotero's ability to 'scrape' reference data from many academic websites, including Google Scholar, is incredibly handy.
- But I use LyX and LaTeX for academic work, so I want a reference database that's BibTeX-native. I also prefer a database format and PDF file library layout I can easily understand and make part of my backup routine. And a pretty GUI. Enter BibDesk.
- Then again, storing references has to be one click, or there's a risk I don't bother. Hence this simple extension.
How?
- Make sure you're running Mac OS X 10.4 or above and you've installed BibDesk and created a .bib file as your main database.
- Check you're using the latest update of Firefox 2 or 3 with the latest Zotero already installed and working.
- Download and install the extension .xpi file, then restart Firefox (you'll need to click the yellow bar at the top and allow this site to install Firefox extensions after you click that link, then click the link again).
- From the Zotero 'Actions' menu (a gear with a down arrow), select the new option "Select BibTeX file for auto-export...", and choose your .bib file.
- You're done. Test by adding something to your Zotero collection from the URL-bar icon (not manually: that doesn't trigger it).
Change log
- 1.0.5 Updates to install manifest for Firefox 3
- 1.0.4 Updates to install manifest for Zotero 1.0.4
- 1.0.3 Minor AppleScript modifications to reflect apparent changes to AppleScript support in BibDesk 1.3.16
- 1.0.2 Reliability improvements suggested by Zotero developers, and AppleScript fixes for OS X 10.4
- 1.0.1 Bug fixes and refactoring
Disclaimer. This extension contains only sugary goodness. You can check this out by browsing the Subversion repository, or by downloading the .xpi file, changing the file name extension to .zip, unzipping it, and nosing around inside. Nevertheless, I won't be responsible if anything bad should happen while you're using it.