bibtex-parse

bibtex-parse

Parse BibTeX to JSON.

``sh
npm install bibtex-parse
`

Example

`js
const bibtexParse = require('bibtex-parse');
const fs = require('fs');
const bibtex = fs.readFileSync('example.bib', 'utf8');
bibtexParse.entries(bibtex);
`

example.bib:

`bib
@preamble{"Reference list"}
@string{ian = "Brown, Ian"}
@string{jane = "Woods, Jane"}
%references
@inproceedings{Smith2009,
author=jane,
year=2009,
month=dec,
title={{Quantum somethings}},
journal={Journal of {B}lah}
}

@book{IP:1990,
author = ian # " and " # jane,
year = {1990},
title = {Methods for Research}
}
`

output:

`json
[
{
"key": "Smith2009",
"type": "inproceedings",
"AUTHOR": "Woods, Jane",
"YEAR": 2009,
"MONTH": "December",
"TITLE": "Quantum somethings",
"JOURNAL": "Journal of Blah"
},
{
"key": "IP:1990",
"type": "book",
"AUTHOR": "Brown, Ian and Woods, Jane",
"YEAR": "1990",
"TITLE": "Methods for Research"
}
]
`

Note: fields are always output in capitals to distinguish from build in attributes (key and type).

Abstract Syntax Tree

To get the AST, use:

`js
bibtexParse.parse(bibtex, options);
`

Where bibtex is a string representing bibtex to be parsed, and options an object with any of the following:

- number: tells the parser how numbers should be returned.
- number: "auto" (default): return a JavaScript number, unless over MAX_SAFE_INTEGER (9007199254740991), in which case a BigInt is returned.
- number: "number": always return a JavaScript number, even if over MAX_SAFE_INTEGER (in which case the precision will be lost).
- number: "bigint": always return a BigInt.
- number: "string": return number as a string.

This will return an array of items. There are four types of item:

- string: { itemtype: 'string', name, value, datatype, enclosed }
- preamble: { itemtype: 'preamble', value, datatype, enclosed }
- comment: { itemtype: 'comment', comment }
- entry: { itemtype: 'entry', type, key, enclosed, fields },
- type: e.g. article, inproceedings, book
- key: the unique identifier for the entry
- fields: e.g. title, year [{ name: 'year', value: 2001, datatype: 'number' }, ...]

Datatype can be one of the following:

- number: an integer number
- identifier: a string variable name
- braced: a value which was enclosed in curly braces
- quoted: a value which was enclosed in double quotes
- concatinate: in which case the corresponding value property will be an array [{ datatype, value }, ...]
- null: used when no value has been assigned, e.g. @string{a}
- unenclosed: used when a preamble has not been properly enclosed (e.g @preamble{this isn't enclosed}).

Enclosed can be one of the following:

- braces - when item is enclosed in curly braces (e.g. @string{a = 1})
- parentheses - when item is enclosed in brackets (e.g. @string(a = 1))

`json
[
{
"itemtype": "preamble",
"enclosed": "braces",
"value": "Reference list",
"datatype": "quoted"
},
{ "itemtype": "comment", "comment": "\n" },
{
"itemtype": "string",
"name": "ian",
"value": "Brown, Ian",
"datatype": "quoted"
},
{ "itemtype": "comment", "comment": "\n" },
{
"itemtype": "string",
"name": "jane",
"value": "Woods, Jane",
"datatype": "quoted"
},
{ "itemtype": "comment", "comment": "\n%references\n" },
{
"itemtype": "entry",
"type": "inproceedings",
"enclosed": "braces",
"key": "Smith2009",
"fields": [
{ "name": "author", "value": "jane", "datatype": "identifier" },
{ "name": "year", "value": 2009, "datatype": "number" },
{ "name": "month", "value": "dec", "datatype": "identifier" },
{
"name": "title",
"value": "{Quantum somethings}",
"datatype": "braced"
},
{ "name": "journal", "value": "Journal of {B}lah", "datatype": "braced" }
]
},
{ "itemtype": "comment", "comment": "\n\n" },
{
"itemtype": "entry",
"type": "inproceedings",
"enclosed": "braces",
"key": "Smith2009",
"fields": [
{ "name": "author", "value": "jane", "datatype": "identifier" },
{ "name": "year", "value": 2009, "datatype": "number" },
{ "name": "month", "value": "dec", "datatype": "identifier" },
{
"name": "title",
"value": "{Quantum somethings}",
"datatype": "braced"
},
{ "name": "journal", "value": "Journal of {B}lah", "datatype": "braced" }
]
}
]
``

Resources

- A summary of BibTex - http://maverick.inria.fr/~Xavier.Decoret/resources/xdkbibtex/bibtex_summary.html
- ORCID bibtex parse library - https://github.com/ORCID/bibtexParseJs