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Add documentation for the GUI for consistency check (#551)
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# Check consistency
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JabRef can check the consistency of a library.
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This feature is available through **Quality → Check consistency**.
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## Background
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You’re finalizing your research paper for an upcoming conference, and the deadline is near. While reviewing your references, you notice inconsistencies - some citations are missing DOIs others are missing page numbers. Manually identifying these across dozens of entries is tedious and time-consuming.
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JabRef now makes this process effortless with its Bibliography Consistency Check feature. It automatically scans your references, identifies missing or inconsistent fields, and presents a structured report, allowing you to fix issues with just a few clicks.
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## How to use
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1. Open JabRef and go to the Quality menu.
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2. Click on "Check Consistency" (below "Check Integrity").
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3. JabRef will run the check on your entire library and show the results in a new window.
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4. The result window will display entries grouped by their entry type (e.g., articles, books).
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5. Each entry will be shown in a table with columns indicating whether required fields are present (x), optional fields are present (o), or if a field is missing (-).
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6. If any entry has missing fields, click on it to go directly to the entry in the entry editor.
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## Checking a .bib File for Consistency
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Let’s say we have a .bib file like this:
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```bibtex
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@Article{Corti_2009,
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author = {Corti, Roberto and Flammer, Andreas J. and Hollenberg, Norman K. and Lüscher, Thomas F.},
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title = {Cocoa and Cardiovascular Health},
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journaltitle = {Circulation},
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issn = {1475-2662},
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volume = {119}
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}
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@Article{Cooper_2007,
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author = {Cooper, Karen A. and Donovan, Jennifer L. and Waterhouse, Andrew L. and Williamson, Gary},
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title = {Cocoa and health: a decade of research},
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issn = {1743-7075},
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volume = {99}
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}
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```
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Here, the second entry is missing the journal field, which is required for an article. Running the Check Consistency tool will highlight this issue as shown:
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![Consistency check results](<../.gitbook/assets/consistencycheck_results.png>)
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## Results Window
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![Check consistency dialog](<../.gitbook/assets/checkconsistency.png>)
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The result window is designed to present the consistency check results in an easily digestible format:
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- **Entry Type Headings**: The first column lists the name of the selected entry type.
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- **Choose Entry type**: Entry types (such as article, book, in-proceedings, etc.) will be listed in a dropdown menu.
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- **Columns**:
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- **Column 2**: Citation key of the entry.
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- **Other columns**: Represent the fields and their status (`x`, `o`, `?`, or `-`).
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- **Navigation**: Clicking on a line in the table will take you directly to the corresponding entry in the editor, making it easy to address inconsistencies.
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## Symbols in the Results
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The following symbols will be used to indicate the presence or absence of fields:
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- `x`: Required field is present.
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- `o`: Optional field is present.
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- `?`: Unknown field is present.
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- `-`: Field is absent.
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This simple system helps you quickly identify entries that need attention.

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