The BibTeX-XML-HTML Bibliography Project - How to - Detailed description step by step

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Detailed description step by step

This is a complete description on how to set up and use the conversion software. There are detailed examples following the instructions for each step, which depict each functionality in a concise way.

STEP 1 - Download the project files

First, all necessary project files must be downloaded.
There are two packages:
bib2xml-1.0.104.tar.bz2 and xml2html.zip/xml2html_saxon.zip.

Package 1

bib2xml-1.0.104.tar.bz2 contains all files necessary for the translation of your BibTeX file into an XML file.

Package 2

xml2html.zip contains all files necessary for the translation of XML files into HTML files (with XSLTproc).
xml2html_saxon.zip contains all files necessary for the translation of XML files into HTML files (with Saxon).

Each package contains a readme and an install or howto file (README, INSTALL, HOWTO), providing further information on how to install and use the files. Depending on which XSLT parser you prefer, you have to choose one of the two files in Package 2.

Since the conversion tool needs an XSLT parser for the translation process, you will need to download an XSLT parser if you do not already have one. We have tested this software package with two XSLT parsers:
XSLTproc and Saxon (ver. 7.1 or later).
Other XSLT parsers might work too, but we cannot guarantee that they will.

STEP 2 - Preparing your BibTeX file

To take advantage of all of the functions the tool provides you must prepare your BibTeX file by inserting some additional information. Insert the following fields into each entry (NOTE: Apart from the 'catId' field, all fields are optional):

catId = {}: Short Id to signal the thematic category of the paper
url = {}: The URL of the paper (in postscript format)
urlZip = {}: The URL of the paper (in gzipped postscript format)
pdf = {}: The URL of the paper (in PDF format for Acrobat Reader)
urlPage = {}: An abstract or additional information about the paper
homePage = {}: The homepage of the first author

See example

Step 3 - Convert BibTeX bullet

XML

Having prepared your BibTeX file you are now able to convert the BibTeX file into an XML file using the software provided with »bib2xml-1.0.102.tgz«. You might have to update your system to install and use this package - see the INSTALL file in »bib2xml-1.0.102.tgz« for further detailed information.

Step4 - Set the thematic categories in »definitions.xml«

The last step before generating the HTML files will be to prepare the config file »definitions.xml«. This file (which is a part of the package xml2html.zip) stores all information about the thematic categories you have chosen in your BibTeX file (see Step 2).

For more information on how to set the different thematic categories in this file, read »definitions.xml« which contains a detailed description and an example.

See example

Step 5 - Convert XML bullet

HTML

Having transformed your prepared BibTeX file into an XML file and having set the thematic categories in »definitions.xml« you are now ready to generate the complete set of HTML files. The style-sheet »xml2html.xsl« (contained in the package xml2html.zip) will generate the following HTML files from your XML file:

An HTML representation of your BibTeX file, »list.html«.
This file lists ALL entries from your BibTeX file in Cambridge style.
See example
Several different HTML files corresponding to your thematic categories - each file contains a sub-bibliography for a particular thematic category.
See example
A clickable HTML file »overview.html« that displays all categories graphically in a table.
See example
Several HTML files, one for each entry of your main bibliography. Content: the entry in its original BibTeX format.
See example

Note:

To use the XML bibliography with LaTeX, you have to translate the XML file back into a BibTeX file. The style-sheet »xml2bib.xsl« (also found in package xml2html.zip/xml2html_saxon.zip) will do this for you.