pybtex(1)

✨ pybtex — ok bestie, let's talk bibliographies 💖

So you've got a LaTeX .aux file and a dream, and you want a bibliography out of it. Hi, you've come to the right girl. This is the manual for pybtex — it lives in the pybtex(1) section of the manual, and it is literally a whole BibTeX-compatible bibliography processor written in Python. 👑

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🎀 NAME 🎀

pybtex — a BibTeX-compatible bibliography processor in Python. No cap, that's the whole name section, we keep it cute and we keep it moving. 💅

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

pybtex [ options ] auxfile.aux

That's it. That's the whole summoning ritual. ✨

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

Ok so here's the tea. Pybtex reads citation information from a LaTeX .aux file and produces a formatted bibliography. That's the main character arc. 📚

And it understands BibTeX .bib and .bst style files, which means you can use it as a drop-in replacement for BibTeX. Yes, drop-in. Just swap it in, nobody will even notice, iconic behaviour honestly. 🫶

Besides BibTeX .bib files, BibTeXML and YAML bibliography files are supported too. Options, we love options. 🌈

And the flex doesn't stop there: it is also possible to define bibliography formatting styles in Python. You can write your own styles. In Python. Your fave language. It's giving versatility. 🐍

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⭐ GENERAL OPTONS ⭐

(yes, that's how it's spelled in the original, and we respect her for it 💜)

• --version — show the program's version number and exit. Quick lil identity check. 🪪
• -h, --help — show this help message and exit. Hi bestie, need directions? 💬
• --strict — turn warnings into errors. Dramatic? Yes. But that's the point — a warning is now a full stop, no more "eh it's probably fine". 😭
• --terse — ignored, for compatibility with BibTeX. It does nothing, it's just there so your BibTeX command line doesn't get its feelings hurt. A little decorative flag. 🎀
• --min-crossrefs=NUMBER — include item after NUMBER crossrefs; default 2. So the threshold is 2 unless you say otherwise. 🔢
• -f FORMAT, --bibliography-format=FORMAT — bibliograpy format. The options are bibtex, bibtexml, yaml. (Yes, "bibliograpy" — typo's in the original, we're keeping the receipts. 💀)
• -b BACKEND, --output-backend=BACKEND — output backend. The options are html, latex, markdown, plaintext. Pick your vibe, she'll dress for the occasion. 🎨
• -s STYLE, --style=STYLE — bibliography formatting style. 🎩
• -l LANGUAGE, --style-language=LANGUAGE — the style definition language to use: bibtex or python. Old school or new school, your call. 🐍 vs 📜

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💜 PYTHONIC STYLE OPTIONS 💜

This is the Python-flavoured corner of the menu, and honestly? It eats. 🔥

• --label-style=STYLE — label formatting style. Options: alpha, number. 🔤🔢
• --name-style=STYLE — name formatting style. Options: lastfirst, plain. 🧑‍🎓
• --sorting-style=STYLE — sorting style. Options: author_year_title, none. Order it or don't, both valid. 📑
• --abbreviate-names — use the abbreviated name formatting style. Short names, quick read, slay. ✂️

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🍓 ENCODING OPTIONS 🍓

Get your encodings right or cry about it later, bestie, we've all been there. 😭

• -e ENCODING, --encoding=ENCODING — the default encoding. 🌐
• --bibtex-encoding=ENCODING — (no description in the original, she just stands there looking mysterious 🙈)
• --bst-encoding=ENCODING — (same deal, the manpage gives her no one-liner, so I'm not gonna make one up 💅)
• --output-encoding=ENCODING — (also no description, but the flag is real and it is here 🫶)

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

Nothing here yet. Empty. Void. A blank space where the cross-references would be. It's giving "we'll finish this later" and honestly, relatable. 💀✨

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That's the whole page, babes. And for the sign-off: this came from the Pybtex manual page — that's the source and the version, right there in the footer — dated the way the original footer is dated (which is to say, the page itself just says Pybtex and calls it a day, and we love a low-effort footer). 💖

Now go format some bibliographies. Main character energy only. Periodt. 👑🎀🦋