citationkey pattern always overwrites key, regardless of chosen key in entry-merge dialogue

[ThiloteE]

JabRef version

Latest development branch build (please note build date below)

Operating system

Windows

Details on version and operating system

JabRef 5.6--2022-04-04--dbf921e Windows 10 10.0 amd64 Java 17.0.2 JavaFX 18+12

Checked with the latest development build

• I made a backup of my libraries before testing the latest development version.
• I have tested the latest development version and the problem persists

Steps to reproduce the behaviour

Follow up to #8641

How to reproduce:

1. Have options>preferenes>import and export>generate a new key for imported entries (overwriting their default) enabled.
2. Have a customized key-pattern for the citation-key generator set in preferences.
3. Have this preference set under citation-key generator preferences:
   

---

1. import a DOI (e.g. 10.1080/1369118x.2017.1353641) via pasting (Grobid) or import dialogue (Do not have this key in your library yet).
2. Change citationkey of the resulting entry
3. import same DOI again.
4. Entry Merge Dialogue emerges
5. Choose the citationkey from right side (which is the new entry with the key from the web).
6. Choose one of the buttons Keep merged entry only, Import and remove old entry or Import and keep old entry

What happens:

One is not able to choose the right side key.

• Keep merged entry only: key of new entry will have citationkey pattern applied (bad).
• Import and keep old entry: key of new entry will have citationkey pattern applied (bad). An a is added to prevent duplicate (Good).
• Import and remove old entry: key of new entry will have citationkey pattern applied (bad).

Appendix

No response

[ThiloteE]

Workaround:

Have options>preferenes>import and export>generate a new key for imported entries (overwriting their default) DISABLED.

[HoussemNasri]

Refs #6190

[ThiloteE]

The more I think about it...: JabRef might work as expected. JabRef does exactly what the preference says: JabRef overwrites the key Boulianne_2017 upon import with the citation-key pattern that the user specified in the preferences.

This issue here demonstrates that it could be sensible to add some kind of tool-tip or decoration/validation (controlsfx) as feedback mechanism to the user in the duplicate merger dialogue.

Example for tool-tip message:
"Will be overwritten with the citation-key pattern, which is specified in the preferences"

[ThiloteE]

Can still reproduce with JabRef 5.8 development version commit bd77d73, which is after the big rework of the duplicate manager.

[ThiloteE]

Another solution:

options>preferenes>import and export>generate a new key for imported entries (overwriting their default)

• A) disables being able to edit the cell in "merged entry" and
• B) the merged entry cell will show the resulting key from after overwriting the merged key.

In other words: If the preference is enabled, then regardless of choosing Old key, From Import or Merged Entry the output will always the key that results from the pattern set in the preferences and this key may not necessarily be the one showing in "Merged Entry", therefore show the key set from the pattern in the preferences in the merged entry cell instead of merged key (and do not allow users to edit it). It is just a matter of displaying it, so that users may not have wrong expectations.

Edit: But i think just a simple tooltip as proposed in #8644 (comment) might be the easier and more informative solution.