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Describe library synchronization replacing autosave #672

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39aad32
Describe library synchronization replacing autosave
koppor Sep 1, 2026
d50c18b
Describe merging of conflicted copies
koppor Sep 3, 2026
ba66158
Describe the per-library synchronization options
koppor Sep 13, 2026
58fca91
Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into file-sync
koppor Sep 28, 2026
2dfc610
Rename the synchronization option to "Automatically merge external ch…
koppor Sep 28, 2026
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion en/SUMMARY.md
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Expand Up @@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
* [URL and DOI links in JabRef](advanced/externalfiles.md)
* [OCR](advanced/OCR.md)
* [Command line use and options](advanced/commandline.md)
* [Automatic Backup (.sav and .bak) and Autosave](advanced/autosave.md)
* [Automatic backup (.sav and .bak) and synchronization](advanced/autosave.md)
* [XMP metadata support in JabRef](advanced/xmp.md)
* [Remote operation](advanced/remote.md)
* [Custom themes](advanced/custom-themes.md)
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17 changes: 12 additions & 5 deletions en/advanced/autosave.md
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@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
# Automatic Backup (.sav and .bak) and Autosave
# Automatic backup (.sav and .bak) and synchronization

{% hint style="info" %}
Changelog:\
Expand All @@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
JabRef 5.1\
To reduce the amount of configuration options, the possibility to disable the creation of `.bak` files was removed.\
\
JabRef 6.0\
Autosave became "Synchronize local libraries with their files": external changes to the file are merged in automatically.\

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GitHub Actions / vale-lint 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[write-good.Passive] 'are merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[write-good.Passive] 'are merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.", "location": {"path": "en/advanced/autosave.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 17, "column": 94}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
\
JabRef 3.7\
First introduction of the autosave and backup features.\
`.sav` is the automatic backup feature.\
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -63,14 +66,18 @@
* **Mac OS X:** \
`/Users/username/Library/Application Support/org.jabref/jabref`

## Automatic saving of the current library
## Automatic saving and synchronization of the current library

JabRef can keep a local library and its `.bib` file the same in both directions. Enable **Synchronize local libraries with their files** in Preferences → General → Saving:

@qodo-free-for-open-source-projects qodo-free-for-open-source-projects Bot Sep 1, 2026

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Remediation recommended

1. Faq retains obsolete autosave path 🐞 Bug ≡ Correctness

The new documentation renames the control and locates it under Preferences → General → Saving, but
the performance FAQ still tells users to disable “autosave” under File → Preferences → File →
Saving. Users following that FAQ may be unable to locate the renamed synchronization option.
Agent Prompt 
## Issue description
Update the performance FAQ so its instruction uses the current synchronization option name and preference location.

## Issue Context
The synchronization page now documents **Synchronize local libraries with their files** under Preferences → General → Saving, while the FAQ retains the former autosave name and a conflicting path.

## Fix Focus Areas
- en/advanced/autosave.md[69-77]
- en/faq/README.md[38-44]

ⓘ Copy this prompt and use it to remediate the issue with your preferred AI generation tools


JabRef offers **automatic saving of the library.** No need to click on File --> Save or pressing Ctrl+S anymore: The opened database are saved automatically without manual intervention.
* Changes you make in JabRef are saved to the `.bib` file automatically. No need to click on File → Save or to press Ctrl+S anymore.

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[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[write-good.Passive] 'are saved' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[write-good.Passive] 'are saved' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.", "location": {"path": "en/advanced/autosave.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 73, "column": 30}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
* Changes another program makes to the `.bib` file (a text editor, a `git pull`, a cloud synchronization client) are merged into the open library automatically. A short notification reports how many changes were merged. If the same entry was also edited in JabRef, the fields changed on disk are still taken over.

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[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[write-good.Passive] 'were merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[write-good.Passive] 'were merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.", "location": {"path": "en/advanced/autosave.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 74, "column": 208}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}

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GitHub Actions / vale-lint 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[write-good.Passive] 'are merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.

Raw Output:
{"message": "[write-good.Passive] 'are merged' may be passive voice. Use active voice if you can.", "location": {"path": "en/advanced/autosave.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 74, "column": 114}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
* JabRef only asks you to review external changes when they collide with your own unsaved edits: the same field changed differently in JabRef and in the file, or an entry deleted on one side and changed on the other. The "External changes detected" notification then offers a review of only those items.

In case the `.bib` file should automatically be saved on each change, you can direct JabRef to do so. This feature needs to be activated in the preferences:
When the option is off, JabRef reports every external change with the "External changes detected" notification and leaves it to you to review or dismiss them.

<div align="center">

<figure><img src="../.gitbook/assets/preferences-autosave.png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Screenshot of the autosave preferences</p></figcaption></figure>
<figure><img src="../.gitbook/assets/preferences-autosave.png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Screenshot of the synchronization preference</p></figcaption></figure>

</div>
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