Re: Select and insert multiple bibliography entries into one \cite command with regexp search.

[Arash Esbati]

Hongyi Zhao <hongyi.zhao@gmail.com> writes:

> I noticed that the \cite command operation using reftex supports the
> following options:
>
> ###########
> n / p      Go to next/previous entry (Cursor motion works as well).
>  g / r      Start over with new regexp / Refine with additional regexp.
>  SPC        Show full database entry in other window.
>  f          Toggle follow mode: Other window will follow with full db entry.
>  .          Show insertion point.
>  q          Quit without inserting \cite macro into buffer.
>  TAB        Enter citation key with completion.
>  RET        Accept current entry (also on mouse-2) and create \cite macro.
>  m / u      Mark/Unmark the entry.
>  e / E      Create BibTeX file with all (marked/unmarked) entries
>  a / A      Put all (marked) entries into one/many \cite commands.
> ###########
>
> But I still can't figure out the convenient and efficient workflow for
> using regexp to select and insert multiple bibliography entries into a
> \cite command.

This is the description from the manual[1]:

    Command: reftex-citation

    Make a citation using BibTeX database files. After prompting for a
    regular expression, scans the buffers with BibTeX entries (taken
    from the \bibliography command or a thebibliography environment) and
    offers the matching entries for selection. The selected entry is
    formatted according to reftex-cite-format and inserted into the
    buffer.

    When called with a C-u prefix, prompt for optional arguments in cite
    macros. When called with a numeric prefix, make that many
    citations. When called with point inside the braces of a \cite
    command, it will add another key, ignoring the value of
    reftex-cite-format.

    The regular expression uses an expanded syntax: ‘&&’ is interpreted
    as 'and'. Thus, ‘aaaa&&bbb’ matches entries which contain both
    ‘aaaa’ and ‘bbb’. While entering the regexp, completion on knows
    citation keys is possible. ‘=’ is a good regular expression to match
    all entries in all files.

Once you have the regexp, just mark the entries you want with 'm' in
that order and hit 'a'.  Does this fit the bill?

Best, Arash

Footnotes:
[1]  https://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/manual/reftex.html#IDX233