# Copying entries between bib files

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [May 14, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814 "2023-05-14T13:23:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![boeschaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@boeschaf](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/boeschaf)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/1 "2023-05-14T13:23:11Z")

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Dear colleagues  
I am copying bib entries between different bibfiles.  
I am accumstomed to using the citation key ‘name:yy’.  
since my latest update of JabRef the citation key is automatically converted to ‘nameyyyy’.

Can I get rid of this automatic change of the citation key?

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/2 "2023-05-14T14:32:30Z")

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Hello rjandl,

you can disable overwriting citationkeys in the preferences:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/jabref/original/2X/7/7045fb4f019099999ab18294b582ffc1b5b851ac.png)

By default, JabRef’s citekey is [Author][Year], if i remember right, so yyyy would be correct i think.  
From what version of JabRef did you upgrade to which version?

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**Author:** ![boeschaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@boeschaf](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/boeschaf)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 3:00pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/3 "2023-05-14T15:00:13Z")

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if have upgraded from 5.6 to 5.7.  
I recognize that [auth][yyyy] is the valid format. However, I am using author:yy since ever and would not like to change the entire database.

Taking the highly appreciated advice I went to Options\>Preferences \>Citatations keys. I found [auth][year], replaced it with my favorite format [auth]:[yy] and saved it. – However, JabRef is maintaining the original version.

all the best  
Robert

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**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/4 "2023-05-14T17:48:59Z")

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Hi,  
first of all latest version of Jabref is 5.9.  
Did you press enter after changing the citation key in the table? Otherwise it’s not saved!

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**Author:** ![boeschaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@boeschaf](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/boeschaf)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/5 "2023-05-14T18:01:06Z")

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yes, I saved! I think the format [aut]:[yy] was not recognized.

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/6 "2023-05-14T18:54:36Z")

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[yy] does not exist as formatter. I would try [shortyear], which will use the last 2 digits of the publication year. A detailed explanation about configuration options of the citationkey generator is available at [Customize the citation key generator - JabRef](https://docs.jabref.org/setup/citationkeypatterns#other-field-markers)

Before you change all your citationkeys, i would check if you still have a backup of your old library file(s). If not, create a backup, so if something goes wrong, you can go back to it.

In my personal opinion, while it is convenient to use non-complex citekeys for ease of writing, in the long run you can run into trouble once you encounter authors with the same name and or authors that publish multiple articles in the same year and you have both entries in the same database. Therefore, I would advise to use a complex key. `CTRL + L` allows you to push them to your external application and with `CTRL + F` you will find your citekeys easily also in your external application.

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/7 "2023-05-14T18:58:47Z")

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oh and by the way, since you are copying between different library files: Citationkey generation patterns can also be saved in the library file, so to make sure both files have the same configuration, check `Library > Library properties > Citation Key Patterns`

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**Author:** ![boeschaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@boeschaf](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/boeschaf)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/copying-entries-between-bib-files/3814/8 "2023-05-15T19:22:58Z")

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thanks a lot for your valuable information. I change my bib files to the default …