# How to italicize part of the in-text citation in Jabref?

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [May 11, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623 "2017-05-11T02:22:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/1 "2017-05-11T02:22:22Z")

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I need to format the in-text citation like this:  
[_Smith et al._, 2009] or _Smith et al._ [2009].  
How to make it by modifying the .jstyle file? I tried again and agian, but failed.  
Could anyone help me please? I’m very anxious about it.

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**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/2 "2017-05-11T06:50:19Z")

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Does anyone knows that? Thanks.

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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 11, 2017, 10:39am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/3 "2017-05-11T10:39:26Z")

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Hi,

could you provide some more details on what you are trying to achieve? Are you using Libre/Open Office?  
Do you just want to copy a citation?

Regards

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/4 "2017-05-11T14:09:57Z")

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Thanks for your reply. I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear. I’m so worried.

I’m using Libreoffice and I want to use Jabref to insert in-text citation in my odt.  
Through the “Export Filter Editor”, I grasped the format of reference list layout.  
But for in-text citation, I don’t know how to change its format.

Now it looks like Smith et al. [2009], but I want _Smith et al_. [2009].  
Only part of citation is in italic. But I don’t know how to make it by modifying my jstyle file.

Could you please help me?

If I don’t make myself understood, please let me know.

Thanks very much.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/5 "2017-05-11T14:14:15Z")

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EtAlString=" et al."  
ItalicEtAl=true

This can only make the string " et al." italic, not the authors.

How to achieve that?  
I believe Jabref can make it

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 4:49am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/6 "2017-05-23T04:49:49Z")

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Hi,  
can Jabref solve this problem? If I don’t make myself understood, please let me know.  
Thanks a lot.

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**Author:** ![tobiasdiez](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/tobiasdiez/32/340_2.png) [@tobiasdiez](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/tobiasdiez)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 6:36am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/7 "2017-05-23T06:36:33Z")

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I had a quick look at the code and it appears that Jabref supports HTML tags like `<i> italic text </i>`. But as I have no experience with LibreOffice I can’t tell you what to change.

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**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 8:19am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/8 "2017-05-23T08:19:37Z")

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Thanks very much.  
I have tried HTML tags like _italic text_ , but it doesn’t work in the in-text citation.  
I hope next version will support it.

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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 23, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/9 "2017-05-23T16:20:05Z")

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Hi,

could you provide us the jstyle file you are using?

Thanks in advance!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/10 "2017-05-24T03:15:20Z")

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Ok, no problem.  
But I am noticed that new users cannot upload files.😥  
How to provide you my jstyle?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/12 "2017-05-24T03:20:27Z")

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Maybe you can copy it here:

NAME  
[Author year] style file

JOURNALS  
GRL,JGR

PROPERTIES  
Title="References"  
IsSortByPosition=false  
IsNumberEntries=false  
ReferenceParagraphFormat="Text body"  
ReferenceHeaderParagraphFormat=“Heading 1”

CITATION  
BibtexKeyCitations=false  
AuthorField="author/editor"  
YearField=“year"  
YearSeparator=” “  
InTextYearSeparator=” "  
MaxAuthors="1"  
MaxAuthorsFirst=“1"  
EtAlString=” et al.“  
ItalicEtAl=false  
AuthorSeparator=”, “  
AuthorLastSeparator=” and “  
AuthorLastSeparatorInText=” and “  
BracketBefore=”[“  
BracketAfter=”]“  
BracketBeforeInList=”[“  
BracketAfterInList=”] "

FormatCitations=false  
CitationCharacterFormat="Citation"  
ItalicCitations=true  
BoldCitations=false  
SuperscriptCitations=false  
SubscriptCitations=false

CitationSeparator="; “  
UniquefierSeparator=”, “  
GroupedNumbersSeparator=”-"  
MinimumGroupingCount=“3"  
MultiCiteChronological=true  
PageInfoSeparator=”; "

LAYOUT  
article=\begin{author}\format[Authors(LastFirstFirstFirst,Initials,Sep=, ,LastSep= and ,10,1,EtAl= et al.),]{\author} \end{author}\begin{year}(\year\uniq), \end{year}\begin{title}\format[HTMLChars]{\title}, \end{title}_\begin{journal}\format[HTMLChars,JournalAbbreviator]{\journal}\end{journal}_\begin{volume}, _\format[HTMLChars]{\volume}\end{volume}_\begin{number}(\format[HTMLChars]{\number})\end{number}\begin{pages}, \format[HTMLChars,FormatPagesForHTML]{\pages}\end{pages}\begin{doi}, doi:\doi\format[HTMLChars]{\empty}.\end{doi}

book=\begin{author}\format[Authors(LastFirstFirstFirst,Initials,sep=, ,LastSep= and ,10,1,EtAl= et al.),]{\author} \end{author}\begin{year}(\year\uniq), \end{year}_\begin{booktitle}\format[HTMLChars]{\booktitle}\end{booktitle},_ \begin{publisher}\format[HTMLChars]{\publisher}, \end{publisher}\begin{address}\format[HTMLChars]{\address}.\end{address}

incollection=\format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,AuthorAndsReplacer]{\author}( **\year\uniq** ). _\title_. In: \format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,AuthorAndsReplacer]{\editor} (Ed.), _\booktitle_, \publisher.

inbook=\begin{author}\format[Authors(LastFirstFirstFirst,Initials,sep=, ,LastSep= and ,10,1,EtAl= et al.),]{\author} \end{author}\begin{year}(\year\uniq), \end{year}\begin{chapter}\format[HTMLChars]{\chapter}, in \end{chapter}_\begin{booktitle}\format[HTMLChars]{\booktitle}\end{booktitle}_, _\begin{series}\format[HTMLChars]{\series}\end{series} Series_, \begin{volume}vol. \format[HTMLChars]{\volume}, \end{volume}\begin{editor}edited by \format[Authors(FirstLast,Initials,sep=, ,LastSep= and ,2,1,EtAl= et al.),]{\editor}, \end{editor}\begin{pages}pp. \format[HTMLChars,FormatPagesForHTML]{\pages}, \end{pages}\begin{publisher}\format[HTMLChars]{\publisher}, \end{publisher}\begin{address}\format[HTMLChars]{\address}.\end{address}

phdthesis=\format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,AuthorAndsReplacer]{\author}( **\year\uniq** ). _\title_, \school.

default=\format[AuthorLastFirst,AuthorAbbreviator,AuthorAndsReplacer]{\author}( **\year\uniq** ). _\title_, \journal \volume\begin{pages} :\format[FormatPagesForHTML]{\pages}\end{pages}.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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 28, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/13 "2017-05-28T21:07:43Z")

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Hey,

I finally found time to look at your issue and I think I found a solution:

You have to set the Paraemter `FormatCitation=true`  
The other parameters control the apperance of the in text citation, e.g. bold, italic, or sub/superscript

 ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/jabref/original/1X/22b423c7da5c8496aec68bcedcb440ce3f75964d.png)

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**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/14 "2017-05-30T04:47:59Z")

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Thanks for your help.  
But in this way the whole citation is italic.  
Could you make part of the citation italic? e.g. _Sam et al._ [2012] or _Sam et al._, 2012] ?  
That’s what I really want.

Thanks in advance.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 10:10am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/15 "2017-06-06T10:10:36Z")

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Thanks for your help.  
But in this way the whole citation is italic.  
Could you make part of the citation italic? e.g. Sam et al. [2012] or Sam et al., 2012] ?  
That’s what I really want.

I’m sorry for this repeated reply.  
Thanks in advance.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [June 6, 2017, 10:34am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/16 "2017-06-06T10:34:16Z")

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Hi,

I understand the problem. I looked into the code and it could be possible if you use the \texit{} latex formatter around the authors formatter.

Then you have to disable the FormatCitation=true I think. I am not that deep into that functionality, so sorry that I can not help you that much here.

Regards  
Christoph

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 11:28am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/17 "2017-06-06T11:28:11Z")

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Hi, Christoph,  
thank you all the same. It’s really a problem. Will next version support it?  
And by the way, how to use the \texit{} latex formatter around the authors formatter?

Do you mean setting the AuthorField=\texit{“author/editor”} in the jstyle?  
I tried this before, but it doesn’t work.  
Do I get the point?

Thanks.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [June 7, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/18 "2017-06-07T14:13:03Z")

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HI,

I was wrong. The settings with article= etc only control the appearance in the reference list.  
The FormatCitaiton = true and further control the appearance of the in-text citations.

I did a debug sesion and found out that author + year are internally combined to one String (or “word”) which is then inserted into Open/Libre Office and then formatted with the given thing.

I also experimented a bit with LIbreOffice, e.g. trying do define my own character style, but this is based on the same problem as above.

So, I currently see no possibility to do this. Codewise this would require a huge effort and is in my opinion not worth it.  
However, we plan the suport of the CSL citation styles in Open/LibreOffice, so that would enable you to do this.

[https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/2146](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/2146)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bqwu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@bqwu](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/bqwu)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 11:33am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/how-to-italicize-part-of-the-in-text-citation-in-jabref/623/19 "2017-06-08T11:33:21Z")

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Thanks for your help, Christoph.  
I’m sorry that my question wasted a lot of your time. I am looking forward to the support of the CSL citation styles:slight\_smile: