Move/copy a PDF file for an entry WITHOUT renaming

Features
1

When I used JabRef version 4.X, I could drag-and-drop (D&D) a PDF file to the entry of interest to move the PDF file to my JabRef file folder and to link it with the entry simultaneously. Version 5 lost this capability. My suggestion is to assign a modifier key to work with D&D to achieve Move/Copy without renaming (as follows for an example).
Copy and rename : Ctrl + D&D
Copy WITHOUT rename : Shift + Ctrl + D&D
Move and rename : No key + D&D
Move WITHOUT rename: Shift + D&D
Link : ALT + D&D
Please read below for more detail.

Entry Editor - JabRef explains the how combinations of D&D with modifier keys work as follows (for Windows, in my case);

  • Move: Ctrl + D&D
  • Copy: Shift + Drag or no key + D&D
  • Link: Alt + D&D

With version 5.3 on Windows 10, what happens are different form aforementioned info, and actually go as follows;
Copy and rename: Ctrl + D&D
Move and rename: Shift + D&D, No key + D&D
Link: ALT + D&D
(I don’t find any combination to achieve “Move without rename”.)

Ctrl and Shift modifier’s functions are interchanged in the linked site. More importantly, both Move and Copy functions rename the file. I saw the functions of “Shift + D&D” and “No key + D&D” are redundant. I would suggest that changing “Shift + D&D” for “Move without rename” and “Ctrl + Shift + D&D” for “Copy without rename”.

I would appreciate if you consider this modification for new JabRef version.

Thank you.
Masa

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2

I would also love this feature.

In addition, the behavior described in the manual, Entry Editor - JabRef, does not seem to be the one in Linux either.

In Linux[1] the Shift modifier moves to the entry directory and renames if there is no other file of the same extension in the entry directory. (Maybe related to Rename multiple files for one entry ? )

The Ctrl modifier, and using no modifier, copies to the upper level directory and does not rename if other files of the same extension exist in the destination directory.

Using Shift-drag, therefore, will not rename the file if a pdf already exists in the entry directory. But files of any other type will be renamed if no other files of that same extension exist.

In addition, adding multiple files to an entry in one go (i.e., selecting a bunch together) does not seem to be possible.

Edit: I just noticed there is a github issue for moving/copying without renaming: Move/copy a PDF file for an entry WITHOUT renaming (drag and drop) · Issue #7313 · JabRef/jabref · GitHub

Thank you,

Ramon

[1] At least when using Dolphin, or Konqueror or pcmanfm under Xmonad.

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