GNU bug report logs - #38258
12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and postnotes

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-auctex <at> gnu.org
Subject: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and postnotes
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:16:07 -0300

Hi all,

`reftex-view-crossref', when called from a prenote or postnote of a 
citation macro will assume it is a citation key and run 
`reftex-view-cr-cite' in whatever is around point, which of course won't 
be found in the bibfiles, and returns an error of "no such database 
entry", when it would be expected it to return error "Not on a crossref 
macro argument". As a result, when the point is left on a prenote or 
postnote of a citation macro, a spurious echo of "no such database 
entry" is generated.

Steps to reproduce:

Build Emacs from source (as of today, commit 
ed52618e707682e812002c98b99efe4baf43e1ca).
Start ~emacs -Q~.

Setup:

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/elpa/auctex-12.2.0")
(load "auctex.el" nil t t)
(setq TeX-auto-save t)
(setq TeX-parse-self t)
(setq reftex-plug-into-AUCTeX t)
(add-hook 'LaTeX-mode-hook 'turn-on-reftex)
#+end_src

Place files `mwe.tex' and `mwe_bib.bib' (respectively below) on the same 
directory.

#+begin_export latex
\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{biblatex}

\addbibresource{mwe_bib.bib}

\begin{document}

\cite[45]{sigfridsson}

\end{document}
#+end_export

#+begin_example
@article{sigfridsson,
 author       = {Sigfridsson, Emma and Ryde, Ulf},
 title        = {Comparison of methods for deriving atomic charges from 
 the electrostatic potential and moments},
 journaltitle = {Journal of Computational Chemistry},
 date         = 1998,
 volume       = 19,
 number       = 4,
 pages        = {377-395},
 doi          = 
 {10.1002/(SICI)1096-987X(199803)19:4<377::AID-JCC1>3.0.CO;2-P},
}
#+end_example

Visit `mwe.tex' and place point in the entrykey `sigfridsson'.  Call 
`reftex-view-crossref' ("C-c &"), it will show the reference, as 
expected.

Now move point to somewhere on the prenote ("[45]"), and call 
`reftex-view-crossref' again. It returns "cite: no such database entry: 
\cite[45]", instead of the expected "reftex-view-crossref: Not on a 
crossref macro argument". Also, moving point out of the prenote and back 
to it again, and leaving it there for a while as usual, will echo "cite: 
no such database entry: \cite[45]", whereas no echo was to be expected.

Best regards,
Gustavo Barros.



Emacs  : GNU Emacs 27.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 
3.22.30)
of 2019-11-18
Package: 12.2.0

current state:
==============
(setq
AUCTeX-date "2019-10-31"
window-system 'x
LaTeX-version "2e"
TeX-style-path '("~/.emacs.d/auctex" 
"/home/gustavo/.emacs.d/elpa/auctex-12.2.0/style"
		  "/home/gustavo/.emacs.d/auctex/auto" 
		  "/home/gustavo/.emacs.d/auctex/style" "auto" "style")
TeX-auto-save t
TeX-parse-self t
TeX-master t
TeX-command-list '(("TeX" "%(PDF)%(tex) %(file-line-error) 
%`%(extraopts) %S%(PDFout)%(mode)%' %t" TeX-run-TeX
		     nil (plain-tex-mode ams-tex-mode texinfo-mode) 
		     :help "Run plain TeX")
		    ("LaTeX" "%`%l%(mode)%' %T" TeX-run-TeX nil 
		    (latex-mode doctex-mode) :help "Run LaTeX")
		    ("Makeinfo" "makeinfo %(extraopts) %t" 
		    TeX-run-compile nil (texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run Makeinfo with Info output")
		    ("Makeinfo HTML" "makeinfo %(extraopts) --html %t" 
		    TeX-run-compile nil (texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run Makeinfo with HTML output")
		    ("AmSTeX" "amstex %(PDFout) %`%(extraopts) 
		    %S%(mode)%' %t" TeX-run-TeX nil (ams-tex-mode)
		     :help "Run AMSTeX")
		    ("ConTeXt" "%(cntxcom) --once --texutil %(extraopts) 
		    %(execopts)%t" TeX-run-TeX nil
		     (context-mode) :help "Run ConTeXt once")
		    ("ConTeXt Full" "%(cntxcom) %(extraopts) 
		    %(execopts)%t" TeX-run-TeX nil (context-mode) :help
		     "Run ConTeXt until completion")
		    ("BibTeX" "bibtex %s" TeX-run-BibTeX nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode context-mode) :help
		     "Run BibTeX")
		    ("Biber" "biber %s" TeX-run-Biber nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help "Run Biber")
		    ("View" "%V" TeX-run-discard-or-function t t :help 
		    "Run Viewer")
		    ("Print" "%p" TeX-run-command t t :help "Print the 
		    file")
		    ("Queue" "%q" TeX-run-background nil t :help "View 
		    the printer queue" :visible
		     TeX-queue-command)
		    ("File" "%(o?)dvips %d -o %f " TeX-run-dvips t
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Generate PostScript file")
		    ("Dvips" "%(o?)dvips %d -o %f " TeX-run-dvips nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Convert DVI file to PostScript")
		    ("Dvipdfmx" "dvipdfmx %d" TeX-run-dvipdfmx nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Convert DVI file to PDF with dvipdfmx")
		    ("Ps2pdf" "ps2pdf %f" TeX-run-ps2pdf nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Convert PostScript file to PDF")
		    ("Glossaries" "makeglossaries %s" TeX-run-command 
		    nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run makeglossaries to create glossary\n     file")
		    ("Index" "makeindex %s" TeX-run-index nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run makeindex to create index file")
		    ("upMendex" "upmendex %s" TeX-run-index t
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run upmendex to create index file")
		    ("Xindy" "texindy %s" TeX-run-command nil
		     (plain-tex-mode latex-mode doctex-mode ams-tex-mode 
		     texinfo-mode) :help
		     "Run xindy to create index file")
		    ("Check" "lacheck %s" TeX-run-compile nil 
		    (latex-mode) :help
		     "Check LaTeX file for correctness")
		    ("ChkTeX" "chktex -v6 %s" TeX-run-compile nil 
		    (latex-mode) :help
		     "Check LaTeX file for common mistakes")
		    ("Spell" "(TeX-ispell-document \"\")" 
		    TeX-run-function nil t :help "Spell-check the 
		    document")
		    ("Clean" "TeX-clean" TeX-run-function nil t :help 
		    "Delete generated intermediate files")
		    ("Clean All" "(TeX-clean t)" TeX-run-function nil t 
		    :help
		     "Delete generated intermediate and output files")
		    ("Other" "" TeX-run-command t t :help "Run an 
		    arbitrary command"))
)

Message #8 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 20:11:42 +0200

Hi Gustavo,

Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com> writes:

> `reftex-view-crossref', when called from a prenote or postnote of a 
> citation macro will assume it is a citation key and run 
> `reftex-view-cr-cite' in whatever is around point, which of course won't 
> be found in the bibfiles, and returns an error of "no such database 
> entry", when it would be expected it to return error "Not on a crossref 
> macro argument". As a result, when the point is left on a prenote or 
> postnote of a citation macro, a spurious echo of "no such database 
> entry" is generated.

first of all, sorry for the very late response.  It seems to me this is
more a documented feature[1]:

Command: reftex-view-crossref

    View cross reference of macro at point. Point must be on the key
    argument. ...

Note the word `must'.  Having point on pre- or postnote is expected not
to work.

Best, Arash

Footnotes:
[1]  https://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/manual/reftex.html#IDX240

Message #11 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:36:23 -0300

Hi Arash,

thank you for your answer.

On Tue, 25 Aug 2020 at 15:11, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> wrote:

> Hi Gustavo,
>
> Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
>> `reftex-view-crossref', when called from a prenote or postnote of a 
>> citation macro will assume it is a citation key and run 
>> `reftex-view-cr-cite' in whatever is around point, which of course 
>> won't 
>> be found in the bibfiles, and returns an error of "no such database 
>> entry", when it would be expected it to return error "Not on a 
>> crossref 
>> macro argument". As a result, when the point is left on a prenote or 
>> postnote of a citation macro, a spurious echo of "no such database 
>> entry" is generated.
>
> first of all, sorry for the very late response.  It seems to me this 
> is
> more a documented feature[1]:
>
> Command: reftex-view-crossref
>
>     View cross reference of macro at point. Point must be on the key
>     argument. ...
>
> Note the word `must'.  Having point on pre- or postnote is expected 
> not
> to work.
>
> Best, Arash
>
> Footnotes:
> [1]  https://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/manual/reftex.html#IDX240

But my point is not that it should work outside of the key argument, 
which is, as you noted, documented behavior.  The point is that the 
command will do a bibfile search when it is not on the key argument, and 
on top of that, gives the user the wrong error message of "no such 
database argument", when it should be giving "Not on a crossref macro 
argument".  Besides, one does not even need to call it to get the 
spurious echo of "no such database entry", by just leaving point on a 
prenote/postnote.

(Disclaimer: I haven't tested the current state of things, I'm relying 
on my old report.)

Best,
Gustavo.

Message #14 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 22:11:50 +0200

Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com> writes:

> But my point is not that it should work outside of the key argument,
> which is, as you noted, documented behavior.

Ok, sorry for getting this wrong.

> The point is that the command will do a bibfile search when it is not
> on the key argument, and on top of that, gives the user the wrong
> error message of "no such database argument", when it should be giving
> "Not on a crossref macro argument".

If I take your example and put point on the optional argument [45] and
hit `C-c &', RefTeX says:

    No BibTeX entry with citation key \cite[45]

which makes sense.

> Besides, one does not even need to call it to get the spurious echo of
> "no such database entry", by just leaving point on a prenote/postnote.

True.  You can disable this by setting the variable
`reftex-auto-view-crossref':

,----[ C-h v reftex-auto-view-crossref RET ]
| reftex-auto-view-crossref is a variable defined in ‘reftex-vars.el’.
| Its value is t
| 
|   You can customize this variable.
|   Probably introduced at or before Emacs version 20.4.
| 
| Documentation:
| Non-nil means, initially turn automatic viewing of crossref info on.
| Automatic viewing of crossref info normally uses the echo area.
| Whenever point is idle for more than ‘reftex-idle-time’ seconds on the
| argument of a \ref or \cite macro, and no other message is being
| displayed, the echo area will display information about that cross
| reference.  You can also set the variable to the symbol ‘window’.  In
| this case a small temporary window is used for the display.
| This feature can be turned on and off from the menu
| (Ref->Options).
`----

> (Disclaimer: I haven't tested the current state of things, I'm relying
> on my old report.)

It is safe to assume that nothing groundbreaking happened to RefTeX
during the last 10 months or so :-)

Best, Arash

Message #17 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 17:42:46 -0300

Hi Arash,

On Tue, 25 Aug 2020 at 17:11, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> wrote:

>> The point is that the command will do a bibfile search when it is not
>> on the key argument, and on top of that, gives the user the wrong
>> error message of "no such database argument", when it should be 
>> giving
>> "Not on a crossref macro argument".
>
> If I take your example and put point on the optional argument [45] and
> hit `C-c &', RefTeX says:
>
>     No BibTeX entry with citation key \cite[45]
>
> which makes sense.
>
>> Besides, one does not even need to call it to get the spurious echo 
>> of
>> "no such database entry", by just leaving point on a 
>> prenote/postnote.
>
> True.  You can disable this by setting the variable
> `reftex-auto-view-crossref':
>

I know, Arash... I like `reftex-auto-view-crossref' and enable it, but 
the problem is not with the intended behavior, but with the not useful 
and annoying echo which comes when point is idle *outside* a key 
argument, if it happens to be in a pre/postnote.  And why should 
`reftex-view-crossref' behave differently when point is between "4" and 
"5", in the MWE, and when it is in the following line, outside the 
citation macro altogether?  Why run `reftex-view-cr-cite' when we 
already know we are not in a citation key, but in a postnote?

To be very explicit, the command in question is `reftex-view-crossref`, 
and it is also called by `reftex-view-crossref-when-idle' which is 
responsible for the echo message.  `reftex-view-crossref` checks if 
point is within a macro with `(car (reftex-what-macro-safe 1))', and 
later checks if it is a citation macro with `(string-match 
"\\`\\\\cite\\|cite\\([s*]\\|texts?\\)?\\'\\|bibentry" macro)'. My 
suggestion is just to add a further check to see if we are indeed in a 
mandatory argument (a citation key).

Best,
Gustavo.

Message #20 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 19:02:02 -0300

On Tue, 25 Aug 2020 at 17:11, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> wrote:

>
>> (Disclaimer: I haven't tested the current state of things, I'm 
>> relying
>> on my old report.)
>
> It is safe to assume that nothing groundbreaking happened to RefTeX
> during the last 10 months or so :-)
>
> Best, Arash

Ah, on a side note.  That is perhaps true from your perspective.  From 
my view, I've just put my hands with the recent release on some long 
waited goodies, especially support for biblatex multicite commands:

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-auctex/2018-04/msg00066.html
https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/451019/reftex-and-enumitem/455823?noredirect=1#comment1259017_455823

(That means: Thank you very much once again!)

Best,
Gustavo.

Message #23 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:21:02 +0200

Hi Gustavo,

Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com> writes:

> To be very explicit, the command in question is
> `reftex-view-crossref`, and it is also called by
> `reftex-view-crossref-when-idle' which is responsible for the echo
> message.  `reftex-view-crossref` checks if point is within a macro
> with `(car (reftex-what-macro-safe 1))', and later checks if it is a
> citation macro with `(string-match
> "\\`\\\\cite\\|cite\\([s*]\\|texts?\\)?\\'\\|bibentry" macro)'. My
> suggestion is just to add a further check to see if we are indeed in a
> mandatory argument (a citation key).

Thanks for the explicit pointer.  I can think of something like this:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(defun reftex-view-crossref-when-idle ()
  ;; Display info about crossref at point in echo area or a window.
  ;; This function was designed to work with an idle timer.
  ;; We try to get out of here as quickly as possible if the call is useless.
  (and reftex-mode
       ;; Make sure message area is free if we need it.
       (or (eq reftex-auto-view-crossref 'window) (not (current-message)))
       ;; Make sure we are not already displaying this one
       (not (memq last-command '(reftex-view-crossref
                                 reftex-mouse-view-crossref)))
       ;; Quick precheck if this might be a relevant spot
       ;; `reftex-view-crossref' will do a more thorough check.
       (save-excursion
         (search-backward "\\" nil t)
         (looking-at "\\\\[a-zA-Z]*\\(cite\\|ref\\|bibentry\\)"))

       ;; Also check if point is inside a mandatory argument where the
       ;; cite/ref key usually resides: (bug#38258)
       (save-excursion
         (condition-case nil
             (let ((forward-sexp-function nil))
               (up-list -1)
               (= (following-char) ?\{))
           (error nil)))

       (condition-case nil
           (let ((current-prefix-arg nil))
             (cond
              ((eq reftex-auto-view-crossref t)
               (reftex-view-crossref -1 'echo 'quiet))
              ((eq reftex-auto-view-crossref 'window)
               (reftex-view-crossref -1 'tmp-window 'quiet))
              (t nil)))
         (error nil))))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Do you want to give it a try and see if it works as expected?  I think
you see the addition.

Best, Arash

Message #26 received at 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: gusbrs <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 38258 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0;
 reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and postnotes
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 16:47:19 -0300

Hi Arash,

On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 at 06:21, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> wrote:

> Thanks for the explicit pointer.  I can think of something like this:
>
> [...]
>
> Do you want to give it a try and see if it works as expected?  I think
> you see the addition.

You knew already I'd love this one. Both thumbs up! :-)

I've tested it and, as far as I can tell, it works as intended: the
bogus idle echo is gone and things otherwise work as expected. Looks
good to me.

I've noticed you went in a slightly different direction than what I
had envisioned/suggested, and intervened in
`reftex-view-crossref-when-idle' instead of in `reftex-view-crossref'.
While it is true that I cannot think of a citation or cross-reference
macro in which the bibkey/label is given as an optional argument, I
also have to admit this is not a particularly strong argument (black
swans...). Hence, even though I'd favor the wider change and think it
would make sense, I grant yours is a good call. It is your job to be
cautious, after all.  ;-)

Thank you!

Best,
gusbrs

Message #31 received at 38258-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
To: gusbrs <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 38258-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0; reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and
 postnotes
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 23:31:11 +0200

Hi Gustavo,

gusbrs <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com> writes:

> I've tested it and, as far as I can tell, it works as intended: the
> bogus idle echo is gone and things otherwise work as expected. Looks
> good to me.

Thanks for testing.  I installed it on Emacs master (ca528f7c6).

> I've noticed you went in a slightly different direction than what I
> had envisioned/suggested, and intervened in
> `reftex-view-crossref-when-idle' instead of in `reftex-view-crossref'.

Well, at some point of time you have to start submitting patches if you
want to get things done your way ;-)  (Just kidding, I know about your
constraints).

> While it is true that I cannot think of a citation or cross-reference
> macro in which the bibkey/label is given as an optional argument, I
> also have to admit this is not a particularly strong argument (black
> swans...). Hence, even though I'd favor the wider change and think it
> would make sense, I grant yours is a good call.

Thanks, the heuristic seemed good enough to me.

> It is your job to be cautious, after all.  ;-)

More importantly, I have to keep my sanity ;-)

> Thank you!

You're welcome.  I'm closing this report.

Best, Arash

Message #34 received at 38258-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: gusbrs <gusbrs.2016 <at> gmail.com>
To: Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 38258-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38258: 12.2.0;
 reftex-view-crossref on citation pre- and postnotes
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 18:45:52 -0300

Hi Arash,

On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 at 18:31, Arash Esbati <arash <at> gnu.org> wrote:

> Well, at some point of time you have to start submitting patches if you
> want to get things done your way ;-)  (Just kidding, I know about your
> constraints).

Sigh... :-(

> Thanks, the heuristic seemed good enough to me.

True. Good bang for the buck.

> > It is your job to be cautious, after all.  ;-)
>
> More importantly, I have to keep my sanity ;-)

I get it. I guess "once burned, twice shy" is the fate of the seasoned.
Rational behavior. ;-)

Best,
gusbrs

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