If user moved file, it should simply be relinked - [Find Unlinked Files part]

[koppor]

A user might move files in the file directory without JabRef.

Then, JabRef does not find the file:

But it still exists.

Example:

1. Open `test-support\src\manual-tests\issue-9798\issue-9798.bib in JabRef
2. Start "Lookup" -> "Find unlinked files"
   
3. Now, it finds "minimal.pdf"
   

Current behavior: Blank right of minimal.pdf - and it would be re-imported

Expected result:

File should be relinked - and following shown in the status bar

file relinked to entry "minimal"

---

Alternative explanation:

Start:

@misc{test,
  file = {a.pdf}
}

File a.pdf exists

User moves a.pdf into folder-a.

When "Find unlinked files" is started, JabRef should

• Recognize that a.pdf of test is missing
• folder-a/a.pdf does not belong to any entry
• Rewrite the link of test from a.pdf to folder-a/a.pdf

If a.pdf exists multiple times, no rewrite should be done.

First implementation

The functionality should be in "Automatically set file links" (Quality -> Automatically set file links). In case it is absolutely sure that the file was moved (i.e., no two files with the same name), they should be moved.

Current output:

Follow-up implementation (NOT IN SCOPE OF THIS ISSUE)

(The following text is only a reminder of the development team to open a new issue)

The "Search for unlinked files" (Lookup -> Find unlinked files) dialog should get two columns as search result. Currently 1.

• column 1: file x@folder y (as it is currently; with checkmarks)
• column 2: candidate entry (citation key. If clicked, main table jumps to that entry)

In case no candidate entry exists, "" is put in. In case two (or more) candidate entries exist, the cell turns into a dropdown. The jump link is next to the drop down.

---

Update 2024-01-09: Testing effort high is serious. Crafting test cases for different scenarios is necessary. See especially the comment at #9798 (comment).

Update 2024-03-05: Testing effort high is really serious. A single test case is not enough. The PR #10526 showed an initial test case. -- One could think of using https://github.com/google/jimfs for more advanced tests. However @TempDir with some files should be enough.

[Alexandra-Stath]

Hello my name is Alexandra Stathopoulou and i am an academic student in a greek University. For my semester course I have been asked to contribute in an open source software project and i would like to take on this issue.
Could I be assigned on this?

[github-actions]

As a general advice for newcomers: check out Contributing for a start. Also, guidelines for setting up a local workspace is worth having a look at.

Feel free to ask here at GitHub, if you have any issue related questions. If you have questions about how to setup your workspace use JabRef's Gitter chat. Try to open a (draft) pull-request early on, so that people can see you are working on the issue and so that they can see the direction the pull request is heading towards. This way, you will likely receive valuable feedback.