bug#21099: 24.3; bibtex-clean-entry and date fields in biblatex

[Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016@gmail.com>]

Hi Lars,

On Thu, Aug 01 2019, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:

> Brian Zbriger <brian.zbr@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> `bibtex-clean-entry` removes curly braces from date fields, even if
>> `bibtex-dialect` is set to `biblatex`. I have not been able to find
>> documentation on this issue, but in my experience using latexmk and
>> biber, this makes the entry invalid. I have had to re-add the curly braces
>> to get my .bib files working again.
>>
>> If I am correct in thinking that dates with curly braces are generally
>> compatible with biblatex, they should be left alone. Otherwise there
>> should be an option to have them left alone.
>
> (I'm going through old bug reports that have unfortunately not gotten
> any responses.)
>
> If this bug is still present, could you post a test case?

I can add two things about this.  First, that I’ve been using
bibtex-mode for some time, with `(bibtex-dialect (quote biblatex))` and,
with proper configuration of `bibtex-entry-format`, namely the exclusion
of value `numerical-fields` which is added by default, I get braces in
all of my fields, including date/year ones when using
`bibtex-clean-entry`.

On the other hand, it is true there is a dearth of documentation for
"bibtex.el".  It’s comments state:

> See documentation for `bibtex-mode' or type "M-x describe-mode" when
> you are in BibTeX mode.

I might have missed it, but I cannot find a built-in documentation for
it.  And what we get for "C-h m" is scant.

I have found some time ago something that has been put online.
http://www.jonathanleroux.org/bibtex-mode.html

It’s been made available with a note:

> I am not the author of this file and am only putting it online
> because, to my knowledge, it is not available anywhere else anymore
> and I find it a very valuable reference. I wish to acknowledge here
> the work of its author Stefan Schoef. I haven't been able to find out
> who the current maintainer of the BibTex-Mode for GNU emacs is, but am
> willing to withdraw this text or add any copyright notice that would
> be deemed relevant. 
> 
> Jonathan Le Roux, June 2009. 

But that’s the only source I’ve ever found for it.  And it is the most
comprehensive piece I’ve found about it too, by far.

Best regards,
Gustavo Barros.