Help adding back the '-add-pdf-to-library' functionality

[apc]

First: thanks, again, for the work you all continue to do on this!

Second: I'm trying to add back the functionality from some previous version that allowed me to add PDFs to my library using citar/bibtex-actions. I realize that functionality in turn depended on bibtex-completion, so I just modified the function from bibtex-completion and added it to my config.

My question, now, is what the best way of adding this function to the list of actions made available via Embark. Say the function is called +citar-add-pdf-to-library. I then added that a binding to that function in citar-map, and ended up with something like this in my use-package declaration:

(use-package citar
  :bind (("C-c b" . citar-insert-citation)
         :map citar-map
         ("a" . +citar-add-pdf-to-library))
  :after embark
  :init
  :custom
  (citar-bibliography '("~/bib/apcmain.bib"))
  (citar-library-paths '("~/Documents/Papers"))
  (citar-notes-paths '("~/org/notebook"))
  (org-cite-global-bibliography '("~/bib/apcmain.bib"))
  (org-cite-insert-processor 'citar)
  (org-cite-follow-processor 'citar)
  (org-cite-activate-processor 'citar)
  (citar-at-point-function 'embark-act)
  (citar-templates
      '((main . "${author editor:15}   ${title:40}   ${date year issued:4}")
        (suffix . "          ${=key= id:15}    ${=type=:12}    ${tags keywords:*}")
        (note . "Notes on ${author editor}, ${title}")))
  :config
  (defvar apc-bibtex-pdf-extension ".pdf")
  (defun +citar-add-pdf-to-library (keys)
  "Add a PDF to the library for the first entry in KEYS.
The PDF can be added either from an open buffer, a file, or a
URL."
  (interactive)
  (let* ((key (car keys))
         (source (char-to-string
                  (read-char-choice "Add pdf from [b]uffer, [f]ile, or [u]rl? " '(?b ?f ?u))))
         (buffer (when (string= source "b")
                   (read-buffer-to-switch "Add pdf buffer: ")))
         (file (when (string= source "f")
                 (expand-file-name (read-file-name "Add pdf file: " nil nil t))))
         (url (when (string= source "u")
                (read-string "Add pdf URL: ")))
         (path (-flatten (list citar-library-paths)))
         (path (if (cdr path)
                   (completing-read "Add pdf to: " path nil t)
                 (car path)))
         (pdf (expand-file-name (completing-read "Rename pdf to: "
                                                 (--map (s-concat key it)
                                                        (-flatten apc-bibtex-pdf-extension))
                                                 nil nil key)
                                path)))
    (cond
     (buffer
      (with-current-buffer buffer
        (write-file pdf t)))
     (file
      (copy-file file pdf 1))
     (url
      (url-copy-file url pdf 1)))))

Now, the function appears when I call embark-act from my list of citations, but calling the function gives me an error, starting with

embark PCH: (wrong-number-of-arguments ((t) (keys) "Add a PDF to the library for the first entry in KEYS.
The PDF can be added either from an open buffer, a file, or a
URL."

Clearly I'm missing something about how Embark works, but since at some point you had this functionality as part of citar, I'm hoping you might be able to help.

[bdarcus]

What's your preferred UX workflow for the basic command; from the minibuffer?

[apc]

Yeah, I guess so.

[bdarcus]

Sorry; I poorly worded my question.

Reread the first part, and ignore the last clause.

[apc]

Hm. I guess I'm not really sure I understand the question. I'd like to be able to call e.g. citar-insert-citation and, after selecting one of the entries in the minibuffer, call embark-act and be prompted with the option of adding a PDF file to the library and naming it using the citation key for the selected entry. Does that help?

[apc]

OK, I think I figured out what was missing. This seems to work now:

(use-package citar
  :bind (("C-c b" . citar-insert-citation)
         :map minibuffer-local-map
         ("M-b" . citar-insert-preset)
         :map citar-map
         ("a" . +citar-add-pdf-to-library))
  :after embark
  :init
  :custom
  (citar-bibliography '("~/bib/apcmain.bib"))
  (citar-library-paths '("~/Documents/Papers"))
  (citar-notes-paths '("~/org/notebook"))
  (org-cite-global-bibliography '("~/bib/apcmain.bib"))
  (org-cite-insert-processor 'citar)
  (org-cite-follow-processor 'citar)
  (org-cite-activate-processor 'citar)
  (citar-at-point-function 'embark-act)
  (citar-templates
      '((main . "${author editor:15}   ${title:40}   ${date year issued:4}")
        (suffix . "          ${=key= id:15}    ${=type=:12}    ${tags keywords:*}")
        (note . "Notes on ${author editor}, ${title}")))
  :config
  (defvar apc-bibtex-pdf-extension ".pdf")
  (defun +bibtex-add-pdf-to-library (keys)
  "Add a PDF to the library for the first entry in KEYS.
The PDF can be added either from an open buffer, a file, or a
URL."
  (interactive)
  (let* ((key (car keys))
         (source (char-to-string
                  (read-char-choice "Add pdf from [b]uffer, [f]ile, or [u]rl? " '(?b ?f ?u))))
         (buffer (when (string= source "b")
                   (read-buffer-to-switch "Add pdf buffer: ")))
         (file (when (string= source "f")
                 (expand-file-name (read-file-name "Add pdf file: " nil nil t))))
         (url (when (string= source "u")
                (read-string "Add pdf URL: ")))
         (path (-flatten (list citar-library-paths)))
         (path (if (cdr path)
                   (completing-read "Add pdf to: " path nil t)
                 (car path)))
         (pdf (expand-file-name (completing-read "Rename pdf to: "
                                                 (--map (s-concat key it)
                                                        (-flatten apc-bibtex-pdf-extension))
                                                 nil nil key)
                                path)))
    (cond
     (buffer
      (with-current-buffer buffer
        (write-file pdf t)))
     (file
      (copy-file file pdf 1))
     (url
      (url-copy-file url pdf 1)))))
  (defun +citar-add-pdf-to-library (keys-entries)
  "Add PDF associated with the KEYS-ENTRIES to library.
The PDF can be added either from an open buffer, a file, or a
URL.
With prefix, rebuild the cache before offering candidates."
  (interactive (list (citar-select-refs
                      :rebuild-cache current-prefix-arg)))
   (+bibtex-add-pdf-to-library
    (citar--extract-keys keys-entries))))

But I leave this open in case you have any suggestions for how to improve on what I've got so far. Thanks again!

[dschrempf]

I just wanted to add my support for adding functionality to manage files with citar. At the moment, citar can view/index associated files such as PDFs but not manage (add or remove) them, is this correct?

[dschrempf]

Just to add some thoughts: I could also make good use of a function "Check if there are file (PDF) orphans in the library". Or "The key you just renamed has a PDF file attached. Do you also want to rename the PDF?". (Actually this should probably also be done for notes).

[bdarcus]

I just wanted to add my support for adding functionality to manage files with citar. At the moment, citar can view/index associated files such as PDFs but not manage (add or remove) them, is this correct?

Correct; it's not been a priority for me as I use Zotero and Better BibTeX to manage this stuff ATM, and nobody else has brought it up.

I could also make good use of a function "Check if there are file (PDF) orphans in the library". Or "The key you just renamed has a PDF file attached. Do you also want to rename the PDF?". (Actually this should probably also be done for notes).

If you like, create an issue (though it may be awhile before someone gets to it)?

I haven't touched that add-file-to-library function since I posted it on the wiki, but it would make sense to include that I suppose.

[bdarcus]

BTW, @dschrempf, #562 relates to your request, I think, but I haven't thought about it in broader context.

[dschrempf]

That's right! Although, funnily enough, I renamed your emplate to ...-add-pdf-to-library because that's the only thing I really need. But a more general function is always nice.