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I am having issues with my bibliography.

I've created a file called 'MyLibrary.bib', which has all of the data for my references. I created this by exporting from Zotero. It seems to have exported without issues.

I have cited in my main document, called 'Lit Review.tex' and it gave me an error saying that there were undefined references. At the end of my Lit Review.tex, I have put the commands:

\bibliographystyle{plain}

\bibliography{MyLibrary}

I ran BibTex (F11), and it said that it couldn't open file name 'MyLibrary.aux'. and exited the process with error(s).

Any suggestions about what to do next? Much appreciated in advance!

Martin Schröder
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Laura
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  • Did you compile tex file first? – Sigur Oct 31 '16 at 11:07
  • yes I did ~~~~~~~~~~~ – Laura Oct 31 '16 at 11:16
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    if your main file is called Lit Review (side remark: better remove the space from the file name) then bibtex should run Lit Review.aux and not MyLibrary.aux. Did you change the configuration of your editor? – Ulrike Fischer Oct 31 '16 at 11:20
  • Welcome to TeX.SX! You can have a look at our starter guide to familiarize yourself further with our format. – Martin Schröder Oct 31 '16 at 11:20
  • yes my main file is called Lit Review. No, I don't think I've changed the configuration. – Laura Oct 31 '16 at 11:39
  • I've tried rerunning it all and have changed Lit Review -> LitReview – Laura Oct 31 '16 at 11:52
  • However, it still says 'I couldnt' open file name 'MyLibrary.aux' when I try to BibTex MyLibrary.bib – Laura Oct 31 '16 at 11:52
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    Don't bibtex MyLibrary.bib, but LitReview. bibtex will look into LitReview.aux and there will find the information to use MyLibrary.bib (as well as which references are needed). – gernot Oct 31 '16 at 12:06
  • @UlrikeFischer Do you want to add an answer or do we have a suitable duplicate around? Maybe even question marks intead of citation number? – Johannes_B Feb 12 '17 at 09:46
  • @Johannes_B There is probably a duplicate as the problem is quite standard but I don't have the time to search so I added an answer. – Ulrike Fischer Feb 12 '17 at 10:59
  • Possible duplicate: https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/334743/bibliography-processing-issue-with-texstudio-i-couldnt-open-file-name-build – Cadoiz Aug 19 '20 at 09:25

1 Answers1

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bibtex compiles aux-files and not bib-files!

This means: If your main file is called LitReview.tex and your bib-file is called MyLibrary.bib) then the call to bibtex should do

 bibtex LitReview.aux

or

 bibtex LitReview

It should not (!) be

 bibtex MyLibrary.bib

or

 bibtex MyLibrary

Side remark: I removed the space from the name of your main file to avoid to have to quote it.

Ulrike Fischer
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