I try using biblatex with biber backend, but keep running into problems. I have seen many questions about this here on stackexchange, most recommending to run 'pdflatex, biber, pdflatex' and to check compatibility of biber and biblatex. Well, I use biber version 2.1 and biblatex version 3.0, so should be fine according to the compatibility matrix. I also only use the command line, specifically running:
pdflatex bibertest.tex
biber bibertest.bcf
pdflatex bibertest.tex
Does not seem to work.
Here is my minimal working example: bibertest.tex
\documentclass{report}
\usepackage[backend=biber]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{test.bib}
\listfiles
\begin{document}
a \cite{thebook}
\printbibliography
\end{document}
test.bib
@book{thebook,
author = "Me",
}
logfiles: bibertest.log
This is pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.16 (TeX Live 2015/TeX Live for SUSE Linux) (preloaded format=pdflatex 2016.12.14) 18 JUL 2017 10:34
entering extended mode
restricted \write18 enabled.
%&-line parsing enabled.
**bibertest.tex
(./bibertest.tex
LaTeX2e <2015/01/01> patch level 2
Babel <3.9m> and hyphenation patterns for 79 languages loaded.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/base/report.cls
Document Class: report 2014/09/29 v1.4h Standard LaTeX document class
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/base/size10.clo
File: size10.clo 2014/09/29 v1.4h Standard LaTeX file (size option)
)
\c@part=\count79
\c@chapter=\count80
\c@section=\count81
\c@subsection=\count82
\c@subsubsection=\count83
\c@paragraph=\count84
\c@subparagraph=\count85
\c@figure=\count86
\c@table=\count87
\abovecaptionskip=\skip41
\belowcaptionskip=\skip42
\bibindent=\dimen102
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/biblatex.sty
Package: biblatex 2015/04/19 v3.0 programmable bibliographies (PK/JW/AB)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/biblatex2.sty
Package: biblatex2 2015/04/19 v3.0 programmable bibliographies (biber) (PK/JW/A
B)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/etoolbox/etoolbox.sty
Package: etoolbox 2015/08/02 v2.2a e-TeX tools for LaTeX (JAW)
\etb@tempcnta=\count88
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/graphics/keyval.sty
Package: keyval 2014/10/28 v1.15 key=value parser (DPC)
\KV@toks@=\toks14
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/oberdiek/kvoptions.sty
Package: kvoptions 2011/06/30 v3.11 Key value format for package options (HO)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/generic/oberdiek/ltxcmds.sty
Package: ltxcmds 2011/11/09 v1.22 LaTeX kernel commands for general use (HO)
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/generic/oberdiek/kvsetkeys.sty
Package: kvsetkeys 2012/04/25 v1.16 Key value parser (HO)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/generic/oberdiek/infwarerr.sty
Package: infwarerr 2010/04/08 v1.3 Providing info/warning/error messages (HO)
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/generic/oberdiek/etexcmds.sty
Package: etexcmds 2011/02/16 v1.5 Avoid name clashes with e-TeX commands (HO)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/generic/oberdiek/ifluatex.sty
Package: ifluatex 2010/03/01 v1.3 Provides the ifluatex switch (HO)
Package ifluatex Info: LuaTeX not detected.
)
Package etexcmds Info: Could not find \expanded.
(etexcmds) That can mean that you are not using pdfTeX 1.50 or
(etexcmds) that some package has redefined \expanded.
(etexcmds) In the latter case, load this package earlier.
)))
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/logreq/logreq.sty
Package: logreq 2010/08/04 v1.0 xml request logger
\lrq@indent=\count89
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/logreq/logreq.def
File: logreq.def 2010/08/04 v1.0 logreq spec v1.0
))
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/base/ifthen.sty
Package: ifthen 2014/09/29 v1.1c Standard LaTeX ifthen package (DPC)
)
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/url/url.sty
\Urlmuskip=\muskip10
Package: url 2013/09/16 ver 3.4 Verb mode for urls, etc.
)
\c@tabx@nest=\count90
\c@listtotal=\count91
\c@listcount=\count92
\c@liststart=\count93
\c@liststop=\count94
\c@citecount=\count95
\c@citetotal=\count96
\c@multicitecount=\count97
\c@multicitetotal=\count98
\c@instcount=\count99
\c@maxnames=\count100
\c@minnames=\count101
\c@maxitems=\count102
\c@minitems=\count103
\c@citecounter=\count104
\c@savedcitecounter=\count105
\c@uniquelist=\count106
\c@uniquename=\count107
\c@refsection=\count108
\c@refsegment=\count109
\c@maxextratitle=\count110
\c@maxextratitleyear=\count111
\c@maxextrayear=\count112
\c@maxextraalpha=\count113
\c@abbrvpenalty=\count114
\c@highnamepenalty=\count115
\c@lownamepenalty=\count116
\c@maxparens=\count117
\c@parenlevel=\count118
\blx@tempcnta=\count119
\blx@tempcntb=\count120
\blx@tempcntc=\count121
\blx@maxsection=\count122
\blx@maxsegment@0=\count123
\blx@notetype=\count124
\blx@parenlevel@text=\count125
\blx@parenlevel@foot=\count126
\blx@sectionciteorder@0=\count127
\labelnumberwidth=\skip43
\labelalphawidth=\skip44
\biblabelsep=\skip45
\bibitemsep=\skip46
\bibnamesep=\skip47
\bibinitsep=\skip48
\bibparsep=\skip49
\bibhang=\skip50
\blx@bcfin=\read1
\blx@bcfout=\write3
\c@mincomprange=\count128
\c@maxcomprange=\count129
\c@mincompwidth=\count130
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load biblatex default data model...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'blx-dm.def' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/blx-dm.def)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load biblatex custom data model...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'biblatex-dm.cfg' not found.
\c@afterword=\count131
\c@savedafterword=\count132
\c@annotator=\count133
\c@savedannotator=\count134
\c@author=\count135
\c@savedauthor=\count136
\c@bookauthor=\count137
\c@savedbookauthor=\count138
\c@commentator=\count139
\c@savedcommentator=\count140
\c@editor=\count141
\c@savededitor=\count142
\c@editora=\count143
\c@savededitora=\count144
\c@editorb=\count145
\c@savededitorb=\count146
\c@editorc=\count147
\c@savededitorc=\count148
\c@foreword=\count149
\c@savedforeword=\count150
\c@holder=\count151
\c@savedholder=\count152
\c@introduction=\count153
\c@savedintroduction=\count154
\c@namea=\count155
\c@savednamea=\count156
\c@nameb=\count157
\c@savednameb=\count158
\c@namec=\count159
\c@savednamec=\count160
\c@translator=\count161
\c@savedtranslator=\count162
\c@shortauthor=\count163
\c@savedshortauthor=\count164
\c@shorteditor=\count165
\c@savedshorteditor=\count166
\c@labelname=\count167
\c@savedlabelname=\count168
\c@institution=\count169
\c@savedinstitution=\count170
\c@lista=\count171
\c@savedlista=\count172
\c@listb=\count173
\c@savedlistb=\count174
\c@listc=\count175
\c@savedlistc=\count176
\c@listd=\count177
\c@savedlistd=\count178
\c@liste=\count179
\c@savedliste=\count180
\c@listf=\count181
\c@savedlistf=\count182
\c@location=\count183
\c@savedlocation=\count184
\c@organization=\count185
\c@savedorganization=\count186
\c@origlocation=\count187
\c@savedoriglocation=\count188
\c@origpublisher=\count189
\c@savedorigpublisher=\count190
\c@publisher=\count191
\c@savedpublisher=\count192
\c@language=\count193
\c@savedlanguage=\count194
\c@pageref=\count195
\c@savedpageref=\count196
\shorthandwidth=\skip51
\shortjournalwidth=\skip52
\shortserieswidth=\skip53
\shorttitlewidth=\skip54
\shortauthorwidth=\skip55
\shorteditorwidth=\skip56
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load compatibility code...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'blx-compat.def' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/blx-compat.def
File: blx-compat.def 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex compatibility (PK/JW/AB)
)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load generic definitions...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'biblatex.def' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/biblatex.def
File: biblatex.def
\c@textcitecount=\count197
\c@textcitetotal=\count198
\c@textcitemaxnames=\count199
\c@biburlnumpenalty=\count200
\c@biburlucpenalty=\count201
\c@biburllcpenalty=\count202
\c@smartand=\count203
)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliography style 'numeric'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'numeric.bbx' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/bbx/numeric.bbx
File: numeric.bbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliography style 'standard'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'standard.bbx' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/bbx/standard.bbx
File: standard.bbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
\c@bbx:relatedcount=\count204
\c@bbx:relatedtotal=\count205
))
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load citation style 'numeric'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'numeric.cbx' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/cbx/numeric.cbx
File: numeric.cbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex citation style (PK/JW/AB)
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\cite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\parencite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\footcitetext'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\smartcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\supercite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\textcite'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\textcites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\cites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\parencites'.
Package biblatex Info: Redefining '\smartcites'.
)
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load configuration file...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'biblatex.cfg' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/biblatex.cfg
File: biblatex.cfg
)))
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load language 'english'...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'english.lbx' found.
(/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/biblatex/lbx/english.lbx
File: english.lbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex localization (PK/JW/AB)
)
\@quotelevel=\count206
\@quotereset=\count207
(./bibertest.aux)
\openout1 = `bibertest.aux'.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for OML/cmm/m/it on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for T1/cmr/m/n on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for OT1/cmr/m/n on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for OMS/cmsy/m/n on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for OMX/cmex/m/n on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: Checking defaults for U/cmr/m/n on input line 5.
LaTeX Font Info: ... okay on input line 5.
Package biblatex Info: No input encoding detected.
(biblatex) Assuming 'ascii'.
Package biblatex Info: Automatic encoding selection.
(biblatex) Assuming data encoding 'ascii'.
\openout3 = `bibertest.bcf'.
Package biblatex Info: Trying to load bibliographic data...
Package biblatex Info: ... file 'bibertest.bbl' found.
(./bibertest.bbl)
Package biblatex Info: Reference section=0 on input line 5.
Package biblatex Info: Reference segment=0 on input line 5.
LaTeX Warning: Citation 'thebook' on page 1 undefined on input line 6.
LaTeX Warning: Empty bibliography on input line 7.
[1
{/var/lib/texmf/fonts/map/pdftex/updmap/pdftex.map}] (./bibertest.aux)
*File List*
report.cls 2014/09/29 v1.4h Standard LaTeX document class
size10.clo 2014/09/29 v1.4h Standard LaTeX file (size option)
biblatex.sty 2015/04/19 v3.0 programmable bibliographies (PK/JW/AB)
biblatex2.sty 2015/04/19 v3.0 programmable bibliographies (biber) (PK/JW/AB)
etoolbox.sty 2015/08/02 v2.2a e-TeX tools for LaTeX (JAW)
keyval.sty 2014/10/28 v1.15 key=value parser (DPC)
kvoptions.sty 2011/06/30 v3.11 Key value format for package options (HO)
ltxcmds.sty 2011/11/09 v1.22 LaTeX kernel commands for general use (HO)
kvsetkeys.sty 2012/04/25 v1.16 Key value parser (HO)
infwarerr.sty 2010/04/08 v1.3 Providing info/warning/error messages (HO)
etexcmds.sty 2011/02/16 v1.5 Avoid name clashes with e-TeX commands (HO)
ifluatex.sty 2010/03/01 v1.3 Provides the ifluatex switch (HO)
logreq.sty 2010/08/04 v1.0 xml request logger
logreq.def 2010/08/04 v1.0 logreq spec v1.0
ifthen.sty 2014/09/29 v1.1c Standard LaTeX ifthen package (DPC)
url.sty 2013/09/16 ver 3.4 Verb mode for urls, etc.
blx-dm.def
biblatex-dm.cfg
blx-compat.def 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex compatibility (PK/JW/AB)
biblatex.def
standard.bbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
numeric.bbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex bibliography style (PK/JW/AB)
numeric.cbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex citation style (PK/JW/AB)
biblatex.cfg
english.lbx 2015/04/19 v3.0 biblatex localization (PK/JW/AB)
bibertest.bbl
***********
LaTeX Warning: There were undefined references.
Package biblatex Warning: Please (re)run Biber on the file:
(biblatex) bibertest
(biblatex) and rerun LaTeX afterwards.
Package logreq Info: Writing requests to 'bibertest.run.xml'.
\openout1 = `bibertest.run.xml'.
)
Here is how much of TeX's memory you used:
5954 strings out of 493091
103235 string characters out of 6142991
510990 words of memory out of 5000000
9442 multiletter control sequences out of 15000+600000
3948 words of font info for 15 fonts, out of 8000000 for 9000
1141 hyphenation exceptions out of 8191
44i,4n,32p,824b,729s stack positions out of 5000i,500n,10000p,200000b,80000s
</usr/share/texmf/fonts/type1/public/amsfonts/cm/cmbx10.pfb></usr/share/texmf
/fonts/type1/public/amsfonts/cm/cmr10.pfb>
Output written on bibertest.pdf (1 page, 19089 bytes).
PDF statistics:
16 PDF objects out of 1000 (max. 8388607)
10 compressed objects within 1 object stream
0 named destinations out of 1000 (max. 500000)
1 words of extra memory for PDF output out of 10000 (max. 10000000)
bibertest.blg:
[0] Config.pm:324> INFO - This is Biber 2.1
[0] Config.pm:327> INFO - Logfile is 'bibertest.blg'
[41] biber:295> INFO - === Di Jul 18, 2017, 10:34:05
[55] Biber.pm:333> INFO - Reading 'bibertest.bcf'
[140] Biber.pm:645> INFO - Found 1 citekeys in bib section 0
[151] Biber.pm:2977> INFO - Processing section 0
[172] Biber.pm:3115> INFO - Looking for bibtex format file 'test.bib' for section 0
[173] bibtex.pm:1021> INFO - Decoding LaTeX character macros into UTF-8
[173] bibtex.pm:895> INFO - Found BibTeX data source 'test.bib'
[197] UCollate.pm:66> INFO - Overriding locale 'en-US' defaults 'variable = shifted' with 'variable = non-ignorable'
[198] UCollate.pm:66> INFO - Overriding locale 'en-US' defaults 'normalization = NFD' with 'normalization = prenormalized'
[198] Biber.pm:2854> INFO - Sorting list 'nty' of type 'entry' with scheme 'nty' and locale 'en-US'
[198] Biber.pm:2858> INFO - No sort tailoring available for locale 'en-US'
[200] bbl.pm:506> INFO - Writing 'bibertest.bbl' with encoding 'ascii'
[200] bbl.pm:597> INFO - Output to bibertest.bbl
Both programs, pdflatex and biber return exit code 0, indicationg no error. But still there is no bibliography in the resulting pdf. What am I missing?
EDIT 1
changed test.bib to (copied from wikipedia):
@article{thebook,
author = {Shen Lin and Brian W. Kernighan},
title = {An Effective Heuristic Algorithm for the Travelling-Salesman Problem},
journal = {Operations Research},
volume = {21},
year = {1973},
pages = {498--516},
}
output of biber --debug bibertest is then:
INFO - This is Biber 2.1
INFO - Logfile is 'bibertest.blg'
INFO - DEBUG mode: all messages are logged to 'bibertest.blg'
INFO - Reading 'bibertest.bcf'
INFO - Found 1 citekeys in bib section 0
INFO - Processing section 0
INFO - Looking for bibtex format file 'test.bib' for section 0
INFO - Decoding LaTeX character macros into UTF-8
INFO - Found BibTeX data source 'test.bib'
INFO - Overriding locale 'en-US' defaults 'variable = shifted' with 'variable = non-ignorable'
INFO - Overriding locale 'en-US' defaults 'normalization = NFD' with 'normalization = prenormalized'
INFO - Sorting list 'nty' of type 'entry' with scheme 'nty' and locale 'en-US'
INFO - No sort tailoring available for locale 'en-US'
INFO - Writing 'bibertest.bbl' with encoding 'ascii'
% $ biblatex auxiliary file $
% $ biblatex bbl format version 2.5 $
% Do not modify the above lines!
%
% This is an auxiliary file used by the 'biblatex' package.
% This file may safely be deleted. It will be recreated by
% biber as required.
%
\begingroup
\makeatletter
\@ifundefined{ver@biblatex.sty}
{\@latex@error
{Missing 'biblatex' package}
{The bibliography requires the 'biblatex' package.}
\aftergroup\endinput}
{}
\endgroup
\refsection{0}
\sortlist{nty}{nty}
\entry{thebook}{article}{}
\name{author}{2}{}{%
{{hash=ee5ad1086dab61efed0851b6802d25e4}{Lin}{L\bibinitperiod}{Shen}{S\bibinitperiod}{}{}{}{}}%
{{hash=1052228cbdc74ef71d9c24c30ddc01ef}{Kernighan}{K\bibinitperiod}{Brian\bibnamedelima W.}{B\bibinitperiod\bibinitdelim W\bibinitperiod}{}{}{}{}}%
}
\strng{namehash}{8dbb7ca376d9c40a1b134cdb0104f283}
\strng{fullhash}{8dbb7ca376d9c40a1b134cdb0104f283}
\field{sortinit}{L}
\field{sortinithash}{c5feef8b80fd09f214a253043f4de4ae}
\field{labelnamesource}{author}
\field{labeltitlesource}{title}
\field{journaltitle}{Operations Research}
\field{title}{An Effective Heuristic Algorithm for the Travelling-Salesman Problem}
\field{volume}{21}
\field{year}{1973}
\field{pages}{498\bibrangedash 516}
\range{pages}{19}
\endentry
\endsortlist
\endrefsection
\endinput
INFO - Output to bibertest.bbl
And I just noticed: bibertest.bbl is an empty file!
EDIT 2
Copying the (relevant part of) output of biber bibertest to the empty file bibertest.bbl and then running pdflatex bibertest.tex again produces the expected pdf! So I guess the problem is that the package from Publishing:TeXLive is broken. Will try to install a different version.
EDIT 3
Solved! Removing texlive and the Publishing:TeXLive repo, then reinstalling texlive solved the problem. So apparently the biber package in the Publishing:TeXLive repo is broken. I should not ignore openSUSE's unstable warning anymore and simply live with old but stable software.
@bookrequire some more field (mandatory)? – TeXnician Jul 18 '17 at 09:04biber --debug bibertestand show the output? The logs looks innocent enough so far. – moewe Jul 18 '17 at 10:14