From kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk  Tue Nov  7 13:04:23 2023
From: kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk (Phelps, Kathryn)
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2023 12:04:23 +0000
Subject: [biblio] Bibtex internal bytes
Message-ID: <LO2P123MB2432A1EF4EBEB179188C767EDAA9A@LO2P123MB2432.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hello,

I work on the file format registry PRONOM, and we're trying to refine our signature for the Bibtex file, because at present it clashes with some other widely used file formats. We've noticed that some files contain the bytes for 'BiBTeX' or  BiBTeX Database for', and I wonder if anyone knows if these are produced by certain iterations of Bibtex only? Basically, when the bytes for 'Bibtex' will and won't be present in a Bibtex file.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Best wishes,

Kathryn Phelps

Digital Archivist (working days Monday- Thursday)
The National Archives
+44 (0)20 8876 3444
kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk<mailto:kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk>
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

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From Peter.Selinger at Dal.Ca  Thu Nov  9 18:50:43 2023
From: Peter.Selinger at Dal.Ca (Peter Selinger)
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2023 17:50:43 +0000
Subject: [biblio] Bibtex internal bytes
In-Reply-To: <LO2P123MB2432A1EF4EBEB179188C767EDAA9A@LO2P123MB2432.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
References: <LO2P123MB2432A1EF4EBEB179188C767EDAA9A@LO2P123MB2432.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
Message-ID: <YQXPR01MB2551AFBF2CD4C3CB248C78A7EAAFA@YQXPR01MB2551.CANPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hi Kathryn,

BiBTeX files are source files that are created by people using text editors, not created by software. As such, they cannot be guaranteed to contain any particular byte signature.

The file format is described in "LaTeX: A Document Preparation System" by Leslie Lamport, 2nd edition, Addison Wesley, 1994, Chapter B.1, ISBN 0201529831.

-- Peter

________________________________
From: biblio <biblio-bounces+selinger=mathstat.dal.ca at tug.org> on behalf of Phelps, Kathryn via biblio <biblio at tug.org>
Sent: November 7, 2023 8:04 AM
To: biblio at tug.org <biblio at tug.org>
Subject: [biblio] Bibtex internal bytes

CAUTION: The Sender of this email is not from within Dalhousie.

Hello,



I work on the file format registry PRONOM, and we?re trying to refine our signature for the Bibtex file, because at present it clashes with some other widely used file formats. We?ve noticed that some files contain the bytes for ?BiBTeX? or  BiBTeX Database for?, and I wonder if anyone knows if these are produced by certain iterations of Bibtex only? Basically, when the bytes for ?Bibtex? will and won?t be present in a Bibtex file.



Any advice would be much appreciated. Best wishes,



Kathryn Phelps

Digital Archivist (working days Monday- Thursday)

The National Archives
+44 (0)20 8876 3444

kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk<mailto:kathryn.phelps at nationalarchives.gov.uk>

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/



Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- National Archives Disclaimer This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the email. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message and attachments that do not relate to the official business of The National Archives are neither given nor endorsed by it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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