Author Bolding

Bold selected author names.  This currently can only be done with the find and replace command.  This approach is problematic for several reasons, including:

  • new records will not be affected
  • can be done only one name at a time
  • if there is more than one author with the same last name it is possible to highlight the wrong author
  • highlighting the whole author name is unreasonable since there tend to be too many iterations of each name

I am trying to figure out what you would suggest to streamline this? 

I assume this is to produce a bibliography list, for example, in one’s own CV with their name bolded to emphasize their role? 

(mind you, I am not associated with the developers, and am just another user).   

I use EndNote in a different way than most users.  I take care of all publications for a Cancer Center - this includes over 150 member labs.  EndNote tech support suggested I use the find and replace method, which might work except a library of PI names would seem to me to work a lot better.  If I could build a terms list of PIs that would have aliases (Augenlicht, LH and Augenlicht, L and Augenlicht, L.H., etc.) that would get bolded on all publications that exist in the library and on new ones as they are imported, that would be optimal.

Also, I have several author names that would be problematic.  For instance, I would want the author Hall, C.B. bolded but would not want anyone else with the last name of Hall bolded (I also have some Smiths and a Jones).

It seems that a terms list would do the trick, but I am not sure.  Currently, I am going to start doing the find and replace, which is something I want to do only once given the number of authors I have.  

Yes, interesting problem.  I don’t see a way to use term lists as they don’t allow font attributes.  People have had similar requests for terms needing to be italicized, for example. 

If a standardized list of names, I wonder if it would it be possible to maybe run a macro on the file before importing to achieve the bolding requirements and whether they could be retained after importing? 

Googling “bold specific authors in references” I only see LaTex and biblatex solutions, and they are still pretty search and replace dependent, with shared surname problems.  But you propably knew that…   

I wrote a script to do other things in EndNote a while back (in X7 to do the find ref updates without okaying each one) I suppose I could ressurect this and modify it.  Still not the best solution.

My solution to this problem is not very elegant but is as follows:

When I import new references (every Monday) I follow a certain procedure in order to customize the references after import.  I have already customized the import filter so it puts the grant information in a different field and certain other items in other fields.  During this time I also mark each reference for certain characteristics.  I have appended to my procedure the bolding oof author names.  This is a little cumbersome and is prone to human error, but it is the only solution I have come up with. 

I have automated the backup function in X9 (windows) and the script is attached (note that it is written in AutoHotKey -  https://www.autohotkey.com/). . ) I also automated, in the same way, the saving of new publications from an outlook email (in Medline format).  That script is also in the attached zip file.
EndNote scripts.zip (2.62 KB)