(web2c.info)bibtex invocation

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7.1 BibTeX invocation
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BibTeX creates a printable bibliography ('.bbl') file from references in
a '.aux' file, generally written by TeX or LaTeX.  The '.bbl' file is
then incorporated on a subsequent run.  The basic bibliographic
information comes from '.bib' files, and a BibTeX style ('.bst') file
controls the precise contents of the '.bbl' file.  Synopsis:

     bibtex [OPTION]... AUXFILE[.aux]

The output goes to the basename of AUXFILE extended with '.bbl'; for
example, 'bibtex /wherever/foo.aux' creates './foo.bbl'.  BibTeX also
writes a log file to the basename of AUXFILE extended with '.blg'.

   The names of the '.bib' and '.bst' files are specified in the '.aux'
file as well, via the '\bibliography' and '\bibliographystyle' (La)TeX
macros.  BibTeX searches for '.bib' files using the 'BIBINPUTS' and
'TEXBIB' paths, and for '.bst' files using 'BSTINPUTS' (Note:
(kpathsea)Supported file formats).  It does no path searching for
'.aux' files.

   The program accepts the following options, as well as the standard
'-help' and '-version' (Note: Common options):
'-terse'
     Suppress the program banner and progress reports normally output.

'-min-crossrefs=N'
     If at least N (2 by default) bibliography entries refer to another
     entry E via their 'crossref' field, include E in the .bbl file,
     even if it was not explicitly referenced in the .aux file.  For
     example, E might be a conference proceedings as a whole, with the
     cross-referencing entries being individual articles published in
     the proceedings.

     If you want to avoid these automatic inclusions altogether, make N
     a sufficiently large number, and be sure to remove any previous
     .aux and .bbl files.  Otherwise the option may appear to have no
     effect, since BibTeX will have added the citation for E to the
     .aux, and nothing will remove it.

   See also:
'btxdoc.tex'
     Basic LaTeXable documentation for general BibTeX users.

'btxhak.tex'
     LaTeXable documentation for style designers.

'btxdoc.bib'
     BibTeX database file for the two above documents.

'xampl.bib'
     Example database file with all the standard entry types.

'<ftp://ftp.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/>'
     A very large '.bib' and '.bst' collection, including references for
     all the standard TeX books and a complete bibliography for TUGboat.