How to use non standard variables from extra field of Zotero?

CSL Usage
1

Hello,
I have some custom variables that I have created for a project at the University, the variables are stored in the Extra field of Zotero using this format myCustomVariable: myCustumVariableValue\n
I would like to access them in the CSL file I have tried to use <text variable="myCustomVariable"/> it seems the correct way from the documentation but it doesn’t work.
Is there any way I can access them and print them in the bibliography generated by Zotero? I could do a custom script in Python but that would be reinventing CSL…

2

Though others here (other than I) may know the answer, I think that’s a zotero question?

3

Thanks for the feedback @Bruce_D_Arcus1 , myabe I can rephrase in: is there a way to handle custom variables in CSL language?

4

Not anything official that I’m aware of.

It’s a tricky topic to address when style portability across applications and users is a priority.

@Sebastian_Karcher - any input on this?

5

Actually, what @giacomo is trying to do should work.
Can you maybe post a screenshot?

6

I don’t know exactly what Zotero does to parse Extra but except for existing CSL variables, it appears to balk at capital letters (maybe because CSL doesn’t use them?)
So mycustomvariable: Custom Text works but Mycustomvariable: Custom Text does not.
I haven’t tested this further, but I’d assume that hyphens and underscores will work.

But just to underline, this isn’t official CSL but a Zotero → citeproc.js hack with no guarantee of remaining stable (though also no immediate plans to break it)

1 Like
7

@Sebastian_Karcher I was actually using capital letters; this explains why it did not work, thank you all for your answers.