Add the language field for citations items

[Futur3r]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
When exporting citations with the Quickstatements translator, I have to manually change the languages of each "title" (i.e und: to fr:) and "Label" (i.e Len to Lfr), because this info is not stipulated in citation items and not editable through the citation editor.

Describe the solution you'd like
A "language" field in the citation editor and the ability to "paste"/modify a field value to multiple items at once.

For example, selecting multiple items with Maj+Left-click and then doing right-click to show a menu and selecting an option called like "modify values" that opens a window where I could select the name of the field and put a value that will be applied to all the items I've selected. That window could look like the window to modify or create "saved searches".

Describe alternatives you've considered
For now I can export citations with the quickstatements translator and edit the data manually in a spreadsheet or I can re-import the citation items back into Zotero in BetterBibTex and edit it manually there (I prefer QS for now).

[Futur3r]

And actually, it would be great to also have the ability to modify the values of multiple Zotero at once.

[Dominic-DallOsto]

Does a language only apply to the title of a work?

I guess this is also a problem with the Quickstatements translator? Or would it correctly export a Zotero item (not a citation) with the language set?

Depending on the complexity, the ability to apply changes to multiple citations at once could get a bit complicated interface-wise. In such a case I might be inclined to go more in the direction of something like an API endpoint #148 so that you could use your programming tool of choice to make modifications to Cita's data as you see fit. But if this feature would be broadly useful to others, and relatively simple enough to implement, I'd be happy to.

[Futur3r]

No, it's the language of the entire work and the QS translator also add the "langue of the work" property.

I've opened an issue on the github of the translator.

I don't think it would be that complicated, really it should look like the window to add/modify "saved search".
And I think to would be only useful for the language field, maybe just a functionality like the one of Zutilo for copy and pasting tags between items.
It would be like copying the language value of an item, selecting the target items and pasting to the items selected.

[Futur3r]

Depending on the complexity, the ability to apply changes to multiple citations at once could get a bit complicated interface-wise.

Okay, I just found out, it's supported by Zutilo for Zotero items, it's not straightforward but it's there !
With Zutilo you have the choice to paste values into empty fields or replace existing fields. A crazy time saver !

[HughP]

the language field in Zotero is not about the language of the title or the content. The Language field in Zotero passes a value to the CSL exporter to tell the CSL which locale to use. For example, use APA citation format for french. One can still have a french title with in an english citation locale. There is no field currently in Zotero for language of the metadata or language of the work. - Hugh

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On Fri, Dec 9, 2022 at 11:33 AM Futurer ***@***.***> wrote: Depending on the complexity, the ability to apply changes to multiple citations at once could get a bit complicated interface-wise. Okay, I just found out, it's supported by Zutilo <https://github.com/wshanks/Zutilo> for Zotero items, it's not straightforward but it's there ! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#222 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAAJ2JWCFX7ZVB3J2WQID2LWMOCQDANCNFSM6AAAAAASTP442I> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Futur3r]

Oh wow okay, that's not logical at all to me. I'm sure I'm missing something.
Why not just set the locale for all exports manually when citing the document ? Because, wouldn't that mean that for an English person all Language values would be set to "en" ? So what's the point ?
And like, if the Language value would represent the actual language of the work, wouldn't it be right to cite it with the locale of it's language ?

I'm not using this field like that at all, and frankly it's saving me a lot of time to use it as I do.
...
And wait, what you are describing doesn't correlate with the documentation, I'm confused.
And also, the QS translator interpret the language value as the language of the work and the language of the title, so I think that I'm not the only one that would be confused.

And actually as this issue is for citations only, not Zotero items, we can interpret the language value as we want anyway right ? It doesn't interfere with Zotero items.

[Futur3r]

same as #99