A desktop citation management application that helps you organize and format academic references in multiple citation styles (Vancouver, APA, MLA).

Features

• Multiple Citation Styles: Support for Vancouver, APA, and MLA formatting
• Automatic Metadata Extraction: Fetch citation information from URLs
• Manual Entry: Add citations manually with custom fields
• Local Database: All citations stored locally on your computer using SQLite
• Export Options: Save formatted bibliographies to text files
• Live Preview: See formatted citations before exporting
• Cross-platform: Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• pip (Python package manager)

Setup Instructions

1. Download or clone this repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/papertrail.git
   cd papertrail

2. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Run the application

   python papertrail.py

Usage

Adding Citations from URLs

1. Paste a URL into the "Add Citation from URL" field
2. Click "Fetch & Add"
3. The app will automatically extract metadata (title, authors, year, etc.)
4. Citation is saved to your local database

Adding Citations Manually

1. Fill in the fields in the "Manual Entry" section
2. At minimum, provide a title
3. Click "Add Citation"
4. Citation is saved to your local database

Managing Citations

• View All: See all your citations in the list
• Delete: Select a citation and click "Delete Selected"
• Clear All: Remove all citations (with confirmation)

Exporting Bibliography

1. Select your preferred citation style (Vancouver, APA, or MLA)
2. Click "Preview" to see formatted output
3. Click "Export to File" to save as a text file
4. Choose location and filename

Citation Styles

Vancouver

• Numbered citations [1], [2], etc.
• Author format: Surname Initials
• Example: 1. Smith J, Doe A. Article title. Journal Name 2024;10(2):123-45.

APA

• Author-date format
• Author format: Surname, Initials
• Example: Smith, J., & Doe, A. (2024). Article title. Journal Name, 10(2), 123-45.

MLA

• Author-page format
• Author format: Surname, First Name
• Example: Smith, John, et al. "Article title." Journal Name, vol. 10, no. 2, 2024, pp. 123-45.

Building Standalone Executable

To create a standalone executable that doesn't require Python:

1. Install PyInstaller

   pip install pyinstaller

2. Build the executable

   pyinstaller --onefile --windowed papertrail.py

3. Find your executable

   • Windows: dist/papertrail.exe
   • Mac: dist/papertrail.app
   • Linux: dist/papertrail

Data Storage

• All citations are stored in a local SQLite database file (citations.db)
• The database is created automatically in the same directory as the application
• Your data never leaves your computer

Troubleshooting

"Python not found"

• Make sure Python is installed and added to your system PATH
• Try using python3 instead of python

Dependencies won't install

• Try: python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
• Make sure you have an active internet connection

Can't fetch metadata from URL

• Some websites may block automated requests
• Try manual entry instead
• Check your internet connection

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

Support

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please open an issue on GitHub.