Re: org-cite: how to include a cite with no key?

[Stefan Nobis <stefan-ml@snobis.de>]

John Kitchin <jkitchin@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

> Who is to say why someone would bother. It is a command on page two
> of http://tug.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/natbib/natnotes.pdf that
> one can use.

Hmmm... but I would say that the natbib command \citetext is more a
helper/workaround for the missing prefix/suffix options that biblatex
provides. See also the example in the natbib documentation (~texdoc
natbib~ or http://tug.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/natbib/natbib.pdf)
in section 2.4 (page 8):

  \citetext{see \citealp{jon90}, or even better \citealp{jam91}}

This is possible (and I would say easier) with biblatex and Org with
the prefix/suffix text options/syntax: A way to include some
additional text inside the citation block.

If inside \citetext no other \cite... command is used, its just the
given text in parentheses. No special formatting, no interaction with
the bibliography. Here's the definition of the command (from
natbib.sty):

  \newcommand\citetext[1]{\NAT@open#1\NAT@close}

It's just the given text surrounded by the chosen citation block
markers (either empty for superscripts, "(..)", "[..]", "$<$..$>$", or
"{..}"). So there is not much to gain from this command in the context
of Org with its rather rich cite syntax that is more expressive than
that of natbib.

As Emmanuel said: If you want a proper entry in the bibliography, then
add the item to the database (e.g. @misc{pm, author={Me},
title={Personal Communication}, year=1984}) and cite it as any other
item.

Or use a macro if you want such comments to be easily
searchable/changeable.

-- 
Until the next mail...,
Stefan.