Files found via "Autolink files" are not depicted in Main tab

[ThiloteE]

JabRef version

Latest development branch build (please note build date below)

Operating system

GNU / Linux

Details on version and operating system

JabRef 6.0-alpha.707--2026-08-28--1b91eba Linux 7.2.0-202.nobara.fc44.x86_64 amd64 Java 25.0.4.1 JavaFX 26.0.2+3

Checked with the latest development build (copy version output from About dialog)

• I made a backup of my libraries before testing the latest development version.
• I have tested the latest development version and the problem persists

Steps to reproduce the behaviour

When I was trying to filter my pdf files for flaws, I was wondering why I got a notification that said 3 files got indexed, when I knew I had 4 files in the directory and when I tried to use full-text search to find out which of the PDFs didn't get indexed, right the first one of the 4 I looked at didn't yield any results. Coincidentally, when I tried to open this particular PDF from within the entry editor, I noticed the following:

@Article{Fuchs2021tdc,
  author           = {Fuchs, Christian},
  date             = {2021-03},
  journaltitle     = {Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture},
  title            = {The Digital Commons and the Digital Public Sphere: How to Advance Digital Democracy Today},
  doi              = {10.16997/wpcc.917},
  issn             = {1744-6716},
  number           = {1},
  url              = {https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d2390d7f707424e8d2e1ad755c0809652ddeed88},
  volume           = {16},
  abstract         = {This paper asks: what are the democratic potentials of the digital commons and the digital public sphere? First, the article identifies ten problems of digital capitalism. Second, it engages with the notion of the digital public sphere. Third, it outlines the concept of the digital commons. Fourth, some conclusions are drawn and ten suggestions for advancing digital democracy are presented.This article contributes to theorising and the analysis of digital capitalism, Internet platforms, the digital public sphere, the digital commons, digital democracy, public service Internet platforms, civil society/community Internet platforms, platform co-operatives, open access, corporate/capitalist open access, and diamond open access.This work also outlines ten problems of digital capitalism as well as ten principles of digital progressivism, a politics that advances the public sphere and the commons and thereby (digital) democracy in society.There are natural, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of the commons and the digital commons. Capitalism, public service, and civil society media/community media/cooperatives are three forms of organisation and governing the Internet and digital media/technologies. Capitalism colonises and commodifies the (digital) commons and the (digital) public sphere. Alternative models are located outside of capitalism in the realms of the public sphere and civil society as well as their interactions.},
  publisher        = {University of Westminster Press},
}

There is nothing in the logs.

Appendix

No response

[ThiloteE]

Probably related to #16598, which will likely be superseeded by #16672

[Siedlerchr]

Can you retry with the latest main after yesterdays fix with the modules?`

[ThiloteE]

So, I think i know what's up.

1. The indexing was broken, because of that particular PDF, so not in general. I checked other entries and there it's fine. Both tabs show linked PDFs. Maybe the file i thought wasn't indexing was not linked properly?
2. As one can see in the screenshot depicting the General tab, the PDF there is not actually linked, but only shows a file was found in the configured file directory, which could be linked, if one clicks the button on the far left of the file field.
3. As one can see in the screenshot depicting the Main tab, there is no PDF linked, which is fine, but the feature that automatically detects files is missing too, which is a regression compared to JabRef version 5.15. I think it's called Autolink Files in the preferences:
   
   

[ThiloteE]

The name "Autolink files" might be a little missleading, because it doesn't really autolink. It only detects those file. The linking happens with the press of a button in the entry editor tabs file field or via Quality > Automatically set file links (F7), if I remember right.

[palSayan1000]

I know java but i have open multiple repositoris and did not understood anything I want to start building and start with open source can any one please guide me
I am from India in sem 1 of college one month have just passed. I see hackathons happening everywhere i am eager to learn contribute to open source. Such things when opened for the first time are very overwhelming. It would be very help full if any one could guide me

[ThiloteE]

@palSayan1000 Hello, this issue here is a "typical issue" you will encounter as a programmer. It is not a "good first issue" that was specifically prepared for students and needs a little bit of work on the requirements side.

The user (me) made an error during debugging: full-text search wasn't broken. At first, the symptomps looked like it, but that was a false alarm. Just some weird edge case with Autolink not working in the new Main tab (apparently only affects some entries and I don't know what causes it yet) + Some of my personal PDF files are broken (they cannot even be opened with a PDF reader) and cannot be indexed by JabRef, which was an unintentional red hering, when I first mentioned it.

This issue here specifically was marked with label "dev-call", which means JabRef maintainers are going to have a look and talk about this issue here at their next meeting. Of course you are free to choose to tackle this issue here or any other in the repository, if you feel like it (which first would need to you try to reproduce it and/or ask me questions about how to reproduce it), but my recommendation would be:

1. Download the newest development version of JabRef, install it and open it up to get a first feel for the app. (then start using it for your own term papers and scientific projects). That way you will understand how the app works and the needs of a user better.
2. Have a look our contributing.md. Most open source projects have such a file in their repository. It will explain how to set up your work environment and more details that need to look out for. Also take heed of our AI-usage policy and the code of conduct.
   
3. Have a look at the issues that are labeled as good first issue. We have a GitHub Project that lists them too. Those are estimated by maintainers to be limited in scope and vary in difficulty. They will be a good intro into the code-base.