Replaces the standard ComboBox with a SearchableComboBox and a free text field in custom Entry Types (#14189)

Memeel · AloisHasNeurons · Siedlerchr · web-flow · commit ceb4e48f7200 · 2025-11-12T18:57:16.000Z
* create branch * preferences: Make "Add new field" searchable in Custom Entry Types Replaces the standard ComboBox with a SearchableComboBox to improve usability when adding fields. Fixes #14082 * docs: Update changelog for issue 14082 * fix(config): Restore accidentally deleted line * preferences: Split 'Add new field' into ComboBox and TextField Replaces the single editable SearchableComboBox with two separate components: a SearchableComboBox for existing fields and a new TextField for custom fields * Add missing localization keys for custom entry types * moved CHANGELOG to the new unreleased section * revert changes * Remove commented out code --------- Co-authored-by: Aloïs VINCENT <alois.vincent@imt-atlantique.net> Co-authored-by: Christoph <siedlerkiller@gmail.com>
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Note that this project **does not** adhere to [Semantic Versioning](https://semv
 
 ### Changed
 
+- We replaced the standard ComboBox with a SearchableComboBox and added a free text field in custom Entry Types [#14082](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/14082)
 - We separated the "Clean up entries" dialog into three tabs for clarity [#13819](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/13819)
 - `JabKit`: `--porcelain` does not output any logs to the console anymore. [#14244](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/14244)
 - <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>L</kbd> now opens the terminal in the active library directory. [#14130](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/14130)
diff --git a/jabgui/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTab.java b/jabgui/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTab.java
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import javafx.fxml.FXML;
 import javafx.scene.Group;
 import javafx.scene.control.Button;
-import javafx.scene.control.ComboBox;
 import javafx.scene.control.Label;
 import javafx.scene.control.TableColumn;
 import javafx.scene.control.TableRow;
@@ -40,21 +39,24 @@
 import com.tobiasdiez.easybind.EasyBind;
 import de.saxsys.mvvmfx.utils.validation.visualization.ControlsFxVisualizer;
 import jakarta.inject.Inject;
+import org.controlsfx.control.SearchableComboBox;
 
 public class CustomEntryTypesTab extends AbstractPreferenceTabView<CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel> implements PreferencesTab {
 
     @FXML private TableView<EntryTypeViewModel> entryTypesTable;
     @FXML private TableColumn<EntryTypeViewModel, String> entryTypColumn;
     @FXML private TableColumn<EntryTypeViewModel, String> entryTypeActionsColumn;
     @FXML private TextField addNewEntryType;
+    @FXML private TextField addNewCustomFieldText;
     @FXML private TableView<FieldViewModel> fields;
     @FXML private TableColumn<FieldViewModel, String> fieldNameColumn;
     @FXML private TableColumn<FieldViewModel, Boolean> fieldTypeColumn;
     @FXML private TableColumn<FieldViewModel, String> fieldTypeActionColumn;
     @FXML private TableColumn<FieldViewModel, Boolean> fieldTypeMultilineColumn;
-    @FXML private ComboBox<Field> addNewField;
+    @FXML private SearchableComboBox<Field> addNewField;
     @FXML private Button addNewEntryTypeButton;
     @FXML private Button addNewFieldButton;
+    @FXML private Button addNewCustomFieldButton;
 
     @Inject private StateManager stateManager;
 
@@ -89,9 +91,13 @@ public void initialize() {
         addNewEntryTypeButton.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.entryTypeValidationStatus().validProperty().not());
         addNewFieldButton.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.fieldValidationStatus().validProperty().not().or(viewModel.selectedEntryTypeProperty().isNull()));
 
+        viewModel.newCustomFieldToAddProperty().bindBidirectional(addNewCustomFieldText.textProperty());
+        addNewCustomFieldButton.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.customFieldValidationStatus().validProperty().not().or(viewModel.selectedEntryTypeProperty().isNull()));
+
         Platform.runLater(() -> {
             visualizer.initVisualization(viewModel.entryTypeValidationStatus(), addNewEntryType, true);
             visualizer.initVisualization(viewModel.fieldValidationStatus(), addNewField, true);
+            visualizer.initVisualization(viewModel.customFieldValidationStatus(), addNewCustomFieldText, true);
         });
     }
 
@@ -203,7 +209,6 @@ private void setupFieldsTable() {
         viewModel.newFieldToAddProperty().bindBidirectional(addNewField.valueProperty());
         // The valueProperty() of addNewField ComboBox needs to be updated by typing text in the ComboBox textfield,
         // since the enabled/disabled state of addNewFieldButton won't update otherwise
-        EasyBind.subscribe(addNewField.getEditor().textProperty(), text -> addNewField.setValue(FieldsUtil.FIELD_STRING_CONVERTER.fromString(text)));
     }
 
     private void makeRotatedColumnHeader(TableColumn<?, ?> column, String text) {
@@ -269,6 +274,11 @@ void addNewField() {
         viewModel.addNewField();
     }
 
+    @FXML
+    void addNewCustomField() {
+        viewModel.addNewCustomField();
+    }
+
     @FXML
     void resetEntryTypes() {
         boolean reset = dialogService.showConfirmationDialogAndWait(
diff --git a/jabgui/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel.java b/jabgui/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import org.jabref.model.entry.field.FieldProperty;
 import org.jabref.model.entry.field.FieldTextMapper;
 import org.jabref.model.entry.field.OrFields;
+import org.jabref.model.entry.field.UnknownField;
 import org.jabref.model.entry.types.EntryType;
 import org.jabref.model.entry.types.UnknownEntryType;
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ public class CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel implements PreferenceTabViewModel {
     private final ObjectProperty<EntryTypeViewModel> selectedEntryType = new SimpleObjectProperty<>();
     private final StringProperty entryTypeToAdd = new SimpleStringProperty("");
     private final ObjectProperty<Field> newFieldToAdd = new SimpleObjectProperty<>();
+    private final StringProperty newCustomFieldToAdd = new SimpleStringProperty("");
     private final ObservableList<EntryTypeViewModel> entryTypesWithFields = FXCollections.observableArrayList(extractor -> new Observable[] {extractor.entryType(), extractor.fields()});
     private final List<BibEntryType> entryTypesToDelete = new ArrayList<>();
 
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ public class CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel implements PreferenceTabViewModel {
 
     private final Validator entryTypeValidator;
     private final Validator fieldValidator;
+    private final Validator customFieldValidator;
     private final Set<Field> multiLineFields = new HashSet<>();
 
     Predicate<Field> isMultiline = field -> this.multiLineFields.contains(field) || field.getProperties().contains(FieldProperty.MULTILINE_TEXT);
@@ -78,6 +81,11 @@ public CustomEntryTypesTabViewModel(BibDatabaseMode mode,
                 newFieldToAdd,
                 input -> (input != null) && StringUtil.isNotBlank(FieldTextMapper.getDisplayName(input)),
                 ValidationMessage.error(Localization.lang("Field cannot be empty. Please enter a name.")));
+        customFieldValidator = new FunctionBasedValidator<>(
+                newCustomFieldToAdd,
+                input -> StringUtil.isNotBlank(input) && !input.contains(" "),
+                ValidationMessage.error(Localization.lang("Field cannot be empty and must not contain spaces."))
+        );
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -167,6 +175,26 @@ public void addNewField() {
         newFieldToAddProperty().setValue(null);
     }
 
+    public void addNewCustomField() {
+        String fieldName = newCustomFieldToAdd.get().trim();
+        Field newField = new UnknownField(fieldName);
+
+        boolean fieldExists = displayNameExists(FieldTextMapper.getDisplayName(newField));
+
+        if (fieldExists) {
+            dialogService.showWarningDialogAndWait(
+                    Localization.lang("Duplicate fields"),
+                    Localization.lang("Warning: You added field \"%0\" twice. Only one will be kept.", FieldTextMapper.getDisplayName(newField)));
+        } else {
+            this.selectedEntryType.getValue().addField(new FieldViewModel(
+                    newField,
+                    FieldViewModel.Mandatory.REQUIRED,
+                    FieldPriority.IMPORTANT,
+                    false));
+        }
+        newCustomFieldToAdd.set("");
+    }
+
     public boolean displayNameExists(String displayName) {
         ObservableList<FieldViewModel> entryFields = this.selectedEntryType.getValue().fields();
         return entryFields.stream().anyMatch(fieldViewModel ->
@@ -202,11 +230,19 @@ public ObservableList<Field> fieldsForAdding() {
         return this.fieldsForAdding;
     }
 
+    public StringProperty newCustomFieldToAddProperty() {
+        return this.newCustomFieldToAdd;
+    }
+
     public ValidationStatus entryTypeValidationStatus() {
         return entryTypeValidator.getValidationStatus();
     }
 
     public ValidationStatus fieldValidationStatus() {
         return fieldValidator.getValidationStatus();
     }
+
+    public ValidationStatus customFieldValidationStatus() {
+        return customFieldValidator.getValidationStatus();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jabgui/src/main/resources/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTab.fxml b/jabgui/src/main/resources/org/jabref/gui/preferences/customentrytypes/CustomEntryTypesTab.fxml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 
 <?import javafx.scene.control.Button?>
-<?import javafx.scene.control.ComboBox?>
 <?import javafx.scene.control.Label?>
 <?import javafx.scene.control.TableColumn?>
 <?import javafx.scene.control.TableView?>
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@
 <?import javafx.scene.layout.Region?>
 <?import javafx.scene.layout.VBox?>
 <?import org.jabref.gui.icon.JabRefIconView?>
+<?import org.controlsfx.control.SearchableComboBox?>
 <fx:root spacing="10.0" type="VBox"
          xmlns="http://javafx.com/javafx" xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml"
          fx:controller="org.jabref.gui.preferences.customentrytypes.CustomEntryTypesTab">
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
                 </columnResizePolicy>
             </TableView>
             <HBox spacing="10.0">
-                <TextField fx:id="addNewEntryType"/>
+                <TextField fx:id="addNewEntryType" promptText="Type new entry type..."/>
                 <Button fx:id="addNewEntryTypeButton"
                         prefHeight="20.0" prefWidth="20.0"
                         styleClass="icon-button,narrow" onAction="#addEntryType">
@@ -60,18 +60,37 @@
                     <TableView fx:constant="CONSTRAINED_RESIZE_POLICY"/>
                 </columnResizePolicy>
             </TableView>
-            <HBox spacing="10.0" alignment="BASELINE_CENTER">
-                <ComboBox fx:id="addNewField" editable="true" prefWidth="150.0"/>
-                <Button fx:id="addNewFieldButton"
-                        prefHeight="20.0" prefWidth="20.0"
-                        styleClass="icon-button,narrow" onAction="#addNewField">
-                    <graphic>
-                        <JabRefIconView glyph="ADD_NOBOX"/>
-                    </graphic>
-                    <tooltip>
-                        <Tooltip text="%Add new Field"/>
-                    </tooltip>
-                </Button>
+            <HBox spacing="10.0" alignment="BASELINE_LEFT">
+                <VBox spacing="5.0">
+                    <HBox spacing="10.0" alignment="BASELINE_CENTER">
+                        <SearchableComboBox fx:id="addNewField" editable="true" prefWidth="150.0"/>
+                        <Button fx:id="addNewFieldButton"
+                                prefHeight="20.0" prefWidth="20.0"
+                                styleClass="icon-button,narrow" onAction="#addNewField">
+                            <graphic>
+                                <JabRefIconView glyph="ADD_NOBOX"/>
+                            </graphic>
+                            <tooltip>
+                                <Tooltip text="%Add new Field"/>
+                            </tooltip>
+                        </Button>
+                    </HBox>
+
+                    <HBox spacing="10.0" alignment="BASELINE_CENTER">
+                        <TextField fx:id="addNewCustomFieldText" prefWidth="150.0" promptText="%Type new custom field..."/>
+                        <Button fx:id="addNewCustomFieldButton"
+                                prefHeight="20.0" prefWidth="20.0"
+                                styleClass="icon-button,narrow" onAction="#addNewCustomField">
+                            <graphic>
+                                <JabRefIconView glyph="ADD_NOBOX"/>
+                            </graphic>
+                            <tooltip>
+                                <Tooltip text="%Add new custom field"/>
+                            </tooltip>
+                        </Button>
+                    </HBox>
+                </VBox>
+
                 <Region HBox.hgrow="ALWAYS" />
                 <Button text="%Reset to default" onAction="#resetEntryTypes">
                     <graphic>
diff --git a/jablib/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties b/jablib/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties
@@ -2281,6 +2281,10 @@ Required=Required
 Entry\ type\ cannot\ be\ empty\ and\ must\ not\ contain\ spaces.=Entry type cannot be empty and must not contain spaces.
 Field\ cannot\ be\ empty.\ Please\ enter\ a\ name.=Field cannot be empty. Please enter a name.
 
+Add\ new\ custom\ field=Add new custom field
+Field\ cannot\ be\ empty\ and\ must\ not\ contain\ spaces.=Field cannot be empty and must not contain spaces.
+Type\ new\ custom\ field...=Type new custom field...
+
 Capitalize\ current\ word=Capitalize current word
 Delete\ text=Delete text
 Make\ current\ word\ lowercase=Make current word lowercase
