Using Referencing Tools in LibreOffice Writer

English
#1

Hi all,

It has been a while since I’ve used LibreOffice. So, maybe I’m just new to it. I’m on Ubuntu 25.04. I’m trying to set up References / Bibliography in Writer. I can’t seem to figure out how to do so though.

I’ve followed guides that tell me to go to Tools > Bibliography Database. The menu point is available, but nothing happens when I tap it. I’ve also tried to go to Insert > Table of Contents and Index > Bibliography Entry. It opens a dialogue where I can pick a Bibliography Source. Either Bibliography Database or Document Content. With ‘Bibliography Database’ I can tap Edit, but no matter what I change there, I can’t tap OK. And the Type drop down is empty. With the ‘Document Content’-option, I can tap New, but similarly to the other one, no matter what I type there, I can’t tap OK. And the Type drop down is empty there too.

Is this a bug, or do I just don’t know how to use the referencing tools in LibreOffice? Could someone please point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:

#2

Okay, I tried asking an AI tool (Perplexity) which results suggest that it could be because I don’t have LibreOffice Base and / or Java installed. Could this be the case? In which case, The Document Foundation and Canonical (Ubuntu) should probably discuss a resolution, if they want to expand Ubuntu and LibreOffice to more regular people. It seems like a bug when the Referencing Tool doesn’t work out of the box.

As an alternative, I tried installing Zotero (a tool for referencing). It seems to work very well, but it would still be nice to have a proper referencing tool within LibreOffice Writer. Though I do know that The Document Foundation has limited resources. However, it would be a great addition, if we got a tip in the right direction when you tap Tools > Bibliography Database - instead of just a dead end. I don’t know if it’s a bug, a problem with my system or just me doing something wrong.

#3
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#4

This has nothing to do with the LibreOffice, and everything to do with a choice that the Ubuntu project has made to not install Base by default. It also isn’t a recent decision as the question comes up repeatedly here, on the LibreOffice bug Zilla instance, and elsewhere.

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#5

LibreOffice could however prompt the user to install LibreOffice Base when trying to use the Bibliography Database tool. Right now there is no feedback at all. Though I do wonder if LibreOffice and Ubuntu have been in contact about this issue. It seems odd.

#6

apparently in the limbo since 2021, feel free to ping there : 144607 – Bibliography database option does not open when selected

1 Like
#7

Neither is necessary to use built-in Bibliography feature.

Two actions are necessary to create a bibliography index.

  1. Insert bibliography entries
    You do so with Insert>TOC & Index>Bibliography Entry, select an entry and Insert. This “activates” an existing entry.
  2. Create the bibliography list
    At the location you want this index, Insert>TOC & Index>TOC, Index or Bibliography and choose the Biography type. Adjust other parameters as needed.

    Only “activated” entries are listed.

This assumes you have created your entries before use. Entries are edited with Tools>Bibliography Database.

Zotero has a wider scope than the simple Writer bibliography. It manages your citations and “secondarily” allows insertion in various office suites. It is really sophisticated but when it comes to “polish” your formatting, you’ll meet problems (the same with other citation managers like Mendeley). These problems are related to the fact that Zotero is “universal”; it does not target specifically Writer. Consequently, entry formatting doesn’t use Writer built-in features, i.e. styles, but does everything directly. This deprives you of the possibility to customise centrally and easily the look of your entries.

#8

But the problem is that nothing happens when I go to Tools > Bibliography Database. So, I can’t create any entries.

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