Hello,

I am not sure if I understand you correctly, but do you directly edit a bbl file? Normally, a .bib file is made by the user and ConTeXt (and LaTeX as well) generate the .bbl file for you. Your example works for me using the following code 


\setupbibtex[database={library}]
\setuppublications[alternative=ams]


\starttext
Bla\cite{birn06}

\placepublications[criterium=all]
\stoptext

with a .bib file containing

@article{birn06,
  author = {Dieter Birnbache},
  title = {The Socratic method in teaching medical ethics: Potentials and limitations},
  year = {1999},
  journal = {Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy},
  volume = {2},
  issue = {3},
  pages = {219-224}
}

More information is on the wiki page: http://wiki.contextgarden.net/Bibliography, e.g. why you do not need to use a module any more.



On May 30, 2012, at 6:58 AM, Alasdair McAndrew wrote:

In my list of references, I can't get the author or title (of journal article) to print.  In my .tex file, I have the following lines:

\usemodule[bib]
\setuppublications[alternative=ams,refcommand=num,numbering=yes]

and in my .bbl file the (so far) only reference is:

\startpublication[k=birn06,
  t=article,
  a=D.~Birnbache,
  y=1999]
  \author{Dieter}{}{Birnbache}
  \title{The Socratic method in teaching medical ethics: Potentials and limitations}
  \pubyear{1999}
  \journal{Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy}
  \volume{2}
  \issue{3}
  \pages{219-224}
\stoppublication

However, when I typeset the file, the reference list consists of

[1] , Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 2, 219 (1999).

I'm a little confused about all the variables, commands and parameters.  So - first, what am I doing wrong?  Second, are there somewhere out there some example files of bibliography usage (I learn best by seeing what other people have done, and adapting that to my own ends)?  Third: can I include the references in the body of the .tex file (as you can do with LaTeX and the thebibliography environment)?

Thanks,
Alasdair

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