Mark automatically created groups and groups that automatically collect entries in UI

[ThiloteE]

Tabs for manual and automatic groups seems nice for categorization, but might create problems for workflow. Imagine having a manually created group and then an automatically created subgroup. I don't want to switch tabs just to have a look at the parent group or the subgroup. Maybe there can be a tiny symbol, flag or colour next to the groups to show if manual or automatic? There is a difference between groups automatically being created and manually created groups automatically collecting their entries using a certain search algorithm. A similar (but different) symbol could be introduced to mark manual groups collecting automatically.

Edit: I mean in theory it could be fine:

• Default: Show ALL groups + tiny symbol for automatically created / automatically collecting
• Automatic: Show only automatically created groups
• Manual: Show only manually created groups.

Originally posted by @ThiloteE in #4681 (comment)

[ThiloteE]

This issue here will become increasingly important, once the new Lucene search syntax will be introduced. Adding this change here would allow to easily identify groups that have to be checked by users for correct search syntax. Of course this would just ease the transition and does not solve the root of the problem:

It is to be expected that the new Lucene search syntax will break the collection mechanism of some groups utilizing the old search syntax.

[ryan-carpenter]

Maybe there can be a tiny symbol, flag or colour next to the groups to show if manual or automatic?

@ThiloteE, your thinking makes sense to me. The notion of filtering fits the task while keeping information centralised, and the UI has enough space to accommodate such a symbol. Scrolling is likely to be faster than switching frequently between tabs, and certainly involves less cognitive effort than navigating elsewhere to locate currenly unseen information.

Imagine having a manually created group and then an automatically created subgroup.

I agree that separating automatic and manual groups could cause workflow problems because the two group-types complement each other in fulfilling one purpose. Keeping them together to use in the same place at the same time lets me:

• drag entries from an automatic group into a manual one
• create new groups or browse entries based on the intersection or union of automatic and manual groups
• view the name and meaning of colour bars shown in the entry view, and immediately view the entries associated with any group, regardless of its type

This issue here will become increasingly important, once the new Lucene search syntax will be introduced.

In any case, the power and simplicity of JabRef's grouping is something special among reference managers and important to preserve.