9

I have a little problem with biber. When I run it with --validate_datamodel, it warns me

WARN - Datamodel: Entry 'unep2016' (mybibfile.bib): Invalid ISBN in value of field 'isbn' (-1)

As "it does not matter if you use the 13 or 10 digit format" (Guido), the warning must come from somewhere else. I have tried the ISBN as 9789280735806 and with hyphens in different places, e.g. 978-9280-7358-06. Here's the bib entry:

@book{unep2016,
location = {Nairobi},
author = {UNEP},
publisher = {United Nations Environment Programme},
isbn = {9789280735806},
title = {{Marine Plastic debris and microplastics - Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy change}},
year = {2016}
}
Improve this question
7
  • 1
    isbn-check.de/… says that 9789280735806 is not a correct ISBN, so does formvalidation.io/validators/isbn
    – moewe
    Oct 8, 2017 at 20:15
  • 2
    That ISBN is invalid; the final digit should be 2, according to hahnlibrary.net/libraries/isbncalc.html and, indeed, if I input 9789280735802 in isbn-check.com, I get a pointer to that book.
    – egreg
    Oct 8, 2017 at 20:19
  • The world of TeX will never stop to amaze me. Biber checks for validity in ISBNs!? Who had the idea to implement ISBN validation. This just blows all my minds!
    – thymaro
    Oct 8, 2017 at 20:20
  • Just downloaded a copy of the report and the copyright page indeed indicates 978-92-807-3580-6, but the final digit should be a 2 to pass vlaidation.
    – moewe
    Oct 8, 2017 at 20:21
  • 2
    I know, right!? Those bastards at UNEP can't even get the ISBN of their own publication right! :D
    – thymaro
    Oct 8, 2017 at 20:24

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10

Biber does not only check the datamodel integrity, it also explicitly checks ISBNs for validity when in --validate_datamodel mode. As it turns out 978-92-807-3580-6 (9789280735806) as indicated on the report's copyright page is not a valid ISBN Most likely the last digit (the check digit) should be a 2 instead.

ISBN validation was implemented following discussions in Automatically validate and format ISBNs. With --isbn-normalise you can get hyphens in the right place even if they are missing in the .bib file. --isbn13 forces 13-digit ISBNs, --isbn10 the old 10-digit format.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.