Make string reference expansion opt-in

bibtexparser/middlewares/parsestack.py

@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-from bibtexparser.middlewares import ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware
 from bibtexparser.middlewares.enclosing import AddEnclosingMiddleware
 from bibtexparser.middlewares.enclosing import RemoveEnclosingMiddleware
 
@@ -8,7 +7,6 @@
 def default_parse_stack(allow_inplace_modification: bool = True) -> list[Middleware]:
     """The default parse stack to be applied after splitting, if not specified otherwise."""
     return [
-        ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware(allow_inplace_modification=allow_inplace_modification),
         RemoveEnclosingMiddleware(allow_inplace_modification=allow_inplace_modification),
     ]
 

docs/source/customize.rst

@@ -48,9 +48,22 @@ part of the expected functionality for most users.
 
 Currently, the default parse stack consists of the following layers:
 
-* :class:`bibtexparser.middlewares.ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware`: De-Reference reference to @string definitions.
 * :class:`bibtexparser.middlewares.RemoveEnclosingMiddleware`: Removes enclosing (e.g. curly braces or "") from values.
 
+String references are retained by default because replacing a reference with
+its current value destroys the relationship with its ``@string`` definition.
+Applications that intentionally want dereferenced values can select
+:class:`bibtexparser.middlewares.ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware` explicitly,
+before removing enclosures:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    layers = [
+        m.ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware(),
+        m.RemoveEnclosingMiddleware(),
+    ]
+    library = bibtexparser.parse_file("bibtex.bib", parse_stack=layers)
+
 The default write stack consists of the following layers:
 
 * :class:`bibtexparser.middlewares.AddEnclosingMiddleware`: Encloses values in curly braces where needed.

tests/middleware_tests/test_interpolate.py

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
+import bibtexparser
 from bibtexparser.middlewares.enclosing import RemoveEnclosingMiddleware
 from bibtexparser.middlewares.interpolate import ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware
 from bibtexparser.splitter import Splitter
@@ -18,6 +19,28 @@
 """
 
 
+def test_default_parse_retains_string_reference_linkage():
+    """Ordinary parse/write use must not replace a reusable macro with its current value."""
+    library = bibtexparser.parse_string(bibtex_string)
+
+    assert library.entries_dict["test_article"]["note"] == "test_note"
+    written = bibtexparser.write_string(library)
+    assert "note = test_note" in written
+
+
+def test_public_parse_can_expand_string_references_explicitly():
+    """Callers can request dereferencing before the enclosing representation changes."""
+    library = bibtexparser.parse_string(
+        bibtex_string,
+        parse_stack=[
+            ResolveStringReferencesMiddleware(),
+            RemoveEnclosingMiddleware(),
+        ],
+    )
+
+    assert library.entries_dict["test_article"]["note"] == "This is a test note."
+
+
 def test_string_interpolation_middleware_interpolates_string():
     original_lib = Splitter(bibtex_string).split()