>   Editing the a.bib reference file as soon as a new repository is created (see mr command in [1] to make a repository) is a good practice.

The a.bib file content is used at the index updating time to make up the index entries (see ui command in [1] to uptate the local collection index).

Once the index has been updated, the reference file contents can be accessed by clicking the @ symbols.

For example, by clicking the @ symbol for this document, you get the following complete reference in BibTeX format:

@Misc{Banon::URD,
  author =          "Gerald J. F. Banon",
  title =           "Uniform repositories for a digital library --
                     URLib",
  howpublished =    "deposited in the URLib collection",
  keywords =        "Digital library, electronic library, electronic
                     document, bibliografic reference, relative link,
                     absolute link, robust link, library collection",
  abstract =        "This document introduces to URLib and points you
                     to its main features. It shows you how to do the
                     most common tasks.",
  targetfile =      "tag.html",
  size =            "132 Kbytes",
  version =         "dpi.inpe.br:banon:1997:08.28.18.55",
  repository =      "dpi.inpe.br/banon/1997/08.14.12.32",
  URL =             "http://hermes.dpi.inpe.br:1905/
                     rep/dpi.inpe.br/banon/1997/08.14.12.32",
}

In the index, this entry looks like: