Request: ("core") crossef support in saving and exporting (and display) of BibTeX items

[balanco]

crossref should be supported in the saving and exporting of BibTeX items (as well as in the display of items including a crossref)

• if any BibTeX item (or multiple items...) containing a crossref (for example, an @incollection item that crossrefs a @book item) is selected by the user for saving to file, then the crossrefed item(s) (i.e., in the example, the @book) should be offered to be saved as well (there could (should) be a profile option to have this (not) always happen without asking)
• if a record containing a crossref is selected for export, then care should be taken that all information – i.e., including the information "inherited" via the crossref – is exported (if e.g. by always expanding BibTeX items first (so that all fields defined in the crossrefd "parent" are set explicitly), and then exporting the expanded item). Currently, one ends up with unusable records in the exported format (XML for Windows, say).

Further (but not as crucial) it would be quite helpful if the field values inherited via crossref were shown (in a way that clearly distinguishes them from ("actual") values local to the item.

PS: for those who have access to macOS, see BibDesk for a worked out example (that e.g. also sports the display of the inherited values in the item that crossrefs another).

[koppor]

@balanco Could you provide a screenshot of BibDesk here? Then the feature request would be even more clearer.