$ show acl-org/acl-style-files
This repository provides the official LaTeX style files (acl.sty, acl_natbib.bst) and templates for *ACL conference paper submissions. The acl.sty file configures double-column A4 layout, title/author formatting, line numbering for review copies, hyperref integration, and citation style via natbib. The acl_natbib.bst bibliography style implements author-year citation formatting with advanced features: author list truncation for >20 authors (showing 'and N others'), URL/DOI/eprint hyperlinks via urlbst integration, and proper handling of literal 'and others' entries. A regression test suite in Python validates the .bst's author-list formatting by driving the actual bibtex binary and parsing its output. This is not a software application in the traditional sense but a highly maintained, well-tested LaTeX package used by thousands of researchers annually.
The LLM identified 2 files worth highlighting for reuse:
A heavily customized BibTeX bibliography style that implements the ACL citation format. It handles author list formatting with two coexisting behaviors: truncation of very long author lists (first 19 authors plus 'and N others') and literal 'and others' rendered as 'et al.' without a bogus count. Integrates urlbst to add hyperlinks for DOI, URL, eprint, and PubMed entries. The implementation includes sophisticated label sorting, name formatting with first-name-first, and proper handling of multi-token names. This file is self-contained and could be reused in other LaTeX projects with minimal adaptation.
A Python test suite that validates the author-list formatting of acl_natbib.bst by driving the actual bibtex binary against generated .bib entries and parsing the resulting .bbl file. It covers edge cases: truncation at 20 authors, literal 'and others' entries, realistic multi-token names, and bulk tests for n=1..30 authors with and without 'others'. This demonstrates a robust pattern for testing BibTeX style files that other projects could adopt. The test script is well-structured, uses temporary directories, and provides clear failure diagnostics.