SaiLoR

Guide

Create your first project.json

A SaiLoR project is one file named project.json. It holds the annotation schema and the list of papers. Your answers are saved in an annotations folder next to it.

This guide creates a project from an empty folder.

To try the schema editor first, open the schema editor demo. It saves a file to download. Nothing stays on the site.

Before you start

  • Install SaiLoR. See Quickstart.
  • Choose a location on your computer for the project.
  • Optional: prepare a folder named pdfs for your PDF files.

Create a minimal project

  1. Create an empty folder. Name it my-review.
  2. Create a text file named project.json inside my-review.
  3. Copy the code below into project.json. Save the file.
{
  "version": 1,
  "config": {
    "schema": [
      { "name": "Relevant", "type": "boolean" }
    ]
  },
  "papers": []
}

This project has one field, Relevant, and no papers yet.

Warning: JSON does not allow comments or trailing commas. Use double quotes for all keys and text.

Open the project

  1. Start SaiLoR.
  2. On the start screen, select Open project….
  3. Select my-review/project.json.

The project opens. The paper list is empty.

Warning: SaiLoR rebuilds the config object on every save. Add your own keys at the top level, next to papers, not inside config.

Warning: SaiLoR rewrites project.json when you save. Keep a copy of the file before you edit it by hand.

Add papers

  1. Open the project editor. On the start screen, select Edit annotation JSON…, then select project.json.
  2. In the papers section, select + Add PDFs… to add single files. Select + Add folder… to add every PDF in a folder, including sub-folders.
  3. Check the title and authors of each new paper. SaiLoR reads them from the file name or the PDF, so they can be wrong.
  4. Save the project.

Each paper must have a PDF path. The path is relative to project.json. For example, pdfs/paper-a.pdf points to my-review/pdfs/paper-a.pdf.

Extended example

This example uses more of the schema. It has a yes/no field, a dropdown, a number, a year, a repeatable group, a conditional field, and one paper.

Part What it does
Relevant, type boolean A yes/no field. A ticked box means yes.
Study Type, type string with options A dropdown with three choices. It appears after Relevant is ticked.
Sample Size, type number A number field. It appears after Relevant is ticked.
Publication Year, type year A year field. It accepts years from about 1000 to 2100.
Findings, a group A repeatable group. min is 1, so at least one entry is required. max is null, so there is no upper limit.
Claim, Evidence, Confidence The children of Findings. Evidence appears after Claim has an answer.
papers One paper. Its pdf path is relative to project.json. 
{
  "version": 1,
  "config": {
    "schema": [
      { "name": "Relevant", "type": "boolean" },
      {
        "name": "Study Type",
        "type": "string",
        "options": ["Case study", "Experiment", "Survey"],
        "visibleIf": "Relevant"
      },
      { "name": "Sample Size", "type": "number", "visibleIf": "Relevant" },
      { "name": "Publication Year", "type": "year" },
      {
        "name": "Findings",
        "min": 1,
        "max": null,
        "children": [
          { "name": "Claim", "type": "string" },
          { "name": "Evidence", "type": "string", "visibleIf": "Claim" },
          { "name": "Confidence", "type": "number" }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "papers": [
    {
      "id": "paper-a",
      "title": "Deep Learning for Code Search: A Study",
      "authors": ["A. Author", "B. Writer"],
      "doi": "10.1000/xyz123",
      "year": 2024,
      "venue": "Example Conference",
      "pdf": "pdfs/paper-a.pdf",
      "annotations": {}
    }
  ]
}

Each paper needs a unique id. The id also names a folder, so use letters, digits, and hyphens only, such as paper-a.

The full list of fields and rules is in the schema guide.

Import papers instead of typing them

Import references from a reference manager

  1. Export your library as a BibTeX (.bib), RIS (.ris), or CSL-JSON file.
  2. Open the project editor.
  3. Select Import references…, then select the export file.
  4. Decide each flagged duplicate. Select Duplicate or Different.
  5. Attach the PDF for each paper. The import brings in titles, authors, and DOIs, but not the PDF files.

Start from a screening project

  1. Screen your papers in a SaiLoR screening project.
  2. On the start screen, select New from screening….
  3. Choose the annotation project as the target. Papers that were not excluded carry over.

Add a folder of PDFs

Select + Add folder… in the project editor. Every PDF in the folder becomes one paper.

Full reference

The annotation schema guide describes every field, the rules for visibleIf, multiple reviewers, and screening projects.

The user guide describes the app screens.