Error when trying to import data to Zotero (.bib or .ris)

gregor m

When trying to import a library from Mendeley (.bib or .ris format), Zotero tells me there's been an error. My Debug ID is 1779358328.

By the way, this has worked perfectly when I last needed it two months ago. Maybe related to the new Firefox version? Zotero Standalone does not help, same problem there. Thanks!

adamsmith

My guess would be the links - but please post a sample .bib file (only a couple of items) on pastebin.com or gist.github.com so we can take a look.

gregor m

There you go, this is a sample bib of three random articles:

https://gist.github.com/2948671

Thanks!

adamsmith

yeah, it's the file links, without them this works fine.
The :D$\backslash$: for file links is something that Mendeley introduced - does someone know what the purpose of this is?
It can be fixed in the Zotero import translator, but I'd know where that standard comes from.

edit: as a temporary workaround you can just search for ":D$\backslash$" and remove it - that should get the import to work - including, afaict, the file.

Rintze

Seems to be a (2-year old) bug in Mendeley: http://feedback.mendeley.com/forums/4941-mendeley-feedback/suggestions/1008319-bug-in-exported-bib-file-ver-0-9-7-1-windows-

adamsmith

Oh - are these windows filepaths?
So this should be:
D:\Zusatz/Mannheim/IS 000 - Master Thesis/Mendeley/Alt, Klein - 2011 - Twenty years of electronic markets research—looking backwards towards the future.pdf
?
In that case do search and replace for
":D$\backslash$/"
and replace by
":D:\"

gregor m

Thanks for your input. Yes, they are windows filepaths. Apparently though, this still does not work. Could there be a problem with the combination of backslash and slash? Shouldn't they all be the same?

EDIT: Alternatively, I could also use the file without any links, since I don't need the files in Zotero, just the data entries. Do you have a proposal how to batch delete all links from the file?

adamsmith

with a regex capable text editor this is no problem:
this would be the search string to use:
/file = {[^}]+},/
but I don't know what to use in windows - I'd assume notepad++ would do.

@others: It looks like Zotero doesn't like the colon in the Windows filepath - any way around that?