Google Scholar issue

phd123

Debug ID: D127261780

Zotero Standalone + Firefox

URL: http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu/scholar?hl=nl&q=evidence+based+medicine+levels+&btnG=&lr=

Issue: either blank Zotero box; or message that there is a problem with the translator.

Elsewhere (e.g., Amazon) works fine. Saving from Safari: no problem (but no autosaving of pdf).

phd123

Zotero 3.0.14; Firefox 19.0.2

adamsmith

I can't replicate that, but I'd suspect it might be your library proxy (i.e. the argo.library.okstate.edu )
Try without:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=nl&q=evidence+based+medicine+levels+&btnG=&lr=
(if the proxy is automatically inserted, temporarily disable Zotero auto proxy feature in the proxy tab of the Zotero preferences)

phd123

i doubt it is a proxy issue as Safari works fine but Firefox does not work. We will know when someone has checked the log.

adamsmith

are you using the proxy on Safari, too?

phd123

Yes, I am using the proxy on Safari too.

Firefox:
Log from same issue on scholar.google.com without proxy (Firefox with Zotero standalone): completely empty. Still, Zotero does not save the citation.

Safari:
ID for same issue on Safari without proxy (citation saved fine in Zotero): The Debug ID is D656773505. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=evidence+based+medicine+levels&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_sdtp=

Conclusion: Firefox 19.0.2/Zotero 3.0.14 combo does not work for me with Google Scholar. (Same with Zotero 3.0.11.) No difference with/without ezproxy. Amazon works fine. Safari works fine (but disadvantage of not retrieving original article).

phd123

Could someone look at the debug log?

dstillman

(3)(+0000002): Translate: Beginning translation with Google Scholar

(5)(+0000004): Translate: Running handler 0 for select

(3)(+0006403): HTTP GET http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu/
scholar_setprefs?hl=en&scis=yes&scisf=4&submit=Save+Preferences&q=evidence+
based+medicine+levels+&btnG=&lr=

(2)(+0001422): Translate: Translation using Google Scholar failed:
fileName => /Volumes/[...]/Users/[...]/Library/Application
Support/Firefox/Profiles/[...].default-1362773319674/zotero/translators/
Google Scholar.js
lineNumber => 86
columnNumber => 2
string => TypeError: scisig is null
stack => @/Volumes/[...]/Users/[...]/Library/Application Support/Firefox
/Profiles/[...].default-1362773319674/zotero/translators/
Google Scholar.js:86

url => http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu/scholar?hl=nl&q=
evidence+based+medicine+levels+&btnG=&lr=downloadAssociatedFiles => true
automaticSnapshots => true

phd123

Thanks Dan, could you "translate" to me what is going wrong based on the log?

dstillman

That wasn't for you—it was for others who might be able to help you but don't have access to the debug logs.

aurimas

Update your translators via Preferences -> General -> Update Now and try again. I just pushed an update that might solve this.

Google recently redesigned some parts of Google Scholar and we never updated it (or realized that we had to rather) because this only affects people behind proxies. I'm not sure why it wasn't working for you without proxy. Make sure you're not blocking cookies.

phd123

The Debug ID is D156209486.
Same bug:
(2)(+0000529): Translate: Translation using Google Scholar failed:
fileName => Google Scholar
lineNumber => 87
columnNumber => 0
string => TypeError: scisig is null
stack => @Google Scholar:87

I had 3d party cookies off; but turned them on for now.

phd123

... There must have been a cookie or offline website data issue. After I cleaned out all cookies; web history; offline website data; I can now again use Zotero from within Firefox!

Apparently something went wrong somewhere using private browsing mode in Firefox.

Thanks for the support! Outstanding product.

aurimas

Great! I was about to add more debugging code to GS translator. It might still come in handy later. Glad it worked out for you.

phd123

And the bug is back ...

This time I see something weird in the debug:


HTTP GET http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu.argo.library.okstate.edu/scholar_settings?q=lean+six+sigma+healthcare&btnG=&lr=

Somehow the proxy extension is being doubled: argo.library.okstate.edu is in the HTTP GET twice.

But it is not a proxy issue per se: if I do NOT use the proxy (turn off proxy in Zotero) it does not work either. The little pop up appears in the bottom right corner; remains empty; disappears.


[JavaScript Error: "scisig is null" {file: "Google Scholar" line: 97}]

[JavaScript Error: "scisig is null" {file: "Google Scholar" line: 97}]

version => 3.0.14, platform => MacIntel, oscpu => Intel Mac OS X 10.8, locale => nl-NL, appName => Firefox, appVersion => 19.0.2

=========================================================

(4)(+0000000): Translate: Parsing code for Google Scholar

(3)(+0000003): Translate: Beginning translation with Google Scholar

(5)(+0000004): Translate: Running handler 0 for select

(3)(+0002508): Translate: Attempting to set cookie through GS Settings page

(3)(+0000000): HTTP GET http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu.argo.library.okstate.edu/scholar_settings?q=lean+six+sigma+healthcare&btnG=&lr=

(3)(+0000530): Translate: Could not locate scisig

(3)(+0000000): Translate: No forms found on page.

(3)(+0000000): Translate: <H1>404 Not found</H1>


(2)(+0000000): Translate: Translation using Google Scholar failed:
fileName => Google Scholar
lineNumber => 97
columnNumber => 0
string => TypeError: scisig is null
stack => @Google Scholar:97

url => http://scholar.google.com.argo.library.okstate.edu/scholar?hl=nl&q=lean+six+sigma+healthcare&btnG=&lr=
downloadAssociatedFiles => true
automaticSnapshots => true

(5)(+0000000): Translate: Running handler 0 for done

(4)(+0006906): Registering observer for [collection,search,share,group,trash,bucket] in notifier with hash xC'

phd123

I found the fix.
It probably is a Firefox bug.
My Firefox version automagically switches from private browsing mode to "never remember history". If it does so, I cannot save citations in Zotero (at least not in Google Scholar). I cannot change back to "private browsing mode" because the setting does not stick. The only way to "fix" is to go via "remember history". That setting sticks; Zotero works as expected.
I did so yesterday and Zotero worked fine again, so I changed back to "private browsing mode" whiched sticked for about 24 hours; then the setting automagically changed back to "never remember history" and I got the above error.
I switched back to "remember history" now; and everything works as it should (but it is weird that I cannot use private browsing in Firefox if I want to use Zotero).

adamsmith

I don't think that's a FF bug:
"Never remember history" is part of the bundle of settings that make up the private browsing mode, so what you're seeing is expected.

The reason you cannot use private browsing mode with Zotero in this case is that the google scholar translator requires a cookie to be set, which the private mode doesn't permit. Why do you want to use private mode? In almost all cases it'd make much more sense to fine-tune the privacy settings to what you want - e.g. disallow cookies but add exceptions etc.

phd123

Hi adamsmith,
You are blazing fast!

I think it IS a Firefox bug. Private browsing mode DOES allow cookies to be stored, but will remove both cookies and browsing history when the user closes the browser.

Private browsing mode is available under History > "use custom settings for history"; options include "accept cookies from sites" and "accept third party cookies". I have selected both options.

For some reason sometimes my Firefox switches to History > "never remember history"; in which case it seems either cookies from sites and/or third party cookies are not stored - and Zotero does not work.