LoC not working with ISBN in magic wand field?

Hello -

It appears that no ISBNs are being returned from the Library of Congress when inputting ISBNs through the magic wand in either the stand-alone or Firefox versions. If I go to http://catalog.loc.gov/ and enter an ISBN a record will be returned, but the magic wand search is reporting no records found via LoC.

A little background: I was originally having difficulty with getting any items to be returned after entering the ISBN into the magic wand field. Poking on the forums and turning on logging showed that while WorldCat was spitting back the correct book, Zotero would lose the reference at some point in the process. This seems to have been related to the WorldCat proxy set up at my institution, and by manually going to worldcat.org and selecting the "vanilla" version (and telling it not to ask me again) the wand has been able to find items via ISBN.

But in looking at the log after this change, it was showing that the LoC lookup, which is first in priority, wasn't returning anything at all.

I don't seem to have a proxy relationship to the LoC, so I am guessing that something else is at work here.

Steps to reproduce:
1.) Open Zotero (either stand-alone or in Firefox)
2.) Click the magic wand
3.) Enter "0520062280"
4.) "Acting in the Cinema" should be returned
5.) Check the log and confirm that the LoC lookup failed and the source used was WorldCat
6.) Go to http://catalog.loc.gov/ and enter "0520062280" into the search field at the top of the page
7.) Confirm that the LoC returns the same book.
(http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&Search_Arg=0520062280&Search_Code=GKEY^*&CNT=100&hist=1&type=quick)

If there is something that I am doing wrong, or if I can provide more information to assist in troubleshooting, please let me know.

(Obviously since importing bibliographic information is still possible it isn't a huge catastrophe - the LoC information, in my limited experience, tends to be better.)
  • works for me. We work through a LoC API, so that's not the same as the LoC catalog, go ahead and try again.
    If that doesnt' work, we'll need a debug ID for that attempt:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output
  • Just tried it again with seemingly the same result where the LoC search comes back empty and WorldCat becomes the source.

    Debug ID is D405894634

    Thanks for looking into this. Let me know how else I can assist.
  • @Dan - what's the debug?
  • (3)(+0000000): Translate: Beginning translation with Library of Congress ISBN

    (3)(+0000000): HTTP GET http://z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager?version=1.1&operation=searchRetrieve&query=dc.resourceIdentifier=0520062280&maximumRecords=1

    (3)(+0008846): Translate: Creating translate instance of type import in sandbox

    (4)(+0000001): Translate: Binding sandbox to http://www.example.com/

    (4)(+0000001): Translate: Parsing code for MARCXML

    (3)(+0000002): Translate: Beginning translation with MARCXML

    (3)(+0000000): Translate: Creating translate instance of type import in sandbox

    (4)(+0000000): Translate: Binding sandbox to http://www.example.com/

    (4)(+0000002): Translate: Parsing code for MARC

    (3)(+0000001): Translate: Translation successful

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

    (3)(+0000001): Translate: Could not find a result using Library of Congress ISBN

    (4)(+0000000): Translate: Parsing code for Open WorldCat

    (3)(+0000000): Translate: Beginning translation with Open WorldCat
    That loc.gov URL is not loading for me.
  • thanks for the diligent report, this is now fixed. The fix I put up many months ago didn't push the timestamp, so it never made it to you.

    Your version of Zotero will automatically update within 24hs, or you can update manually using the "Update Now" button in the "General" tab of the Zotero preferences.

    Any further problems let us know & thanks for reporting
  • Hello,

    perhaps I have the same problem, but updating did not work. I have the current version of Zotero, but all ISBN (US books, German Books, old books, newer books) that I try to import with the magic wand function produce the error the nothing can be found. Report ID D722741196.

    I would be glad if somebody could help me since I use Zotero almost everyday for my academic work and it is really fantastic.
  • Dan, does that debug have an ISBN lookup? Anything interesting in there?
  • (3)(+0000001): Translate: Beginning translation with Library of Congress ISBN

    (3)(+0000001): HTTP GET http://lx2.loc.gov:210/LCDB?operation=searchRetrieve&version=1.1&query=bath.ISBN=^9781439148815&maximumRecords=1

    (3)(+0000356): Translate: Creating translate instance of type import in sandbox

    (4)(+0000000): Translate: Binding sandbox to http://www.example.com/

    (4)(+0000003): Translate: Parsing code for MARCXML

    (3)(+0000094): Translate: Beginning translation with MARCXML

    (3)(+0000001): Translate: Creating translate instance of type import in sandbox

    (4)(+0000000): Translate: Binding sandbox to http://www.example.com/

    (4)(+0000004): Translate: Parsing code for MARC

    (3)(+0000111): Translate: Translation successful

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

    (3)(+0000000): Translate: Could not find a result using Library of Congress ISBN

    (4)(+0000001): Translate: Parsing code for Open WorldCat

    (3)(+0000001): Translate: Beginning translation with Open WorldCat

    (3)(+0000009): Created hidden browser (34)

    (3)(+0000000): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: Loading http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=results_page&q=bn:9781439148815

    (3)(+0033643): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=results_page&q=bn:9781439148815 loaded

    (3)(+0000013): Deleted hidden browser (34)

    (3)(+0000001): Translate: Could not find a result using Open WorldCat

    (3)(+0000000): fileName => C:\[...]\translators\Open WorldCat.js
    lineNumber => 88
    columnNumber => 0
    string => TypeError: url is undefined
    stack => extractOCLCID@C:\[...]\translators\Open WorldCat.js:88
    doSearch/<@C:\[...]\translators\Open WorldCat.js:226

    url => undefined
    downloadAssociatedFiles => true
    automaticSnapshots => true

    (4)(+0000000): Translate: Parsing code for Lulu

    (3)(+0000002): Translate: Beginning translation with Lulu

    (3)(+0000010): Created hidden browser (34)

    (3)(+0000000): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: Loading http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=9781439148815

    (3)(+0000007): Translate: Could not find a result using Lulu

    (2)(+0000000): Translate: Translation using Lulu failed:
    thrown exception => No items returned from any translator
    url => undefined
    downloadAssociatedFiles => true
    automaticSnapshots => true

    (5)(+0000001): Translate: Running handler 0 for done

    (5)(+0002058): Translate: Running handler 1 for done

    (3)(+0005639): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=9781439148815 loaded

    (3)(+0000016): Created hidden browser (35)

    (3)(+0000000): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: Loading http://www.lulu.com/shop/james-omalley/james-omalley-the-complete-works-thus-far/paperback/product-3171628.html

    (3)(+0000005): Translate: WARNING: Zotero.done() called after translator completion with error

    (3)(+0000000): ===>undefined<===(undefined)

    (3)(+0002529): Zotero.HTTP.processDocuments: http://www.lulu.com/shop/james-omalley/james-omalley-the-complete-works-thus-far/paperback/product-3171628.html loaded

    (3)(+0000017): Translate: WARNING: Zotero.done() called after translator completion with error

    (3)(+0000001): 'message' => "No title specified for item"
    'fileName' => "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translation/translate.js"
    'lineNumber' => 591
    'columnNumber' => 5

    Zotero.Translate.Sandbox.Web._itemDone@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translation/translate.js:591
    Zotero.Translate.Sandbox.Search._itemDone@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translation/translate.js:786
    Zotero.Translate.SandboxManager.prototype.importObject/attachTo[localKey]@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translation/translate_firefox.js:465
    Zotero.Item.prototype.complete@undefined:1
    doSearch/</</<@C:\[...]\translators\Lulu.js:135
    Zotero.Utilities.Translate.prototype.processDocuments/hiddenBrowser<@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/utilities_translate.js:273
    onLoad@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/http.js:873</blockquote>
  • Firefox 24.5.0
  • edited June 10, 2014
    response from LoC<zs:searchRetrieveResponse>
    <zs:version>1.1</zs:version>
    <zs:diagnostics>
    <diag:diagnostic>
    <diag:uri>info:srw/diagnostic/1/2</diag:uri>
    <diag:details>load_balance: no available targets</diag:details>
    <diag:message>System temporarily unavailable</diag:message>
    </diag:diagnostic>
    </zs:diagnostics>
    </zs:searchRetrieveResponse>


    WorldCat should have worked though... I think we've seen this URL thing before. Not sure about the timing of the hidden browser destruction. Maybe it's too early, which would make document.location = null (edit: that's actually href attribute of an anchor). I'll see if I can reproduce.
    Translate: WARNING: Zotero.done() called after translator completion with error
    Not entirely sure why done is being called after an error is thrown.
  • @FailureIsNoOption, if you have any Firefox extensions installed, could you disable them and try this again? I'm not able to reproduce the error (I'm also running latest Firefox, so if you can update that would be a good troubleshooting step. Firefox 24 is still supported though, so we'd still want to fix the issue even if update resolves the problem)
  • Hey thery,

    sorry for not answering earlier: I was busy because of my workload. I now tried to deactivate all plugins and addons except Zotero. The result was, unfortunately, the same: Report ID D2000321915. ISBN search does not work. If I use DOIs to import data everything is fine.

    Would you advice to use the latest version of Firofox? My university did install Firofox esr update channel. but I think I could switch.

    Thank you anyway.
  • @FailureIsNoOption - could you try this ISBN?
    9781451648539
    I'd expect that to work since it goes straight to LoC and that shouldn't have the same issue (there was an intermittent glitch with add by identifier, so make sure you're running Zotero 4.0.21.2 (the .2 is critical in this case).

    That doesn't address the actual problem, but makes sure we're not looking at something else. Beyond that, if you could find a way to at least test with the current Firefox version to make sure that this is indeed limited to Firefox 24ESR that'd be very helpful. The ESR releases are specifically for universities and similar institutions, so I wouldn't say we advise switching to the regular release circle in general--it'd just be good to know for us for troubleshooting.
  • @FailureIsNoOption, sorry I overlooked your reply! Thanks, adamsmith!
  • having similar problems with ISBN on Firefox Zotero, with and without dashes, or with one dash after first 3 #s. I have pasted in DOIs, etc. with no problem.

    checked Zotero instructions, but did not find icon for adding ISBN etc.

    forum disucssion mentions Zotero update, but can't find way to check my version. I'm using is as Firefox addon, I believe.

    Any suggestins?
  • you can check your versions either under add-ons--> extensions in Firefox or by clicking on "about Zotero" under the gears menu. It should be 4.0.21.5

    Beyond that, do you have a sample ISBN you tried?
  • edited September 12, 2014
    I ran into the same problem: no way to get the magic wand to work with ISBN, whereas I always showed that technique to my students with books picked up from the nearest library shelf.

    Example of a non-working ISBN : 2702710891

    It shows in Worldcat though :
    http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=2702710891&qt=owc_search

    I think that problem with ISBN started no later than this summer.
    BTW I use Zotero v. 4.0.22 with Firefox (v. 24.8.0 ESR)
  • Works for me. My guess would be that something in FF24 broke this. Since that's getting decommissioned on October 14th, I'm not sure it's worth trying to hunt that down (though generally, of course ESR should work). If you are able to test this on standalone or on a more recent Firefox version that'd be helpful.
  • You're right: I tried it on my PC at home with Firefox V. 32.0.1 and it works like a charm...
  • please always provide details when reporting problems -- which ISBN are you trying, which Zotero version, which Firefox version...
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