Unable to fully import BibTeX into Zotero desktop application

cresencia

I use BibDesk as a citation manager and reference PDF manager. I use Zotero to add citation and create reference lists when writing MSWord document. So I regularly export my entire BibDesk reference collection as a BibTeX (.bib) file, and then (after deleting the current reference collection in Zotero) import that BibTeX file into my Zotero desktop application (I'm on a mac OS 10.6.8). This has always worked in the past.

Lately, (and not sure if this has anything to do with the latest Firefox update?) I'm not able to fully import my BibTeX file into Zotero - it will only import 70 out of several hundred items.

The error message that pops up: "[JavaScrip Application] An error occurred while trying to import the selected file. Please ensure that the file is valid and try again."

I was able to generate a log file and have submitted it to the Zotero server. The Debug ID is D1016295110.

Would be great if I could get a swift response, as I'm working on an extremely tight timeline.

Thanks!

adamsmith

Since bibtex is a linear format, the easiest way you can speed this along is to split up your bibtex file and try to isolate the problematic item. Then we can take a look. I doubt that the debug is going to be of great help here.

cresencia

Yes, it occurred to me that perhaps there is a bibtex item that is problematic. I have saved all previous bibtex exports, and tried to import (after first deleting everything in Zotero) older bibtex files that were previously successful, and I still get the same error message.

adamsmith

right, this may well be a Zotero bug, but it still sounds like it's due to a specific entry, so if you need this quickly, identifying that entry is going to be the fastest way to let us fix the issue.

Simply split bibtex in half, see if it imports, if it doesn't, split in half again, if it does, use the other half and so on until your down to a minimal example- ideally no more than 10 bibtex items. - given that this works exponentially that shouldn't take more than 10 splits at best.

aurimas

I think I fixed it (sorry, that was my fault). Update your translators via Preferences -> General -> Update Now

cresencia

THANK-YOU!!! That fixed it! I was going a little bit crazy trying to do the "divide and conquer"!

Can you tell me when the translations are updated, what file is being modified? I generally like to back things up before I perform any updates.

aurimas

Unless you have the option disabled (under Preferences -> General) Zotero checks for updates to translators and styles every 24 hours. Translators and styles can be found in your Zotero data directory https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data Which files exactly are updated depends on what fixes we release, which we do continuously.

There is generally little risk involved with translator/style updates, though obviously errors do sneak in. We do try to fix these as soon as possible.

adamsmith

each translator is an individual file (that is changed when it's updated). They're in the translator folder in the data directory:
https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data

but updates are daily and generally very low risk and easily revertible, so while you should also have daily back-ups, it doesn't make a lot of sense to tie that particularly to translator updates.

cresencia

Ok, good to know - thanks!