Report ID: 798312244 ... An error occurred while trying to export the selected file

Zia Hydari

While trying to export a collection, I get:

"An error occurred while trying to export the selected file"

I have exported the collection many times in the past. I have undone any changes that I could remember (i.e. deleted newly added references) but the export still does not work.

adamsmith

which format are you exporting to?

Zia Hydari

biblatex --- to reiterate, I have been exporting to biblatex for the last 2 weeks or so with no issues.

Additional notes:
(1) export to bibtex and Zotero RDF works without error.
(2) (do not know if any of this matters) but I have restarted the browser, cleared the browser cache, and rebotted the machine --- none of these removed the error
(3) finally, I have tried exporting from Firefox and Zotero Standalone --- neither works ...

adamsmith

are you using the better bib(la)tex add-on?
@Dan -- what's the error?

Zia Hydari

>> are you using the better bib(la)tex add-on?

Sorry, I do not know how to answer this question. Could you please elaborate?

I have Zotero Word for Window Integration Extension as an add-on (Libre is installed but disabled).

>> what's the error?

I assume @Dan will respond to you with details from the submitted error but here is what I see:

[Javascript Application]
"An error occurred while trying to export the selected file"

adamsmith

Sorry, I do not know how to answer this question. Could you please elaborate?

you'd know if you did:
https://github.com/ZotPlus/zotero-better-bibtex

Zia Hydari

Thanks ... I installed better bib(la)tex ... the export succeeds but the citations do not compile correctly in Latex ...

I switched back to base bibtex to make it work.

[Wondering what triggered biblatex to suddenly stop working]

One last point: my storage was full when biblatex export started to fail (sync also failed). I have cleaned up my storage and sync successfully.

dstillman

[JavaScript Error: "missing ) after condition" {file: "C:\Users\[...]\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[...].default\zotero\translators\BibLaTeX.js" line: 286}

Broken yesterday. I've pushed out a fixed version of the translator. Your copy of Zotero should auto-update within 24 hours, or you can update manually by clicking Update Now in the General pane of the Zotero prefs. Thanks for reporting.

Zia Hydari

Thanks --- I can export to "BibLaTex" now.

On another note, I looked at the github link you posted and saw:

"[Bib(La)TeX] Convert all dashes in pages to double dash on export"

Dashes (and apostrophes) are indeed an issue as noted by DustinT (I commented on that thread too: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/39509/apostrophes-and-dashes-turning-into-odd-characters-in-references/#Item_12

endrinar

The same error just happened to me while using zotero standalone. I'm using export BibLaTex (not sure about that add-on referenced above, I never downloaded any add-on).

What did you do to fix the problem?

adamsmith

no, different error. If you're in a hurry, you can revert to an old version of the BibLaTeX exporter by downloading the file from here:
https://github.com/zotero/translators/raw/b91bf458ef97d06d7731cfc3c71d23af3659fa38/BibLaTeX.js
and using it to replace the file with the same name in the "translators" folder in your Zotero Data directory: https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data
Uncheck automatic updating for translators in the general tab of the Zotero preferences.
I hope we'll have a proper solution for this shortly, but as of now I can't replicate the issue.

endrinar

Thanks. I reverted to the old version and it works fine.

The issue seems to be an issue with the author first name, since it will allow me to export items with author's first names, but not files without first names.

StephenSelf

I am having a Better Bibtex export problem now too. While working this morning, Firefox suddenly crashed out of nowhere. When I brought it back up, all my citation keys were missing from the Zotero entries. When I try to export the library using Better Bibtex, I get an error saying that the file could not be exported. I uninstalled all Zotero and Zotero plugins and then reinstalled. I still cannot export using Better Bibtex and all citation keys are gone. I am able to export the Zotero library without using Better Bibtex just fine. My library is large, and I have used auto exports from Zotero in writing a LOT of papers over the years. I absolutely rely on this functionality. Any ideas?

Here's a link to the Firefox crash report: https://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/22a3185f-c46d-4e65-9108-9f7b02160627

I also sent a Better Bibtex bug report

dstillman

StephenSelf: You'll have to report Better BibTeX problems to the developer on GitHub.

emilianoeheyns

The latter problem has since been fixed.