Can't save from ScienceDirect via proxy

dstillman

This discussion was created from comments split from: Zotero Connector does not add items via proxy; Error Report ID: 1394844581.

Rekyt

Hi,

I've updated Zotero & Zotero Connector and have similar problems (Debug ID D1649772421).
No problem from Wiley but from Science Direct. And it seems there is a problem with my institutional login.
I have the same problem described by OlgaN: the small popup window shows up saying "Saving to..." but nothing is saved (and it does not show the snapshot, the reference nor the PDF in the popup window).

Thanks ;) (And thanks for making Zotero, it's awesome!)

adomasven

Seems that the connector is failing to load the RIS record and instead serves a login page. If you go to http://www.sciencedirect.com.[your.proxy]/sdfe/arp/cite?pii=S0960982206023670&format=application/x-research-info-systems&withabstract=true does it load a proxy login page? If you login do you get a prompt to download a .ris file? After login does import from Science Direct work?

(Note that you need to replace [your.proxy] in the above URL with your proxy)

Rekyt

It does not load anything, nothing happens when connecting with my navigator. Should it be the case?

Even if I'm already logged in into the proxy... Could it be an error due to a proxy misconfiguration? I could try to reach the proxy manager at my institution.

dstillman

The forum software is corrupting the URL a bit. Click on this:

http://www.sciencedirect.com.example.com/sdfe/arp/cite?pii=S0960982206023670&format=application/x-research-info-systems&withabstract=true

And then when that fails change example.com in the URL to your proxy domain (e.g., proxy.uni.edu), and see what happens. It should download a RIS file or prompt you to import it to Zotero.

Rekyt

Woops, I thought it was what I did first, but it worked this time. It returned this:
{"statusCode":400,"error":"Bad Request","message":"child \"format\" fails because [\"format\" is required]","validation":{"source":"query","keys":["format"]}}

dstillman

(See my message above.)

Rekyt

Thanks dstillman.
There's something that I don't understand going on with Firefox, I can't manage to connect to the webpage with my institutional proxy.

When I click on dstillman link's it fails obviously, then I try to replace the proxy and it reloads the page with "example.com" in lieu of the good proxy I typed...

I just tried the link on Opera with the institutional proxy and it does work perfectly.
I'll try disabling all my addons in Firefox.

Rekyt

I tried disabling all extensions except Zotero Connector and it seems I cannot connect to this page >< (I really don't understand) even if I copy paste the exact link into a new tab or a new window, I'm simply redirected to about:blank...

If I try using private navigation, I managed to have the login page, but it never redirects to the RIS file, it is stuck to the institution redirection page.

adomasven

Does it work if Zotero Connector is disabled? Does it work in a new Firefox profile?

Rekyt

It does work in Safe Mode (everything disabled) and it does work in a new Firefox profile.

adomasven

But it doesn't if Zotero Connector is disabled? In that case this is to do with settings (privacy/proxy) in your Firefox profile, but we won't be able to point to anything specific. Do post if you figure out what it is.

Rekyt

it does work with Zotero Connector Disabled. Would that be a problem caused by Zotero Connector?

dstillman

Just to make sure we're not seeing interference from another Zotero Connector feature while testing this, what happens if you disable "Import BibTeX/RIS/Refer files into Zotero" from General pane of the Zotero Connector preferences and then try to load that URL?

Rekyt

If I disable this option, the link works.

dstillman

OK, but saving via the save icon still doesn't work, with all other extensions disabled?

adomasven

Does saving with that feature disabled work too?

Rekyt

Nope, it doesn't work even with the feature disabled.

dstillman

And with other extensions disabled?

dstillman

What about in a new Firefox profile? If you have Chrome installed, can you try from that?

Basically, the connector is making that same RIS request when saving the page and getting your proxy's login page instead, suggesting that cookies aren't being properly sent with the request. If you have some sort of strict privacy/cookie setting enabled in Firefox, that could probably cause this.

Rekyt

with all other extensions disabled it's the same thing: disabling the option make the link works but still impossible to save t Zotero (whether the feature is active or not)

dstillman

Yeah, don't worry about that feature — that was preventing the test above from working (it makes it dependent on the state of your tab when you paste in the URL), but it shouldn't affect the actual save.

Try from a new Firefox profile and/or in Chrome if possible.

Rekyt

Ok so saving does work in a new Firefox profile & in Chrome. So it must be my particular privacy settings.

I'm not sure where to look first to troubleshoot this. (And what I don't understand is that it work for other publishers!)

dstillman

What do you have under the History section in the Firefox Privacy preferences?

Rekyt

"Keep history" or something equivalent in French

BTW thank you both dstillman & adomasven for your time, patience and guidance.

dstillman

Hmm, not sure what else it would be, then.

It shouldn't matter, but can you try saving after unchecking "Enable proxy redirection" in the Proxies tab of the Zotero Connector? If no change you can turn that back on.

Beyond that, you can try going into your Firefox profile directory and opening the prefs.js file in a text editor (it will contain settings changed from their defaults) and searching for settings that seem like they might be relevant to privacy/cookies. (You can also send it to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread and we can take a look, though you might want to scan it for usernames or the like.)