Error when opening .ris files

nick.byrd

I used to be able to double-click a .ris file and Zotero would automatically import the file into my Zotero database.

Now when I double-click a .ris file, I get a spinning wheel and I get two errors:

"A copy of Zotero is already open..."
"There was an error starting Zotero."

To be clear,
1. Zotero really is already open before I double-click the .ris file (but it was also open when double-clicking the .ris file formerly automatically and successfully imported the file's info).

2. The file does not import before/after these errors.

3. When I import the file via File > Import... > ..., the .ris file goes to it's own collection (without the option to undo this). So I have to click many times to import a file and then I have to click many more times to delete the newly created collection. Obviously, it's a hassle.

Any guidance would be very much appreciated.

Background info:
Mid-2013 MacBook Air
MacOS 10.13
Zotero 4.0.29.15

bwiernik

I can confirm that the behavior when trying to open .ris files has changed on macOS 10.13 so that it's trying to open a second instance of Zotero. The new macOS version appears to have broken this function.

adamsmith

Actually -- first things would be to update Zotero. You're using a very outdated version.

bwiernik

(No, 4.0.29.15 is the current release of 4.0 from the download page.)

dstillman

Thanks, we're aware of this. (I hadn't yet confirmed that it started in 10.13, though, so that's good to know.)

This currently happens in 5.0 too, but the fix will be available only in 5.0, so upgrading is still a good idea.

bwiernik

Yes I’m fairly confident that it was working fine for me in Sierra.

dstillman

This should be fixed in the latest 5.0 Beta, and the fix will be included in Zotero 5.0.26 soon.

nick.byrd

Confirmed: This has been fixed in 5.0.26.

Thanks Zotero et al!