Zotero Chrome Extension Not Providing Translator Options

edited October 9, 2017
Zotero makes note of BibUp as an option for scanning ISBNs and then loading them into your Zotero library. I have used this option with success multiple times up untill most recently. The Zotero extension in my Chrome browser is grayed out and will not allow me to select the proper translator option to import my books. This did not occur until I updated my Zotero extension and standalone to the latest versions.

Zotero Standalone version = 5.0.22
Zotero Extension version = 5.0.24
Chrome Browser version = 61.0.3163.100
  • Does it work elsewhere? Do you have a URL for a bibup import we could test?
  • Can you provide a Report ID from the connector? https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_problems
  • Report ID = 967520726
  • works for me in Chrome and Firefox.
  • Have you tried restarting the browser? If that doesn't help, update translators in Zotero Preferences -> General and afterwards in Zotero Connector Preferences -> Advanced.
  • edited October 9, 2017
    I updated the Zotero Connector but did not realize that the Standalone needed to update the translators as well. I have now done that and the "unAPI" option appears but I get an Error now that says "An error occurred while saving this item. See Troubleshooting Translator Issues for more information."

    I did restart the browser and the standalone.
  • New Error Report ID = 1615988093
  • A lot of
    JavaScript Error: "HTTP request has timed out after 15000ms
    You should try disabling security software and/or other extensions and see if it works. Something is preventing the extension from communicating on the internet.
  • edited October 19, 2017
    I am coming back to this issue because since the last post I have tried to capture my book scans from BibUp on three different computers and on each one I go the same error. I even had someone else attempt to retrieve the data using their computer and Zotero account and it also failed with them. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, updated translators, disabled browser extensions, and temporaryily disabled virus protection. Still not working on the BibUp sight. It works on Amazon but just not on the BibUp pages. I do not know what else to do to resolve the time out issue.
  • Could you say again what exactly happens? I'm seeing extraordinarily slow responses from the site when actually importing items (which could well lead to timeouts), but it's consistently displaying the right (folder) icon.
  • I will do one better. Here is a link to a video I recorded of my screen.

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1WDYr3yyzP_emRldjN4Q1ZOV3M/view?usp=sharing
  • Right, I'm actually seeing something similar -- still trying to understand what exactly is going on and if the problem is with Zotero or the site. This isn't what you originally reported, though, which caused the confusion here:
    The Zotero extension in my Chrome browser is grayed out and will not allow me to select the proper translator option to import my books.
    -- the video shows the Zotero icon as a clickable folder using the right translator.
  • You guys resolved the first issue and I submitted a post about the present issue about 10 days ago which you were helping me on.

    "dbilberry 10 days ago edited 10 days ago
    I updated the Zotero Connector but did not realize that the Standalone needed to update the translators as well. I have now done that and the "unAPI" option appears but I get an Error now that says "An error occurred while saving this item. See Troubleshooting Translator Issues for more information."

    I did restart the browser and the standalone."
  • ah sorry, not sure how I missed that.
  • edited October 19, 2017
    I am able to use the Zotero extension on other websites just fine. It is only with the BibUp site that there is an issue. Could it be an issue with their server clock being off?
  • No, it's more complicated than that, I'm afraid. For one, the site really is taking a very long time and 15secs isn't that long (that's when it times out). But it also looks like Zotero is doing something odd.
  • I will wait patiently for any updates.

    Are there any alternatives to getting a large number of resources into the library fairly quickly other than manual entry? Has Zotero considered making a mobile app for people to scan materials and manage their library?
  • There's no alternative that scans barcodes, no. Otherwise there are of course a lot of options to get a lot of items into Zotero, e.g. a list of ISBNs.

  • edited October 20, 2017
    @dbilberry it works ok for me with the URL that you have posted before. Could you submit a Debug ID from the Connector capturing the failed save?

    EDIT: Don't worry about it, I managed to reproduce.
  • OK, this should now be fixed — thanks. Your Zotero Connector should auto-update within 24 hours, or you can update manually by clicking Update Translators in the Advanced pane of the Zotero Connector preferences.
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