Importing From Scholar's Aid

jbrune

I would like to switch to Zotero, but I would need to be able to import my bibliography that is currently in a program called Scholar's Aid (version 2.3.02). Unfortunately SA does not do an RIS export. It does, however, allow the following export options: "Rich text file formatted by a template (RTF)," "Plain text file formatted by a template (TXT)," "Scholar's Aid Library datafile (L3)," Distributable raw Library datafile (LR)." Will any of those four allow me to move my bibliography to Zotero?

Thanks,
Jeff

noksagt

Not directly. Biblioscape (proprietary and commercial) can import the tagged format. Bibutils and/or refbase (both free/open source) might be interested in writing an importer for it, but I'm not aware of any free software that has one already.

I think you can get a trial version of biblioscape if you anticipate this to be a one-time job.

Matthias

Jeff, could you post a sample file of the Scholar's Aid tagged text format (preferably including typical records of all major types)? If it's format is not too difficult to parse, it might be possible to convert it to RIS, or, as noksagt suggests, develop an importer for one of the open source apps which could be used as an intermediate step to get your data into Zotero.

jbrune

OK, thanks to both of you for your help. I used Biblioscape and that worked, except that when I imported into Biblioscape it converted all my books into journal articles and what should be the book title is now in the publication field. It also lost the publisher and city information. That's how they are in both Biblioscape and in Zotero.
Obviously the problem is in the conversion between Biblioscape and Scholar's Aid, not Zotero. Journal articles seem to be OK.
Manually fixing (moving title and retyping publisher and city) would be too much work. Is there another solution? I have pasted below a sample of my Scholar's Aid tagged text format. I have included one book and one journal article. Note that the journal article includes Source Type (journals converted fine), but the book does not have anything listed for Source Type.

Author: Cronon, William
Work type:
Article title:
Title: Nature's metropolis: Chicago and the great west
Series:
Edition:
Volume:
Issue number:
Article page:
Pub_place: New York
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Pub_date: 1991
Miscellaneous:
Additional:
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword:
Source type:
Abstract:
Description:
Call number:
ISBN: b01
Source Loc.:
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.:
------
Author: Conzen, Michael P.
Work type:
Article title: Local migration systems in nineteenth-century Iowa
Title: Geographical Review
Series:
Edition:
Volume: 64
Issue number: 3
Article page: 339-361
Pub_place:
Publisher:
Pub_date: 1974
Miscellaneous:
Additional:
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword:
Source type: Journal Article
Abstract:
Description:
Call number:
ISBN: f03
Source Loc.: aux stacks
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.:

Based on this sample, any suggestions for what to do? Thank you so much for your help,
Jeff

jbrune

Just to let others know, I did find a solution that worked. I downloaded Biblioscape using its free trial, then used that to import from Scholar's Aid, then to export to RIS. Then I imported the RIS file into Zotero. With three conversions it was not perfect, but pretty good and all the records are definitely useable.

Biblioscape has so many importers that it seems it would provide a very good conversion solution for anyone who cannot export to RIS. I recommend using it.

santihex

I also use scholars aid and am trying to import my bibliography into zotero. I tried importing it into biblioscape but ran into trouble. Could jbrune pls explain how you imported the SAid files into biblioscape.

Thanx

jchon

I'm a new user to Z (switching from SA)

FYI: I managed to export/import from SA to Zotero.
1. I had to change my SA Lite to SA-AE (trial) so to have enhanced export function.
2. Exported references from SA Lite as RAW (LR).
3. Read the exported file from SA-AE
4. Downloaded and installed Biblioscape (trial version, NOT the express version)
5. Followed instructions from
http://www.biblioscape.com/tips/tip_011101.htm
6. Exported from biblioscape as RIS file.
7. Imported from Zotero .....

There are some glitches, in the final outcome but was pretty good for my use.
Hope this is helpful for some.

JteB

jchon: Thank you for your comments on how to convert data from Scholar's Aid. I have managed the task successfully. I did struggle a bit with some of the instructions so the following notes may assist the next person.

When following the instruction from http://www.biblioscape.com/tips/tip_011101.htm the following text is suggested for note 4:

4. In Scholar's Aid, go to menu command "File | Export to...". Select the Plain text (.TXT)... option. The Export Window will appear. Select a folder in the Save in: dropdown list where you want to save the file and give the file a name in the File name: text box. The Save as type: dropdown box should show "Plain text file formatted by a template (TXT)". Click the Save button.

It is suggested that note number 6 be amended as follows:

6. Once the export is finished, start Biblioscape. Go to "File | Import Filters..." and check to see that “Scholars Aid -- Tagged Output” is available under Import Filters. If not, click here to download it.

For note 7 the following text is suggested:

7. In Biblioscape, create the folder into which you want the records you are about to import, to be saved. Do this by going to the Folder list on the left, right clicking and selecting “New Folder”. Enter a folder name and set the Type to “References”. Click on Ok and keep the folder just created as the one selected. Now go to the menu command "File | Import..." and select the Import tab. Click the Browse button to select the file you exported from Scholar's Aid in step 4. On the "Tagged" tab, select "Scholars Aid -- Tagged Output" as the Import filter to use. Click the Start button to import the records.

I hope these notes will assist you as the instructions provided were not quite what I needed to do.

fbennett

The page linked above has disappeared, but a copy is available in the Internet Archive:

http://web.archive.org/web/20110919022441/http://www.biblioscape.com/tips/tip_011101.htm

A. S. M.

Thanks a lot. I managed to export from Scholar's Aid. But Biblioscape without registering apparently doesn't allow me to export nor does it allow me to save the file or to copy the references. The file is in the "Online Search" folder (it means temporary). So now I have already a file formatted for Biblioscape import in an Endnote format. But... how to convert it to Zotero without Endnote or Biblioscape? Any suggestions would be extremely well wellcome...

aurimas

So now I have already a file formatted for Biblioscape import in an Endnote format.

What format is that exactly? (e.g. file extension, or you could post a small part of its contents)

A. S. M.

I can only manage to view temporary files in Note pad, as far as I can identify them:

First, a text_file (name: wImpList )with following text inside:

@inproceedings{gunther2006generic,
title={A generic import framework for process event logs},
author={G{\"u}nther, Christian W and van der Aalst, Wil MP},
booktitle={Business Process Management Workshops},
pages={81--92},
year={2006},
organization={Springer}
}

There is also a tmp_file (name: impFiltBaseOn.tmp)that I would not know how to open.

And I think the main database file as a text_file, from which I post the first entries (name: recImpTmp):

Author: Fedalto, Giorgio
Work type:
Article title:
Title: Le porte del Cielo. Il cristianesino e i segni dell'Aldilà: apparizioni, visioni, testimoni
Series:
Edition:
Volume:
Issue number:
Article page:
Pub_place: Milano
Publisher: San Paolo
Pub_date: 2002
Miscellaneous:
Additional:
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword: spirituality; Marie
Source type: Books+Single volume+Basic
Abstract:
Description: 190 p.
Call number:
ISBN: 88-215-4640-3
Source Loc.:
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.: OKL
------
Author: Bergson, Henri
Work type:
Article title:
Title: Les deux sources de la morale et de la religion
Series:
Edition:
Volume:
Issue number:
Article page:
Pub_place:
Publisher:
Pub_date:
Miscellaneous:
Additional:
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword: philosophy
Source type: Books+Single volume+Basic
Abstract:
Description:
Call number:
ISBN:
Source Loc.:
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.: FN
------
Author: Augustin d'Hippone, saint
Work type:
Article title:
Title: De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim
Series: Bibliothèque Augustinienne 48 et 49
Edition:
Volume:
Issue number:
Article page:
Pub_place:
Publisher:
Pub_date: 1972
Miscellaneous:
Additional: traduction, introduction et notes par Paul Agaësse et Aimé Solignac
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword: Augustin d'Hippone
Source type: Books+All others+Total
Abstract:
Description:
Call number:
ISBN:
Source Loc.:
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.: FN
------
Author: Ancilli, Ermanno; Maurizio Paparozzi (eds.)
Work type:
Article title:
Title: La mistica. Fenomenologia e riflessione teologica
Series: 2 vols
Edition:
Volume: I e II
Issue number:
Article page:
Pub_place: Roma
Publisher: Città Nuova Editrice
Pub_date: 1984
Miscellaneous:
Additional:
2nd Title:
2nd Author:
2nd Publisher:
2nd Pub_date:
Keyword: spirituality
Source type: Books+Multivolume work+Separately titled
Abstract:
Description: v. 1 668 p.; v. 2 765 p.
Call number:
ISBN: 88-311-9213-2
Source Loc.:
Date Obt.:
Place Obt.: OKN
------

aurimas

The first one is BibTeX and should import straight into Zotero

A. S. M.

I've tried both txt_files, and Zotero doesn't want to. I suppose the first one is a filter for the data file. But Zotero says it's not a supported format. Is it a matter of extension? And how use to a filter on Zotero? Thanks a lot for your attention. Regards.

aurimas

Zotero doesn't care about extensions, but the first one should definitely import. If you don't mind sharing, you can post it on Dropbox or similar and we can take a look.

A. S. M.

Do you mean sending the bibliography tmpfile?

A. S. M.

I don't have Dropbox. Could I send it by email

adamsmith

e-mail's inconvenient since only select people will have access (including neither aurimas nor me). Any file upload/sharing site will do.

If need be, paste the text to gist.github.com, create a public gist and post the link here. You won't need to register for a github account.

A. S. M.

Ok: that's the link, and thanks for your link. Scholar's aid counted 1900 references or so. Here is the link: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/32800df53e48ebcc645b

fbennett

Could you post the other file also, in the same way?

A. S. M.

Yes. That's the link: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/897144fae30f3dbcd5a3

There is still another temporary file, but it is not from text. I don't know if I can append it somehow.

Regards

fbennett

Binary files (non-text files) won't help, no. The latest link shows just one BibTeX entry, but it's incomplete. It looks like it was cut off somehow. If that's the whole thing, your best bet is still to figure out how to export multiple records in this BibTeX format, I think.

A. S. M.

Well, please do not show my links to other users. I'll see "how to" this importing. Thanks for your interest.

noksagt

The BibTeX entry he pasted in this thread was complete. I assume that the gist was a miscopy.

The first gist shows ~121 bibliographic entries. In a pinch, this can be forced into RIS or some similar delimited format. Most of the entries are spanish texts on religions, where-as the BibTeX entry is on something very different. It might be a red herring. Neither file has anything close to 1900 references, though.

I might suggest using a previous version (I have no experience with biblioscape 10 & don't know the last version I used, but it DID let me export). Here's version 9 to try:
http://www.biblioscape.com/v9/download.html

fbennett

This is a public bulletin board. If you want to withhold the bibliography listings, you should delete the content of the posted gists.

A. S. M.

Will you please not allow my first file to appear on this discussion forum? Please take it immediatly out of this forum!!!

fbennett

You can remove it yourself by editing your post.

A. S. M.

Thanks a lot for the link of an older version of the software!

I managed to have the export of my bybliography from Biblioscape in two files: one is a text file with the references, the other one, with the same name and approximately the same Kbytes, from the programm. Name of the format in Biblioscape: Endnote Import.

Now the big question: is it possible to import these files directly to Zotero or is it imperative that I pass through Endnote (I don't have it)?

Thanks a lot for your help, indeed. Regards.

aurimas

If it's possible, then Zotero will just import it (generally, if EndNote can import, so can Zotero). If it's possible, but it needs some modifications, then we'll need to see the file contents (our at least a reasonable portion).

A. S. M.

Hi, I managed to download a trial version of Endnote, imported my files from Biblioscape, expurged duplicates and exported all references from Endnote in the given XML format to Zotero. The result was less then brilliant: Authors turned to be "Creator's" and are only mentioned by Last name, there are fields it's said Zotero doesn't recognize, etc. Should I have done the export in another format than XML? Shall I try it all over again with your advice? Thanks for your answer.

noksagt

There should be no reason to use Endnote & it only adds a bit of confusion (as we can't diagnose where fields go missing without having you provide the intermediate files you've made).

Biblioscape 9's documentation states that it can export to "LaTeX BibTeX". Zotero should be able to import that.

If you're not able to import the so-called "EndNote Import" formatted file directly, you might paste an individual record here (so we can see what they mean when they say that). You can, alternatively try the "Reference Manager RIS" format.