PDF download failure in EBSCOhost, PsycInfo

Recently I have found several issues when having Zotero automatically download PDF attachments in EBSCOhost, specifically with the Psycinfo database. I discovered that if I find a reference in Psychinfo and import the citation, the citation loads fine, but the PDF doesn’t. Instead I get a blue icon (that says full text). When I try to open it, this appears: zotero://attachment/1365/

However if I can find the same reference in Academic Search Complete or another database, and import from there, the pdf imports just fine.

Even outside of Psychinfo, however, I have trouble getting the right PDFs when trying to download multiple citations from the search view by clicking on the folder icon in the address bar.

Report IDs and links provided below.

Zotero 3.0.1, Firefox 9.0.1, Windows 7

Report ID: 1860986763 – this is reported immediately on opening my browser.

Pdf import works using result from Academic Search Complete:
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=1&sid=473ba0f1-1d27-4a80-95fc-d63a1cb85aed%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=18333983

Does not work, using PsycInfo:
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=11&hid=1&sid=473ba0f1-1d27-4a80-95fc-d63a1cb85aed%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=psyh&AN=2005-13045-010

Report ID: 1185840449 – this is reported on the page of the Psychinfo reference.


Another problem – multiple downloads.
Report ID: 1843455076
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/resultsadvanced?sid=8ba0003f-e746-412f-b472-11c01ad5d05d%40sessionmgr15&vid=6&hid=2&bquery=%28spiritual+outcome%29&bdata=JmRiPXBkaCZkYj1hOWgmZGI9cmZoJmRiPXBiaCZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d

In this case I tried to import three citations with attached PDFs from the search page. The citations come in fine, and the PDFs are titled right in Zotero, but the actual attached file is the first PDF on the page: “Religion and Spirituality in Rehabilitation Outcomes Among Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury”. One of the three files I asked for: “Terrorism, Post-traumatic Stress, Coping Strategies, and Spiritual Outcomes”

Those links were provided on the wireless network provided at Baylor, with Zotero proxy off.

Tried the multiple download with proxy on while on the Baylor wireless network:
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/resultsadvanced?sid=810afbff-6467-4929-9556-599a8d9a9082%40sessionmgr10&vid=3&hid=3&bquery=%28spiritual+outcome%29&bdata=JmRiPWE5aCZkYj1yZmgmZGI9cGRoJmRiPXBiaCZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d
Same failed wrong PDF result but this time no error noted in Zotero.

I tried all the combinations above last night at home with Zotero proxy on and it made no difference, but I dont have links.
  • I can have a look, but the EBSCO translator is rather labyrinthine - it's also provided by EBSCO, so you could try sending their customer support an e-mail, maybe it helps.
    If you have access, APAs version of Psycinfo works smoothly.
  • I get EBSCO full text (where it's available) from PsycInfo, so I can't troubleshoot this, sorry. I can't see the error reports, but not saving pdfs wouldn't show up in them anyway. Since EBSCO uses session and user specific URLs, looking at your debug output wouldn't help either.

    I'd recommend you try getting in touch with EBSCO.
  • Thanks for the look over. This problem seems to keep recurring: each time I figure out a consistent technique that works, after a week or so something changes in Zotero or Ebscohost and it fails selectively again.

    Side note, when I tried to follow the link to reinstall Zotero 2.9, it took me to the 3.0.1 install file, so I couldnt check that option.
  • Side note, when I tried to follow the link to reinstall Zotero 2.9, it took me to the 3.0.1 install file, so I couldnt check that option.
    Fixed.
  • I would be very surprised if an older Zotero version did any good. The translators are identical.
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