Problem with an InnoPAC translator

rkoshykar
I'm reporting an odd problem specifically with the ability to import a reference from our library catalog using the "Library Catalog (InnoPAC)" translator to the Zotero Firefox add-on.

I can use the Zotero Standalone client to import the reference, but not the browser add-on.

Here is a sample record: http://albert.rit.edu/record=b3009071~S3

Details of what I'm using:

Firefox 10.0.2 (yes, this is no longer the most recent browser version)
Zotero 3.0.3
If it matters, we are running Release 2011 1.1 of Innovative Millennium.

I have tested this with the browser add-on and other Innovative Millennium OPACs, and I can save records to Zotero.

I have successfully saved references using Zotero Standalone from our OPAC.

When I try to save a record from our OPAC using the Zotero broswer add-on, it doesn't work. I don't get an error message, either. The reference just isn't saved.

Any suggestions?
  • adamsmith
    Works on FF for me.
    What browser are you using with Standalone?
    What exactly do you see when you try to save on Zotero for FF?
    Have you tried disabling all other add-ons in FF, restarting and trying again?
  • rkoshykar
    Well, that's odd...

    I can import the reference now using the Firefox add-on. I was using Firefox with Standalone, but a colleague tried using Standalone with the Chrome connector - both of those were working.

    What I was seeing was that the dialog box would open like a reference was being saved, but it would be blank. Then that would go away and no reference would save.

    But that doesn't matter now, the problem somehow went away on its own. It's possible that someone on our library staff was making style sheet changes to our OPAC screens, without my knowledge, and that prevented Zotero from grabbing references. But I just don't know.

    Thank you for the fast response - sorry that we can't duplicate the problem any more.
  • adamsmith
    yes, I believe the translator may fail silently if it can't find the MARC - so some intermittent change, outage or so could have done that.
  • savoye
    edited April 5, 2012
    I have the same problem with my catalog.
    I'm using Zotero 3.0.3 and Firefox 11.0
    I can't import references from our library catalog with the browser add-on.
    For example :
    http://opac.scd.univ-metz.fr/record=b1452507~S10*frf
    Zotero doesn't work with Rochester Institute of Technology catalog, but it works with the Université de Tours - François Rabelais catalog :
    http://portail.scd.univ-tours.fr/record=b1500100~S1*frf

    Like you, I see the dialog box open like a reference was being saved, but it stays blank. Finally no reference is saved.
  • indehostindehost
    Yes this my problem
  • adamsmith
    I don't see a way to get data for the uni-metz catalog - there is no MARC data anywhere - we can look into not detecting on those type of pages, but unless you can find out from the catalog maintainers how to get from a catalog entry to a marc display, there isn't much we can do.
  • aurimas
    I was comparing the two sites and trying to hack my way to the MARC export format, but it looks like it's not supported on the univ-metz.fr website.

    @adamsmith do you suppose it would be ok to try and fall back to other formats? like RIS (EndNote/refWorks or ProCite) At least both of the sites that were linked support those formats, I'm not sure if this is a standard for InnoPAC.
  • adamsmith
    absolutely we can use fallbacks - we have some translators (IOP e.g.) that do that - question is if the RIS is displayed or linked to in a consistent enough fashion to allow for that?
  • aurimas
    I was considering using the export feature, but I can't find an easy way to manipulate it into doing what we want, so I guess never mind.
  • willsjon
    Hi I'm having a similar problem.

    I'm using a mid 2007 iMac and a Macbook (2006)- just loaded Zotero (lastest release) and using Firefox 14 (latest release). Yesterday everything seemed to be working fine (I'm not sure which Firefox release that was) but Firefox updated today and now I get an empty box when trying to save a reference and the there is no saved record in my Library. It looks like Z is going through the motions (i.e. no error report) but not actually adding any data. I've tried troubleshooting and this is the closest thread I can find to my problem.

    Any help much appreciated.

    PS I'm not all that tech savvy so preferably no tech jargon please! :-)
  • adamsmith
    Is this for an InnoPAC library catalog? If so, which one? If not, please start a new thread and provide a sample URL of a site that's not working.
  • willsjon
    Hi

    Thanks for your quick reply. I believe so - I'm not sure. When I hover my cursor over the folder in the URL it says "Save to Zotero...(Library Catalog InnoPAC) - I'm accessing the University of Queensland Library Catalog:
    http://library.uq.edu.au/search~S7/X?SEARCH=handbook+of+play+therapy
    The point is I get the same result as others in the above thread i.e. no record saved and the reference box blank - I'm using the Firefox add-on not standalone.

    Regards
    Jonathan
  • adamsmith
    haven't looked closely, but that looks like the same issue as above - InnoPAC catalogs aren't all the same and we have a hard time distinguishing where Zotero works and where it doesn't.

    You can try the export options of the catalog (to Endnote/RefWorks) as a workaround.
  • willsjon
    Is this perhaps some kind of issue with Firefox, since everything was fine until it updated?
  • rowenamorgan
    I have given up trying to import direct from USYD library and just look up in World Catalogue http://www.worldcat.org and import from there...works a treat!
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