Zotero not able to grab PDFs or take usable snapshots in ERIC

mark80west
Unless I'm doing something wrong, I don't think Zotero is able to successfully pull PDFs from ERIC (even though the "automatically attach associated PDFs and other information" option has been selected in preferences). Also, the snapshot functions don't work in ERIC either I think this is a translator issue. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong, or if a new translator might fix this issue regarding compatibility with the ERIC database.

Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    sample URL please?
  • mark80west
    Thanks Adam. Here is a ULR. Note that neither the "full PDF" nor the snapshot work.
    http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=California+writing+assessment&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=0900019b80414645&accno=EJ882522&_nfls=false
  • adamsmith
    looks like the site has changed - both snapshot and pdf capture a servlet instead - someone will need to fix the translator.
  • mark80west
    Thanks Adam.
    A translator that grabs PDFs from ERIC and takes usable snapshots would be wonderful. As a heads up, it looks like ERIC may be making additional changes in the near future. I just received this email from ERIC earlier today (not sure it is relevant to a translator, but thought I should attach it anyway). The letter is below:

    Greetings,

    ERIC is planning to release modifications to the Web site in June 2010. Following this release, My ERIC users will be required to create a new password in order to access established accounts.

    A new, temporary password will be sent to each user at the first login following the site release. Users may change their password at that time. Materials stored in My ERIC will not be affected.

    You do not have to change your password until you are requested to do so at a future login. ERIC will email your new, temporary password to this email address unless you change your address in the My ERIC system.

    Regards,

    The ERIC Team
  • ajlyon
    In that case, I won't try to fix it yet. When that change happens, post here so that we can look into fixing PDF saving.
  • mark80west
    Yeah. I figured you'd say that. I'll try to shoot you a note in June when the ERIC changes are (errr... seem to be) complete. Again, thanks for being so responsive.

    Any chance you know what is going on with my final Zotero issue/problem? See:
    http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/12793/zotero-file-storage-sync-issue/#Item_5
  • ajlyon
    It's not June, but:
    Please go to http://github.com/ajlyon/zotero-bits/raw/master/ERIC.js and save the file to the translators directory of your Zotero data directory (http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data).

    It should start working again. If this works for you, please post [ at http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/2452/ ] so that I can submit this change to be pushed to all users.
    Then again, you didn't shoot me a note in June.
  • hannahgr
    Hi,
    I am seeing this same issue again - where Zotero is not pulling in available PDFs from ERIC even though the "automatically attach associated PDFs and other information" option has been selected in preferences. I am using ERIC via EBSCOhost via my university library proxy (for example, here: http://proxy.library.oregonstate.edu.ezproxy.proxy.library.oregonstate.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&bquery=(librar*)+AND+(graduate+AND+students)&cli0=FT&clv0=Y&type=1&site=ehost-live)

    Zotero is able to pull in PDFs from other EBSCOhost databases we receive, such as Academic Search Premier. Is ERIC via EBSCOhost just one of those databases (like PsycInfo) that won't let Zotero (or other citation managers like Mendeley) pull in PDFs?

    Thanks for your help.
    Hannah
  • adamsmith
    This thread is about direct access to ERIC through eric.ed.gov
    I believe PDF import was broken there, too, but that's fixed now
    ( Your copy of Zotero will auto-update within 24hs or you can update immediately from the General tab of the Zotero preferences.)

    For EBSCO, I don't know. I don't have ERIC on EBSCO - I can only get it directly or via Proquest, it might be that EBSCO doesn't offer full text for ERIC or has it in an unusual place - you can open the PDF manually, though?
    Is it displayed the same way on the page as for Academic Search Premier?

    As for PsycInfo - if you're using PsycInfo via APA and have full text access you should now be getting PDFs.
  • hannahgr
    Sorry, yes, I realized this thread was about ERIC via the .gov site. I thought the main idea was similar enough, but I can start a new thread if that makes tracking easier.

    EBSCO does offer full text for ERIC (in as much as any ERIC provider can now offer PDFs, http://www.eric.ed.gov/pdf_availability.html) and I can open the PDF(s) manually. It is displayed in the same way as for Academic Search Premier (PDF icon below the search result - I am not talking about items/ejournals that the library pays for separately from the EBSCOhost account and that are only available once we go through the link resolver).

    We also have ERIC via Proquest, and I have the same issue via Proquest - PDFs that I can open manually are not pulled in with the rest of the Zotero information. Only a snapshot is included. (We have ERIC via FirstSearch as well, but FirstSearch is so antiquated, it's not worth discussing).

    I tried pulling in records that included PDFs via the ERIC.ed.gov site and couldn't get the PDFs to come in that way either. This time a snapshot was not included (unlike in Proquest and EBSCO).

    I looked in my translators folder and my most recent ERIC file is from 9/18/2012.

    About PsycInfo - yay! You're right - it works now.

    Thanks,
    Hannah
  • adamsmith
    ERIC via eric.ed.gov will work as soon as your translator updates - you can do that right now by clicking "update now" from the general tab of the Zotero preferences.

    Which Zotero version/browser are you using?
  • hannahgr
    I updated my translators, but the ERIC file still says that it was last modified on 9/18/2012 (and I restarted my browser and tried again, but the modified date is still the same). I was using Zotero for Firefox version 3.0.8 with Firefox 10.0.7.

    So I tried using Chrome (Version 22.0.1229.92 m) with Zotero Standalone (version 3.0b2.1) (and updated my translators - most recent ERIC file says it was modified 9/5/2012). This time more info does come in with the record - I get a snapshot of the record page, and two snapshots of the PDF (one with the title of the article and one called Full Text (PDF)). If I double click on the snapshot icon below the item title in the middle pane, it opens up a window in my browser of the file location (for example, file:///C:/Users/rempelh/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/z8igkie4.Zotero%203/zotero/storage/XVK3KNWT/ERICServlet.html) but does not open up the actual PDF. If I click on the snapshot in the middle pane, and then use the URL provided in the right pane, the URL does open up the PDF for me in my browser (but not just as a PDF file).
  • adamsmith
    There might be a problem with translators not updating correctly - I'll see what can be done.
  • adamsmith
    OK, try updating again now. This should fix things on eric.ed.gov, we (or rather Aurimas) have a general fix in preparation for EBSCO that may or may not cover your issue. I'll look at Proquest (which generally doesn't do well getting PDFs through connectors, but should when using Firefox).
Sign In or Register to comment.