'Save to Zotero' (DOI) cannot save multiple PDFs appear in library search results

phsoh
Hi, I am a novice of bibliographic software, and recently learn to use Zotero. I watched the video introduction and tried to download the results of 200+ citations+PDFs from my library search (in Business Source Complete). I changed the preference first to save attachments from browser. But I found two non productive steps in my process, not sure if I misunderstand the Zotero functions or what.

1. I got only the citations downloaded into Zotero library and no PDFs. The way I managed to save the PDF is to open the PDF of each article and download the file into Zotero.
2. I scrolled through 30 pages of 200+ articles and saved to Zotero page by page (the citations but not PDFs), and found in some occasions no all the articles appear on the selection list for saving.

Could anyone help? I don't know how to write scripts but hope something can be done to improve the process of collecting articles for my research.
  • adamsmith
    When it says "Save to Zotero (DOI)" you never get PDFs attached.
    Zotero just picks up DOIs displayed on the page and imports them from CrossRef, the central DOI repository. That also explains why some items weren't displayed: They didn't have a DOI displayed on the page.

    What's a URL exactly as you see it for a search results page on business source complete?
  • phsoh
    Thanks for reply.
    The URL is from our school library, is this what you are asking for?

    eb.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/bsi/resultsadvanced?sid=dcaaadf2-0872-4b84-8bc5-658db2560878%40sessionmgr11&vid=37&hid=9&bquery=(TX+("knowledge+network*"))+AND+(TX+("R%26D"))&bdata=JmRiPWJ0aCZjbGkwPUZUJmNsdjA9WSZjbGkxPVJWJmNsdjE9WSZjbGkyPVBaNyZjbHYyPUFydGljbGUmY2xpMz1QVDgzJmNsdjM9KFBUK0FjYWRlbWljK0pvdXJuYWwpJmNsaTQ9Rk0mY2x2ND1ZJnR5cGU9MSZzaXRlPWJzaS1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d

    I have been going through forum and instructions for help in installation, downloading PDFs, etc. I use Firefox 23.0.1, just installed Zotero 3 days ago.

    Just 20 mins ago I was checking out bookmarklet
    https://www.zotero.org/downloadbookmarklet

    and dragged the button to the Firefox bookmark toolbar, but not sure what to do with it next.
  • adamsmith
    no, no need for the bookmarklet when you're using Firefox, just forget about that - that's just for Internet Explorer and mobile browsers.
    I think I should be able to fix ebscohost for your school's set-up, let me have a look.
  • adamsmith
    OK, click "Update Now" in the General tab of the Zotero preferences, then try again. You should now see "Save to Zotero (EBSCOhost)" and you should be getting PDFs attached where you have access to full text through EBSCO
  • phsoh
    Thanks so much! I managed to save the PDFs now. I have two clarification questions:

    1. When I right click to view PDF in the middle Zotero window, it opens a page with the following URL but nothing can be read. If I click 'show file', it opens an explorer window with the PDF along with Zotera cache and info.
    zotero://attachment/232/

    I realise that each article has a folder in Zotero storage, is this correct?

    2. If I export a collection (export files), my colleague will import and see exactly the same storage folders in his Zotero. Alternatively, I copy the PDFs out from individual Zotero storage folders and upload them into dropbox or some cloud server (for those who might not use Zotero).

    Appreciate your comment.
  • aurimas
    When I right click to view PDF in the middle Zotero window, it opens a page with the following URL but nothing can be read.
    See https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/29559/cannot-view-pdf-attachment-in-firefox/
    If I export a collection (export files), my colleague will import and see exactly the same storage folders in his Zotero. Alternatively, I copy the PDFs out from individual Zotero storage folders and upload them into dropbox or some cloud server (for those who might not use Zotero).
    To answer directly, if your colleague imports your exported collection, he will have a different attachment structure.

    However, I'm not sure why that matters. If you export your collection _with_ attachments, then the attachments will re-import correctly attached to each item (and properly placed in their corresponding directories). I'm guessing that you're trying to export your collection _without_ attachments and share the attachment directory via Dropbox or something similar. This will not work. If you want to share a collection with attachments, your best bet is using Zotero groups, which would be done through Zotero servers.
  • phsoh
    I installed the development version of the PDF.js and it worked now!

    I will check out the group sharing thing, plus experimenting with iPad (bookmarklet), etc. Am truly excited about using Zotero to gain productivity in research!

    Thanks so much to both and all the support.
  • phsoh
    Hi, I was searching for clues on downloading pdf from EBSCOHOST to group libraries and I traced back to my own problem and solution one year ago. The library link is the following, very similar one and I have also 'update now' in Preferences/General. I can download the file to My library, and I can view the pdf file, but I cannot download the same in group libraries. I used to be able to download files to both libraries, where the actual files are stored in different locations (Designated folder versus Zotero default storage). Not sure what has changed since. Hope you can help. Thank you.

    http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/bsi/resultsadvanced?sid=d976fc9e-6ddd-4c64-b5dd-e45af0e2ff5f%40sessionmgr4004&vid=17&hid=4104&bquery=TI+corporate+venture+investment&bdata=JmRiPWJ0aCZjbGkwPUZUJmNsdjA9WSZjbGkxPVJWJmNsdjE9WSZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1ic2ktbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl
  • aurimas
    How exactly are you trying to "download the file" to your group library? I assume via URL bar icon, but what Zotero version do you have (Firefox or Standalone, is it 4.0.23?), what browser are you downloading from, and what group are you downloading to? What happens when you try to download an item with a file attachment into your group library? Do you not get any attachment (even though there's one showing in the popup) or do you get a link to a file instead?
  • phsoh
    Hi, I used Save to Zotero ...(EBSCOhost) in the url to save the selected file or save direct from the page with a single pdf file , but only a link to html was shown while downloading. When I right clicked the item in Zotero pane, I will be brought to the university library page. So I don't get the downloaded copy of pdf at all.

    My firefox browser is 32.0.3, firefox Zotero client.

    Thank you for your help.
  • aurimas
    edited October 21, 2014
    It sounds like you don't have permission to add file attachments to the group library. The group owner would have to change these permissions in the Library Settings online.

    Edit: you can verify this by trying to attach the file manually. "Attach Stored Copy" should be grayed out.
  • phsoh
    Hi, this is strange, I am the group owner, but the only member for now. I am trying to set things up before having a collaborator to join in.

    I also discovered a new thing, that the five selected files have been downloaded to my Window "downloads" folder as ContentServer.asp(number), and I then went to right click the item in Zotero pane to attach new file (which also points to the ContentServer.asp in my 'Downloads' folder) but an unknown error occurred.

    What does this mean?

    Thanks again for your quick response.
  • aurimas
    Are you using any Zotero add-ons? (e.g. ZotFile) In Firefox, go to about:addons and let us know if you have anything Zotero-related listed there. (other than Zotero, obviously, and Zotero Word or LibreOffice extensions) If you don' have anything else, then could you submit a Debug log for saving one of the items above via URL bar icon.
  • aurimas
    but an unknown error occurred.
    Also, you can submit that Error Report via Zotero gear menu -> Report Errors... (post the ID here)
  • phsoh
    Hi I have Zotero Zotfile 3.1, Zotero Words for Window Integration 3.1.17, Zotero Scholar Citations 1.8.7, Zotero, 4.0.23.1.

    I will perform the Debug log now. Thanks.
  • adamsmith
    please first try disabling Zotfile and Scholar Citations. If the problem persist, submit the debug with those still disabled.
  • phsoh
    The Debug ID is D1572745459.

    I view the Error report via Zotero gear, and it shows a lot of search dates stuff and java script thing, the Report ID is this 66227417.

    Hope you find something. Thanks.
  • aurimas
    As adamsmith says above, this is most likely caused by one of the extensions and you should disable them first to see if the issue goes away.
  • phsoh
    Hi, this time I have disabled the two extensions (Zotfile and Scholar Citations), but the problem persists, the item does not come translated into full details (like author year etc.) The Debug ID is D13809548.

    Thanks so much again.
  • aurimas
    That sounds like a different issue. Above, we were troubleshooting failure to attach pdfs. Is that working now? What is the issue you're describing above? Please provide more details (like a URL)
  • phsoh
    Hi, the issue I have is I cannot download a library item with Pdf attached. The url is this:

    http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/bsi/detail/detail?vid=12&sid=a1fc0aa8-c925-46e0-8817-097258441dc4%40sessionmgr113&hid=101&bdata=JnNpdGU9YnNpLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=89549055

    Before diabling the two extensions, I could save the item with PDF in Zotero pane's My Library but not Group Libraries. After diabling, I could not save the item in My Library with the attached PDF anymore. So I don't understand why Pdf cannot be downloaded at all. I used to be able to do that just two weeks ago.

    Hope my message above is clearer. Thanks.
  • aurimas
    Dan, can you see what's going on in that last debug ID?
  • dstillman
    edited October 21, 2014
    SFU proxy authentication page for the RIS request via the proxy
  • aurimas
    phsoh, before trying to save, make sure that you can actually access the PDF (though any proxied page would do). I'm guessing that restarting the browser cleared your credentials/proxy session and the page was displayed from cache.
  • phsoh
    Hi all,
    You have just given me a hint. So I checked if I could view the pdf file in firefox from our varsity library link. Instead of displaying the file in the browser, it downloaded a copy as ContentServer(number) in my Window 'downloads' folder. This has nothing to do with Zotero, but I now wonder if a Pdf cannot be displayed, then Zotero will not be able to download it as an attached file to the item in Group Libraries.

    Still, this does not explain why before I disabled Zotfile, it worked for Zotero My library and not Group Libraries.

    Another thing is I have an outdated Adobe Acrobat, which probably caused the file display problem in browser. I shall try to get help and fix this tomorrow morning. I will test the Zotero download after that.

    If there are other things I should take note, please let me know. Thank you again for your help. Have a good night.
  • phsoh
    Hi, I believe I have solved the mystery problem by changing the Group Library Setting (under Manage Library).

    I first tried saving a file to a different group library and it worked. So I checked each group library setting and realized there is such thing as "File Editing -- NO group library storage ". The group library that has been giving me trouble turned out to have this option checked! I wonder if this setting is default. I would imagine that if "private' is checked, 'File editing' should have default automatically set to 'Group admin' or 'Group member'.

    Anyway, I am feeling good now as I have learned a few Zotero things a long the way.

    Thank you all again!
Sign In or Register to comment.