Zotero capture feature not working with Science Direct, Web of Science and other online databases

vernet · September 8, 2015

Hi,

I was attempting to do a literature review and the 'Save to Zotero' tool (in Firefox) only worked on google scholar. In the past, this tool worked seamlessly for online databases such as Science Direct and Web of Science.

Any advice --

Thank you,
Vernet

vernet · September 8, 2015

To be more specific:

If I am on Science direct and other online databases, when I attempt to capture (via the 'save to zotero' button) individual or multiple citations and their pdf attachments nothing happens. Now, if I am on google or google scholar this works.

Please advice.

Thank you,
Vernet

adamsmith · September 8, 2015

Run through these:
https://www.zotero.org/support/troubleshooting_translator_issues
If 1-10 don't help, please provide all the information requested under 11, including a debug ID. Sciencedirect is easier to troubleshoot than WoS, so go with that.

vernet · September 8, 2015

Thank you! I will go through them and follow your directions.

DWL-SDCA · September 8, 2015

In my recent experience, single item metadata downloads it can take up to 7 seconds before you can successfully use the Zotero button with ScienceDirect. Apparently, the various ads must fully load before the button will initiate the process. I don't quite understand the process behind the Zotero translator interaction with publisher sites but it appears from the page-loading messages that the Zotero button will only work after the ScienceDirect site has fully negotiated with ad servers. Sometimes the delay is only a second or two. Lately, I can read much of the abstract before the ads finish loading and the Zotero button is fully functional. When I click the button before the ads have loaded, the red-bordered Zotero download message box appears but nothing is downloaded -- even after the ads are complete. I must click the Zotero button a second time if the first click came too soon.

The same thing happens with SAGE and Taylor & Francis journals. With T&F Group, the delay before a successful click for single item metadata downloads can exceed 10 seconds. Again everything is on hold until the ads finish loading.

This delay isn't on my end. We pay for a very fast connection. It seems to be that the ad servers are often slow to respond to requests. The multiple ads on T&F and SAGE seem to arise from multiple providers and I am at the mercy of the slowest one.

vernet · September 8, 2015

Thank you so much for your prompt response. From the link above Step 10-1 helped me get back on track.

Recently, I had set Firefox to not “Remember history”. Hence, the translator (I am assuming) was not working properly. Once I change this setting back to “Remember history”, the translator started to work again.

Thank you once again!
Vernet