Zotero does not always interface properly with all the search engines available to me through my universitiy library's web site. (I can use the one-click-download feature with many of the search engines so I know I don't have a proxy problem.) So, I often attempt to export the reference information from the database service and import it into Zotero. Unfortunately, this rarely works for me. Often when I try to import the .RIS file something locks up and I have to reboot my computer. I don't know whether Zotero or Firefox or something I am unaware of causes the lockup. All I know is that I can still move my mouse and use other programs but I can't use Firefox and the mouse pointer is perpetually stuck in the "waiting pointer" mode when the mouse is over the Firefox window.

I am using Zotero 1.5b2 on Windows XP Pro with Firefox 3.0.9. I have all the latest updates for both Windows and Firefox.

Here is a copy of the original .RIS file I attempted to import:

Provider: H. W. Wilson
Databases: OmniFile Full Text Mega

TI: School uniforms and safety
AU: Stanley, M. Sue
JN: Education and Urban Society
SO: Education and Urban Society v. 28 (August 1996) p. 424-35
PY: 1996
AB: Part of a special issue on policies and practices relating to school safety. Communities across the U.S. are considering the introduction of school uniforms because they are seen to reduce violence, increase academic achievement, and reduce the need for discipline. School uniforms are believed to play a role in promoting safety, increasing discipline and respect for the teacher, promoting group spirit, maintaining academic standards through uniformity, easing strain on parental budgets, decreasing the race for social status, de-emphasizing socioeconomic differences, ensuring that intruders on the school campus can be more easily identified, and supporting the connection between the school, learning, and future success. The policy issues related to the use of uniforms by school districts include legal concerns about requiring uniforms, the implications for parents who oppose uniform policies, and the provision of uniforms to poorer families. A study of a mandatory school uniform policy in schools in the Long Beach Unified School District, California, is discussed.
SU: School uniforms; School violence/Prevention
PD: Bibliography
ISSN: 0013-1245
LA: English
DT: Feature Article
IU: Education
AN: 199621403476004
PURL:
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e7b3dba9555cf9ce4bbd7fedd901f442c7ab12afe8ab3b9af464ad5b6991a5d2a&fmt=C

After reading several forum threads I edited the file to remove the first three lines, add a new first line "TY - JOUR" and change all the colons to dashes like this:

TY - JOUR
TI - School uniforms and safety
AU - Stanley, M. Sue
JN - Education and Urban Society
SO - Education and Urban Society v. 28 (August 1996) p. 424-35
PY - 1996
AB - Part of a special issue on policies and practices relating to school safety. Communities across the U.S. are considering the introduction of school uniforms because they are seen to reduce violence, increase academic achievement, and reduce the need for discipline. School uniforms are believed to play a role in promoting safety, increasing discipline and respect for the teacher, promoting group spirit, maintaining academic standards through uniformity, easing strain on parental budgets, decreasing the race for social status, de-emphasizing socioeconomic differences, ensuring that intruders on the school campus can be more easily identified, and supporting the connection between the school, learning, and future success. The policy issues related to the use of uniforms by school districts include legal concerns about requiring uniforms, the implications for parents who oppose uniform policies, and the provision of uniforms to poorer families. A study of a mandatory school uniform policy in schools in the Long Beach Unified School District, California, is discussed.
SU - School uniforms; School violence/Prevention
PD - Bibliography
ISSN - 0013-1245
LA - English
DT - Feature Article
IU - Education
AN - 199621403476004
PURL -
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e7b3dba9555cf9ce4bbd7fedd901f442c7ab12afe8ab3b9af464ad5b6991a5d2a&fmt=C

Unfortunately, all I get in Zotero is an entirely blank entry except for the date created and date modified fields. Plus, Firefox still locks up on me.

I have not been able to find any documentation on how .RIS files are supposed to be formatted in order for Zotero to import them properly.