Zotero not retrieving metadata

isabella.sodi · 2025-05-19T23:10:08+00:00

Debug ID: 552343725

A lot of my Zotero items are missing crucial metadata. Even if I add the item using `Add items by identifier` I get this error:

Lookup Failed
Zotero could not find a record for the specified identifier. Please verify the identifier and try again.

Please let me know what I can do to fix this.

adamsmith · 2025-05-20T00:44:32+00:00

We'd want to see sample DOIs which produce that error, please

isabella.sodi · 2025-05-20T08:23:36+00:00

- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.01.018
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0642-z
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-022-01095-3

Here are a few. Let me know if I can provide any other information.

dstillman · 2025-05-20T10:38:21+00:00

Those work fine for me. Can you provide a Debug ID (different from a Report ID, which you provided) for an attempt that fails?

isabella.sodi · 2025-05-20T10:52:58+00:00

Let me know if this is what you wanted:
D1813970289

dstillman · 2025-05-20T10:54:35+00:00

Disable the Better BibTeX plugin, restart Zotero, and reset your translators from the Advanced → Files and Folders section of the Zotero settings. Does it work after that?

isabella.sodi · 2025-05-20T11:02:44+00:00

Yes that now works thank you.

Is the Better BibTeX plugin no compatible anymore and should I not enable it again now that it is working? I use it to reference things with Obsidian and would love to continue..

And is there a way to refresh/retrieve the metadata again for the items I have added which are missing information? I tend to add them as a PDF and not using the `Add items by identifier` button. I just tried the `Add items by identifier` after I realised a lot of my items were missing information.

dstillman · 2025-05-20T11:04:01+00:00

You should report this to the BBT developer on GitHub.

There's not currently a way to update metadata for existing items, but it's planned.

isabella.sodi · 2025-05-20T11:09:10+00:00

Thanks. What do you think my best option is for a lot of my items? To re add them with the DOI and then merge the duplicate items? I have lots of annotations and notes on all the PDFs so do not want to loose them.

dstillman · 2025-05-20T11:10:19+00:00

Yes, I'm afraid for now you'd need to re-add by DOI and then merge.

adamsmith · 2025-05-20T11:12:33+00:00

Linter for Zotero has this: https://github.com/northword/zotero-format-metadata