Cannot pull authors from new ScienceDirect site

nomarie · 2026-03-17T13:57:45+00:00

Elsevier recently updated the ScienceDirect site. Now when trying to save citations from ScienceDirect, I get a "An error occurred saving with ScienceDirect. Attempting to save using Embedded Metadata instead." message, and the citation is saved without any authors.

mjthoraval · 2026-03-17T15:55:40+00:00

Here is an example of an open access article:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957417424010339

Zotero Connector: 5.0.196beta2
The Debug ID is D1697791347.

Zotero Desktop: 9.0-beta.10+be1373dd3 (64-bit)
The Debug ID is D93871287.

Firefox 149.0b8 (64-bit)
Windows 11

warguelles · 2026-03-17T17:23:05+00:00

It works perfect to me... including the attached PDF!

The only differences with your configuration are Zotero conector: 5.0.195 and Firefox no beta (148.0.2)

mjthoraval · 2026-03-18T08:20:56+00:00

It is probably a partial release of the new website.

Here is the old design, that I can get from a VPN in Firefox:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u265723/b6nghsqy206wug8kz30g.png
Importing in Zotero works fine.

And the new design from the same browser from my university network:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u265723/wlrz07ibpzn6oh8r1uzi.png

mjthoraval · 2026-03-18T09:11:39+00:00

I have cleared the cookies of the page, and I am now back to the first design where the import to Zotero is working. I don't know how to get back to the second design.

nomarie · 2026-03-19T17:02:46+00:00

First design works when I hit it, but most ScienceDirect references are opening in the second design for me.

AbeJellinek · 2026-03-19T17:50:39+00:00

Anyone who's getting the new design, please save the page as HTML (in your browser, File → Save Page As...) and email it to support@zotero.org, along with a link to this thread!

dstillman · 2026-03-19T18:54:39+00:00

@nomarie: Can you try again after clicking the Cite button to open the citation popup?

nomarie · 2026-03-19T19:03:18+00:00

@dstillman no change

AbeJellinek · 2026-03-19T19:03:54+00:00

That is, send an HTML file you save with the Cite popup open.

AbeJellinek · 2026-03-19T20:32:38+00:00

@nomarie, @mjthoraval: Pushed a fix. Your Zotero Connector should auto-update within a few minutes, or you can update translators manually from the Advanced pane of the Zotero settings.

Please let me know if you continue having issues with the new design; I'm still not actually getting it on my end.

nomarie · 2026-03-20T13:16:48+00:00

seems to work now, thanks!

AbeJellinek · 2026-03-20T13:56:05+00:00

OK, great!