Red X error when attempting to import PDFs from EBSCOhost - retested, issue persists

hilary.kraus · 2026-10-01T14:34:17+00:00

I reported this a couple of days ago (link at the bottom), but I wanted to retest having performed more troubleshooting steps.

The problem is that, when saving using the Connector in EBSCOhost databases, PDF downloads fail. This is the case for PDFs that are part of the database's full text content (download within it) and for things available using the LibKey Instant PDF option we've configured in EBSCOhost.

Regarding troubleshooting, I have checked for updates to Zotero, the Zotero Connector, and my browser. (Currently testing in Firefox.) I checked the Known Translator Issues page and updated the Connector translators just in case. I confirmed the Connector has permissions to access all websites. I disabled all my browser extensions. To double-check it was an EBSCOhost issue and not something more broad in scope, I tested the Connector successfully in a ProQuest database.

My most recent test:

Using Firefox, on a single record page in EBSCOhost (in this case, APA PsycInfo), use the Connector. The reference imports, but the PDF gives the (bright red) X Full Text PDF error instead of importing.

Here are two sample references and their report details:

Example 1, where the PDF is available via a LibKey Instant PDF under EBSCOhost's Access options menu (fully integrated, not the LibKey browser extension):

Walker, J., Bridges, A. J., Muench, A., Perlis, M. L., & Vargas, I. (2026). Examining the directional effects of insomnia, anxiety, and depression symptoms: Results from a longitudinal study conducted during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.70207

The report box displays:
[JavaScript Error: "Method saveAttachmentFromResolver failed" {file: "moz-extension://0a3d1527-48ca-4e2d-a592-c4b79c4bfc85/messaging_inject.js" line: 100}]
Report ID: 404794813
Debug ID: D1948437893

Example 2, where the PDF could be downloaded directly in EBSCOhost:

Xie, L., Wu, A., Yuan, Z., Shu, T., Jiang, M., Liu, D., Yang, W., & Xie, H. (2026). The relationship between sleep-related worry and insomnia among shift-working nurses: The serial mediation of depression and anxiety. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 31(5), 1248–1264. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2025.2594758

Same error in the report box:
[JavaScript Error: "Method saveAttachmentFromResolver failed" {file: "moz-extension://0a3d1527-48ca-4e2d-a592-c4b79c4bfc85/messaging_inject.js" line: 100}]
Report ID: 218186688
Debug ID: D1378800309

I've had colleagues test this, and they're experiencing the same issue. EBSCOhost is one of our most commonly used platforms, so this is affecting a lot of users.

Thank you for any help you can provide!

Previous report: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/133961/red-x-error-when-attempting-to-import-pdfs-from-ebscohost

adamsmith · 2026-10-01T14:47:58+00:00

Could you provide the URL exactly as you see it for Example 2?
Also, what icon does Save to Zotero display as and when you hover over it, what does it says (Save to Zotero ... and then the part in parentheses is what's relevant)

I'm getting PDFs for items with full text in EBSCO here

hilary.kraus · 2026-10-01T15:17:00+00:00

Absolutely!

Example 2 URL:
https://research-ebsco-com.brown.idm.oclc.org/c/jfwlhf/search/details/jczb5imlsr?ctx=aem61R7FUZRzqd7cFPGAG&db=psyh&limiters=None&pos=2&q=DI+("doi.org/10.1002/jclp.70207"+OR+"10.1080/13548506.2025.2594758")&searchMode=boolean

Weirdly, the Zotero icon is initially showing as a book on that reference; hover text: Save to Zotero (EBSCO Discovery Layer). If I refresh my browser page, it resolves to the article icon; hover text is identical: hover text: Save to Zotero (EBSCO Discovery Layer). Both icons result in the red x error.

adamsmith · 2026-10-01T16:18:27+00:00

Are you able to access the same resource on campus where you wouldn't use the proxy (the brown.idm.oclc.org part of the URL). It'd be good to be able to exclude the proxy as an issue -- I think people have reported issues with the OCLC provided one before.

hilary.kraus · 2026-10-01T16:29:27+00:00

I logged into our VPN, the URL now reflects that I'm not proxying in:

https://research.ebsco.com/c/jfwlhf/search/details/jczb5imlsr?ctx=hHqnP17gIqlcBkxVmoHd9&db=psyh&limiters=None&pos=2&q=DI+("10.1002/jclp.70207"+OR+"10.1080/13548506.2025.2594758")&searchMode=boolean

Unfortunately, I'm seeing the same error for both references. I did clear all of my history and restart the browser before testing.

adamsmith · 2026-10-01T19:16:14+00:00

@AbeJellinek -- do you have access to look at EBSCO appropriately? If not, can you look at hilary's debug above and see what's in there.
EBSCO is also picking up the discovery layer for me (seems like they switched the entire platform to that, which is probably good) but I have no issues with PDF downloads of content hosted by EBSCO. We don't have libKey integration, so can't test that

AbeJellinek · 2026-10-01T19:48:10+00:00

@hilary.kraus: Fixed, thanks. Your Zotero Connector should auto-update within a few minutes, or you can update translators manually from the Advanced pane of the Zotero settings.

EBSCO started returning the PDF URL in a new way, and the fallback we were using apparently works on the catalog I test with but not on yours.

I'm less certain that this will fix LibKey Instant PDF - after you get the fix for directly downloadable PDFs, if you're still having issues with LibKey, can you give me another Debug ID for that?

hilary.kraus · 2026-10-01T20:15:41+00:00

You are absolutely incredible! Thank you! References for which there is a downloadable PDF in the EBSCOhost database I'm searching are now importing PDFs as expected.

You're right, though, the LibKey instant PDF ones aren't succeeding. Example:

Debug ID: D1438913401
Article DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.217
URL: https://research.ebsco.com/c/jfwlhf/search/details/qiqafoxk4r?ctx=u28XklgfDhpgzQX_ROc5k&db=psyh&limiters=None&pos=1&q=DI "10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.217"&searchMode=boolean

Again, I can't thank you enough for resolving the most problematic issue!