"The selected file is not a supported format"

fabio.
I'm trying to import a file (exported from EndNote) and keep getting the message: "The selected file is not a supported format". The format I used at first was Refer Export, which has always worked. Next tried RefMan (RIS) Export with the same result. Have submitted an error report (forgot to note the number) although from what I could read am not sure it was about my current problem. Anyone else experienced this?
  • noksagt
    The standard advice is to open the file in a text editor, make sure it looks like other RIS files you've exported that have worked, and then to find the individual record that may be causing import to fail (by splitting it so that you're importing only half the references, see which half fails, then split the failing half).
  • cjkudlick
    I'm having the same problem with Endnote 4 - I can't import anything to Zotero after following all the instructions. I tried both RIS and BibTex as export formats. When I try to import the library, only the ENL extensions come up, and then I get the "The selected file is not a supported format" message.
  • Laurencegm
    edited April 4, 2011
    I've got this message when I want to import in my Zotero a PDF file from my file browser. Does anyone have the same problem ?
  • adamsmith
    Laurence - "import" is for bibliographic formats such as .RIS or .bib. as specified when you click the "View Supported Items" button.
    You can just drag the pdf from the file system into Zotero.
  • Laurencegm
    Thank you for your answer. I will just drag the pdf.
  • mcbrydem
    I'm getting the same error message from an ris file generated by WilsonWeb. Zotero did not have any trouble earlier today importing directly from Gale's Academic OneFile.
  • adamsmith
    paste the content of the file here (open it with a text editor such as notepad or TextEdit)
  • mcbrydem
    Provider: H. W. Wilson
    Databases: OmniFile Full Text Select

    TI: Minnesota's right of privacy torts: expanding common law beyond its reasonable, constitutional bounds in Lake v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. {582 N.W.2d 231 (Minn. 1998)}
    AU: Bieter, Nicholas D., student author
    JN: Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy
    SO: Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy v. 20 no. 1 (Fall 1998) p. 177-209
    PY: 1998
    SU: False light invasion of privacy/Minnesota
    ISSN: 0736-1033
    CC: Lake v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; 582 N.W.2d 231 (Minn. 1998)
    DT: Feature Article
    AN: 199828803065005
    PURL:
    http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=c84804dfd2d2953e7c345b7b29e51bf0ae8dee1ff98df570b5736913ea461893&fmt=C
  • mcbrydem
    I should also say that I have EndNote on this computer and that the WilsonWeb downloads want to default to opening with EndNote. My workaround when I want to use Zotero is to save the file and then import into Zotero. That's where I"m running into the error. (The other databases I mentioned eariler both default to Zotero).
  • adamsmith
    that only vaguely resembles RIS - I have no idea what they're doing there, but it's so far from RIS specs (see e.g. here: http://www.refman.com/support/risformat_sample_02.asp ) that I don't think it can be fixed
  • mcbrydem
    Yeah, it is pretty different. I wonder why it opens in EndNote.
  • adamsmith
    endnote likely has a separate import filter for that. Obviously that could be done for Zotero but
    a) we'd need to know the standard they're following
    b) it would have to be worthwhile (which is doubtful for the custom export format for one database)
    c) even then, someone would need to do this.

    Is there no URL bar icon for direct Zotero import? I thought we supported Wilson Web.

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