Hi, I'm just starting to eval the 8x version with the library option. I cannot seem to find a way to import several hundred journal articles in PDF format.
Put them into the attachments sub-folder in your database folder (make one if not present) and link there from the attachment fields from the references. Works like a charm. Uses relative paths so that all is found if the database is moved...
I am getting the following error repeatably, using v.8 with the latest patch:
1. Start with a fresh copy of Biblioscape. Save a copy of the Sample database first and work from the original one.
2. Under "Folder," create a new container folder called Climate, and within that a reference list called Acidification.
3. Close and reopen Biblioscape -- no problems yet.
4. Create a new reference there with author "Sabine et al.", title "fill in later". Close and reopen Biblioscape -- no problems yet.
5. Open the Sabine item and add an attachment from the attachment field by browsing to "Sabine_e-a_2004__The Oceanic Sink for Anthropogenic CO2.pdf". Click the "save and close" button.
6. Click the "Live Preview" or some other tab. Then click the "PDF*" tab. I get an "Unspecified Error" message.
7. Close Biblioscape, and restart it. I immediately get an "Unspecified Error" message.
8. Delete the Climate folder. Close Biblioscape, and restart it. I still get the "Unspecified Error" message.
9. Delete the Sample database folder I was using, and copy a fresh one from the saved copy. Restart Biblioscape. I still get the error.
10. Completely reinstall Biblioscape. The new Sample database loads OK.
I have verified this sequence several times. Twice, adding the PDF link has corrupted the database, so that although Sabine is in the list box and the Acidification list is highlighted, what is displayed when I click the "Formatted" tab is Godzik reference in the Xylanase Homology reference list. Very weird! But I can't replicate that every time I go through the above sequence, only twice out of four times.
----------------------- Edit below.
I just found the yellow attachment button (which is mentioned in the manual, but its location is not identified -- and the on-screen icon isn't very clear). Anyway, that DOES work, loading the file externally into Adobe Reader. However, according to the manual when the "PDF" tab is displayed as "PDF*" the file is available to loaded into a Biblioscape window, and that still fails even after successfully using the attachment button.
I have exactly the same problem with you.
After I uninstalled the acrobat pro 9.0 and adobe reader 9.4, then install adobe reader 8.2(chose system as vista and you'll see this edition on www.adobe.com), and it works. It seems that neither with acrobat pro 9.0 or without 9.0 but the reader edition is 9.4 would work.
I don't care about the version of adobe reader but I have to give up acrobat pro 9.0. However, I found foxit reader a very good alternative for commenting on PDF. Hope the annoying bug will be fixed by developers in the future.
Are you using Adobe Acrobat Reader? I ran into a similar problem because I had Adobe Acrobat Professional installed on my system, but did not have the reader application -- didn't need it. However, Biblioscape does need it to display PDFs internally in the application window. Once I installed Adobe Reader (it can co-exist with Acrobat Pro), everything worked fine.
Thanks for your suggestion. Morning here now, so I just booted up. Yes, Adobe Reader is installed, but my above message is incorrect in that what saw with the attachment button was in Fox-It (recently set as my default pdf viewer).
So, just now I reset the default to Adobe Reader, and then loaded Biblioscape which once again gave me the "Unspecified Error."
My Acidification reference list now has three entries (the state I left it in last night); however, the third is a duplicate of the second one instead of a unique reference that I had created. For each, the tab at the bottom now says "PDF," but last night it said "PDF*". The reason for that is this: Today when I double-click any of the three references in my Acidification list (which is in the Folder | Climate container hierarchy), what gets displayed in the reference module is that same Godzik et al. (1993) reference which I was getting a different kind of illegitimate cross-link to last night , and that is in the Xylase reference list, which is int the Folder | Hard Science container hierarchy).
Changing back to Fox-It as the default I still get this same corruption (as opposed to the corruption of last night). I am uncertain whether the difference is from the reboot or from changing the default for PDFs.
So the situation has deteriorated since when I shutdown last night. Either there is a huge bug in Biblioscape which corrupts the database after just a few simple additions, or there is a corruption in the Sample database. Note that I have duplicated this after completely deleting the program and the database, and starting from a fresh install.
I am running WinXP-Pro, SP-3.
----------- edit
I just tried deleting the third reference in my list, to see if it would delete the cross-linked Godzik reference. Now it gets wierder still, and here is what happened:
1. CLicked delete for the third reference in my list (the duplicate entry). All three references still there. Double clicked ithe third entry and saw the correct data (i.e. the duplicate unfortunately, not the originally created reference) in the window.
2. Double clicked the second reference (one of the duplicates) and the third reference (the other duplicate) disappeared from the reference list -- that is, it was belatedly deleted. The second reference shows correct data. However, no "PDF*"
3. Double clicked the first entry, it shows correctly. However, no "PDF*"
4. Went to the Godzik (1992) and Godzik (1993) entried in Xylase. When I open them, they both show the data for the first entry in Acidification (i.e. a list of Sabine and co-authors for the Sabine (2004) paper). No "PDF*" even though there is a correct attachment link.
5. Went back to Acidification. The Sabine reference was GONE! Only my second reference is left, a paper by Silverman.
6. Went back to Xylase. Now when I double click the two Godzik entries they both show Silverman data, not Sabine.
??????????????????????
------------- Tried something else:
A. I deleted the Xylase reference list, so both Godziks should be gone. I also deleted my Climate folder.
B. I created a new Climate folder and new Acidification reference list, and added a simple (initial) reference consisting of only: "Sabine, C." as author, "CO2" at title, and an attachment link to the paper (which I want to access in order to copy and paste the real title, full authors, and other details). Clicked "Save and Close."
C. I have a "PDF" button, not "PDF*", and verified again that the attachment link is entered correctly.
D. The Live Preview and Read Only buttons show correct data. But the Formatted button shows data from Godzik (1993). BUT GODZIK SHOULD BE GONE BECAUSE I DELETED THAT FOLDER !
E. I deleted everything in the left pane except Places and my data under Folder. I still get the same result as in D. So it is not just an illegitimate cross-link -- the reference I have created was itself corrupted with random data from elsewhere in the database, which is premanently part of that record.
Larry, I cannot reproduce the bug you described. Please try this: Restart Biblioscape and go to "File | Database | Rebuild Database". Please let me know if you can still reproduce the bug. Thanks, Paul
I rebuilt the database, and the message said there were no errors. (This was a fresh install and sample database).
I went through the same routine as above. No cross-linking among records this time, but when I click "PDF*" I still get the "unspecified error" message. I have verified that the attachment links are properly setup (or appears to be -- it is of the form "attachment\filename," which was automatically generated when I browsed to the pdf file.
Larry, Biblioscape uses Adobe Acrobat Reader ActiveX control to display the PDF file. The ActiveX control wasn't installed correctly in your system. Please reinstall Acrobat Reader to see if that helps. Thanks, Paul
I already had Adobe 9.1, but an uninstall/reinstall of it fixed the problem.. Thanks, Paul.
Is there a way the program could detect when the setup it needs isn't available?
Still, the erroneous cross-threading I experienced between records and even records in different folders is troubling. Is there some error detection that could be employed to detect if not stop that when it happens?
Biblioscape does check the availability of Acrobat Reader. But if there is a problem with Acrobat Reader installation, Biblioscape cannot detect that. I cannot reproduce the cross linking bug. If you can reproduce it, please let me know the procedure step by step. Thanks, Paul
The procedure is given above in detail, and that is all I can offer. As mentioned, I repeated it many times with fresh installations and the fresh sample database the installation creates.
Once I transferred all my pdf files to the Database where the Attachments folder is, I've got what I was looking for. It does work like a charm.
This feature alone worth clibing the learning curve.
Put them into the
Put them into the attachments sub-folder in your database folder (make one if not present) and link there from the attachment fields from the references. Works like a charm. Uses relative paths so that all is found if the database is moved...
Hi, it sounds useful but
Hi, it sounds useful but when the there is no reference in the 'references' folder, how can you edit the attachment fields? It cannot be edited???
Getting "Unspecified Error" when accessing attached PDF
I am getting the following error repeatably, using v.8 with the latest patch:
1. Start with a fresh copy of Biblioscape. Save a copy of the Sample database first and work from the original one.
2. Under "Folder," create a new container folder called Climate, and within that a reference list called Acidification.
3. Close and reopen Biblioscape -- no problems yet.
4. Create a new reference there with author "Sabine et al.", title "fill in later". Close and reopen Biblioscape -- no problems yet.
5. Open the Sabine item and add an attachment from the attachment field by browsing to "Sabine_e-a_2004__The Oceanic Sink for Anthropogenic CO2.pdf". Click the "save and close" button.
6. Click the "Live Preview" or some other tab. Then click the "PDF*" tab. I get an "Unspecified Error" message.
7. Close Biblioscape, and restart it. I immediately get an "Unspecified Error" message.
8. Delete the Climate folder. Close Biblioscape, and restart it. I still get the "Unspecified Error" message.
9. Delete the Sample database folder I was using, and copy a fresh one from the saved copy. Restart Biblioscape. I still get the error.
10. Completely reinstall Biblioscape. The new Sample database loads OK.
I have verified this sequence several times. Twice, adding the PDF link has corrupted the database, so that although Sabine is in the list box and the Acidification list is highlighted, what is displayed when I click the "Formatted" tab is Godzik reference in the Xylanase Homology reference list. Very weird! But I can't replicate that every time I go through the above sequence, only twice out of four times.
----------------------- Edit below.
I just found the yellow attachment button (which is mentioned in the manual, but its location is not identified -- and the on-screen icon isn't very clear). Anyway, that DOES work, loading the file externally into Adobe Reader. However, according to the manual when the "PDF" tab is displayed as "PDF*" the file is available to loaded into a Biblioscape window, and that still fails even after successfully using the attachment button.
Solved by intalling adobe reader 8.2
I have exactly the same problem with you.
After I uninstalled the acrobat pro 9.0 and adobe reader 9.4, then install adobe reader 8.2(chose system as vista and you'll see this edition on www.adobe.com), and it works. It seems that neither with acrobat pro 9.0 or without 9.0 but the reader edition is 9.4 would work.
I don't care about the version of adobe reader but I have to give up acrobat pro 9.0. However, I found foxit reader a very good alternative for commenting on PDF. Hope the annoying bug will be fixed by developers in the future.
Are you using Adobe Acrobat
Are you using Adobe Acrobat Reader? I ran into a similar problem because I had Adobe Acrobat Professional installed on my system, but did not have the reader application -- didn't need it. However, Biblioscape does need it to display PDFs internally in the application window. Once I installed Adobe Reader (it can co-exist with Acrobat Pro), everything worked fine.
Hope that helps,
Glen
Adobe Reader was (and is) installed, but Fox-It is my default
Thanks for your suggestion. Morning here now, so I just booted up. Yes, Adobe Reader is installed, but my above message is incorrect in that what saw with the attachment button was in Fox-It (recently set as my default pdf viewer).
So, just now I reset the default to Adobe Reader, and then loaded Biblioscape which once again gave me the "Unspecified Error."
My Acidification reference list now has three entries (the state I left it in last night); however, the third is a duplicate of the second one instead of a unique reference that I had created. For each, the tab at the bottom now says "PDF," but last night it said "PDF*". The reason for that is this: Today when I double-click any of the three references in my Acidification list (which is in the Folder | Climate container hierarchy), what gets displayed in the reference module is that same Godzik et al. (1993) reference which I was getting a different kind of illegitimate cross-link to last night , and that is in the Xylase reference list, which is int the Folder | Hard Science container hierarchy).
Changing back to Fox-It as the default I still get this same corruption (as opposed to the corruption of last night). I am uncertain whether the difference is from the reboot or from changing the default for PDFs.
So the situation has deteriorated since when I shutdown last night. Either there is a huge bug in Biblioscape which corrupts the database after just a few simple additions, or there is a corruption in the Sample database. Note that I have duplicated this after completely deleting the program and the database, and starting from a fresh install.
I am running WinXP-Pro, SP-3.
----------- edit
I just tried deleting the third reference in my list, to see if it would delete the cross-linked Godzik reference. Now it gets wierder still, and here is what happened:
1. CLicked delete for the third reference in my list (the duplicate entry). All three references still there. Double clicked ithe third entry and saw the correct data (i.e. the duplicate unfortunately, not the originally created reference) in the window.
2. Double clicked the second reference (one of the duplicates) and the third reference (the other duplicate) disappeared from the reference list -- that is, it was belatedly deleted. The second reference shows correct data. However, no "PDF*"
3. Double clicked the first entry, it shows correctly. However, no "PDF*"
4. Went to the Godzik (1992) and Godzik (1993) entried in Xylase. When I open them, they both show the data for the first entry in Acidification (i.e. a list of Sabine and co-authors for the Sabine (2004) paper). No "PDF*" even though there is a correct attachment link.
5. Went back to Acidification. The Sabine reference was GONE! Only my second reference is left, a paper by Silverman.
6. Went back to Xylase. Now when I double click the two Godzik entries they both show Silverman data, not Sabine.
??????????????????????
------------- Tried something else:
A. I deleted the Xylase reference list, so both Godziks should be gone. I also deleted my Climate folder.
B. I created a new Climate folder and new Acidification reference list, and added a simple (initial) reference consisting of only: "Sabine, C." as author, "CO2" at title, and an attachment link to the paper (which I want to access in order to copy and paste the real title, full authors, and other details). Clicked "Save and Close."
C. I have a "PDF" button, not "PDF*", and verified again that the attachment link is entered correctly.
D. The Live Preview and Read Only buttons show correct data. But the Formatted button shows data from Godzik (1993). BUT GODZIK SHOULD BE GONE BECAUSE I DELETED THAT FOLDER !
E. I deleted everything in the left pane except Places and my data under Folder. I still get the same result as in D. So it is not just an illegitimate cross-link -- the reference I have created was itself corrupted with random data from elsewhere in the database, which is premanently part of that record.
Larry, I cannot reproduce
Larry, I cannot reproduce the bug you described. Please try this: Restart Biblioscape and go to "File | Database | Rebuild Database". Please let me know if you can still reproduce the bug. Thanks, Paul
Partial success after database rebuild
Hi Paul,
I rebuilt the database, and the message said there were no errors. (This was a fresh install and sample database).
I went through the same routine as above. No cross-linking among records this time, but when I click "PDF*" I still get the "unspecified error" message. I have verified that the attachment links are properly setup (or appears to be -- it is of the form "attachment\filename," which was automatically generated when I browsed to the pdf file.
-- Larry
Larry, Biblioscape uses
Larry, Biblioscape uses Adobe Acrobat Reader ActiveX control to display the PDF file. The ActiveX control wasn't installed correctly in your system. Please reinstall Acrobat Reader to see if that helps. Thanks, Paul
Reinstall Adobe Reader fixed it.
I already had Adobe 9.1, but an uninstall/reinstall of it fixed the problem.. Thanks, Paul.
Is there a way the program could detect when the setup it needs isn't available?
Still, the erroneous cross-threading I experienced between records and even records in different folders is troubling. Is there some error detection that could be employed to detect if not stop that when it happens?
Biblioscape does check the
Biblioscape does check the availability of Acrobat Reader. But if there is a problem with Acrobat Reader installation, Biblioscape cannot detect that. I cannot reproduce the cross linking bug. If you can reproduce it, please let me know the procedure step by step. Thanks, Paul
The procedure is given above
The procedure is given above in detail, and that is all I can offer. As mentioned, I repeated it many times with fresh installations and the fresh sample database the installation creates.
Agree on that one.
Once I transferred all my pdf files to the Database where the Attachments folder is, I've got what I was looking for. It does work like a charm.
This feature alone worth clibing the learning curve.