Reply is Empty -- JSTOR

[grebmar]

I keep getting this popup when attempting to search JSTOR with the Bookends Browser. It was working fine in 11.0.4, but with 11.0.5, I now get this error message. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Jon]

It happened sometimes in 11.0.4, too. Seems to be a local problem with the JSTOR server, which has been down more than up.

Jon
Sonny Software

[grebmar]

It's been doing this for several days now, which seems more than intermittent. With Safari, JSTOR works just fine. Is this something that cannot be fixed?

[Jon]

I'm in contact with JSTOR tech support, and we're trying to figure out what the problem is.

In case you aren't aware, you can also use Bookends browser to search JSTOR and download references and pdfs (you need to drag and drop the pdf proxy icon to get the pdf).

Jon
Sonny Software

[grebmar]

Thanks--it hasn't been urgent lately, so I'll use the browser until its fixed.

[Jon]

Although I've been in contact with the initial line of defense at JSTOR, I have been unable to actually communicate with a software engineer there despite half a dozen emails back and forth.

If searching JSTOR directly within Bookends or performing an "autocomplete paper" with JSTOR is important to you, please write to them and ask that this problem be resolved. The URL for their tech support page is

http://www.jstor.org/action/showContactSupportForm

Perhaps if they hear from their users they'll move on this.

Thanks,

Jon
Sonny Software

[grebmar]

Is there some specific compatibility issue I should mention, or just a general, "JSTOR doesn't play with Bookends" request?

Peter Ramberg

[Jon]

Just "it stopped working" is fine. The problem seems to be at the level of the cookies that JSTOR requires. Hard to be sure, though, since the issue has not been escalated to anyone who might actually know.

Jon
Sonny Software

[nicka]

After reading this thread this morning, I emailed JSTOR and they have already replied, saying that they are in the middle of redesigning the JSTOR website and therefore unable to work with Jon to sort things out at present. They say they hope to finish their redesign this summer and will have more time then.

[Jon]

Yes, I got that reply, too, for months. It's nonsense. I think the issue can be cleared up in 10 minutes if the problem was ever escalated to an engineer (not the help desk). But so far they won't do that.

Jon
Sonny Software

[nicka]

OK. I've replied to their email saying that (but tactfully...). I hope it helps.

[grebmar]

I wrote them this morning, but so far no answer at all.

[Jon]

"Thank you" to everyone who wrote to JSTOR about this. E-mails from Bookends users did the trick, and the issue was escalated to an engineer who could help. As I had suspected, it took just a few minutes to figure out and resolve the problem. Bookends will once again be able to directly search JSTOR (and autocomplete papers with JSTOR) in the next update. It won't be long, but until then remember that you can still use Bookends Browser to search JSTOR.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DavidH]

When I use Bookends Browser to access JSTOR nowadays I run into a couple problems, problems which may or may not be connected to the empty reply difficulty. I can use Bookends Browser to surf JSTOR, and the green metadata detector turns up when looking at appropriate pages. However,
(a) If I click on the detector, the browser reports no citations found.
(b) If I try to download a pdf to the database by navigating to the pdf itself and dragging the dotted box, I get Error: mPdfDoc init == 0
(c) If I try to download a pdf to the desktop by dragging the dotted box, I get I pdf called Downloaded PDF.pdf, which reports as damaged if I try to open it.
(d) If on the other hand I attempt to download using the save button, the one with the floppy icon, the pdf comes down just fine, with JSTOR's own article number as title.

[Jon]

JSTOR completely revamped their site last Saturday, which affected Bookends Browser. I've updated Bookends to handle the new site, and that will appear in the next update. Barring any last minute glitches, that should be sometime next week (I don't have a specific date, yet).

FYI, this was independent of the direct search issue (which is also resolved).

Jon
Sonny Software