Why doesn't Zotero import the language field from an article COinS?

The language field (rft.language) is defined in The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive.

If it is why Zotero could not retrieve language from COinS-based site that specify it with that field? To give an example, Zotero does not fetch language of following:

<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3aofi%2ffmt%3akev%3amtx%3ajournal&rfr_id=info%3asid%2focoins.info%3agenerator&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=aa&rft.jtitle=bb&rft.title=aa&rft.language=fa"></span>

But can get language of following:

<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Focoins.info%3Agenerator&rft.title=a&rft.language=b"></span>

If you remove article from first it will be fetched. What is the solution? Also see following page that have this issue: http://www.noormags.com/view/fa/articlepage/495097

PHPst

• metadata
• citations
• openurl

Comments

• dsalo: I can think of a few possible reasons, but I can't really troubleshoot without an example. Could you link to the site that's failing you? (This may also be a better question for the Zotero user forums.)
• Ashley Nunn: Can you give us some more information here? The more information and examples you can give us about your problem, the more likely it is that you will get an answer that is helpful.
• Ed Summers: It's so sad to me that people still talk about COinS. But it's par for the course I suppose.
• PHPst: @EdSummers Why that is sad for you?

Answer by Jakob

Zotero does know about the language field in COinS. It implements interpretation of COinS in the JavaScript file openurl.js - this also includes the language in rft.language. I guess there is something wrong with the COinS that you try import in Zotero but not with Zotero.

Comments

• Jakob: COinS is used to encode and extract metadata. You can read about it and create it here including language. If you still have problems to import a particular metadata then provide a link!
• Jakob: `translators/COinS.js` in Zotero makes use of `Zotero.Utilities.parseContextObject` as defined in `openurl.js`. Please just accept my answer so we can close this discussion.
• PHPst: Thanks, Question updated and a link is provided. Where can I find a list of all COinS item types and their attributes that are officially standardized ?
• phette23: I don't think COinS itself has item types, it is just a way of embedding OpenURL data in HTML. The best list of OpenURL types I can find is in the KEV Implementation Guidelines scholarly service type (no idea what that means). More generically, dublin core as well as "non-text & other metadata formats" are offered. That pdf is from 2004, other types may have been standardized since.

Answer by PHPst

Using @Jakob comment, Current Zotero OpenURL parser just fetch Language, description, subject ... fields if the item type defined as dc (Dublin Core). It seems that openurl.js should be modified.

see: https://github.com/zotero/zotero/blob/master/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/openurl.js#L433

Comments

Answer by Simon

Zotero is merely following the OpenURL specification. The KEV format for info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal does not allow language, nor do the KEV formats for anything but info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dc (Dublin Core).

Comments