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May 9, 2005
A BUG in ENDNOTE 8.0.2 for WINDOWS (follow these instructions before you update to EN 8.02)
ISI Thomson has confirmed a rather serious bug in EndNote 8.0.2 for Windows. There's no fix yet--I'm not sure they know what the problem is, exactly. But there's a workaround that you should perform *before* you update to 8.0.2, and a repair trick (regrettably, it works only part of the time) if you forget or don't hear in time.
If you have already upgraded to 8.0.2 and all's well, you can ignore the rest of this message.
Reports so far are that the Mac version doesn't have the bug; it also doesn't have an update out at present (8.0.0 is still the current version). But the strategy below is a good one for updating any version of EndNote: you don't want to lose your data when it's so easy to prevent problems.
Here's the recommended upgrade strategy:
Before upgrading, open each one of your library files, and export each to EndNote's XML format (File >> Export >> "Save As Type" = 'XML' : you need the XML file b/c it preserves the ID numbers for each reference, which keeps the file in sync with your already-formatted documents). This doesn't harm the original libraries; it makes a new copy in XML format.
VERY IMPORTANT!! Make a good backup copy of every .enl library file. The bug damages the library files when trying to open them, in such a way that none of the regular EndNote library repair tools work. So if the bug bites and you don't have a good backup, and if the repair trick discussed below doesn't work, you've lost the data permanently.
Turn off realtime protection on Symantec Antivirus, and temporarily close (exit, don't just disable) all antispyware programs (these interfere with the installation). If you see an error message during the upgrade about "MSXML", that means you forgot this step, disabled instead of closing, or missed one of the programs.
Upgrade: Windows users, go to Help >> EndNote Program Updates, then click "OK" and "Next" until the new version installs. Mac users don't have the built-in updater: you need to go to the EndNote website and download an updater (note: if you have 8.0.0 for the Mac, no newer updates are presently available)
- Turn Symantec Antivirus Realtime Protections back on
- Restart your computer (this should also restart the rest of your antivirus/antispyware protections)
- Try to open every library you have.
- If a library opens, even once, it's OK.
- If not, create a new, empty library, and import the matching XML file from Step 1. Then replace the bad file with this new one
- If you didn't get this message in time, and you now have a damaged library/ies, see the repair trick and the recovery strategy below.
Repair Trick: if you upgrade without an XML backup and end up damaging your file, you can find a Mac running EndNote 8.0 (there's no 8.0.2 for the Mac; 8.0.0 is the current version), and try to open the damaged library there. Opening on a Mac (if it opens) repairs the library, after which it works fine in 8.0.2. This fixes some, but not all, damaged files.
Recovery Strategy: If the Mac repair trick doesn't work for you and you have a backup copy of your library, you can downgrade back to EndNote 8.0.1 or 8.0.0 (uninstall the new version, reboot, install the original version from your original CD, then reboot again), open an undamaged backup copy of the library and re-upgrade using the directions above. This works only with a backup copy of the library, as the original has now been damaged and will no longer work even in the older version of EndNote. It's a good idea to make yet another backup beforehand, in case you damage this one, too.
If these steps don't work for you, contact EndNote tech support at www.endnote.com.
Posted by abwright at May 9, 2005 5:56 PM
Comments
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone knew how to bring the "cite-while-you-write" feature in to word in the latest end-not version for Macs. Is this even available for macs??
Thanks
Posted by: Harini at July 27, 2006 2:04 PM