importing endnote library to earlier version

EndNote EndNote How To
1

Hi endnote gurus,

I am attempting to import an Endnote library from a more modern version (not sure which) to my copy (version 6.0.2).  We saved the library as a txt file using “Refer Export” as the output style.  I then tried to import the file to a new library using “Refer/BibIX” as the import option, but nothing happened. No error message, just nothing.  It says 0 out of 0 references shown.

If anyone has any advice I’d be very appreciative.  I have accomplished this before with other libraries, but maybe they came from a different version.

Thanks,

Connie

2

I’d take a look at Refer export file made by ver 6, and compare it with the export file made by new version. I’d also test ver 6 import Refer export file made by ver 6, just to make sure it works fine.

3

I think that what Myoshigi is saying, is try using the export and import filters from the same version.

4

Yes, that’s right. Also, is version 6 on Macintosh? That’s another thing to consider.

To be honest, I don’t recommend to use version 6 because so many changes have been made to Endnote since then.

5

Hi - thanks for the input.  I am using Endnote 6 because that is what I have!  And it works fine for what I have to do with it normally.  But right now I am trying to import a library from my boss.  He has a newer versionof Endnote on his computer, which is a Mac.  Mine is a PC.  Could this be part of the problem?

6

It should work irrespective of platform. But you just might want to ask Tech support if they can help you with the conversion.  They might have knowledge and tricks unavailable to us mere mortals.  You might try Refman (RIS) as the Export style.  – and Reference Manager (RIS) to import it. 

7

Mac and PC actually have different handling of ASCII text file, in terms of line feed and carriage return. But most of the recent software absorb this kind of difference so that text files are independent of platform.

Pre-version 8 Endnote was actually “text” handling program and the export/import across platform (Mac to PC, or PC to Mac) required some text conversion software (can’t remember what I was using 15 years ago anymore…). If you can get Mac-PC text conversion software nowadays, you can try that if that makes difference.

8

Hi - I found the answer to how to do this (export a library from EndNote 9 to be used on Endnote 6 or 7).  In case anyone else is searching for a solution to this problem, here is the procedure:

Converting a Library for ProCite, Reference Manager, or an Earlier Version
of EndNote
Converting an EndNote 9 library for use with EndNote versions 5, 6, or 7,
for Reference Manager, or for ProCite requires exporting the references from
your EndNote library to a text file, and then importing from the text file
into the other program.

Note: EndNote 8 and  EndNote 9 libraries are directly compatible, and
require no conversion.

If your references contain diacritics, you must do this carefully so that
your diacritics transfer correctly. Because EndNote 9 is Unicode compliant,
it exports text as UTF-8 Unicode, and not as traditional ANSI text.
Reference Manager, ProCite, and earlier versions of EndNote are not Unicode
compatible, so they need the document converted to ANSI text. If you attempt
to import references that have not been saved as ANSI text, diacritics will
appear scrambled in the new database or library format.

Note: EndNote 9 allows the use of Extended Latin and double-byte character
sets, which are not supported by EndNote versions earlier than version 8.
Extended Latin and double-byte characters will not transfer to earlier
version file formats.

To convert your EndNote 9 library for other applications:
In EndNote 9, go to the drop-down output style list on the toolbar, and
choose Select Another Style. Highlight and Choose the appropriate output
style:

For EndNote 5, 6, or 7:  Select the Refer style.

For Reference Manager or ProCite:  Select the RefMan (RIS) style.

Go to the File menu and use Export to export your library to a plain text
file.

Use Microsoft Word to open the text file you exported from EndNote. 

When Word asks you to select an encoding option, choose “Other Encoding” and
“Unicode (UTF-8).”

In Word, choose File>Save As and save the document with a new name, as plain
text, and with Windows-default as the encoding option.

To import the saved file:

With EndNote:  Use the Refer/BibIX import filter.

With Reference Manager or ProCite:  Use the RIS import filter.

Hope that this is of use to someone!