Online Search with Endnote X2

The previous version of endnote I’ve used (Endnote 8.0) permitted the use of an online search where you selected Tools->Connect->Web of Science.  Then a diaogue box opens up that you can choose search parameters such as author/year/journal to look for references in the database.  I recently purchased Endnote X2.0.1 and installed the program on my mac.  The program, when a reference library is open, looks like their should be a button to permit online search between “Sort” and “Quick Seach” but clicking on the globe does nothing.  Likewise, Tools->Online Seach does absolutely nothing.  Is there a setting that enables the online database search functions such as those used in Endnote 8.0, and how would this be enabled?

Like in EN8, the first time you want to search/connect, you need to select the database you wish to search.  So when you are on the book+globe (if you want all your search results automatically imported into your library) or the globe alone, (where you will have the opportunity to select the records you want to import into your library), the first time you want to use Web of Science, you need to select tools, Online search, and selct the database: in your case Web of Science.  To see other sources (library of science, PubMed) appear under the Online search option, you repeat that process.  You only have to do it once. 

Now highlight Web of Sciene and the bottom of the window has the integrated Online Search windows similar to the floating window you used to see in EN8.  The tab tells you which database you are currently searching.  As I said above, if you now type in an author name and subject and it find 20 references, and you hit return, in the integrated (GLOBE + BOOKS icon), any of the 20 references that are not already in your library (assuming you have left the default discard duplicate setting in preferences) will be imported.  If you use the globe alone, you will copy the reference you want to the library, by selecting it (or multiple references) and right click and choose the library you want to copy them to.  For handling duplicates see http://community.thomsonreuters.com/ts/board/message?board.id=en-howto&message.id=1529.

Thank you for your assistance.  Actually in this case, the window to select sources (Ex: Web of Science, Pubmed) did not come up when (Tools->Online Search…) was selected.  I ended up deleting the program and reinstalling.  Now it appears functional and includes contents in the groups tab that was empty before.  So I am currently assuming the program merely had some installation error.

It is likely that the problem then, was that the preferences for folder location were not pointing to the right folders.  Reinstalling probably reset that (but doesn’t always, as sometimes it “saves the preferences” somewhere).  Glad it is working now.