Help!? null metadata with valid DOI in openalexR or openalex.org

[Iván Hernandez]

Hi,

I have a problem because some dois return null metadata using either openalexR o through a query in openalex.org. For example:

meta <- oa_fetch(doi = "10.1029/2005JD006110") returns null metadata

and https://openalex.org/works?page=1&view=list,report,api&filter=doi:10.1029/2005JD006110

it shows correctly one work (https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2005JD006110) but when I try to export the results (csv or txt) the file is empty. 

Do you know what the problem could be and how can I fix it?

It happens with other dois too, which are valid.

Thanks

Iván

[Krugs.de]

Thanks for that question - it made me think.

The solution is:

> meta <- openalexR::oa_fetch(doi = "10.1029/2005JD006110")

Warning message:

In oa_request(oa_query(filter = filter_i, multiple_id = multiple_id, :

No records found!

> meta <- openalexR::oa_fetch(doi = "10.1029/2005jd006110")

If you look closely: 

The jd in the first DOI is in capital letters, in the second in small letters. 

Although DOIs are case insensitive (see https://www.doi.org/doi-handbook/HTML/case-insensitivity.html for details), Open Alex seems to be case sensitive for DOIs:

Compare 

https://api.openalex.org/works?filter=doi:10.1029/2005JD006110

With 

https://api.openalex.org/works?filter=doi:10.1029/2005jd006110

But it should be case insensitive - so I think you spotted a bug in OpenAlex?

Thanks

Rainer

On 20 Aug 2025, at 09:41, Iván Hernandez <rapine...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Iván Hernandez]

Hi Rainer,

that solution works!  Changing the doi to lowercase solves the problem in both openalex R and in the openalex.org queries. Downloads of metadata works now without problems. Thanks!

should that potential bug be reported to someone?

Cheers

Iván

[Iván Hernandez]

Hi Rainer,

thanks for your quick answer. Indeed, the new are code changing upper to lower case works in openalexr.

in openalex.org, it works too. I only get an empty csv file with this query: https://openalex.org/works?page=1&filter=doi:10.1029/2005JD006110

but I get it right with this one (just changing to lowercase): https://openalex.org/works?page=1&filter=doi:10.1029/2005jd006110

Who should I report this issue to, in case, as you say, it is a bug?

I will try if this solves all the other missing metadata in references with uppercase letters.

So helpful!

Cheers

Iván

El miércoles, 20 de agosto de 2025 a las 10:13:27 UTC+2, Rai...@krugs.de escribió:

[Krugs.de]

Hi Iván

Glad that it worked.

I reported it already to the support hotline - I will keep you posted.

Cheers,

Rainer

On 20 Aug 2025, at 16:53, Iván Hernandez <rapine...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/openalex-community/a5cfe1a0-a574-4e2d-ab8d-05a1c4eb8197n%40googlegroups.com.