RePeC Pro Export Plugin is a professional plugin for Open Journal Systems (OJS) that enables journals to export their articles to RePeC (Research Papers in Economics) — the world's largest open bibliographic database for economics research. Once exported, your articles become discoverable on IDEAS, EconPapers, and 2,000+ other RePeC services.
🎯
3 Export Modes
Export by individual article, by issue, or full journal export in a single click.
🏷️
Issue Status Badges
Green ✔ (fully exported), yellow △ (partial), gray — (not exported) per issue.
✅
Config Validator
Checks all required settings and file system permissions before exporting.
🧪
Test Mode (Dry Run)
Preview what will be exported without writing any files to your server.
📋
Export History
Complete log of every export with date, type, status, and article count.
🔄
Auto-Export
Automatically creates RDF files when articles are published.
🌐
Multi-Language UI
Turkish and English included; additional languages can be added easily.
📰
Multi-Journal Support
Independent settings, paths, and logs per journal on one OJS installation.
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Installation & Activation
ℹ️After purchasing the plugin from ojs-services.com, you will receive a .tar.gz file. Follow the steps below to upload and activate it in OJS.
Log in to OJS Administration Panel
Sign in with a Journal Manager or Site Administrator account.
Go to Plugin Gallery
Navigate to Settings → Website → Plugins → Plugin Gallery.
Upload the Plugin
Click "Upload a New Plugin" and select the .tar.gz file you received. Wait for the success confirmation message.
Enable the Plugin
Find RePeC Pro Export Plugin in the plugin list and toggle it ON. The page will refresh and the plugin will be active.
Verify Access
Click Tools in the left sidebar. If RePeC Pro Export Plugin appears under the Import/Export tab, installation was successful.
⚠️Requirements: PHP 7.4+, MySQL 5.7+ / MariaDB 10.3+, OJS 3.3.0.x or 3.4.0.x. Ensure the server export directory has write permissions.
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Accessing the Plugin — Tools Menu
After activation, the plugin is accessible from the left sidebar under Tools. Clicking Tools opens the Import/Export tab, where RePeC Pro Export Plugin is listed alongside other export plugins.
Tools › Import/Export
JOURNAL NAME
Submissions
Issues
Announcements
Settings
Journal
Website
Workflow
Distribution
Users & Roles
Statistics
Articles
Editorial Activity
🛠 Tools
Administration
Tools
Tools
Import/Export
Permissions
📤 DOAJ Export Plugin: Export Journal for DOAJ.
📤 PubMed XML Export Plugin: Export article metadata in PubMed XML format for indexing in MEDLINE.
📤 Native XML Plugin: Import and export articles and issues in OJS's native XML format.
📤 DataCite Export/Registration Plugin: Export or register metadata in DataCite format.
📊 RePeC Pro Export Plugin: Export journal articles to RePeC (IDEAS, EconPapers) format for indexing. PRO
📤 Users XML Plugin: Import and export users.
📤 CrossRef XML Export Plugin: Export article metadata in CrossRef XML format.
Click RePeC Pro Export Plugin in the list to open the plugin's 5-tab interface.
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Tab 1 — RePeC Settings
The first tab is where you configure your journal's RePeC identity and export parameters. Most fields are auto-populated from your OJS journal settings. You only need to manually enter the RePeC-specific credentials.
💡Before filling in the settings, register your journal with RePeC by emailing [email protected] with your institution/journal name. They will assign you an Archive Handle (3 letters, e.g. prm).
Your archive handle is assigned by the RePeC team when you register. If you haven't registered yet, email [email protected] with your institution/journal name. The series code is a 6-character identifier you choose yourself.
The 3-letter code assigned by the RePeC team (e.g., prm). Format: 3 lowercase letters. Received via email after registering at [email protected].
A 6-character code you create to identify your journal series (e.g., econrv). Use only lowercase letters and numbers. Cannot be changed after articles are exported.
⚙️ Archive & Export Settings
These fields define how your archive appears in RePeC and where export files are stored.
The display name of your archive as it will appear in IDEAS, EconPapers. Typically your institution or publisher name.
Optional. Appears in RePeC archive listings.
Person or team responsible for this RePeC archive. RePeC may contact them for technical issues.
Contact email for RePeC notifications. Must be a valid, monitored email address.
The public URL that maps to the Export Path. RePeC crawlers will access files at this address. Test by visiting {Base URL}/RePeC/ in your browser after exporting.
Server directory where RDF files will be written. The default path works for most installations. Only change if you know your server's directory structure.
If your institution is registered in RePeC (EDIRC), enter its handle here. Leave blank if unsure.
🔄 Auto-Export
When enabled, articles are automatically exported to RePeC as soon as they are published. The RDF file is created and index files are updated immediately.
⚠️ Note: Do a Full Export first to generate the initial archive and series template files before enabling auto-export.
💾 Save
Cancel
Settings field reference:
Field
Required
Auto-filled
Notes
Archive Handle
Yes
No
Assigned by RePeC team after registration
Series Code
Yes
No
You choose; cannot be changed after first export
Archive Name
Yes
✔ Yes
From journal settings
Archive Description
No
—
Optional, appears in archive listings
Maintainer Name
Yes
✔ Yes
From journal contact settings
Maintainer Email
Yes
✔ Yes
Must be actively monitored
Base URL
Yes
✔ Yes
Auto-derived from journal URL
Export Path
No
✔ Yes
Default works for most servers
Provider Institution
No
—
EDIRC handle if institution is registered
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Tab 2 — Export Articles
This tab allows you to selectively export individual articles to RePeC. Use the search bar or issue filter to find specific articles, select them using checkboxes, and click Export Selected Articles. This is the best mode when you only need to update a few newly published articles.
Select individual articles to export to RePeC. Use the issue filter to narrow down articles by issue, then select with checkboxes and click Export.
📄 Articles
🔍
▼ Filters
A scientometric review in the age of TikTok, Reels, and ShortsView
A webometric analysis of central university libraries' websitesView
Network-based analysis for identifying visual patterns in advertisingView
Understanding design metrics: A theoretical model for applicationView
Social media promotion of the Health Information Systems degree programView
Rising distrust: Digital media dethrones mainstream mediaView
Bimodal networks as hypothesis generators: Towards a reticular analysisView
Mapping and analyzing the scientific outcomes of medical library sciencesView
… and more published articles
☐ Select All
📤 Export Selected Articles
How to use Export Articles:
Filter by Issue (optional)
Click the Filters button and select an issue from the dropdown to narrow the article list to a specific volume/issue.
Search for Articles (optional)
Type keywords in the search box to find specific articles by title.
Select Articles
Check the boxes next to the articles you want to export. Use Select All to select every article in the current view.
Export
Click Export Selected Articles. The plugin generates RDF files for each selected article and updates the index files.
💡Use this mode for quick updates — for example, when a single new article is published and you want to push it to RePeC immediately without re-exporting the entire journal.
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Tab 3 — Export Issues
This tab lets you export all articles belonging to one or more complete issues at once. Each issue displays an export status badge showing how many of its articles have already been exported to RePeC.
✔ All exportedAll articles in this issue have been exported to RePeC.
△ PartialSome articles exported, some are pending.
— Not exportedNo articles from this issue have been exported yet.
How to use Export Issues:
Review Status Badges
Check the RePeC Status column to identify issues that haven't been exported yet (gray badge) or are only partially exported (yellow badge).
Select Issues
Tick the checkboxes next to the issues you want to export. You can select multiple issues at once.
Export
Click Export Selected Issues. The plugin will export all articles from every selected issue and update the archive index files.
Verify
After export completes, the status badge for the exported issues will update to ✔ All exported. Check the Recent Exports tab for the detailed log.
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Tab 4 — Full Export
The Full Export tab provides a one-click export of all published articles in the journal. It also displays live export statistics and includes a built-in configuration validator and a dry-run test mode. This is the recommended tab to use for the initial setup and for complete re-exports.
Checks all required settings (Archive Handle, Series Code, Base URL, export path write permissions) and reports any problems before you attempt an export. Always run this first if you changed settings.
🚀 Full Export
Full Export
Exports all published articles across all issues in one operation. Generates RDF files for every article plus the archive and series template files. Recommended for initial setup and periodic complete re-exports.
🧪 Test Export (Dry Run)
Test Export — Dry Run
Simulates a full export and shows what would be exported — without writing any files to the server. Use this to preview the results and catch metadata issues before committing to a real export.
💡Recommended workflow for first-time setup: (1) Fill in RePeC Settings → (2) Click Validate Configuration → (3) Run Test Export (Dry Run) → (4) If results look correct, click Full Export → (5) Check Next Steps links to verify files are accessible.
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Tab 5 — Recent Exports
The Recent Exports tab provides a complete audit trail of every export operation performed on the journal. Each log entry shows the date, export type, success/failure status, number of articles processed, and a details message. Quick links at the top allow you to immediately verify your archive online.
Export path not writable. Check directory permissions.
RePeC Pro Export Plugin v2.3.1.0 for OJS 3.3 — ojs-services.com
Log column reference:
Column
Description
Date
Timestamp of the export operation (server time)
Type
Full Export, Export Issues, Export Articles, or Test Export (Dry Run)
Status
✔ Success = completed without errors | ✖ Failed = an error occurred | 🧪 Dry Run = test only
Articles
Number of article RDF files processed in this operation
Details
Human-readable summary — includes error messages for failed exports to help diagnose issues
ℹ️Use the Quick Links bar at the top of this tab to immediately verify your exported archive: Browse Archive shows the raw RDF files on your server, EconPapers Data Check validates your RDF syntax, and Register Archive links to the official RePeC registration form.
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Generated Output Files
After a successful export, the plugin generates a set of standard RePeC/RDF template files on your server. These files are served to RePeC crawlers via the Base URL you configured in Tab 1.
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RePeC/[handle]/[handle]arch.rdf
Archive Template — Describes your journal archive to RePeC. Contains the archive handle, name, maintainer info, and URL. Generated once during the first export.
📄
RePeC/[handle]/[handle]seri.rdf
Series Template — Describes your article series (journal). Contains the series code, title, and description. Stored in the archive directory alongside arch.rdf. Generated once and updated when settings change.
📑
RePeC/[handle]/[series]/[id].rdf
Article Templates — One RDF file per published article. Each file contains full metadata: authors, abstract, keywords, publication date, pages, DOI, and PDF URL. These are the files indexed by IDEAS and EconPapers.
HTTP Index Files — Auto-generated index pages at each directory level so that RePeC crawlers can browse the file hierarchy without requiring directory listing enabled on the web server.
💡After exporting, test that files are publicly accessible by visiting https://yourjournal.org/public/repecpro/RePeC/ in a browser. You should see the index listing. If you get a 403 or 404 error, check your web server configuration and export path settings.
After generating files — next steps to get indexed:
Validate RDF syntax
Go to EconPapers Data Check (link in the Recent Exports tab Quick Links) and enter your archive URL. Fix any reported errors.
Register your archive with RePeC
Visit ideas.repec.org/t/notify.html and submit your archive handle and URL. This notifies the RePeC team to begin crawling your archive.
Wait for indexing
RePeC crawlers typically index new archives within 24–72 hours. Your articles will then appear on IDEAS and EconPapers.
Maintain ongoing exports
Enable Auto-Export in Tab 1 for automatic updates, or run a selective export from Tab 2 or Tab 3 each time new articles are published.
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Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Do I need to register with RePeC before using the plugin?
Yes. You must register your archive with the RePeC team first to receive your Archive Handle (3-letter code). Email [email protected] with your journal name and institution. Registration is free and typically takes 1–3 business days. You can configure and test the plugin while waiting for your handle.
❓ Can I change the Series Code after articles have been exported?
No. The Series Code becomes part of the permanent RePeC handle for each article (e.g., RePeC:prm:jrnlcd:p2024001). Changing it after export would break existing references and citations. Choose your Series Code carefully before the first export.
❓ What is the difference between Full Export and Export Issues?
Full Export processes every published article in every issue in a single operation — ideal for initial setup or complete refreshes. Export Issues lets you select specific issues and export only those — ideal for periodic updates when you publish a new issue and want to add only those articles to RePeC.
❓ What does the Test Export (Dry Run) actually do?
It simulates the full export process completely — checking article metadata, building RDF content, and counting what would be exported — but does not write any files to the server. Use it to catch metadata problems (missing abstracts, malformed author names, etc.) before committing to a real export.
❓ My export failed with "Export path not writable". How do I fix it?
The server directory specified in the Export Path field must be writable by the web server process. SSH into your server and run: chmod 755 /path/to/public/repecpro/ — or ask your hosting provider to set the correct permissions. Then use Validate Configuration in Tab 4 to confirm the issue is resolved before re-exporting.
❓ How long does it take for my articles to appear on IDEAS/EconPapers after exporting?
Once your archive is registered and files are publicly accessible, RePeC crawlers typically index your content within 24 to 72 hours. For newly registered archives the first crawl may take up to a week. Use the EconPapers Data Check link to verify your files are valid while you wait.
❓ Does the plugin support multiple journals on one OJS installation?
Yes. Each journal has its own independent set of settings, export paths, and export logs. You can configure a different Archive Handle, Series Code, and Base URL for each journal on the same OJS installation.
❓ What happens when I enable Auto-Export?
When Auto-Export is enabled, the plugin automatically generates the RDF file for a newly published article the moment it is published in OJS, and updates the directory index files. Important: run a Full Export first to generate the archive and series template files before enabling Auto-Export, otherwise the crawler will find article files without the required template files.
❓ Where can I get support or report a bug?
Technical support is available via email through ojs-services.com. The plugin includes free lifetime updates, so make sure you are running the latest version before reporting an issue. The version number is displayed at the bottom of every plugin tab (e.g., RePeC Pro Export Plugin v2.3.1.0 for OJS 3.3).
RePeC Pro Export Plugin — User Guide Plugin v2.3.1.0 · OJS 3.3 / 3.4 · ojs-services.com