capturing item from firefox into standalone

mullonkal

Hi
I have installed standalone and I dont have the zotero for firefox in this computer. So how do I capture from firefox to standalone? Do I need to install the Zotero for firefox also? I also use the safari with connector and hence would prefer to use the standalone>
Thanks
Joe

mronkko

Just install Zotero for Firefox. If you have standalone open, the Zotero for Firefox will work just like the Safari connector.

hubbardd

Thanks for this response. I spent several hours trying to figure out why zotero standalone couldn't grab a citation from any website, by itself. I'm glad you informed us we need to have zotero for firefox plugin installed as well. This might be useful to put somewhere so that newbies like me don't spend so much time searching through forums to find out why zotero standalone won't work in firefox by itself. May be someone could even make a bundle... ie firefox extension and standalone come in one package so people don't get lost wondering why no references can be grabbed. This could be done for safari and chrome as well, so it all comes in one simple package instead of multiple components. Either way Thanks again!

dstillman

No need to search the forums: this is documented on the downloads page.

"Additionally, Zotero 3.0 for Firefox, available above, will automatically switch into connector mode when Zotero Standalone is opened."

(Most people using Firefox don't bother to use Zotero Standalone, which is why it's essentially a footnote in the Safari/Chrome plugins section.)

But the plugins will likely be installable from within Standalone in the future (and a much simpler downloads page is also in the works).

adamsmith

Dan - since hubbardd isn't the first person confused by this - how about rephrasing this as:

"To use Zotero Standalone with Firefox, install Zotero 3.0 for Firefox, available above. It will automatically switch into connector mode when Zotero Standalone is opened."

dstillman

Done.

Pwalsh44

I am concerned that I will look like a fool on this one but...

I am careful to open the Zotero Standalone first, and then I open my Firefox web browser (with Zotero installed). (I have also tried this in the reverse order.)

It does not appear to move into any kind of "connector mode" and operates as normal putting citations into the Firefox version of Zotero, the only difference is that now my Word version connects to the Standalone, which has no information in it (this I suspect can be fixed by re-downloading the firefox version of the word)

If someone could point out to me the mistake I am making I would appreciate it.

adamsmith

looks like your Standalone and Firefox version aren't sharing the same data directory. This can happen under some conditions on installing (I believe if you install Standalone before Zotero for Firefox e.g.) or if you unselect the respective option during install of Standalone.

It's easy enough to fix, though. From the advanced tab of the Zotero Standalone preferences, simply point the Data Directory to a Custom location and make that custom location your Zotero for Firefox data directory.

nefischer

I don't know computers/programs very well so forgive me for taking this back to a very beginner level--I just downloaded Zotero for mac and I don't have firefox, I only use Safari. On the toolbar in the safari window I see a Zotero icon but it says Zotero is offline. Does it not work with Safari alone?

aurimas

For unrelated questions, please start a new thread.

You need to have Zotero Standalone installed (http://www.zotero.org/download/) to use Safari/Chrome connector and see your library locally. Without Standalone, Safari/Chrome connectors will import to your online library.

If you have further questions about this, start a new thread.

rhiansalmon

Hi - I have recently switched from EndNote to Zotero so that my research group can easily share files.

I installed Standalone on several computers, opting deliberately for standalone due to the use of multiple browsers. I use Firefox on my laptop - and found, as described above, that the Firefox add-on was saving to a different directory than the standalone version, and only synching via the 'cloud'. As suggested in multiple threads, I have now ensured they are both directing to the same place (in my case, on a mac: Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Zotero/Profiles/[code].default/zotero)

This seems to have merged the databases successfully but when I use Zotero in Firefox it still opens up the browser pane rather than directing me to standalone... and if I save files via Firefox to a sub-folder then they don't appear in Standalone. I have temporarily disabled automatic synch from the Firefox settings to check this.

I hope this makes sense. I'm use a Mac, OSX10.9.1, Mavericks

My question is: how do I make Firefox connect to Standalone in the same way as other browsers do?

Thanks in advance for your help. Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere.

adamsmith

Generally this should just work.
So what exactly does it say under data directory in both Standalone and Zotero for Firefox?

if I save files via Firefox to a sub-folder then they don't appear in Standalone.

but if you save them to "My Library" they do? That would be odd.
Which versions of Zotero (both Standalone and Firefox?)

rhiansalmon

Thanks for your fast reply.

They are now cooperating with each other - with one minor glitch that I’m sure is solvable (below).

It seems the system took a while to synch after re-setting — both versions had to be closed and re-opened a couple of times, and the Firefox version had to be re-set to “custom” directory instead of profile directory (to which it defaulted the first time it was re-opened).

Now - as you suggest - when I click on the Zotero icon in Firefox it sends me to Zotero standalone. Which is great. Same is true if I navigate to Zotero via Firefox Tools.

The only thing confusing me now is that the wonderful icons in the browser bar have disappeared completely (although I still see the Zotero icon in the lower right) so I don’t know how to save new documents into my Zotero library. Any ideas?



My details are:
Zotero Standalone v 4.0.17
/Users/rhiansalmon/Library/Application Support/Zotero/Profiles/glxv5vsk.default


Firefox 26.0 - can’t find a version number for the browser extension, downloaded again today
/Users/rhiansalmon/Library/Application Support/Zotero/Profiles/glxv5vsk.default


Thanks

adamsmith

Can you try an see whether it matters if you start Firefox or Zotero first? In some cases that apparently made a difference.
And just to make sure, please check for the URL bar icon on a page where we're certain it will come up, e.g.
http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/161382081X/

Finally, Dan or Simon would know this better, but I'd have been inclined to leave Zotero Standalone pointed to default and just point Firefox the Firefox version to that directory. Not sure if that'd make any difference, but it might.

rhiansalmon

Thanks Adam.

Expt 1: clicked link you suggested — no icon (great looking book tho!)

Expt 2: closed both FF & ZS. Opened FF. (ZS stayed closed). Followed link - no icon.
Selected Zotero icon in lower right of FF. This took me to a Firefox for Zotero tab within Firefox, NOT to ZS.
Checked data directory - still in same place. As “custom directory”


Expt 3: closed both FF & ZS. Opened ZS first. Then FF. Followed link - no icon.
Selected Zotero icon in lower right of FF. This took me to ZS.
Data directory for ZS also unchanged, and selected as “profile directory”


Conclusion - ZS has to be open in order for the two to communicate. But I still can’t see how to download new items to the library.

Here’s a weird thing — I just downloaded the extension for Safari and tried connecting to Zotero that way: no icons either. So currently I can't download files at all from this computer.

Restarted the computer. Restarted ZS. Restarted FF — zotero icon in lower right has a yellow exclamation “zotero standalone was launched but is not accessible. if you experienced an error opening Zotero Standalone restart Firefox."
Restarted all — now is working again, connecting to ZS, but still no icons on that link.
Restarted Safari - still no icons on that link. Checked Zotero Connector 4.0.8 is enabled.

I’m considering downloading Chrome just to see if I can see any icons there either…

For the record, I have ZS working fine from my office computer, and online, so I’d be fine to delete all of these off my laptop and start again if really necessary.

Thanks!

rhiansalmon

Hi again - I couldn't help my curiosity so I've downloaded Chrome and the Zotero Connector for Chrome - and that's working fine with ZS. Good news there - at least I can now save files again...

aurimas

Let's try to figure out the Firefox issue first. Zotero in Firefox should always work on its own. So open Firefox, make sure you can click on the Zotero icon at the bottom of the screen and open your Zotero library, then go through the steps outlined here: http://www.zotero.org/support/troubleshooting_translator_issues Use the amazon link above as your test page (it should show a book icon). Provide all the details listed in step 12 (you have provided most already), particularly a Report ID or a Debug ID for refreshing the amazon webpage

Edit: also, just to be absolutely certain that your data directory configuration is correct, in Zotero for Firefox, go to Preferences -> Advanced -> Files and Folders. Click Show Data Directory and list here the contents of that directory.

rhiansalmon

Brilliant - thanks. I got to step 9 and checked for incompatible add-ons. Disabled them all (except Zotero), and the icon returned. Enabled them all one by one... and the icon is still there!

Step 11 I skipped as I didn't want to reset translators now that it's working.

Step 12- error reports, based on
http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/161382081X/

Safari (which still shows no icon): "Zotero Standalone is currently available." and "Zotero Connector has not experienced any errors since it was first started."

Firefox (which now appears to be working) Report ID 1751854059
OpenGL compositor Initialized Succesfully.
Version: 2.1 INTEL-8.18.28
Vendor: Intel Inc.
Renderer: Intel HD Graphics 3000 OpenGL Engine
FBO Texture Target: TEXTURE_2D

Translator - Amazon.com


Edit:
In /Users/rhiansalmon/Library/Application Support/Zotero/Profiles/glxv5vsk.default/zotero are (top 5 are folders):
locate
pipes
storage
styles
translators
zotero.sqlite
zotero.sqlite-journal
zotero.sqlite.1.bak
zotero.sqlite.bak


Thanks for your help - it's now working in FF (and Chrome) so my initial query has been answered, but I'm happy to help continue to troubleshoot the Safari issue.

aurimas

Note that in Safari the icon is in a different location and looks differently altogether. http://www.zotero.org/static/images/blog/safaridemo.png

rhiansalmon

brilliant - works a treat. Sorry about that... as I said, I don't use Safari much, just was trying to test Zotero Standalone with it.

Thankyou both so much - looking forward to using Zotero and sharing with my colleagues.