Zotero Zotero experienced an error updating your document. Would you like to view troubleshooting i

Jdelston
I get this error message in only some Google Docs:
"Zotero
Zotero experienced an error updating your document.

Would you like to view troubleshooting instructions?
Yes/No"
I tried making a copy, restarting Google Docs, Chrome, and Zotero. It also appears all of my citations are unlinked. The drop down menu works but the little red Z is grayed out.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u630247/m8dupdfvhd3aefrbte5h.png
  • Jdelston
    Since the citations are all missing, I don't think there's an errant citation and have not tried this, a truly absurd request in a document hundreds of pages long:
    "Isolate the problematic citations. In the copy of your document, delete half of the contents at a time and see if the error still occurs. If not, use Undo to restore the deleted section and then try deleting the other half. Repeat the halving process on the section that fails, or pick one at random if both do. Continue this until you find the smallest possible section, ideally with a single citation, that must be present for the problem to occur. Remove the isolated citations from the original document and the problem should go away (unless there are multiple broken citations, in which case you'll need to repeat the process). Unless the error still occurs if you completely clear the contents of the document, this final step will by definition identify the problem." (https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/debugging_broken_documents)
  • adamsmith
    Note that that step -- a binary search in technical terms -- will allow you to narrow down a document with 1,000 citations to a single broken one in 10 steps (2^10 = 1,024), so it really isn't absurd, but if all your citations are unlinked, this may not be your best bet to start.

    Have you tried reverting to an older version of your document?
    FWIW, I'd be skeptical about using Google Docs for book/dissertation-length works in general and with Zotero specifically.
  • adomasven
    @Jdelston see Existing Citations Not Detected.
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