Word Plug-In Completely Unresponsive

eliseabril · 2025-01-10T03:23:30+00:00

Hi,

Here is my Report ID: 1486925448

I have used Zotero without issue for years until recently, including with the Word plug-in. Now, on a computer where the Word integration previously worked, it is no longer responsive at all. The toolbar appears in Word, but nothing happens when you click on any of the buttons in it. I believe (but am not 100% sure) this issue started around the time I downloaded the newest version of Zotero.

As usual, here's what I'm doing:
1) Open Zotero
2) Open word to a blank document (also happens on pre-existing documents)
3) Navigate to Zotero toolbar
4) Click any button
5) Nothing happens

What I've tried so far:
1) Reinstall plug-in from the settings > cite menu
2) Delete plug-in file from the AppData and then reinstall plug-in from the settings > cite menu
3) Update Windows
4) Update Zotero
5) Update Microsoft Office
6) Uninstall Zotero and delete all related files using the Windows Control Panel, then reinstall from the Zotero website.
7) Multiple reboots
8) Checked with my workplace IT to see if security programs might be preventing it from working (although it worked before on this same machine). They say that this should not be a problem.

I have read and tried everything here: https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_troubleshooting
None of it has resolved the issue.

Note that I don't believe I'm running multiple Zotero profiles. I'm not totally familiar with what that means but it doesn't ring any kind of bell with me. I'm not very familiar with running things through the Command Prompt, so rarely use it, and don't think I've ever done it on this machine.

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer me.

adomasven · 2025-01-10T06:23:24+00:00

Does it fix itself if you go into Zotero Preferences -> Cite -> Word Processors and reinstall the Word plugin? You make sure neither Zotero nor Word is running as Administrator (right-click program shortcut -> Compatibility).

eliseabril · 2025-01-10T21:07:40+00:00

Yes, I have done that multiple times. That does not resolve the issue.

adomasven · 2025-01-13T06:43:20+00:00

If you create a new temporary Windows user account on this machine does it work there?

eliseabril · 2025-01-13T23:24:53+00:00

My organization has disabled the ability to add new user accounts on the machine, unfortunately, so I can't try that.

adomasven · 2025-01-14T07:31:04+00:00

Given that this is an organization managed machine you will have to troubleshoot it with your IT. You may try reinstalling Zotero 6 and if it works, that would be an additional piece of information to provide to your IT, but note that Zotero 6 is no longer maintained and we expect our users to move to 7. If your IT can figure out and provide the configuration option that breaks Zotero 7 but not Zotero 6, we'll look into fixing it.

eliseabril · 2025-01-14T21:08:40+00:00

I tried reinstalling 6 with my IT person, and that didn't resolve the issue either. They tried several things themselves and said they don't see a problem with the machine or with the Microsoft Word installation and that they think the issue is likely with Zotero. That's when they directed me to come to Zotero for support.

adomasven · 2025-01-15T07:24:46+00:00

Sorry, but this isn't an issue with Zotero with a default Windows installation. It is caused by some custom configuration of the machine interfering with the Zotero plugin messaging mechanism. There were some minor changes and initial bugs with Zotero 7 on our side, but we have since fixed them. Given that Zotero 6 doesn't work, it means that some recent configuration change on your machine has made it stop working.

You should pass on to your IT that for the plugin to work, the Word plugin has to be able to send a WM_COPYDATA message to the Zotero process. Windows will not allow to send this message if the two processes are sandboxed somehow from each other, like running with different integrity levels.