Classic view removed?

SteveDa

Hi,

I'm running Zotero 9.0.3 (64 bit) windows 10 -- has the classic view for citation been removed? Its time consuming to have to select the record, click the drop down, add the page no. click done and then the tick box to insert the citation.

There is also no drop down (left hand side of the insert box) to select classic view? There doesn't appear to be a way to re select from settings either (edit, settings, cite).

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u20530156/u2ro8w56982m8jvatgeb.png

dstillman

Yes, it's been removed. Library mode is a direct replacement for the classic view. It's much faster to add page numbers and other locators in the new dialog:

https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/classic_citation_dialog

G.Lione

Would it be possible to reinstate the classic view instead? This new system is confusing and unfriendly, there's too many steps between clicking the add citation button and adding the page number.

dstillman

@G.Lione: Please read the linked page. There are fewer steps, not more:

https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/classic_citation_dialog#adding_page_numbers_and_other_locators

roland.berberich

Actually, it is more steps and more complicated with a process that is neither intuitive nor user friendly.

Over a number of threads multiple users report this new idea disrupts their workflow and clarity goes completely out of the window. The response is to deny what these users experience.

I am trying to add several citations for an argument.
I search, I find. If I click the + to add one, my search resets.
If I CTRL Highlight and drag and drop, it works to add them but the search for a different author messes up the searchbar again.

The new process may work for you, great, but it does not for an increasing number of people that have used Zotero for years.

I am using Zotero since 2012 and I am being dismissed for not recognising the brilliance of this new release.

I urge you to reconsider this approach.

SteveDa

Agreed I find the new process less intuitive and more time consuming (also there is a weird bug where the library search loads to the left of the screen and then can't be moved). To be honest its a pain:
Click insert citation.
Library search loads (and then can't be moved on the screen).
Change to library (I find it easier to look for the reference).
Select it.
Click the drop down to add the page number.
Click done.
Click the tick box to add the citation.

Although I wasn't aware you could put the page no. in the search bar. I'll see how it goes. I would prefer the classic view still be available... for us old timers... :)

abaevbog

@SteveDa

Library search loads (and then can't be moved on the screen).

The dialog window can be moved if you drag on most empty spaces that are not occupied by other clickable components: the bottom area, the area around the "Z" icon in top left corner, the empty space below the search bar where selected/open/cited items appear. Where the dialog window appears is mainly determined by your OS - if you move it, next time you open the dialog, it generally should appear where it was closed last. If you can't move the dialog by dragging on one of those areas, could you provide a screen recording of what you are seeing?

Change to library (I find it easier to look for the reference).

If you are referring to switching to "My Library" in the collections tree on the left, that selection is remembered, so next time you open the dialog, it will be already selected.

If you are referring to switching to "Library" mode from "List" mode via the toggle in bottom right corner, the mode in which the dialog opens is determined by the Preferences > Cite > Citation Dialog Mode setting. By default it's "Last used", so next time the dialog is open, it will be in the last mode you used.

dstillman

@roland.berberich:

Actually, it is more steps and more complicated with a process that is neither intuitive nor user friendly.

It's just literally fewer steps to type a page number or other locator into the same input field after choosing an item than to click around a dialog.

We've updated the documentation page with some specific examples showing the number of steps it takes to do common actions. In every case, the new dialog requires fewer steps. If there are other specific things you're finding more difficult or slower, let us know — we may be able to make optimizations to the dialog or make it clearer how to quickly perform certain actions.

But please do remember that the classic dialog hasn't been the default citation dialog in Zotero for the last 15 years. Citing hasn't been slower for all the people using the default dialog all those years — it's been faster. The thing that was missing was a library browser, and that's what we've added in the new dialog.

We've added a FAQ section that addresses some of the questions we've gotten. Among other things, it explains why just keeping the classic dialog around forever is not an option.

If I CTRL Highlight and drag and drop, it works to add them but the search for a different author messes up the searchbar again.

Note that you can just press Enter/Return after selecting multiple items — no need to drag and drop. I'm not sure what you mean by "the search for a different author messes up the searchbar again", so you'll need to say more there.