Please Bring Back the Classic Add Citation Dialog in Zotero 9

WynterMa

This issue is now resolved. After spending more time with the new citation dialog, I've realized my initial frustration was simply a matter of adjusting to the new interface after years of muscle memory with the classic dialog. I now understand how the Library mode works, and I can appreciate the improvements now that I've gotten used to the workflow. Thanks to @adamsmith and @poettli for the pointers and patience. Appreciate the help from this community!

poettli

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

adamsmith

(specifically, most of this just suggests you haven't found the library view of the new citation dialog; some of the complaints I don't quite follow -- e.g. why omit author is harder to access, so that might be solvable with some more details)

WynterMa

Thanks to poettli for the link: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/classic_citation_dialog/

I've now read the official documentation, and it confirms exactly what I was saying — the classic citation dialog has been permanently removed. As the page states: "The classic dialog has been removed and won't be returning." So no, this isn't a matter of me not finding the Library mode. I have found it. I've tried it. And it simply doesn't work as well for my workflow.

I've been using Zotero since version 7 and below, and the classic dialog has been a core part of how I cite references for years. The new Library mode, while I understand it's meant to replace the classic dialog, is not the same experience — and I don't find it as intuitive or efficient. I shouldn't have to completely relearn a workflow that was already working perfectly.

My request remains the same: please give users the option to use the classic dialog. I don't need the new features. I just want the interface that has served me well for years.

WynterMa

Thanks to everyone who pointed me to the Library mode. I've now spent some more time with it, and while I still miss the classic dialog, I'm willing to give the new interface a fair try.

That said, I do think the transition could be smoother. For users like me who've relied on the classic dialog for years, some aspects of the new workflow still feel less intuitive — particularly around managing multiple citations and suppressing authors. I hope the team will continue to refine these areas based on user feedback.

Appreciate the help from this community.

adamsmith

You'd have to say more about your pain points on those two issues (for context, I've been using Zotero since 2006, so used the classic dialog for many years bc it was the only option and still occasionally used it when the new dialog was introduced in the mid-2010s; the updated options save me a ton of time for virtually anything I do with citations):

For omit author in multi-citations, in the classic dialog you needed to click on the citation in question and then on the omit author checkbox. That's the exact same amount of clicks right now, with a shorter path for the mouse (in addition to much fast keyboard accessibility if that's your thing).

Not sure what you mean by managing multiple citations, but the ability to just hit return when selecting multiple items from the library (rather than fiddle with the tiny arrows in the classic dialog) is a huge improvement for me, as is the ability to reorder by drag & drop rather then awkward up/down arrows.

Certainly possible that there are real pain points for you that are either genuinely less comfortable, but you'd need to articulate those more clearly for anyone to be able to help with those.