Word plugin crashes Firefox (Report ID: 64810611)

julienbesle
When I click the "Set Document Preferences" or "Add citation" menu (and possibly others) in Word, Firefox crashes instead of opening the document preferences dialog.
This did not happen before. I suspect it does since I added new CSL style files and/or changed the bibliographic style in my word document.
I tried to create a new Word document and copy my text in it, but still get the same error. I tried creating a new Word document and insert a new citation, but Firefox crashes as well.

Mac OS X 10.6
Firefox 3.0.5
Zotero 2.0.9
Word 2008 for Mac 12.1.5

Thanks
  • adamsmith
    could you double-check your FF version? 3.0.5 is ancient.
    In general, there'll not be a lot of enthusiasm for troubleshooting an old Zotero version running on a very old Firefox.
  • julienbesle
    It is indeed quite old. Does updating Firefox require updating Zotero/Word document ?
  • adamsmith
    You can run Zotero 2.0.9 on FF 3.6.x - if you want to avoid updating the Word document don't update to FF 4 or 5
  • adamsmith
    also - which new citation styles did you install, when and from where?
  • julienbesle
    Actually, installing Firefox 3.6.19 solved the problem. Thanks

    Re: citation styles, I installed them yesterday from http://www.zotero.org/styles/

    following styles:
    Neuron
    Journal Neurovirology
    Current biology
    Neuropsychologia

    (I'm looking for a style that doesn't insert initials for ambiguous authors in-text)

    (btw, a lot of these styles seem to be empty)

    Thanks again
  • adamsmith
    you need to read more closely - that's the repository for Zotero 2.1 and higher. You can still install styles for 2.0.9 from here:
    http://www.zotero.org/styles-old

    Changing the disambiguation in any existing style really isn't hard - you'll have to delete one line of code and save a file.
    http://www.zotero.org/support/dev/citation_styles/style_editing_step-by-step
    has directions.
  • julienbesle
    I followed the link from Zotero preference dialog, so I assumed I would get the correct version...
    Thanks for the tip about style editing and your quick response.
  • adamsmith
    well - you followed the link from a Zotero version that has been prompting you to update everytime you re-start Firefox for the last three months or so.
    It's perfectly fine to keep using an old version of Zotero for finish a project - that's what I do in fact - but you need to be aware that some of the things in the documentation etc. will refer to the most recent version so you need to check things more closely (including the heading of the style repository, which clearly states 2.1 and higher).
  • julienbesle
    I don't recall that Zotero ever prompted me to update on this machine. But It might be because Firefox never updated itself since i installed it. For some weird reason, the update option was greyed out in Firefox preferences (this is not the case in the version I just installed)

    But you're right, I'm about to submit this paper, so a bit reluctant to update things at the last minute. After this is done, I'll update Firefox and Zotero to the latest version, i promise!
  • adamsmith
    ah yes, that makes sense - on a 3.0.x Firefox you would never have been prompted (I think Zotero 2.1.8 requires FF 3.6 or at least 3.5).
    And yes, by all means, finish the paper before you update.
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