Very problematic

bonedriven
Software like this meant to help you work more productively.

As a free software (for me I use the free version), it is pretty good. Nevertheless, there are still all kinds of weird problems that are slowing down my work. I have to spend hours to fix all these kind of problem.

I don't use it to collect websites or film or music. I use mainly bibliography. However, from time to time it acts weird like:
1. not updating. (it adds a number but not updating in reference)
2. updating in wrong number 17,19
4. wrong format in reference (subscript not showing in reference), I manually changed it all and when I reopen my article, all modifications are changed back to the wrong format by zotero again.

Now I just feel extremely frustrated. It's like it took me halfway there and I was throw out in the middle of nowhere. I can't use it to update anymore, after I have spend all time to collect the article in zotero.

- a very very frustrated user
  • adamsmith
    For the vast majority of users, Zotero just works. If you want specific help with troubleshooting your issues, we'll need more details (which style, which Zotero and Word processor version, what exactly happens when you do what exactly etc.).
  • mronkko
    I am certain that this is not something that cannot be fixed. To start, you should provide a more detailed description of each problem.

    1 & 2: When does this happen: Do you mean that this happens when you add a citation? Where does Zotero add a number? By reference do you mean an in text citation or the bibliography or both?

    4: What subscript are you talking about and which citation style are you using?
  • bonedriven
    edited January 9, 2013
    OK. I use Zotero at home and office.
    Home: Windows 7 x64, Zotero 3.0.11.1 , Libre office 3.6.4.3
    Office: Ubuntu 32bit, Zotero 3.0.11.1, Libre office 3.5.4.2

    The problem I have always happens when I manually modify an added citation.
    1. Am I allowed to delete an added citation in the writer? Seems no, it popped up a warning and told me I had modified sth and asked me yes or no, which I don't understand either of it. I chose yes or no, either way I found my bibliography became broken. I spend 2 hours to make it work again, afterwards I forgot what I had done to have it fix.

    2. I deleted a citation using "editing bibliography" and I added the same citation but it wouldn't show up again except just a number 18 but not in reference. If I added another different one it shows 19 but 18 just misses there.

    3. I don't mind being sound stupid but I don't understand when these buttons should be used:
    "revert", "revert all" in the "edit bibiliography". "refresh" showed in writer. And what is the correct procedure to delete/modify a citation.

    As for the subscript format in reference problem, it was posted yesterday: http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/27102/macro-name-title-text-case-should-be/#Item_3
  • mronkko2
    You should generally not edit the bibliography directly. This makes manual exceptions to automatically generated list. For example it can prevent a citation from appearing. You should choose "revert all" now.

    http://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_usage

    Remove in-text citations like any other text with delete or back space keys.
  • adamsmith
    Basically what mronkko says. It sounds like you didn't completely delete the citations - that would cause the problems you describe. Try changing to a different citation style and back - my expectation would be that all references will re-appear.
    You can delete a citation simply by deleting it using delete or backspace, but make sure you catch all of it, i.e. the entire grey field in Libre Office. If you want to just delete a part of a citation - i.e. you have 1,2 and want to delete just the 2 - use edit citation and just remove the one you don't want in the add citation dialog.
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