That would actually be the root of all your issues. if you can't delete or write to your app data directory, you wouldn't be able to create new profiles. Though you were able to delete the Standalone data directory, so I guess I'm not sure why that would have remained an issue. In any case, make sure that when IT looks at this, they leave you with a properly configured (writable) AppData directory.
As you say, I have been able to delete other folders in appdata, and I have realised that the contents of the Firefox folder have been deleted (just not the folder icon). Perhaps that is something to do with the Firefox set up (as I am not getting a prompt to say it is a permissions issue)?
Can I go ahead and try reintalling as per your instructions above, or does that Firefox folder need completely deleting? Hesitant to involve my IT dept if it is not required.
Are you able to create new files inside the Firefox AppData folder (e.g. an empty text file)? I assume you've tried restarting your computer and tried deleting the remaining folder immediately after restart. If not, give that a shot.
Have you tried starting Firefox after deleting all files inside the Firefox's AppData folder? It might recreate the default profile.
I'm guessing that Firefox was initially installed by a system administrator and will be located in C:\Program Files (x86), which means that you can't remove it and you can't install on top of it, so if you installed it somewhere else, you would have two Firefox installations, which I would not suggest at this point.
OK so I have now been able to delete the Firefox folder - thank you, that worked.
I notice that there is also a Mozilla Firefox folder in Appdata\local (as well as a Mozilla folder). This contains an 'uninstall' folder and an executable file firefox.exe.moz-delete. DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DELETE THESE BEFORE TRYING A REINSTALL OR EXECUTE THE MOZ-DELETE FILE?
The original firefox was not installed by a system administrator, so there are no files in program files (I just cancelled out of the administrator dialogue box when installing as you mentioned previously). [Unfortunately, Zotero translators do not work on the institutionally installed version of Firefox (it's to do with the network set up but that's a different issue ...)]
And those are left-over folders? If you don't need anything from your old Firefox profile (and if you don't have any other Mozilla products installed, like Thunderbird and SeaMonkey), then I would say it's safe to remove any Mozilla/Firefox folders from AppData directory.
Right. I have now deleted those left-over folders and reinstalled Firefox and am no longer getting the profile prompts. Firefox is also not freezing any more.
I then looked to see what Zotero folders I have in Appdata\local and found two folders labelled Zotero and Zotero Standalone. Tried opening Standalone using the executable file but it would not respond. Then navigated to Appdata\local\Zotero\Zotero\Firefox. When I opened this folder, it automatically opened the webpage in Firefox https://www.zotero.org/start_standalone and started standalone [I'm not sure why it would be doing this from the Zotero Firefox folder ?]
I am now able to open via the executable file in the Zotero Standalone folder, and have successfully pointed to my data directory. Success!!
Do you suggest that I now go ahead and install Zotero for Firefox again? (Just checking there's nothing else I should think of first before I mess the whole thing up at the last hurdle!)
I'm actually going to try using the connector for chrome instead of the Zotero for Firefox to simplify matters. I've been told that using Firefox has caused another user here some problems too - maybe it is something to do with the way that it is installed here in Appdata.
Anyway thank you for taking me through what was a very long process, but hopefully I will have a working solution for a while now.
I'm honestly confused how you managed to get Zotero Standalone by installing Firefox (did you install Firefox and Standalone?). Also, the AppData\Local\Zotero\Zotero\Firefox location seems bizarre. I would stick to Firefox for now and just install Zotero add-on in Firefox. You can use that without Zotero Standalone. Whatever is going on with your Standalone installation is beyond me.
I just installed standalone (as far as I was aware, and this is born out by the fact that there is no Z extension in firefox) so it seems odd to me that there is this separate Zotero folder as well as the Zotero STandalone - but it is working alongside the chrome add in, which is enough for now. Thanks again for persisting with this.
What would be really useful for users on institutional networks is for zotero to have a page for IT departments, giving instructions on what access is required to do a full install for the different zotero options / firefox etc, or instructions for them to install if they won't allow the privileges. A kind of straightforward guide in the appropriate language. I think this would save some problems and also encourage institutions not to be so suspicious of it.
I can no longer import citations from Firefox into my freestanding version of Zotero. I get the saving to icon in the lower right hand corner but the citations appears neither in the freestanding nor the Firefox version of Zotero. I am at a loss because for over two years, I had not problems importing citations in the standalone version. (my strong preference)
The difficulty started after Firefox was getting really slow and requested a procedure to purge all sorts of add ons. I did this and this deleted the Zotero add on. But now that I reinstalled it, I can no longer download any references.
It sounds like the Firefox version and standalone version are pointing to different data directories:
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory
I did that but the problem still persists, that downloaded references still do not populate the standalone version of Zotero.
When I checked the various directories, I get the following (recall I want the standalone to be the default directory)
1) For Firefox Zotero the Custom Directory is the one for the Standalone but the profile directory (i.e. the one that shows up when I click on "Show Data Directory) is the Firefox Zotero one
2) For the Standalone, the Custom Directory is the Firefox one and the profile Directory is the one for the Standalone.
So, do you have the Custom or the Profile Directory radio button checked for those? The directories are definitely the problem here, so this is what you need to fix.
(recall I want the standalone to be the default directory)
well, not necessarily - you want to use Standalone, but that doesn't really affect where the data is stored. That is determined by which of the two you installed first.
If you take a screenshot of the two relevant preference tabs and put it up on dropbox, imgur or so and link to it, I can probably tell you what's going wrong.
Thanks. I really would have the standalone as my default directory because Firefox asked me to purge all my add ones not to long ago. This was to make Firefox run faster. This meant that I had to re-install all the files for Zotero which was time consuming. I would like avoid having to redo this.
Here is the Dropbox link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mz9a03mxad00jfx/AABlzJUwYDOMXCQQ2hvo9Ge_a?dl=0
check the "Custom" button in the Zotero for Firefox preferences. Right now this is set to use the Firefox profile path. Restart Firefox and I think this should work.
I tried this and it did not solve the problem. I suspect that there might be yet another location to where Zotero is saving items. But I have no clue where this location might.
To make things even more confusing, I download an items the little download notice in the lower right hand corner indicates a) that download is in progress, b) that it is downloading into the collection that I selection. But then I go to the collection but cannot find the items. This happens regardless of whether I choose a collection in the standalone or Firefox version.
I made a short little video to illustrate the problem. Hopefully, this might prove helpful.
1) You still have them pointing to different data directories. You shouldn't be able to open Standalone and Zotero for Firefox at the same time.
2) Most likely you have some other Zotero-related extension installed into Firefox that's automatically deleting newly added items (perhaps after auto-exporting them).
You should have Standalone set to Profile Directory (note that even if a custom directory is specified, that's irrelevant as long as Profile Directory is checked) and Zotero for Firefox set to Custom Directory pointing to that same directory, i.e. the Zotero Standalone Profile Directory.
2) Most likely you have some other Zotero-related extension installed into Firefox
1) I deleted the Zot2Bib add on in Firefox. Now I can download references but only into the Firefox Zotero.
2) I presume for those references to migrate to the Standalone Zotero, I have to Standalone Directory in the Custom profile directory. This is what I did but I cannot select the Custom profile directory. After I link to the relevant directory, it goes gray Zotero selects the profile directory.
So, if somebody can help me with that final step - how to have to Firefox Zotero select the custom rather than the profile diretory - we might have solved the problem.
The only thing I can imagine is that you're selecting it wrong -- the way to do this would be to highlight the folder and then click "Select Folder" in the selection dialog. That should work.
Upgrade Storage
Can I go ahead and try reintalling as per your instructions above, or does that Firefox folder need completely deleting? Hesitant to involve my IT dept if it is not required.
Have you tried starting Firefox after deleting all files inside the Firefox's AppData folder? It might recreate the default profile.
I'm guessing that Firefox was initially installed by a system administrator and will be located in C:\Program Files (x86), which means that you can't remove it and you can't install on top of it, so if you installed it somewhere else, you would have two Firefox installations, which I would not suggest at this point.
I notice that there is also a Mozilla Firefox folder in Appdata\local (as well as a Mozilla folder). This contains an 'uninstall' folder and an executable file firefox.exe.moz-delete. DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DELETE THESE BEFORE TRYING A REINSTALL OR EXECUTE THE MOZ-DELETE FILE?
It wasn't mentioned on the Firefox uninstall instructions https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/uninstall-firefox-from-your-computer .
The original firefox was not installed by a system administrator, so there are no files in program files (I just cancelled out of the administrator dialogue box when installing as you mentioned previously). [Unfortunately, Zotero translators do not work on the institutionally installed version of Firefox (it's to do with the network set up but that's a different issue ...)]
I then looked to see what Zotero folders I have in Appdata\local and found two folders labelled Zotero and Zotero Standalone. Tried opening Standalone using the executable file but it would not respond. Then navigated to Appdata\local\Zotero\Zotero\Firefox. When I opened this folder, it automatically opened the webpage in Firefox https://www.zotero.org/start_standalone and started standalone [I'm not sure why it would be doing this from the Zotero Firefox folder ?]
I am now able to open via the executable file in the Zotero Standalone folder, and have successfully pointed to my data directory. Success!!
Do you suggest that I now go ahead and install Zotero for Firefox again? (Just checking there's nothing else I should think of first before I mess the whole thing up at the last hurdle!)
Anyway thank you for taking me through what was a very long process, but hopefully I will have a working solution for a while now.
What would be really useful for users on institutional networks is for zotero to have a page for IT departments, giving instructions on what access is required to do a full install for the different zotero options / firefox etc, or instructions for them to install if they won't allow the privileges. A kind of straightforward guide in the appropriate language. I think this would save some problems and also encourage institutions not to be so suspicious of it.
The difficulty started after Firefox was getting really slow and requested a procedure to purge all sorts of add ons. I did this and this deleted the Zotero add on. But now that I reinstalled it, I can no longer download any references.
Any suggestions how to fix this ?
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory
When I checked the various directories, I get the following (recall I want the standalone to be the default directory)
1) For Firefox Zotero the Custom Directory is the one for the Standalone but the profile directory (i.e. the one that shows up when I click on "Show Data Directory) is the Firefox Zotero one
2) For the Standalone, the Custom Directory is the Firefox one and the profile Directory is the one for the Standalone.
Any further suggestions ?
The directories are definitely the problem here, so this is what you need to fix. well, not necessarily - you want to use Standalone, but that doesn't really affect where the data is stored. That is determined by which of the two you installed first.
If you take a screenshot of the two relevant preference tabs and put it up on dropbox, imgur or so and link to it, I can probably tell you what's going wrong.
Here is the Dropbox link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mz9a03mxad00jfx/AABlzJUwYDOMXCQQ2hvo9Ge_a?dl=0
Hope it works.
Restart Firefox and I think this should work.
To make things even more confusing, I download an items the little download notice in the lower right hand corner indicates a) that download is in progress, b) that it is downloading into the collection that I selection. But then I go to the collection but cannot find the items. This happens regardless of whether I choose a collection in the standalone or Firefox version.
I made a short little video to illustrate the problem. Hopefully, this might prove helpful.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k84uvvtok7g9ugz/Zotero%20Video.mp4?dl=0
2) Most likely you have some other Zotero-related extension installed into Firefox that's automatically deleting newly added items (perhaps after auto-exporting them).
1) Firefox Custom Directory should be the Firefox or Standalone Directory
2) Standalone Custom Directory should be Firefox or Standalone Directory ?
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1) I deleted the Zot2Bib add on in Firefox. Now I can download references but only into the Firefox Zotero.
2) I presume for those references to migrate to the Standalone Zotero, I have to Standalone Directory in the Custom profile directory. This is what I did but I cannot select the Custom profile directory. After I link to the relevant directory, it goes gray Zotero selects the profile directory.
So, if somebody can help me with that final step - how to have to Firefox Zotero select the custom rather than the profile diretory - we might have solved the problem.