Is using Zotero for Firefox together with Chrome Extension possible?

Tampelwhat1

I need to use both Firefox and Chrome for my work. I'm currently using Zotero for Firefox for my references, and if I have a reference I want to pull in when using Chrome, I copy the URL to Firefox and save it to Zotero from there. I'm wondering if there is an easier way..if I install the Chrome plugin, can it talk to the database being used by Zotero for Firefox? I don't think this is possible from reading the description of Standalone vs Zotero for Firefox, but I want to check. Steve

adamsmith

The easiest would be to just install Standalone. Both Chrome and Firefox can communicate with Standalone and it shares the same data directory as the Firefox add-on, so things from Firefox will continue as they're now with Standalone closed.

If you really don't want to do this, you can set the hidden preference httpServer.enabled https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/hidden_preferences#general_preferences to true and the Chrome extension will communicate directly with the Firefox add-on.
It's not a super commonly used setting, so it's possible you might run into the occasional issue (or not -- it certainly should work).

Tampelwhat1

Thanks so much as always Adam. I really like being able to access Zotero directly in Firefox, and if I'd have to give this up, I think I'll try changing the hidden preference as you suggested. However, if I later want to try to stop using ZforF and use Standalone, are there instructions on how to move from ZforF to using Standalone that you could point me to?

adamsmith

That's the point -- you don't need no instructions nor do you need to stop using Zotero in Firefox: Standalone just shares the data directory be default (so nothing you need to do) and when it's closed, Zotero for Firefox works exactly as you're used to.

What you cannot do, though, is to have the preference enabled _and_ use Firefox with Standalone, so be aware of that.