disappearing footnotes

cecover

I have been using Zotero to create footnotes in a word document. I use Zotero Standalone 4.0.4 and the Microsoft Word plugin. Every few days upon opening the word document I notice that a few of the footnotes I have created using Zotero are completely blank. Zotero no longer recognizes them as Zotero footnotes if I try to use the "edit" button. What is going on? I have used Zotero for a long time and never had this problem.

adamsmith

Let's start with your Zotero version -- is that a typo or are you actually using 4.0.4? That'd be several years old and there could be all types of since-fixed bugs. Update to 4.0.29.x

cecover

Thanks! I have updated and will report back if it does not solve the problem.

cecover

Hi! I'm actually still having this problem, even after updating a couple weeks ago. Could it have something to do with editing the document in a browser using Dropbox?

adamsmith

Probably, yes -- could you explain what exactly you're doing? I don't quite understand what "editing the document in a browser using Dropbox" means

cecover

Dropbox files can be accessed via their "app" on your own computer (in this case you open it normally like any other file) or by logging into your account on the Dropbox website if you are using a computer that is not yours.
If you log onto the website there are two ways to edit a document. In the past, you would always download the file, edit it in word normally, then re-upload. Now there is an option to press a button that says "open" and the file can be edited in some strange version of word within the computer browser that automatically saves updates for you. Sorry, I don't know enough about computers to explain this really well...
Anyway, I've updated files all three ways (on my computer, downloading from website, and editing within browser) but mostly using the first and third. I'm wondering if the issue lies in the third method.

adamsmith

Yes, definitely then. Any word processor other than regular Word (i.e. Mac Pages, LibreOffice, Google docs [though I think google has you edit a copy], or the built-in Dropbox editor ([which I think is a Word-lite product]) will all fail to save field codes and thus remove any connection between Zotero and the document. Sorry.

adamsmith

(the two first methods are fine, though).

cecover

Okay, one more question - the second method is fine even if I am downloading it on a computer that does not have Zotero?

adamsmith

yes, though don't edit the citations/references without Zotero (whether it's installed or not). Rest of the text is fine (as long as you're using Word and saving as .docx or .doc (don't save as .rtf or .odt or again you'll lose the Zotero connection).

cecover

Thanks!