My Library Items Vanished from Zotero Firefox Plug In

Dear all / anyone,

new to the forum discussions and a digital ignoramus... So any help you can give me would be welcomed much - just dumb it down when you deliver it pls :)

So - there is nothing in my library in my Zotero Firefox Plug In. And when I say nothing I mean not even a notice "No items..." in the right panel. The left panel does contain my folders but they are empty. Also Toogle Tab Mode doesn't work anymore i.e. I click it and nothing happens...

After surviving a mini stroke upon this discovery I checked the Zotero server. And my library (intact as synced yesterday) was still there. Fortunately, I did backup my library by copying the storage folder from the data directory yesterday before shutting down.

But before Restoring the library from the data directory (and possibly making duplicates?), I would appriciate some suggestions.

Why is there a disconnect between the server and the plug in and the data directory???

(My Win10 got updated yesterday evening - but how could that have anything to do with it)

I don't get it... Should I remove the plug in and install it again...?

Thanx! And sorry for the long post...
  • This doesn't sound like your data is actually gone locally -- if the collections still show, this seems more like a display error.
    I'd first try restarting Zotero, then restarting your computer and see if that fixes things. If it doesn't, yes, do re-install (don't remove it -- just reinstall) Zotero.
  • I did restart Zotero (if by that you mean clicking on the x thingy in the right upper corner) and my computer but nothing changed. So I guess a re-installation is needed...

    Just to make sure I understood you correctly I should uninstall the zotero add-on and then install it again. My firefox is on a local language setting (argh!) so I used the english word remove for the most right of the buttons in the add-ons menu. I guess I shoul have said uninstall. Remove is something else...And I shouldn't do it...?

    Told you I am an ignoramus :)

    Thank you for your swift response!!!
  • No, don't remove or unistall or anything of that sort.

    Just install the add-on again over the existing version.
  • You were likely just on an outdated version of Zotero and upgraded to Firefox 54, which requires the latest version. Reinstall from the download page as adamsmith suggests and this should go away.
  • I did it and it did go away. Thank you both!
  • I had the same problem, and did the same as suggested. The problem was solved.
  • I also came here with the same problem (though it was Juris M, the law specific adaptation/variation of zotero) and also found that updating Juris M solved the problem. Huge relief!
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