Problem with modifying citation

nilodibia
I just tried to modify a citation by changing the position of a sentence in the document. This is what came up:" You have modified this citation since Zotero generated it. Do you want to keep your modifications and prevent future updates? Clicking "Yes" will prevent Zotero from updating this citation if you add additional citations,switch styles, or modify the item to which it refers. Clicking "No" will erase your changes"
The first time this message appeared on my screen I clicked on Yes and the subsequent citations suffixes kept showing as "1". I recall bringing up this problem on the forum and after series of trouble shooting ideas that count solve the problem, I had to start afresh. Now I've gone far in my work and this keeps on appearing . Please does any one know if this is a bug and how do I handle it? Thank you very much in anticipation for ideas. I use `Microsoft Word for Mac 2011 and Zotero 5.0.43. Cheers.
  • adamsmith
    which citation style are you using? Are you, in fact, modifying citations directly in Word?
  • nilodibia
    Hello @adamsmith. I'm using Vancouver superscript style. I guess I can say I'm modifying the citations on my word document. The modification just entails repositioning paragraphs or sentences so the citations get renumbered in order of appearance.
  • adamsmith
    That shouldn't cause this. It'd be modifying the actual text or formatting of the citations that would typically trigger this issue.

    Also, do you have track changes on in the document?
  • nilodibia
    No I don't. I took a snap shot of the message when it popped up and showed my colleagues using zotero for Mac and none of them had seen that type of pop up before. I wish there was a way I could upload the pic on this forum.
  • bwiernik
    You can upload a pic to a site like Dropbox or Imgur and then post a link here.
  • nilodibia
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/95gxs2iq4ftl9jg/Screen Shot.JPG?dl=0
  • adamsmith
    This looks like a citation that you tried to delete but for whatever reason the field codes (that's where Zotero stores the references information) remained intact. Run through
    https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_troubleshooting#debugging_broken_documents

    but start with step 9 -- the reference in question will likely show up as a set of code where you no longer have a reference.
  • nilodibia
    I’ve been clicking on the “No” option whenever that pop up appeared. I think I did that about 5 times. What can I do to prevent it from reoccurring. My problem is the increase in the frequency of pop ups.
  • nilodibia
    How do I debug a broken document please?Thanks a lot for all your assistance
  • nilodibia
    I initially sent an error report. This is the report id :1978551258
  • adamsmith
    Which part of the linked instructions isn't clear?
    Also, I'd expect clicking "Yes" to lead to citations that you've previously deleted to reappear, so check for that.

    It's a little tricky to say how this happened and it shouldn't be common. You're using Word Fields, right (check under "Document Preferences")? At least this particular error message suggests that you've incompletely deleted a citation you tried to delete. Best advice I can give is to include a space before and after any Zotero citation you're deleting.
  • nilodibia
    The last time this message came up on the document I discarded I clicked on “Yes”. The subsequent citations kept on representing as number “1”. So I had to discard the document and start afresh.
  • nilodibia
    Please don't leave me out to dry. Should I continue working on the document or should i install Microsoft Office for Mac 2016? the second option will mean I have to start all over again. Thank you in anticipation. I seem to be the only one among my colleagues experiencing this, really can't figure what the I'm doing wrong. Is the problem with my Microsoft office or Zotero?
  • adamsmith
    You didn't answer most of my questions.
    You're using Word Fields, right (check under "Document Preferences")?
    and
    Which part of the linked instructions isn't clear?
  • nilodibia
    Sorry about that. I couldn't locate the exact preferences you referred too. I clicked on the Preference Tab under Word and Zotero and did not see "Word Field" any where.
    You asked me to start with No 9 in the linked instructions. First of all, I don't know what LibreOffice means.
  • dstillman
    Document Preferences is one of the buttons in the Zotero Word plugin.

    LibreOffice is a different word processor. You're using Word, so you can just focus on that. Everything else in the steps is still relevant to you.
  • nilodibia
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/5y0nsdjtt8oegzj/Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 6.55.47 AM.png?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/5y0nsdjtt8oegzj/Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 6.55.47 AM.png?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/z5359cm2oqibjl3/Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 6.55.28 AM.png?dl=0

    These are what came up when I clicked on preferences in word and Zotero
  • nilodibia
    I just installed Microsoft word 2016 for Mac. If I open my previous document using this, will this break the existing connection between the document and Zotero ?
  • dstillman
    edited April 23, 2018
    No, again, it's a button in the Zotero Word plugin — in the same toolbar where you have buttons to insert a citation, insert a bibliography, or refresh the document. If you hover over the button it will say "Zotero Set Doc Prefs". It's not in the Word preferences or the Zotero preferences.
  • dstillman
    If I open my previous document using this, will this break the existing connection between the document and Zotero ?
    No.
  • nilodibia
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/keuyqoaij9ieeh2/Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 7.32.24 AM.png?dl=0

    This one? I've right clicked on all the icons on this plugin to see the options within. Preferences didn't come up.
    Really appreciate your patience. This is my first time using Zotero
  • dstillman
    edited April 23, 2018
    The Zotero Word plugin toolbar, yes. The second button from the right. If you hover over it, it will say "Zotero Set Doc Prefs".
  • dstillman
    edited April 23, 2018
    All you're doing in the window that pops up is checking that Fields, not Bookmarks, is selected. That was adamsmith's question.
  • nilodibia
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/b6sepwdg8frf3gh/Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 7.44.34 AM.png?dl=0
    Thank you very very much. I am using World Fields
  • adamsmith
    OK, so that's good. The next bit is to actually try to isolate where the problem occurs. My best guess from what you're describing is that this is in a citation that's currently invisible. So do run through all of the steps in the troubleshooting, but show field codes (as described in step 9) early on, as it will help you spot places where Zotero _thinks_ there is a citation when there isn't one.
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