adding new bib entry type(s)

Cbhihe

Hello,
I'd like to add a new item in the type of bib-refs available on my Desktop Zotero (v5.0.22): e.g. Lecture, Seminar, Private Communication.
Is it at all possible ?
Thank you.

[I have searched the forum for a similar previous query, as I'd thought it'd be a fairly common question, but I could not find anything relevant in the first 2 screens of answers.]

bwiernik

Custom item types are not yet available. However, the examples you give fit really well with existing types. Use "Email" or "Instant message" for Private Communication. That will get cited correctly in styles. (I like the icon used for Instant Message personally.)

For lecture and seminar, use Presentation and include what type of presentation it is in the Type field.

Cbhihe

OK. Good to know this is not available.
Thank you bwiernik.

PS: As for "Private Comm." I really meant the type of friendly but professional communication that takes place privately and in confidence between two investigators, when they send one another preliminary results or an early version of paper to be published at a later date, sometimes years afterwards. It has nothing to do with chit-chat or regular email stuff. It usually concerns some already pretty structured maybe half redacted material, mathematical developments or conjectures, code way beyond snippets, or early code design, etc... Something that has significant added value already and may be quoted and accepted by reviewers as private ref. in many scholarly journal, ...
I feel that is missing... at least for me.

bwiernik

I understand what you mean by personal/private communications. I am saying that such items will be cited correctly if you use the Email or Instant Message item types (i.e., they will be cited as "personal communication" in most styles).

In general, it's best to look at Zotero item types as being quite flexible in terms of what they can mean. Choose an item type based on both its conceptual match to what you are looking for and whether it can meet citation requirements. Either of the available "communication" types would work well for your "private communications". Letter and Interview are also possibilities, as well as potentially Manuscript (though that wouldn't be automatically denoted as "personal communication" unlike Email, Instant Message, or Letter).

Cbhihe

Thanks, @bwiernik, for making your point extra clear for me. Will do as you describe. Cheers.