"Full text" search doesn't find anything

BQI
I'm a newbie here. I can't make the "Full text" search work. It always says "no item found". The "title, creator, year" search is fine, but I need to be able to find text that's entered in other fields (e.g. in the abstract). Thanks!
  • bwiernik
    edited September 16, 2018
    If you want to search in the abstract field, you can just use “All Fields and Tags” rather than “Everything”. Does that work?

    (Someone else might have some other thoughts on troubleshooting. Obviously if the text is in the item abstract, both search modes should pick it up.)
  • BQI
    Yes, using "All Fields and Tags" does find text in Abstract and other fields.... But a somewhat different question: Where is the "All Fields and Tags" option in Groups Library? (I only see two options - "Full Text" and "Creator..."). I want to share some items in My Library with others in a Group Library and want these people to be able to search in various fields. Thanks!
  • bwiernik
    You are confusing the Advanced Search window with group libraries. You can use the same quick search button at the top of the main Zotero window to search group libraries. Just select the group library in the left pane and search the same way you would in My Library. The Quick Search bar searches in whatever group or collection you are currently viewing.
  • BQI
    Thanks, I understand now.... So at my end I can now search various fields. No problem there.... But when I forward the link for the Group Library to a colleague, she opened it (she is not a registered with Zotero, she has not downloaded the Zotero app, she is just viewing the Group Library via the website using the link I gave her), she told me she could not see the "All Fields and Tags" option (only "Creator..." and "Full Text") and she could not search Abstract and other fields - it was like the problem I had. So it seems that one has to download and use the Zotero app in order to search all fields. A non-Zotero member viewing a Group Library via a link won't be able to see the "All Fields and Tags" option. Am I missing something here?
  • dstillman
    So it seems that one has to download and use the Zotero app in order to search all fields.
    That's correct. Search on the website is currently more limited than in the app.
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