Not getting a dialogue that is stopping Zotero

dcroxton

Following are the two messages at the top and bottom of my Zotero error log. The first shows my environment (although I changed the Flash plugin to "Never Activate" and it came back on the next time I started, so I don't know what's up with that). I think the last message is the source of my problem, which is that every time I go to add a citation, Zotero hangs and never finishes it. It looks like Zotero is trying to ask me a question that I'm never getting to answer because I don't see a dialogue with it.

Obviously, I need to see the dialogue for this to function in the long term, but for now I'd be happy with a workaround because I need to finish the paper I'm working on.



[JavaScript Error: "uncaught exception: 2147500034" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/integration.js" line: 199}]

version => 5.0.69, platform => Linux x86_64, oscpu => Linux x86_64, locale => en-US, appName => Zotero, appVersion => 5.0.69, extensions => Zotero Storage Scanner (5.0.8, extension), ZotFile (5.0.10, extension), Zotero LibreOffice Integration (5.0.16.SA.5.0.69, extension), Shockwave Flash (32.0.0.207, plugin)


(3)(+0000002): LibreOfficePlugin: Sending 22 ["Document_displayAlert",[8,"You have modified this citation since Zotero generated it. Do you want to keep your modifications and prevent future updates?\n\nClicking \"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.\n\nOriginal: Saavedra Fajardo, “Idea de Un Príncipe Político Cristiano,” sec. 43.\nModified: Saavedra Fajardo, “Idea de Un Príncipe Político Cristiano,” empresa 43.\n",2,2]]

adamsmith

Not likely to help, but do disable Storage Scanner for testing.

Which Linux distro are you on?

dstillman

Also, what LibreOffice version?

dcroxton

I disabled Storage Scanner, and also got Flash to stay disabled, no difference in results.

I am on Xubuntu 19.04, LibreOffice 6.2.4.2.

adomasven

Are you seeing LibreOffice freeze when this happens? The dialog should show up in LibreOffice and not Zotero, so something with your LibreOffice setup being wrong (or even Java) is not out of the question.

If you insert a citation in a new document, then modify its text and press Refresh in the Zotero toolbar do you get a prompt?

dcroxton

Following adomasven's suggestion, I get pretty much the same freeze, including the following in the dbug output (no dialogue present):

(3)(+0000010): [_updateDocument] Attempting to update manually modified citation. Original: Boer, Adriaan Pauw (1585-1653): Staatsman En Ambachtsheer, 32. Current: Boer, Adriaan Pauw (1585-1653): Staatsman En Ambachtsheer, sdfsdf32.

(3)(+0000006): LibreOfficePlugin: Sending 20 ["Field_select",[2,0]]

(3)(+0000004): LibreOfficePlugin: Read 20 null

(3)(+0000010): LibreOfficePlugin: Sending 21 ["Document_displayAlert",[2,"You have modified this citation since Zotero generated it. Do you want to keep your modifications and prevent future updates?\n\nClicking \"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.\n\nOriginal: Boer, Adriaan Pauw (1585-1653): Staatsman En Ambachtsheer, 32.\nModified: Boer, Adriaan Pauw (1585-1653): Staatsman En Ambachtsheer, sdfsdf32.\n",2,2]]

I also noticed the following that shows up in the debug output prior to doing anything:

[JavaScript Error: "uncaught exception: 2147500034" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/integration.js" line: 199}]

adomasven

When this happens does LibreOffice freeze and you have to kill the process or does it act normal?

dcroxton

No visible effect on LibreOffice. It continues to function normally.

dcroxton

No more ideas?

adomasven

This is very likely Java related, so that would be the first thing to troubleshoot. What kind of Java do you have set up with LO right now (check under Preferences -> Advanced)?

dcroxton

This was interesting. I went to check the JRE and noted that "Use JRE" was checked but none of the options was selected. However, I think in retrospect that it doesn't show the one you currently have selected. I chose the Ubuntu version 11 option and restarted, but this was a complete flop: clicking "add citation" in the document just froze LO completely.

Then I selected the Sun Java 1.8 implementation, which is probably what I had before, and it went back to the behaviour of hanging, with an apparent dialogue showing in Zotero's debug output but not on the screen.

dcroxton

I checked to see what other JREs I could install. (I think the reason for the old one is that I have some application that won't run under newer versions.) I found a JRE v.13 one and installed it, but with the same results.

I would like to get this resolved, but at this point I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easier to go into the database and change whatever field I need to change so it won't ask me this question again.

I am also curious if the following error has any bearing on it or might cause any future issues: [JavaScript Error: "uncaught exception: 2147500034" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/integration.js" line: 199}]

dstillman

It's not something in the database, but you can always just delete and reinsert the citation.

dcroxton

I just tried that, unfortunately it appears to be multiple citations.

Presumably there has to be somewhere that Zotero stores whether to ignore these changed citations or not? If it's in the field code, I could change it there.

adomasven

You should try the latest version of Java from Oracle.

dcroxton

I downloaded Java 12, but I'm getting the same results.

adomasven

Did you select it in LibreOffice? Is this LO downloaded from the official website?

dcroxton

Yes, I selected it as the JVM in LibreOffice. The LibreOffice is the official Ubuntu build.

adomasven

You should try installing the one from the .deb packages available on the LibreOffice website.