Word processor integration: Flatten fields should save another copy of the document

mark

Flattening (delinking) fields in a document is done before sending it to someone else. One almost never wants to flatten fields in the original document. Therefore I suggest that the 'flatten fields' button (1) saves the original document, (2) flattens fields, and (3) saves the flattened copy under a different name (e.g. document-flattened.doc).

Rintze

Is that really necessary? You are already warned of the consequences of flattening the fields, and manually saving the file isn't really that much of a burden. Also, the existing shortcut in Word to flatten all fields (CTRL+SHIFT+F9) also does just that, flatten the fields. I wouldn't want the button to do more than that.

mark

Really? It's just that I think in regular practice, you don't flatten the fields for yourself (you might need them later). So you'll practically always want a copy of your document. If the button would do simply that, it would save a couple of clicks, the typing of a filename, and another few clicks. Sure enough, there is the warning currently, but I was thinking we can get rid of that by doing what's safe and needed most of the time anyway.

Bionatsci

Just on a personal level I would be opposed to this. My reasons:

1. most large, irreversible changes to a document should be done in a copy, or new version, of the document - it's just good practice.
   
2. Most mechanisms for making such changes don't automatically create a copy of the document for you, therefore I want to stay in the habit of doing this manually.
   
3. Having Zotero automatically create a copy in this particular case erodes that good habit in general terms - and could potentially lead to complacency, with fairly disastrous consequences if something goes wrong.
   

mark

It's a shame really, but I give in. I like interfaces that rethink stuff, but I have to agree that one important constraint on interfaces is the way things are currently done most of the time. So be it.

Bionatsci

It is a shame - I agree that in isolation your proposal makes perfect sense. What might work is another button in the warning popup window called something like "make a backup copy of the document and then flatten fields", then, as the user still has to think about whether they want this done in a copy or not, it doesn't erode good habits.

Simon

This probably won't make it into 2.0, since I believe the current dialog does give adequate warning and I don't want to touch the plug-in API for now, but we'll give this option in a future release. Ticket is here. Thanks.