Experienced an error updating Report ID: D1803021782

ostwald22

Hi
I get the error: Zotero experienced an error updating your document. I am using Word 365. Neither Zotero nor Word are running under administrative privileges. I also tried deleting Zotero.dotm in Word startup folder and then reinstalled the Zotero plugin. Further, I disabled Windows defender and Malwarebytes.

None of these troubleshooting steps helped fix the problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

dstillman

[JavaScript Error: "The range cannot be deleted. [setText:\vboxsvr\adomas\zotero\word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\field.cpp]"]

Does it work in a new document? If so, see Troubleshooting Errors in Word Processor Documents.

ostwald22

I get the same error for new and old word documents.

dstillman

You're saying this happens in a completely new, empty document?

What exact version of Word?

What are the exact steps to reproduce it, starting from an empty document, and can you provide a Debug ID for doing so? (Your Debug ID doesn't actually cover this happening.)

ostwald22

Yes, this happens for a completely new, empty document. It also happens if I try add a citation to an old document.

Word version: Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2205 Build 16.0.15225.20278) 64 bit.

Debug ID: D491558743
Debug output:
[JavaScript Error: "IndexedDB Maintenance finished with error: NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE: ActorsParent.cpp:16691"] [JavaScript Error: "item ID '490' is not an integer (string)" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/data/dataObjects.js" line: 178}] [JavaScript Error: "The range cannot be deleted. [setText:\vboxsvr\adomas\zotero\word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\field.cpp]"] [JavaScript Error: "item ID '542' is not an integer (string)" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/data/dataObjects.js" line: 178}] [JavaScript Error: "The range cannot be deleted. [setText:\vboxsvr\adomas\zotero\word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\field.cpp]"] version => 6.0.9, platform => Win32, oscpu => Windows NT 10.0; WOW64, locale => en-US, appName => Zotero, appVersion => 6.0.9, extensions => Zotero LibreOffice Integration (6.0.0.SA.6.0.9, extension), Zotero Word for Windows Integration (6.0.0.SA.6.0.9, extension)

The steps are reproducible every single time.
(1) Open a new word document.
(2) Type a words in the document.
(3) Insert a citation at the end of the line using zotero. This step leads to the error: "Zotero experienced an error updating your document. Would you like to view troubleshooting instructions?"

ostwald22

It looks like the debug id keeps changing. I got this one when I tried again: D902765822. And the debug output window seems to be showing an error pointing to google chrome:

(+0000004): Error: item ID '542' is not an integer (string) Zotero.DataObjects.prototype.getAsync<@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/data/dataObjects.js:178:15 selectItems@chrome://zotero/content/collectionTree.js:2214:103 selectItem@chrome://zotero/content/collectionTree.js:2208:941 Zotero_Citation_Dialog</this.load<@chrome://zotero/content/integration/addCitationDialog.js:147:30

I am not sure how google chrome is involved in this. Perhaps, I should remove the Zotero connector extension in google chrome and then repeat the steps.

ostwald22

Removing the Zotero connector extension does not help either. I get the same error.

dstillman

Nothing to do with Chrome the browser — that's a different "chrome". You can reinstall the Zotero Connector.

Check your database integrity from the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences. Does it pass?

ostwald22

Yes it passed: "No errors were found in the database"

dstillman

Do you have Track Changes enabled in Word? If so, try disabling it.

Otherwise, is there anything else unusual about your Word setup? Do you have other Word add-ins?

Something is breaking at a more fundamental level here.

ostwald22

Track changes has not been enabled. And, I do not have any other add-ins.

I just realized that this error pops up only if I choose citation styles that use superscript numbering in the document (American Chemical Society, American Medical Association 11th edition, Nature, for example). Citation styles such as IEEE and Vancouver have non-superscripted numbering, and they work perfectly fine. So do all the other citation styles that do not use numbering.

So, in essence, this error is exclusive to superscripted numbering citation styles.

adomasven

I've tested with (Version 2205 Build 16.0.15225.20028) 32-bit version and it works fine for me, so bar an extremely small chance that there's only a bug with the 64-bit version of Word, this is most likely a local issue with your Word configuration.

In a new document if you insert a citation and a bibliography in APA7 and then attempt to insert another citation, does it work or do you also get an error? Does citing work with Chicago MoS 17 (full note)?

Do you have other add-ons installed into Word?

ostwald22

@adomasven I tried inserting a citation and bibliography in APA7 and it works perfectly fine. No errors. I get this error only with citation styles that use superscripted numbering.

adomasven

Do you have other add-ons installed into Word? Have you tried disabling them? Can you create a new Windows user account on your computer and check if inserting there with a superscript style works fine?