Message saying item no longer exists in my database but it is still there.

DavidCGoodwin
When I try to cite a reference, I get an error message telling me the item no longer exists in my database. Of course it is still there. I have spent some hours trying to sort this. I can open a new document and Zotero works perfectly but not with this document, nor earlier versions of it that I have saved as back up. It is an important part of my thesis and it looks to me I may have to retype it???

error message number 965490284
  • adamsmith
    Well, you certainly don't need to retype it.
    Are you sure Zotero is telling you that the new citation isn't in the database, rather than another one? When you insert a citation, Zotero checks existing citations. Most of the time, when this message comes up, a user has either deleted a Zotero item - e.g. because it existed twice in the database - or used the export-->import functions to transfer a database or restore from a back-up (that's not the way to do that).
  • astrid_w
    I do have exactly the same problem.
    If I open a new word document I can cite a reference while at the same time I can not cite it within an older, already existiing word document of my thesis. This means, that the item is still there and by the way I double-checked in the browser window as well as in the library on the zotero web page

    report-IDs
    927993126
    1768576129
  • dstillman
    This means, that the item is still there
    astrid_w: No, it doesn't mean that. How the reference looks to you is irrelevant—what matters is the identifier in the database. As adamsmith says, when this happens it's usually because you used export/import and are citing what's actually (as far as Zotero is concerned) a different version of the item from the one you cited originally. And also as adamsmith says, the item you're inserting might not be the item it's referring to—you need to see what's highlighted.
  • adamsmith
    edited February 6, 2012
    edit: nevermind. What Dan says.
  • astrid_w
    First of all, thanks for trying to solve our problem.
    I do not understand a lot of these things and I am willing to try whatever you can tell me to do. But I can only tell you that I did not use any export/import functions, ever. I just started using Zotero and created this document (it worked fine for weeks). Now I did not work on it for about five days and suddenly, I can no longer cite. As far as I can tell, I did not change anything.
    If I for example edit an existing citation in my word document, the right reference is highlighted in the zotero-window. But I can not cite this same reference again...I have no idea what this all means - i'm sorry.
  • dstillman
    No, what matters is what citation is highlighted in the document when it says an item is missing—we're saying it's not necessarily the one you just inserted.
  • astrid_w
    edited February 6, 2012
    okay, now I understand.
    That's true, a completely different reference is highlighted in the document. Its always the same one, no matter which reference I tried to insert. So if I understand it correctly, the program does not work any more, because I erased some reference that is cited in this document - and this one is highlighted.

    I will try to restore it and tell you if it worked - thanks already.
  • dstillman
    Perhaps it was a duplicate and you deleted it manually (rather than using duplicate detection/merging in Zotero 3.0)? Just look for that item in your library and relink it if it's there, or fetch it again and relink it.
  • astrid_w
    oh, you were faster than me editing ;)
  • astrid_w
    You guys saved me - thank you so much!
    The problem is solved - and yes, you were right. It was a manually deleted reference that caused all the trouble.
    Good job :)
  • dstillman
    edited February 6, 2012
    No, as I say above, it's not referring to the item you're inserting—it's referring to the citation that's highlighted in the document behind the error message.

    We're going to clarify the error message for 3.0.2 (though this behavior hasn't changed in a long time).
  • dstillman
    edited February 6, 2012
    Ah, but the timing of when the dialog appears has changed with the new citation dialog, and 3.0 also treats items in the trash as missing for citation purposes. We'll see what we can do to make this less confusing for 3.0.2.

    This problem will go away as people start creating new documents in 3.0 with "Store references in document" checked.
  • dstillman
    Then you need to read our responses to you above and tell us what you don't understand.
  • Cynthiahw17
    I am having the error message problem regarding items not existing in my database. I can't find a particular citation that is highlighted throughout the text, though. The problem may stem from the fact that I am trying to revise a paper I wrote last year on a standard PC and I am now revising on a MAC. ?

    Can you help with this?
  • adamsmith
    how did you move your library from the PC to the MAC?
  • Cynthiahw17
    I don't remember - probably imported but that was a while ago C
  • Cynthiahw17
    I am leaving the house now but will check on your response when I get back - Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    If you used export/import rather then syncing or the recommended way to transfer your library
    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library
    this will happen and there is nothing you can do but to replace the old citations, sorry.
  • Cynthiahw17
    I tried using my references in a blank document and they work. It just seems to be a problem with this (and a few other) manuscripts I wrote a year ago.
  • adamsmith
    The problem is that Zotero can't find those old references in your existing document, because by importing/exporting you severed the connection between Zotero and the citations (that connection is based on an internal, unique identifier for each item, which is lost during export).

    Inserting them in a new document (and re-inserting them in the old one) will work just fine.
  • Cynthiahw17
    Okay. That is not so bad then, at least I have the references in my Zotero library. I was afraid I would have to re-import all the old citations into my library again. Thanks!

    C
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