citations don't update

Grant Cramer
Hi,
I am new to Zotero, being a previous endnote user. I am writing a manuscript in Word, using the Zotero Word plug-in. Everything is up to date and I have even re-installed the plug-in. When I insert a new citation before previously inserted citations, the citation in the text is not updated for the subsequent citations, although it is updated correctly in the bibliography. Is there a solution to this problem?
  • adamsmith
    Could you clarify with an example, I'm not sure I fully understand what you expect to update? Also, have you clicked the "update now" button in the word plugin?
  • Grant Cramer
    Ok, I have worked on this a little more. I noticed some citation numbers in the text are updating and others are not. I suspect I inadvertenly clicked on a button to edit these preventing them from updating. I deleted those citations and reinstalled them and now they are updating correctly. Is there a way of checking for these kinds of changes or reverting all citations so that they automatically update? I am worried that my citations will not match up the bibliography at the end of editing this manuscript!
  • Grant Cramer
    I don't see an "update now" button in the plugin. I have a "Zotero Refresh"
  • adamsmith
    edited August 16, 2012
    I think if you switch the citationstyle (and back) Zotero will offer you to automatically override all manual edits.
  • adamsmith
    and yes, I meant the Refresh button, sorry.
  • Grant Cramer
    Ok, I tried that and everything seemed to work fine, so I guess there are no further problems. Thanks a lot for your help!
  • Cynthiahw17
    edited September 27, 2012
    I am using a mac and I think I have the latest Zotero version (my zotero box says I have 3.08, my Firefox add-on window says I have 3.5.5). I am writing a paper and all the citations are going in and updating except for one early in the paper. I tried deleting then re-inserting the citation in my library several times, then re-opening the document and inserting the citation. It gives a different study instead (one that was already in the paper) in the bibliography and doesn't insert the one particular study that I want to add, instead it throws off all the rest of the citations by one number. ?
  • adamsmith
    sounds like a corrupted citation.
    Press alt+F9 - that will show all the field codes for the citations that Zotero inserts. Delete the troublesome citation and make sure all field codes get deleted.
    Then try inserting it again.

    If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to run through these:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_troubleshooting#debugging_broken_documents
  • Cynthiahw17
    Do you think the corruption is in my library with one of the citations (one I am trying to insert or the one that gets inserted instead) or do you think this is a document-specific corruption?
  • adamsmith
    document specific - hence the instructions. It's unlikely that this is a problem with your library (and those are very rare to start with).
  • Cynthiahw17
    The problem may have been caused by my answer when zotero told me the format had changed from the original and then asked me if I wanted to keep the formatting change it. (something like that) I didn't quite understand so I sometimes answered yes, sometimes no. ? What should I answer if it asks again?
  • adamsmith
    if you want the citation to update in the future, you _don't_ want to keep the formatting changes. That's what broke the updating - and up to that point that wasn't a bug but intended behavior.

    It sounds like then things got actually corrupted when you deleted the citation and likely left part of the Zotero field standing.

    Do you have this fixed now?
  • Cynthiahw17
    No, I don't have time to work on it tonight. It is good to know which answer to give. (!!) Do you think it is an easy fix, even if I may have done several of these "yes" answers or would it be easier just salvage what I can (cut and paste) into a new document and re-insert citations?
  • adamsmith
    edited September 27, 2012
    If you are able to remove the corruption, i.e. this part:
    It gives a different study instead (one that was already in the paper) in the bibliography and doesn't insert the one particular study that I want to add, instead it throws off all the rest of the citations by one number. ?
    then the rest should be pretty easy.

    You may even be able to get the same dialogue again for all items you answered "yes" on by changing the citation style (and then presumably changing it back.
  • Cynthiahw17
    I'll try it - Thanks so much :)

    C
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