can't capture webpage

Mark Tebeau (urbanhu
Using chrome, with standalone, and after reviewing forums, I have the following error. Standalone to recognize independent web pages (with coins, presumably) and save a snapshot or 'Create New Item from Current Page'. Also, I cannot do any right-clicking. I tried to recreate the various suggestions on forums pages but can't. Thanks.
  • adamsmith
    "Standalone to recognize independent web pages (with coins, presumably) and save a snapshot or 'Create New Item from Current Page'. Also, I cannot do any right-clicking."

    that's kind of hard to understand - but I presume you're just right-clicking in the wrong place. Don't click on the Zotero logo - click somewhere in the page. If that's not it, you'll have to spend more time explaining the issue.
  • Mark Tebeau (urbanhu
    Adam.
    Thanks. Essentially, I could not create a zotero reference from a web page. After reviewing all the issues in the forums, I turned off extensions and restarted the programs. When that did not work, I wrote to the forum. Then, I also restarted the computer completely. This time it worked.

    I am not, however, getting the zotero logo on my chrome standalone, which seems really buggy still. And, am wondering when I'll be able to turn my chrome add-ons back on...
    thanks!
  • adamsmith
    The Chrome extension is not buggy. You're likely doing or understanding something wrong. When do you not get the logo?
    Do you get it on amazon.com?
    http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/161382081X/

    Also, you should try turning on you extensions back on one by one. Let us know if you find one that clearly conflicts with Zotero.
  • Mark Tebeau (urbanhu
    Adam
    Have used zotero for a very long time, actually from its original beta, if I recall correctly. I am pretty sure that I understand it well and am not doing something 'wrong.'

    That said, you're probably right that buggy is hyperbolic. Still, the bottom line is that right now operating standalone is hit or miss on all three of the machines I use. Mostly it works fine, but sometimes not. This is the problem that I keep getting when I don't see the symbol in the url bar that indicates I can download something (like the Amazon link you sent) or the right-click does not appear with the "save zotero snapshot." I never see a zotero logo (i.e. the Z) on chrome like I do in firefox or safari. 've been solving the problem by restarting the computer, and using zotero only after start-up. I have also had problems during intense periods of use of it freezing, which is solved by restarting the program. This happened three times last night as I was working through about 150 different web pages. At the time, I wondered if it was because I had too many tabs open, but that did not appear to be the problem, because when I went to one tab, the freeze recurred. Also, my students are using it this semester, as they have for the past several semesters and collectively (without prompting from me) they have recommended to each other that it is best to use it with safari or firefox. Not sure why, but they're happy with there solution so I am happy.

    Wish I had more time to work through the kind of detailed log of events you'd need to figure this one out, but I don't. I also recognize that amorphous freezes and crashes do not indicate a zotero problem or conflict. But, in reporting it I had rather thought I'd be doing the CHNM team a service.
  • adamsmith
    "But, in reporting it I had rather thought I'd be doing the CHNM team a service. "
    unfortunately, no. It'd be nice if it were that easy, but without reproducible errors, there's nothing the CHNM folks - or anyone else - can do with such reports.

    If the context menu "Create Zotero item from snapshot" doesn't show up, that indicates a problem with your Chrome set-up - likely a conflict with another extension (especially as you seem to say it works with those extensions disabled). Since the Chrome connector hasn't been around as long we don't know as much about which extensions might clash with Zotero.

    And when you say things like "I never see a zotero logo (i.e. the Z) on chrome like I do in firefox or safari." it does suggest to me that you don't fully understand what the Chrome connector is supposed to do. That's not your fault - it's not currently well documented - but e.g. you're never supposed to see a Zotero logo in Chrome and you don't need it for the connector to work properly.

    But long story short - if you're not willing to work with people here to narrow down those issues, they'll likely not going to disappear.
    If you do want to help troubleshoot them, we still would need to know examples of when you don't see the item in the URL bar (e.g. I can't infer from your post above whether you do see it on the amazon page or not?). And it would be helpful if you'd test which of your Chrome extension prevents Zotero from working properly. (disable all of them, make sure Zotero works, then re-enable them one by one).
  • 4GPro
    Zotero stand alone use with Chrome is frustratingly full of holes. Whatever the cause, it simply does not work well. I have been a long term user of Zotero but am considering switching to Mendeley for this reason. At this point, its far more reliable to use Mendeley.
  • adamsmith
    again - we're happy to help with/address specifics, but general statements like this aren't going to help change anything.
  • 4GPro
    Their is a problem communication: users are saying that the problems are endemic.. we are not the coders and often do not understand or can take the time to understand what is wrong. However, after about three years of experiencing my own problems, which might be dismissed as "I'm just a simple idiot" and also many others who have posted, sometimes with specificity, about similar problems, then it boils down to the code not having been written well enough to work. I've used Zotero across different versions of Windows, and upgrades of it and Chrome with the same repeated problems. The code should be reevaluated thoroughly, perhaps taken off or put back on a beta status before being re-released. It is not 'ready for prime time'.
  • dstillman
    4GPro: The only way your problems will be dismissed is if you don't tell us what they are. If you want them fixed, start new threads, report specific problems, and people will look into them.
  • 4GPro
    I must admit that my statement of "I'm just a simple idiot" has once again proven accurate: After checking for what might be blocking the connection to Zotero desktop program, I found it to be Avast anti-virus/Intenet software. However, this does not explain historical problems which occured when I was useing ESET AV/Internet software.

    I suggest Zotero look at how exceptions are conveyed to the virus software and to place explanation on this site.. I cannot recollect this having come up as a check list item step for installing Z stand alone or in the search for the problem of failure to connect using Chrome.
  • adamsmith
    There is no checklist etc. for this because afaik this is not something that has been reported beyond your case and maybe(?) one more.
    What exactly was the problem? Did you not get the "Save Snapshot to Zotero" in the context menu? Or did said saving not work?
    And can you reproduce this as an error? I.e., if you re-enable Avast it stops working again?
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