Zotero does not connect to online account and group files

pia.ivanova
I have Mac OS X 10.7.5. I've had a Zotero account for a couple of years and I used Zotero on my PC in the past but after I switched to Mac I stopped using it. A few weeks I downloaded Zotero Standalone on my Mac to work on a group project. The download went fine but when I click the "sync" button nothing happens, the green arrow just continues to turn and never stops.
I receive to 'error messages.'
When I try to check for updates, the update window freezes in "checking for updates" state and nothing happens.
I checked my passord and username, reset the passord.
I uninstalled Zotero Standalone and installed it again.
I downloaded connector of Chrome and extension for Firefox.
I asked another friend to try and connect to his Zotero account (which is not linked with a large group library).
Nothing worked. I am puzzled.
I asked my university IT support to look at it, they spend two hours trying all kinds of tricks but couldn't figure it out.
Hope I can get more advice here. Thank you!
  • dstillman
    edited July 3, 2013
    First, make sure you have Zotero 4.0.8. If you didn't, upgrade to that and try again.

    If it's still not working, it's likely your system proxy settings, which can currently interfere with Zotero Standalone. If you're not using a proxy server, disable all proxy server settings (including auto-configuration/detection) in the system preferences. If you are, try temporarily disabling use of the proxy, restart Standalone, and try again.
  • pia.ivanova
    Thanks a lot! It worked after I disabled the use of a proxy.
  • dstillman
    OK, just to help us debug this, what OS is this, and what kind of proxy settings did you have enabled?
  • pia.ivanova
    OS X 10.7.5, I was using university library proxy to access subscription databases online (UCLA)
  • dstillman
    OK, a lot of other people at UC schools have reported the same issue.

    As a temporary workaround until we figure this out, you can always use Zotero for Firefox with the system proxy enabled. Zotero for Firefox will share the same data directory as Zotero Standalone by default, so it's easy to switch between the two (just by closing Zotero Standalone).
  • dstillman
    With the proxy reenabled, if you restart Zotero Standalone, is "Report Errors" activated in the gear icon menu? If so, if you click on it, do you see a message that says "PAC file installed from [...]" in the window that pops up?

    And what's the specific setting that you have enabled? Do you have "Auto Proxy Discovery" enabled, or "Automatic Proxy Configuration" with the proxy.ucla.edu URL entered in?

    Out of curiosity, does it make a difference if you enter *.zotero.org in the "Bypass proxy settings for Hosts & Domains" box below (separating it with a comma from anything that's there) and restart Standalone?
  • dstillman
    (I ask because I can enter http://proxy.ucla.edu/cgi/proxy as the URL for Automatic Proxy Configuration and leave Auto Proxy Discovery unchecked and Standalone can still sync.)
  • dstillman
    One other thing: if you open about:config from the Advanced pane of Zotero Standalone and type network.proxy into the search box, no settings in the list should be bold (meaning that everything should be at its default setting).

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