output style installation fails

CH 53
Working with both the firefox and the local zotero versions (4.0.20, win7), with entries being perfectly synchronized, I have lately realized that installation of additional output styles in my local zotero failed, without any error message. The "installed" files are neither available in zotero's offered output styles nor listed in the respective local folder.
In the firefox version, adding new output styles works, but I can't use them with the Microsoft Word add-in (which, by the way, I reinstalled after deleting the .dot file, as zotero displayed - and does go on displaying - the message that this Add-in was not installed); the Add-in has always been working properly inserting citations and creating bibliographies based on a couple of primarily installed output styles.
Do I need to specifically synchronize output styles between both zotero versions - but if so, how?
I could not find a solution in the forum (sorry if I missed it!) and would gratefully appreciate any advice.
  • adamsmith
    start by updating your Zotero. Might help (though chance is small), so let's try that first. You should be at 4.0.22 for both Standalone and Firefox version.

    If that doesn't help, try resetting your styles from the advanced tab of the Zotero preferences.

    If that doesn't help either, please provide an error report ID after trying to install a new install in Standalone.
    https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_bugs#provide_a_report_id
  • CH 53
    Report ID: 1415175710
    I updated to 4.0.22, reinstalled the Microsoft Word Add-in, reset the styles, restarted zotero, but still cannot install additional styles in standalone zotero: I click "add styles" ("weitere Stile hinzufügen"), select a style from the repository and confirm "install ...", then click the "+" button, but the new style is not listed, and can't be found either in the folder I chose for my zotero files (containing the set of originally included styles) or anywhere on my computer.
    Installation of new styles works in the firefox version - but the Word Add-in only offers the styles from my local zotero.
    Thanks for any help!
  • dstillman
    So, first, the prompt you're seeing when you click on a style on the repo page is from Zotero for Firefox. But the fact that you're not then seeing the style in Standalone means that you don't have things set up properly. Zotero for Firefox and Zotero Standalone should be sharing the same data directory, and that's the default setting, which you would've had to have declined when you installed the second client. You don't want to synchronize via the server between two installations on your same computer. If set up properly, it shouldn't even be possible to open both at once.

    So pick one of the two data directories and then point the other copy of Zotero at that in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences (and then delete the other data directory to keep from getting confused in the future).
  • dstillman
    (And the various other problems you're having with the Word plugin are a result of not using the same data directory.)
  • CH 53
    Many many thanks, Dan, for the prompt and helpful reply! As everything used to work nicely in the past, I obviously got things mixed up at some point without realizing it. Problems solved, grateful greetings!
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