Zotero not showing in Firefox despite running and add-in installed

drschumi
Hello,

I have recently made some (minor) changes to the computer (updating several programs, including Firefox), and as a consequence, Zotero has disappeared from the browser surface (Firefox 33.1 running the 4.0.23.1 version with the beta.r4+abce944).
Strangely enough, when I check, its in the add ons of the browser and I can work on a Word document and insert references without any problems. I can also access the Zotero preferences through the Firefox Add in options. However, I cannot access the library in Firefox or reference any new content. It just disappeared from the GUI.

Thanks for your help!
  • adamsmith
    have you tried shift+ctrl+z?
    Or in the Firefox tools menu (press alt on windows to open that) click on Zotero?
    Finally, if you don't see the "Z" icon on the right of the search bar, you should see it when you click on customize in the Firefox menu and should be able to drag it back to its place.
  • drschumi
    Hi,

    Thanks for the advise, tried all that, no luck! Any other suggestions?

    Thanks
  • adamsmith
    does it show up in the Tools menu?
    Beyond that, you don't have Standalone running I assume?
    You've tried disabling all other Firefox add-ons, restart and try again?
    Have you tried changing the settings for where Zotero appears in the General tab of the preferences?
    Restarted your computer?

    If all of that doesn't help, you could try submitting a debug ID (which you can do from the prefs) that covers some attempts to open Zotero/the Zotero pane (http://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output)
  • drschumi
    Hi,

    No, just the plug-in for Firefox, no standalone.
    No, Zotero does not show in the tools menu of Firefox.
    No other new add ons, have all been there for ages. Have disabled them, no change.
    I have tried the restart of both Firefox and the Computer, no change.
    Also changing the appearance did not help. I also do not see the icon to reference content in the address line of the browser..

    Here is the Debug ID D555348647

    Thanks again for the service, much appreciated!
  • adamsmith
    obvious question - but have you tried simply re-installing Zotero? (re-installs don't affect saved data).

    If that doesn't help, Dan would have to see if there's anything of use in the debug.
  • drschumi
    OK, I will do that and let you know if it helps :-)
  • dstillman
    There's nothing in there indicating any sort of problem. (The other content you posted wasn't related to the Zotero extension.)

    You didn't say specifically whether you checked the toolbar Customize window for the Zotero icon, but see the troubleshooting section on https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/no_toolbar_icon and delete the extensions.* files as explained in the linked Mozilla page.
  • drschumi
    edited November 11, 2014
    OK, tried all that, no luck. Toolbar customization was the first thing I tried. No sign of the icon or any other indication of Zotero on the browser surface despite the fact that it is running (I can cite in Word documents..).
    Also tried to reinstall Zotero (now Firefox 33.1 + the 4.0.23.1 Zotero version with beta.r5 + cefab23).
    Zotero still missing from the browser surface :-(

    Thanks for your help!
  • drschumi
    OK, solved it!

    Here is how:

    Reinstalled Zotero after killing all the files relating to extensions in the Firefox profile folder

    - Type "about:support" in the Firefox command line, there will be a link to the profile folder. You might have to change the "view options" for folders in the Control panel ("Folder option") beforehand to be able to see system and hidden files.
    - Delete the following files: extensions.sqlite, extensions.ini, extensions.json (or rename them in order to keep them, just in case)

    Then restart the computer (important! not only Firefox), all icons are back.

    I guess the extension files have been corrupted, as suspected by Dan in an earlier post. Deleting alone, however, did not help, nor did reinstallation alone.

    Thanks Zotero-Team for the help!
  • drschumi
    edited November 12, 2014
    Bad news. After restarting my system this morning, the problem is back, but different:

    I see the "Z" icon in the upper right part of the screen and when I click it, the browser pane appears in the lower part of the screen, but its completely empty?! (=just a grey field).

    Add on is still running, I can access the options from the Add on menu on Firefox (changing the appearance from pane to tab does not have any effects, though).
    I can cite in Word documents without problems. But I do not see/ access the library?!

    I then reinstalled Zotero (same version as above), the library shows, but all the attachments (PDF, PubMed information etc) attached to the entries have gone missing?!

    I feel that I am messing up my system more and more..
    Haven´t done a reset yet.

    Any idea what it could be or what I should do next? Reinstall the whole Firefox/Zotero package?

    Thanks!
  • fbennett
    This is a guess, so take it with a grain of salt, and without expectations, but it sounds as if you may somehow have two processes accessing (or apparently accessing) the database. Can you check the table of running processes to see if there are two or more Firefox instances in there?

    As I say, just a wild guess.
  • adamsmith
    We're obviously all guessing here--I don't think any of us have every seen this--but another thing you could try is to install Zotero Standalone and have it share the data directory (the default).
    If the problem is with Firefox specifically, then that should work flawlessly and we can think further about Firefox specific troubleshooting (I'd say there's no alternative to a new profile, but maybe someone else has a different idea).
  • drschumi
    edited November 12, 2014
    Thanks for the help. No, only one Firefox running :-(

    OK, I think I will bite the sour grape and reset Firefox. I will keep you posted on the outcome!

    Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    you know how to do a proper back-up beforehand right? Shouldn't be necessary--reset will keep the old profile with Zotero data around--but I'd do it to keep my peace of mind.
  • drschumi
    Yep, saved the previous Firefox profile file, just in case..
  • drschumi
    OK, now I reseted Firefox, reinstalled Zotero (the current Beta Version, though which I need for an issue with filename length)+ the Word plugin. No sign of the "Z" anywhere in Firefox even after several restarts of Firefox andthe machine, no way to get it on the browser surface :-(

    The Add-on in is running, I can access the options through the Firefox Add on page, and I can cite in Word (although it does not show me any references, as database is not synced yet).

    Now I am lost! Any help appreciated!
  • adamsmith
    Which Windows version? And I assume you're just using standard Firefox, right? Not themes, no special version, nothing?

    You could try to play with plugins maybe? I think those stick around across platforms. And try disabling security software for testing -- not that it should matter, but who knows at this point.
  • dstillman
    For what it's worth, the beta version fixes what should be a fairly rare error, for filenames of exactly 260 characters. After you synced that file, there's no particular reason to think you'll get the same error again immediately. In any case that would let you use Zotero while trying to debug this (which, I'm afraid, you'll have to do mostly on your own — no one has ever reported this, so I think you'll sort of just have to figure out what on your system is interfering).
  • dstillman
    But I'd probably start by creating a new temporary user account on your system and seeing if it happens in that.
  • drschumi
    OK, thanks. I have tried almost everything you mentioned, no security software, my Firefox is the bare, naked one, no other add ons or plug ins activated other than Zotero :-(
    I will keep you updated...
  • aurimas
    After resetting Firefox, did you immediately restore your Zotero data directory or were you testing with a fresh Zotero profile? Also, you should try installing Standalone as suggested above and try it first without linking to the Firefox profile and then with a shared data directory.
  • drschumi
    I tested with a new Zotero profile first without syncing.

    Did not try the standalone yet, but I suspect it should work, as the issue seems to be with Firefox.

    I now created a new temporary user account on Windows: If I run Firefox (the one installed is visible in the new account, too), it does not show Zotero in the first browser window that I open (despite the fact that the add-on is running). However, if I open a second browser window, the "Z" logo is there and I can open Zotero (didnt try synching, though). I tried this several times and it seems reproducible.

    I tried this with my current (normal) user profile to open a second one, but Firefox would not let me open a new window. Very odd.

    I think I will try to completely uninstall and reinstall Firefox as a whole, the reset obviously did not help and it looks as if it is an issue with the profile?

    Will post the progress..
  • drschumi
    OK, I reinstalled Firefox completely, and this seems to have done the job, issue solved. Note that resetting alone did not help!
    Make sure that you manually delete or rename all remaining Firefox folders after Firefox deinstallation before starting over.
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