new user: zotero icon doesn't appear

tna
Hello!
I recently signed up and have problems with the zotero icon that should be in the address bar. I was hoping to use zotero for MUSE, JSTOR and EBSCOhost, but unfortunately it doesn't work at all =( I have all the recent versions of Firefox and zotero and no other applications (as far as I know, not being the computer specialist). However, I use a VPN to access the sites over my university library - I tried accessing MUSE without the VPN login and then zotero works! Is there any way of getting it to work even though I'm using the VPN?
Thanks for the help!
Tanja
  • dstillman
    Please provide some example URLs from those sites while connected via the VPN.
  • tna
    Here are some example URLs:

    MUSE: https://webvpn.uni-leipzig.de/+CSCO+d0756767633A2F2F7A6866722E7775682E727168++/search/results
    JSTOR: https://webvpn.uni-leipzig.de/+CSCO+d0756767633A2F2F6A6A6A2E77666762652E626574++/action/doBasicSearch?Query=ethnicity&x=0&y=0&wc=on
    EBSCOhost: https://webvpn.uni-leipzig.de/+CSCO+d0756767633A2F2F6A726F2E726F667062756266672E70627A++/ehost/resultsadvanced?vid=2&hid=105&sid=fe7a3d1f-c728-4cc1-911d-60d9df6d2dfd%40sessionmgr104&bquery=(ethnicity)&bdata=JmRiPW16aCZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl

    Thanks for the help!
    Tanja
  • ronaldriffel
    edited January 4, 2009
    Likewise a zotero icon doesn't appear most of time, including when I am doing research on line at the local library site. Sometimes it show when at Amazon.
  • adamsmith
    Tanja,
    instead of using the webvpn, you could just use the Cisco VPN client which Uni Leipzig supports:
    http://wwwurz.uni-leipzig.de/index.php?id=vpnclient
    that should do the trick (if your system has native VPN like the most recent windows, mac, and linux OS, it is probably a better idea to use that, but your Rechenzentrum doesn't seem to provide a guide on how to do that, so you may have to bug them...)

    I'm not enough of an expert to see what's wrong with the links, but it seems odd that they wouldn't have the actual URLs of the database as part of the link and I imagine that's the problem.
    If you want to continue using the webvpn, as an (admittedly 2nd choice) workaround you can use the Endnote export function for Jstor and Ebsco until this is cleared up.
  • tna
    Hello Adam,

    Thank you so much for the suggestion, it worked! Gee, I didn't even know that we had another VPN client thing for our university... Unfortunately, it made my internet connection a lot slower, but I'll take that anytime for the advantage of using zotero =)

    Thanks again!
    Tanja
  • osb
    Hi - I'm really impressed with the ease of use of Zotero - much better than alternatives
    BUT when I open my browser (firefox) the Zotero icon often doesn't appear in the bottom right corner - so I can't start using the programme. I have to go through a tedious process of disabling teh Zotero add-on, restarting firefox, enabling, restarting, and then it may just appear. Othewise I have to restart the computer. Surely its not supposed to be like this!

    1. Am I doing something wrong or is it a bug?
    2. If I reinstall Zotero will I loose my references saved up till now (any idea where they are in Vista?)
    2. Is there an alternative way to open Zotero if & when the icon doesnt appear in the bottom right corner?

    Thanks for help in advance
  • Tjowens
    1. My first guess is that your status bar just is not showing up. To turn your status bar back on just click the view dropdown in Firefox and check "status bar".

    2. No, the Zotero extension and your Zotero database are stored in two different places. See http://www.zotero.org/support/troubleshooting_zotero_data

    3. There is a keyboard shortcut for opening the Zotero pane.
    http://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/shortcut_keys
  • cfangerow
    I am also having a problem with the Zotero icon not showing in my status bar (and yes I am sure my status bar is showing!). I have tried using the keyboard shortcut to open zotero but it doesn't work, in fact, none of the shortcuts are working. I have tried disabling Zotero, restarting Firefox and then enabling Zotero again but it hasn't helped.

    Any suggestions for me?
  • Tjowens
    There are a few things that could be happening. Take a look at this and report back if the issue persists.
    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/no_status_bar_icon
  • eobriant
    Hi I am a new user and also having the problems described. I have newest FIrefox and Zotero. I've checked the add-ons, disabled all other add-ons, and checked my status bar. Any other ideas? I very much want to use this for my research. Thanks!
    Erin
  • dstillman
    eobriant: Which icon are you referring to, the address bar icon or the status bar icon?

    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/no_status_bar_icon
    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/no_address_bar_icon

    This thread now discusses both and is too confusing, so I'm closing it. Please start a new thread if you're still having trouble after reading the appropriate page above.

This is an old discussion that has not been active in a long time. Instead of commenting here, you should start a new discussion. If you think the content of this discussion is still relevant, you can link to it from your new discussion.