Zotero experienced an error updating your document.

This is the message I get after update.

Zotero experienced an error updating your document.

Could not find a running Word instance. [getDocument:d:\users\build\cygwin\home\build\zotero-word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\document.cpp:135]
  • Make sure the file is saved on your local hard drive, not on OneDrive and auto-saving is disabled.
  • Hi, it was working before to all files from my one drive. I am doing a Ph.D. and all my docs are on one drive. I must work like that! What can I do? How is it possible that it was working before?
  • Hi, yes, I tried working on a doc that is saved on my computer and it works. However, I need it to work for my docs on my University one Drive. Also, I need autosave, because I never know how and when can I lose my work. Why is this happening now and it was working fine by now. Why do you even update a working program to a non-working one? Really frustrating!

    Can you assist?
  • This is not related to Zotero updates, but Word or Windows updates could have affected it. We have pushed an update to Zotero Beta which should fix the issue, if you want to try that.
  • I am not understanding this. So far my word, windows, and Zotero were working fine, then, I had to update Zotero and since then it is not working. It is impossible that it is a Windows, Word problem as only Zotero changed with the update.
    I didn't update word nor Windows.


    I downloaded Zotero from Beta link, same problem.
  • Also, I turned off autosave, the same message! Seems that the only problem is the use of University One Drive, it's not Word nor Windows!

    Why did you update Zotero so it cannot be used on documents saved on One Drive, that is my question?

    What brilliant mind have thought that Zotero users that pay for the product save their documents on their computers?

    Is there a solution or not to this because I am paying for the use of Zotero for already 3 years!

  • We have not made any recent changes to the Zotero Word plugin that could break One Drive integration, certainly not intentionally. Please see ourforum guidelines.

    Could you produce a Debug ID from Zotero?

    1. In the Zotero Help menu, go to Debug Output Logging and select Enable.
    2. In Word click the Add/Edit citation button in a document that produces the error and click through any error messages.
    3. Before doing anything else, return to Zotero Help → Debug Output Logging and click Submit Output, which will disable logging and submit the output to zotero.org. A window should pop up containing a Debug ID. Click “Copy to Clipboard” and paste the Debug ID into this forum thread.
  • # What exactly am I looking at Forum Guidelines? If you think that I sound frustrated, yes, I am because I have a Ph.D. to write and unuseful program that I am paying for. Your Guidelines will not help. The only thing that will is you fixing the problem that is caused by a new update.

    #Zotero on my laptop is working. This is the same one I used on my work computer before it was updated.

    So yes, you definitely did change something so now I cannot use Zotero for referencing from my work computer.

    I followed instructions:

    1. In the Zotero Help menu, go to Debug Output Logging and select Enable.

    I did it.

    2. click through any error messages.

    There is only 1 message appearing. I cannot click through as the only option is OK.
    I already sent it to you.

    Could not find a running Word instance. [getDocument:d:\users\build\cygwin\home\build\zotero-word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\document.cpp:135]

    3. DEBUG IS

    D557529926

    Awaiting further instructions.
  • @gsubotic: You're paying for optional online file storage, not for the ability to be rude to the people — including volunteers — who are trying to help you. If you can't post here without being civil, as explained in the guidelines Adomas linked to, you'll be blocked from further posting.

    Someone will look at your Debug ID.
  • Great! Thanks. The only thing I need is someone to look at Debug ID and tell me what the problem is without misleading me to do something that will cause loss of my work ( 'make sure file is saved on your local hard drive, not on OneDrive and auto-saving is disabled').

    The local hard drive can die suddenly, auto-saving saves your life.

    Zotero file storage is useless without Zotero program and I haven't heard that anyone downloads Zotero to use storage only. So, yes, I am paying for it and it is not my problem if someone is a 'volunteer' or an employee. That is on Zotero, not me to solve or regulate. I really cannot help there.

    I was not rude, I pointed out at the problems caused by the new update and I was advised wrongly.

    All I want to know is will I get professional advice from Zotero staff or not. As a customer, I have the right to know what the problem is and how can it be solved - without being advised wrongly.



  • without misleading me to do something that will cause loss of my work
    There've been known problems with OneDrive, which doesn't behave like a normal filesystem, and Adomas, who wrote the code in question, suggested a way to work around the problem you're experiencing while we debug this further. This has nothing to do with losing work. You can easily back up files on your hard drive, including to OneDrive.
    Zotero file storage is useless without Zotero program and I haven't heard that anyone downloads Zotero to use storage only.
    The point is that Zotero can be used without paying for online file storage, and we provide the same support regardless of whether someone is paying. You're not paying for support, and again, you're certainly not paying to be able to be obnoxious ("Why do you even update a working program to a non-working one?", "What brilliant mind", etc.) to either staff or volunteers. The fact that you think it's OK to talk like this to people volunteering their time to help you is pretty shocking, but mostly it's just counterproductive, because either people are going to ignore you or your posts will be deleted.

    If you're having a problem, just report it calmly like everyone else in these forums manages to do and we'll do our best to help. Your posts are now being moderated, so further posts of yours in this vein will just be deleted.
  • @gsubotic: Before we spend more time on this, we'll need to know whether you're actually interested in debugging the problem. As I said, someone will review your Debug ID — it's been less than 5 hours since you posted that — but in the meantime you've tried to post multiple long rants across various forum threads and have also requested a refund of your storage. To be clear, at no point did I say we're not interested in helping you — we wouldn't be spending time responding to you if we weren't. We simply ask for basic civility from the people posting here, and the vast majority of people posting here have no trouble with that. So let us know.
  • @gsubotic Does Zotero integration work at all in a new document saved on your local hard drive?
  • As I said previously, many times, yes, it is working in a word doc if saved on my computer, desktop. It does not work on docs that are on University One Drive.
    I am not going to turn off autosave and keep docs on my computer as I can lose my data so do not tell me to do that.
    Look at my Debug ID if it means anything and tell me what to do!

    Instead of hiring a rude person DStillman to deal with your 'support' - who was discussing with me for a whole day instead of supporting - maybe you should have looked at my first message and tried to fix the problem!

    I teach at the university, each year I have up to 100 students. I will make sure to tell my students not to use Zotero because of DStillman and his manner, and overall your way of support to people who pay for only 'storage'. I wonder how you terat people who do not pay. Shame on you!
  • Please leave me the email of your supervisor. I do not want to communicate with DStillman anymore.

    If you don't look at my Debug ID and do not fix the problem of Zotero working on One Drive docs - I will deinstall Zotero and ask for my refund.

    Thank you.
  • We help thousands of people a year in these forums, and whether people pay for storage makes no difference to us. What does matter is that the forums stay a friendly, pleasant place for everyone who participates, and since you've refused to adjust your tone after multiple warnings and don't seem to be willing or able to work calmly with us to debug this, we're going to close this thread.

    If you'd like to post again in the future, please reread the forum guidelines and rethink your approach.

    If someone else is having trouble with OneDrive compatibility, please start a new thread and we'll work with you to debug any problems.
This discussion has been closed.