Word cannot communicate with Zotero

This discussion was created from comments split from: Word can't connect with Zotero.
  • I'm having this same problem with two students I've been working with. What is the fix? I've quit and restarted both Zotero and word, as well as reinstalling Zotero. Both students also restarted their computers. We still get the message "Word cannot communicate with Zotero" and Zotero is confirmed to be open.
  • edited January 27, 2020
    OK, a few more details from the affected computers:

    1) What Word version?

    2) Report ID from Zotero

    3) Size and date of the Zotero.dotm file in the Word Startup folder

    4) The full path to the Startup folder (OK to x out the username)
  • I don't know all the info you're asking because the two students were in a class I was teaching and I only have their emails to follow up with them. (And I've since seen this again with an online student...FYI).

    1) word was the latest version (2019)
    2) There was no report ID. It was a Word error.
    3) don't know. I'll follow up with one of the students to find out.
    4) same as #3
  • A Report ID can always be provided.

    If these are college students, you should encourage them to post to this thread so we can troubleshooting things with them (which will be a good habit if they run into trouble in the future as well).
  • Ok, I have a student in my office right now with this same problem, and now I can get the info you need.

    1) Word for Mac version 16.34
    2) Report ID 1119413836
    3) Feb. 26, 2020 33 kB
    4) Macintosh HD >Users > XXXXXUSERNAMEXXXX > Library > Group Containers > UBF8T346G9.Office > User Content > Startup > Word
  • Just to be sure, this is the same "Word cannot communicate with Zotero" problem? Not something else? Because this issue should really be fixed in 5.0.84.

    If it's really the same issue, could you ask the student to provide a Debug ID for Zotero startup using the "Restart with Logging Enabled…" option?
  • Yes, this is the same problem. I had let it go because one of the previous students said it had gotten fixed (he didn't tell me how) and the other students didn't answer my emails about it.

    Then it showed up again today in a class that my colleague was teaching and one student came to my office.

    We had downloaded the most recent version.

    I will ask her to provide a debug ID.
  • Here is the debug ID: D1043558375
  • edited March 4, 2020
    If you open Zotero Preferences -> Cite -> Word Processors is there a section for the Word plugin? It would be best if the person experiencing the issues could post here on the forums.
  • No, there isn't a "reinstall word plugin" button
  • Does that section show up in a new Zotero profile?
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