Zotero keeps changing language setting in MS Office

HlTo_CZ
Hi,
I'm using Zotero (5.0.88) and Ms Office (currently version 2019, but the same hapenned in 365) and I usually track changes, because there are multiple people working on the files.
For some reason, Zotero keeps changing the language of the citation fields previously to German, now to French, which I installed recently. This is all tracked as changes and it also tracks "Changed code of the field" (usually twice for each field) and sometimes it doesn't show the citation but some huge mess. BTW it does this without me "touching" the citation field, in fact it changes the lang preferences in the whole document (although probably not in all fields)
Is there a way how to stop Zotero from changing the language preferences?
  • adomasven
    Can you send an example snippet to support@zotero.org showing the differences before and after changes? Are multiple users with different locales editing this document with Zotero via OneDrive or similar? Possibly keeping the document open on their computers without closing for multiple days?
  • HlTo_CZ
    I'll send it once I'll get back to it (now I have changes only in the final list of literature).
    No, the file is on my hard-drive modified solely by me at the moment and the changes happen while I write or so. I don't even think it happens when I modify Zotero fields, because during that time I turn off the Track changes mode, because it just messes with the file too much.
  • adomasven
    edited August 3, 2020
    Sorry it took a while to look at this document. You're referring to Word spell-checking language, right? If so, the best thing to do here is probably to disable track changes, select the full contents of the document and set the proofing language to the desired one (probably English?) for the whole document. I believe Word changes the spell-checking language based on the keyboard layout in Windows, and you may have performed a Zotero action which caused some fields to get refreshed, and Zotero simply used whatever the selected spell-checking language was at the time. This isn't really a bug with Zotero, but a matter of interaction between Word, language settings in Windows and Zotero.
  • HlTo_CZ
    Yes, I do that, disable changes, set the language in the whole document and then I have to manage all those changes that are left there. But after some time it happens again. I have the keyboard actually set to Czech :) But it keeps changing either to German (in the past) of French (now).
    And it appears to happen only around Zotero fields, hence it is probably from the interaction somehow, if not directly from Zotero.
    It's happening when I do nothing with Zotero, just writing something into the Word or so. When I manipulate the Zotero, I always turn off the tracking, because I already learned it messes terribly everything.
  • adomasven
    Yes, I do that, disable changes, set the language in the whole document and then I have to manage all those changes that are left there.
    What's the language of the document?
    It's happening when I do nothing with Zotero, just writing something into the Word or so.
    Zotero citations are just Word fields, so whatever is happening, it is a Word related issue, although I could imagine that when Zotero modifies fields it changes the language for some reason, and then Word rightfully tries to change it back.
    When I manipulate the Zotero, I always turn off the tracking, because I already learned it messes terribly everything.
    We've recently changed (June 4) the Word plugin to disable track changes automatically when performing a Zotero action and then re-enable afterwards, so this shouldn't be necessary.
  • HlTo_CZ
    The language of the text is Brit English.

    OK, I guess I'll try to get some help from MS.

    That's great! Of course I didn't know that :) And I actually have the newest version of Zotero already :)
Sign In or Register to comment.