Can't cite within LibreOffice footnote

jacobstringer
So I'm using LibreOffice with the zotero extension. I want to cite an article within a text footnote created using LO's 'insert footnote' function. When I do so I get a message saying 'Zotero fields cannot be inserted here.' Why is that, and is there a way of getting around it?

Many thanks for your help
  • adomasven
    What version of LibreOffice and Zotero? Which citation style are you using? Can you reproduce this in a new document?
  • jacobstringer
    LO is 6.3.3.2
    Zotero is 5.0.89
    Style is Cite Them Right 10th Edition - Harvard

    I just tried a new document and got the same result.

    Thanks
  • dstillman
    Works fine for me with LO 7.0.0.3. While 6.3 should work, I'd start by upgrading to a current version of LibreOffice — 6.4 or 7.0.

    If it's still not working for you, can you describe the exact steps you're taking in a new document to reproduce this?
  • jacobstringer
    Hi, thanks, I updated LO to 7.0.0.3 but get the same result.

    For a new document I just saved, typed some text, inserted a ref in main text to check that worked, typed some more, inserted a footnote, typed a few letters, then tried to insert a ref in the footnote. I still get 'Zotero fields cannot be inserted here.'

    Cheers
  • jacobstringer
    Oh, I realise a detail I omitted: the file is saved as docx rather than odt, as my uni doesn't accept odt.
  • jacobstringer
    Though I just tried a new odt document and that didn't work either.
  • adomasven
    edited August 26, 2020
    If you're storing citations as Bookmarks that is the problem. Check in Zotero Document Preferences (where you choose the citation style, etc).

    The way to work around this is to work with an odt file and convert it to docx before submission.
  • jacobstringer
    Oh, yes, I am using bookmarks because of the docx format. So bookmarks citations will never work in footnotes?

    I never like to convert file types because of unforseen formatting errors that might creep in, but if that's the only way then it is.

    Thanks for your help.
  • bwiernik
    Yes, LibreOffice does not permit bookmarks in footnotes for technical reasons.
  • jacobstringer
    Thanks everyone, guess next time I'll work in odt and convert file types at the end, crossing my fingers on formatting errors. For this particular piece I'm doing a manual workaround so I don't have to convert docx to odt then back again.

    Cheers
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