Latest mac plugin not working in snow leopard

MarkRubin
Dear All,

After upgrading to snow leopard I am in a state of panic because zotero is no longer working for me? Is this expected? I have installed the latest versions of both the plugin and the add on in firefox for mac word 2008 and firefox 3.5. The firefox add on works fine. However, the plugin is like dead in that when i click add citation or any other command, nothing happens. I have reinstalled everything... Nothing still works? Any Ideas?

Thank you so much
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  • dstillman
    Well, it's a new operating system version, so you may need to wait until our copies arrive in the next few days.

    Leopard had Python 2.5. It looks like Snow Leopard has 2.6, so the Word 2008 plugin will need a 2.6-compatible version of appscript.

    If you know what you're doing, you can run the following command in Terminal:

    sudo easy_install appscript
    But unless you understand exactly what that does, I'd recommend waiting until someone can test it or we get out a new version. With any luck, the former will happen later today. The latter will probably happen early next week.
  • MarkRubin
    I appreciate the prompt reply, Dan,

    Just moments ago, I downloaded open office and tried to test everything there, and everything worked fine. The plugin and the rest.. So the problem solves down to the plugin for word 2008 for the beta 2.xx versions of zotero needing some touches.

    How is that explainable then, that one plugin for one office system works and the other plugin for microsoft word doesnt work even though they underwent the same update and are running under the same snow leopard.

    Anyway, would you say that I should'nt worry about it.. As in it isn't an unlucky glitch just on my part that is affecting only my system > > and that it would be a world wide issue for the release of snow leopard's compatibility with the plugin... And I should just eagerly wait for the update for the plugin???

    Thank you so much guys... As is evident by my post, I can't live without zotero.
  • dstillman
    How is that explainable then, that one plugin for one office system works and the other plugin for microsoft word doesnt work even though they underwent the same update and are running under the same snow leopard.
    The Word 2008 plugin uses a third-party Python module called appscript to communicate with Word via AppleScript, and that module isn't necessary in OpenOffice, which supports Python natively.
    As in it isn't an unlucky glitch just on my part that is affecting only my system > > and that it would be a world wide issue for the release of snow leopard's compatibility with the plugin... And I should just eagerly wait for the update for the plugin???
    That is correct. Not to worry—there'll be either a workaround or a new version very soon.
  • MarkRubin
    Pheeew!!

    Thanks Dan, Thanks alot for your help...
  • dstillman
    Possible (untested but fairly safe) workaround:

    1) In the Finder, open the folder /Library/Python/2.5/site-packages (That's the Library folder at the root of your hard drive, not within your home directory.)

    2) In a separate Finder window, open the folder /Library/Python/2.6/site-packages, creating it if it doesn't exist.

    3) Drag the files that start with "appscript" from the first folder to the second.

    4) Try again.
  • awd97
    Dan, I tried your instructions and it still didn't work. I rebooted as well just in case.

    Somewhat off-topic, but Snow Leopard's pdf viewer has some nice new annotation capabilities which are very nicely complimentary to Zotero.
  • MarkRubin
    Yeh I tried it as well... Didn't work!!

    Hey Dan, a quick question...All the files that the plugin requires for mac word 2008 is in the folder /user/documents/microsoft user data/word script menu items/zotero right?

    I mean when you install the plugin that is all it installs in that folder only right...

    Also, can you confirm with me how many files there are supposed to be in that zotero folder.. because when it was working in leopard it had 10 files... now it has 9 files in snow leopard...the file that is missing in snow leopard is zotero.pyc

    However, even after i copy and paste that file there from my backups, it still doesn't work...
  • dstillman
    Yeh I tried it as well... Didn't work!!
    OK. Was worth a shot. We'll post a (tested) workaround or the new version as soon as possible.
    All the files that the plugin requires for mac word 2008 is in the folder /user/documents/microsoft user data/word script menu items/zotero right?
    No. The installer also installs files into the directory mentioned above.
    in leopard it had 10 files... now it has 9 files in snow leopard...the file that is missing in snow leopard is zotero.pyc
    I suspect that file would need to be regenerated for the new Python version, and if it failed it wouldn't be.
  • MarkRubin
    When you say very soon, I am dying to know how soon you mean...

    I ask because the last time I saw the following message at the plugins page was quite some months ago: "The Word 2008 plugin currently only works with OS X 10.5 (Leopard). 10.4 compatible versions will be available in the near future.

    And Now it says: "10.4 and 10.6-compatible versions will be available in the near future."

    Considering, the 10.4 version for word 2008 isnt still available yet, will it take as long for 10.6 plugin to be released as well? Please dont say this is the case, Please say within the next week or so it will be released...Otherwise, I am going to have to revert back to leopard all over just for zotero.
  • dstillman
    When you say very soon, I am dying to know how soon you mean...
    By the middle of the week.
    Considering, the 10.4 version for word 2008 isnt still available yet
    An experimental version for 10.4 has been available for a while and has been linked pretty widely in these forums, but we never officially released it because we're switching to an entirely new plugin architecture.
  • MarkRubin
    By the middle of the week? "Jumps in the air and screams "Yeeeesssssssssssss"

    I am the happiest guy in the room! All thanks to Dan...
  • awd97
    Well I'm still submitting my 170 reference review paper tomorrow. The last few refs will just have to go out of order at the end :-)
  • dstillman
    To get the Word 2008 plugin working on Snow Leopard, download the following two files into the /Library/Python/2.6/site-packages directory:

    http://www.zotero.org/download/integration/appscript/appscript-0.20.0-py2.6-macosx-10.6-universal.egg

    http://www.zotero.org/download/integration/appscript/appscript-0.20.0-py2.6-macosx-10.6-universal.pth

    Right-click on each link and choose Save Link As..., and then navigate to the above directory. Note that this is the /Library directory at the root of your hard drive, not the Library directory within your home directory.

    If you previously tried the workaround I suggested above and copied the appscript files from the 2.5 directory to the 2.6 directory, remove any other files beginning with "appscript" from the 2.6/site-packages directory, leaving the two appscript-0.20.0 files above.

    The Word 2008 plugin should then work. Let us know if not. The new plugin coming with 2.0b7 won't require this workaround.
  • mcampos
    it worked! thanks so much!
  • MarkRubin
    Didn't work for me...

    Why didn't it work for me? One thing i noticed was that upon saving the .pth file, the extension turned to .pth.txt

    even after i removed the .txt so that it became .pth it still didnt work...

    argghhh whyyyy me.. help please????
  • dstillman
    edited September 1, 2009
    Switch to the Finder, go to [Finder menu]->Preferences, and make sure "Show all file extensions" is checked. Then check the file again.

    I've also just made an adjustment on the server that should keep it from adding .txt on that file, though you might need to clear your browser cache to see any difference.

    Have you removed the other appscript files you copied over previously?
  • MarkRubin
    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

    IT WORKEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

    WOOOHOOOOO...

    DAN = GENIUS...

    I CANT CONTAIN MYSELF DAN....

    I COULD CROWN YOU THE KING OF THE WORLD..

    i am sorry for the over reaction.... but sincerely thank you so much...

    now i can get back to finishing my paper.....

    THANK YOU THANK YOU...
  • reed.lab.ut
    I have a new installation of Oo 3.1.1 and Zotero beta 2.0b6.5 running on snow leopard. When I try to install the OpenOffice plugin for Zotero 2.0 Beta 2.0a2 the installer icon bounces a couple times on the dock then quits. Any ideas?

    Thanks!
    Denné
  • Stan
    I have not raced to buy Snow Leopard at zero hour anticipating such things. I am waiting to do so as it seems an obvious move but Zotero is a must have for me as an academic; I have lots of articles on the go and every week I work on something rather than one large thesis as some in this thread. Dan has posted some new files; is this the promised solution or is there an update to Zotero 2.XX coming out in the next few days - week with the new files all built in and ready to go?
  • dstillman
    is this the promised solution or is there an update to Zotero 2.XX coming out in the next few days - week with the new files all built in and ready to go?
    The latter. (Or, more accurately, the new version will no longer require these files.)

    Denné: We'll take a look.
  • hokila
    edited September 4, 2009
    Problem:
    Didn't work for me. I downloaded 2 files as suggested in the previous thread into Macintosh HD/Library/Python/2.6/site-packages directory and then installed Zotero-Word-Plugin-Installer-2.0a2. However, the plug-in didn't show up in word. I did go to tools/templates and add-ins and saw nothing there.

    I just got my new Macbook pro 15" (with Snow Leopard) and have MS word 2008 installed.
    It is Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac
    Version 12.1.0 (080409)
    Latest installed Update:12.1.0

    Thanks :)

    Darren
  • dstillman
    However, the plug-in didn't show up in word.
    Where are you looking?

    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/no_toolbar_in_word_2008_plugin
  • hokila
    Hooray!! I found it. Thanks Dan..:)
  • AnneHealy8183
    Help! I have clicked on the two downloaded files from Dan - they go to my download box but I don't receive a "save as" option from my download box. When I right click, there is no "save as" option. I can't seem to get them open. I have located the library/python/2.6 area where these two files are to live, but I cannot for the life of me get them there. HELP!!

    Thanks.

    MacBook - and I'm now kicking myself for loading the snowleopard on. Grrrr.
  • dstillman
    When I right click, there is no "save as" option.
    Check again. If you're using Firefox, and you right-click on a link, there'll be a "Save Link As..." menu option.

    You could also right-click the files in the Downloads window, select Show in Finder, and drag the files into the 2.6 folder.
  • Robert Cilveti
    Hi Dan

    This is a spanish mac user of zotero.
    I had been working with it so long ans so well under windows, but nowadays I've a MacPro with snow leopard and I work with both spanish versions of word 2008 and firefox 3.5.2

    I believe the I've been following all your instruccions correctty but, although the zotero plugin does show-up well at the word toolbar, anytime I want to add a citation, the plugin doesn't add anything and swaps the current word window to a blank firefox window.

    Any idea? Thanks
  • rckennedy3
    I'm using OpenOffice 3.1.1 with the 2.0a2 extension on a Mac. Since upgrading yesterday to Snow Leopard I can't use the extension. Any thoughts?
  • dstillman
    although the zotero plugin does show-up well at the word toolbar
    The Word toolbar, or the Word script menu?

    Are there errors in Report Errors under the gear menu in Zotero after you click one of the buttons?
  • Robert Cilveti
    Hi Dan
    You're right, zotero appears at the Word script menu.

    There are no report of errors under de gear menu in zotero.

    As I told you, after clickig on the "Add citation" in the Word zotero script menu, nothing is added to the current document (no code, no citation...) and it swaps to a firefox window (the one it was current in use), without any message.

    Thanks
  • Stan
    I am still staying on the side lines with Snow Leopard until I can be sure that Zotero will work after the upgrade. I am not sure how the OS interferes with the Word application but I am not expert at this level of technology. Shall I assume when the problem is resolved there will be a new zotero pushed out to us through Firefox? Any idea when, I am passing by the Apple store Friday and might buy a copy to hold
This discussion has been closed.