Zotero Tab not responding in Google Docs

gauravsonik
edited July 8, 2022
Hello,

Whenever I try to add a citation from Zotero in Google Docs, it says "Zotero is updating your Document Please wait". And then it freezes forever.

Sometimes, there is absolutely no response after I click on "Add/Edit Citation" on Zotero-Tab.

The document preferences window or citation dialog was not appearing behind the main zotero window or any another window.

Sometimes, after I have clicked on "Add/Edit Citation" on Zotero-Tab, it takes a minute or so that the "Quick format citation Bar" appears, i. e. the long bar in which one enters the name of the source. And after I have clicked Enter after entering the name of source in that bar, it takes again a minute or so, that the citation appears in the Doc.

Today, after many days and after reinstalling Zotero on my computer, I was able to add One citation properly in Google Doc. But in the second citation, the same problem appeared and after a couple of minutes, at the place of the citation/footnote, it said "{Updating}". When I moved my cursor on "{Updating}", there was prompt-up "Edit with Zotero". When I clicked on it, the following message occured:
"Selected field wJjF2b not returned from Docs backend."

Also, I tried the Debug Output Logging. My Debug-ID is D299534155.

Please note, the document preferences window or citation dialog was not appearing behind the main zotero window or any another window.

Please please help me. I am writing my PhD in Google Docs.

Thank You
Gaurav
  • dstillman
    You can try enabling Google Docs Integration v2 from the Advanced pane of the Zotero Connector preferences and reloading Google Docs. We're still testing that, but it should address some cases where the previous integration would be slow or get stuck.
  • gauravsonik
    I did that. Now the Zotero tab is not responding at all.

    Could you please check with the help of my Debug-ID, which I have given.

    Sometimes the message appear: "Selected field wJjF2b not returned from Docs backend."
  • dstillman
    edited July 8, 2022
    Set v2 enabled, restart your browser and Zotero, and try again. If you're having trouble after that, we'd want to see a Debug ID from the Zotero Connector (not Zotero) for reloading the Google Docs page and trying to use the plugin.
  • gauravsonik
    I use Windows 10, 64bit version.
  • gauravsonik
    Your debug output has been submitted.

    The Debug ID is D427165837.

    This is from Zotero Connector.

    The problem is still there.
  • dstillman
    edited July 8, 2022
    (3)(+0007587): HTTP POST http://127.0.0.1:23119/connector/document/execCommand

    (3)(+0000007): Connector: Method document/execCommand failed with status 503
    And can you provide another Debug ID from Zotero for the same process?
  • gauravsonik
    The Debug ID is D1963679859.

    This one is now from Zotero for the same process.
  • dstillman
    (3)(+0000000): Integration: Request already in progress; not executing http addEditCitation

    (5)(+0000000): HTTP/1.0 503 Service Unavailable
    This would not be for immediately after restarting Zotero.
  • gauravsonik
    The Debug ID is D1418161011.

    After restarting zotero.
  • dstillman
    That doesn't show any Google Docs attempt at all.

    We need a Debug ID from Zotero for this same operation, immediately after restarting Zotero and reloading Google Docs.
  • gauravsonik
    Now, once again I restarted the zotero app, enabled the debug, refreshed the google doc, used the zotero tab in google doc, and generated another debug ID.

    The Debug ID is D1510043700.
  • dstillman
    (3)(+0000001): Integration: http-addEditCitation invoked

    (3)(+0000000): Integration: Request already in progress; not executing http addEditCitation
    This just isn't for the first request after restarting Zotero.

    I'd guess that your Zotero is just stuck and not actually restarting. Restart your computer and try again.
  • gauravsonik
    I restarted my computer, then the zotero, enabled debug there, and then opened my google doc, used the zotero tab on google doc, and then collected the debug id.

    The Debug ID is D432563248.
  • gauravsonik
    This Debug ID is from the Zotero window.
  • gauravsonik
    Could you please help?
  • dstillman
    edited July 9, 2022
    No, that's not how this works: https://www.zotero.org/support/forum_guidelines#be_patient

    ("think your post may have slipped through the cracks" means days, not minutes.)

    So that debug output is OK, but now we need the same from the Zotero Connector, since the problem before was just that Zotero was stuck and not restarting.

    Restart your computer again and provide a Debug ID from the Zotero Connector for the first attempt.
  • gauravsonik
    Sorry for being impatient.

    I restarted my computer, then the zotero, then the extension of the zotero connector in chrome, enabled debug logging there, and then opened my google doc, used the zotero tab on google doc, and then collected the debug id from zotero connector.

    The Debug ID is D463899847.
  • dstillman
    edited July 9, 2022
    OK, thanks. @adomasven will need to take a look.

    Does it work in a new document?

    If so, how big is the document where it's failing?
  • gauravsonik
    Ok.

    I tried it in a fresh document. The same problem is there.

    The document where it was failing is about 9 pages. This problem is with all the documents actually.

    One more thing: In Google Docs, whenever I try to use "Add/Edit Citation" from Zotero tab, or press the "Bold-Z" symbol (which is used for the same purpose), or try to use the shortcut for it "Ctrl+Alt+C", then the Insert-Link-Symbol blinks (it's the symbol which looks like a chain and is on the right side of highlight-icon and has shortcut Ctrl+K).
    This Insert-Link-Symbol blinks for a split-second everytime, whenever I try to use these functions.
  • dstillman
    edited July 9, 2022
    Be sure to restart Zotero fully — which in your case may mean either restarting your computer or force-stopping zotero.exe in Task Manager — after each try. Once it's failed for you once, your Zotero appears to be in a hung state, so you need to make sure you're fully restarting the app.

    It would be very surprising if it weren't working for you a new document, but we'd want to know that. And you should test with both v1 and v2 of the Google Docs integration (again, making sure it's a full restart of Zotero, and after reloading the Google Docs page after changing the setting).
  • gauravsonik
    I restarted my computer each time and performed everything afresh everytime.

    Its not working in the new doc either. The v1 and v2 of the Google Docs integration are both enabled. I looked again.

    Everytime I restarted the PC and performed the check, the v1 and v2 were both enabled.
  • dstillman
    No, I’m asking you to try with and without v2 being checked. When v2 is unchecked, it’s using v1.
  • gauravsonik
    I tried it with and without V2 being enabled. The same problem persists both the times.
  • dstillman
    OK, if even v1 is failing for you in a new, empty document, after restarting your computer, there's something very wrong on your system.

    Start by disabling any other browser extensions you're running. You can also try in a different browser.
  • gauravsonik
    I tried again, by restarting my computer, enabling only v1, and then trying in a fresh Google doc. I could add citations, albeit the process is still slow.

    Have you been able to look into the DebugID from my Zotero Connector, which I provided earlier:
    The Debug ID is D463899847.

    For this Debug, I restarted my computer, then the zotero app, then the extension of the zotero connector in chrome, enabled debug logging in zotero connector in chrome, and then opened my google doc, used the zotero tab on google doc, and then collected the debug id from zotero connector.
  • adomasven
    Hard to say what's happening from the Debug IDs, but I'd assume some other browser extension is interfering with the Zotero plugin. I see from the Debug ID that you submitted from Zotero after restart, that an initial citation insert worked, and then got stuck on the second attempt. So as Dan suggested, you should try disabling other extensions, restarting Zotero and Chrome and seeing if it works better.
  • gauravsonik
    I tried disabling all other extensions. Now it works somewhat better.

    Is there a way you could tell me which browser extension is interfering with my Zotero?

    I have/had following extensions in my chrome browser:
    1. AdBlock — best ad blocker 5.0.2
    2. Google Docs Offline 1.44.2
    3. Google Scholar Button 3.1
    4. Grammarly: Grammar Checker and Writing App
    5. Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides
    6. Zotero Connector 5.0.97
  • dstillman
    edited July 13, 2022
    You can just enable or disable one-by-one to see (except for Zotero Connector, of course, which has to be enabled).
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