The *Author* field constantly targeted/activated when scrolling through items with arrow keys

gershtripp
There are two issues that seem to be related:

1. When I manually fill in the *Author* field, and it is set to *(full name)*, I frequently have to press enter twice, or enter and then ESC, to really exit the field. The initial press of enter actually enters the text into the field, but then the field is somehow automatically re-activated.
2. Once this double activation happens, it becomes impossible to scroll through the items with the arrow keys because focus is constantly automatically moved to the *Author* field of the newly selected item.

The double/automatic activation only seems to happen with the *Author* fields (albeit with all labels, e.g. "Editor", "Presenter", etc.). The initial double activation only seems to happen when the *Author* field is set to *(full name)*. However, once double activation has occurred, *(last), (first)* is also affected when I then try to scroll through items with the arrow keys. It's also the case that many empty *Author* fields are automatically set to *(full name)* after the first double activation.

The issue usually doesn't go away unless I actively try to "unbreak" it by clicking around on random items, or by clicking in and out of the author field repeatedly, or by switching between *(full name)* and *(last), (first)* a few times, or by some combination of the above.
  • adomasven
    Could you submit a Report ID from Zotero?
  • gershtripp
    Yes. My report ID is 1890368124.

    I've since noticed that the *Abstract* field can also be targeted when scrolling through items with the arrow keys. I've also noticed another related issue: When I create a new *Author* field and then change it to *Editor* the field shows the prompt "(full name)". When I try to enter the full name, existing names aren't recognized, and when I press enter it reverts to "(last), (first)" with the typed text in the "(last)" part.
  • adomasven
    Does the issue occur if you disable all add-ons in Zotero?
  • gershtripp
    Yes. I disabled all add-ons, restarted, and have been working for about an hour. Issue 2 above seems to be slightly less acute, i.e. auto-focus happens only once or twice before returning to normal. But the other issues listed above don't improve at all.
  • dstillman
    Can you figure out precise steps from Zotero startup to reproduce it?
  • gershtripp
    It is always an issue, i.e. there's no point where I do something particular that causes the malfunction - the bugs are there as soon as Zotero is opened.
  • dstillman
    We still need exact steps to reproduce it, from a fresh startup with all third-party plugins disabled. We can't fix it if we can't reproduce it.
  • gershtripp
    Okay… I installed Zotero on a different Mac that has never had Zotero on it. That means it is a completely fresh install with no plugins and no previous settings. It shows exactly the same symptoms as those described above. I've also discovered a further "Author field" bug (B5 below).

    With the freshly installed Zotero I did the following tasks (bugs are indicated, under relevant steps, with B1-B5):

    1. add a "Book" entry

    2. give the book the name "blah"

    3. switch Author field to "one field"

    4. enter "Rick Deckard", press enter
    !!! B1 -> **focus exits field and then immediately re-enters same field (expected to simply exit)**

    5. create another "Book" entry

    6. give the new book the name "bleh"

    7. *Author* field should already be set to "one field"

    8. enter "Rick Deckard", press enter
    !!! B1

    9. click on "bleh" with mouse pointer

    10. move to "blah" with up arrow key
    !!! B2 -> **focus is automatically moved to the Author field (no focus expected)**

    11. do steps 9 and 10 again, but move from "blah" to "bleh"
    !!! B2

    12. using mouse pointer, click between "blah" and "bleh"
    !!! B3 -> **Author field "flashes", i.e. Zotero briefly focuses on it (no focus expected)**

    13. click on "blah" with the mouse

    14. add new Author field, it should already be set to "one field", don't entering anything yet

    15. change new Author field to "Editor" (the focus should leave the field)

    16. click on the new Editor field to move focus to it

    17. Enter "Rachael Rosen" and press enter
    !!! B4 -> **the field unexpectedly switches from "one field" to "two fields", and the full name you've added is only in the "(last)" field, while the "(first)" field is empty**

    18. switch all Author and Editor fields in "blah" and "bleh" to "two fields"

    19. navigate to "bleh" using the mouse

    20. add new Author field containing "Deckard, Ron"

    21. navigate to "blah" using mouse

    22. click on last name of Author "Deckard, Rick"

    23. enter "Deck", navigate to auto-completion recommendation "Deckard, Ron", press enter
    !!! B5 -> **Author name now looks like "Deckard, Ron, Rick", where "Deckard, Ron" is one text string in "(last)", while "Rick" is in "(first)"




    *Notes about bugs:*

    A. B2/B3 seem to depend on B1, i.e. they don't occur without B1's having first occurred.

    B. B1 also happens when the Author field is set to "two fields", but B2/B3 generally do not.

    C. B2/B3 will continue until "fixed" by switching Author field to "two fields". Sometimes it also fixes itself.

    D. B5 seems to only occur when authors share the same last name. When they different last names the first name is correctly replaced by autocomplete.
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