49890224

mitchsilverman
The Bluebook Law Review style doesn't work in Google Docs (in Chrome, on a Chromebook) using the classic Add Citation dialog. What shows up in the footnote is "Updating", in blue with an underline (like a link). It doesn't change.

With the new Add Citation dialog, the footnote is populated immediately.

Thanks!
  • dstillman
    Error: Non-fatal Google Docs Error: An error occurred while updating fields. ["isM47I"]
    You can reproduce this reliably? It works in the default dialog but fails in the classic dialog?

    Can you provide a Debug ID from Zotero (rather than Report ID from Zotero Connector) for an attempt that fails?
  • mitchsilverman
    I tried it again, several times, in different Google Docs documents, and now I'm getting " {Updating}" all the time. I made multiple error reports from within Zotero—I hope that isn't a problem.

    The error is repeating reliably, using either the default or classic citation dialog.

    They are (in order, I hope):

    781330964
    38214474
    100679321

    I hope this helps!
  • dstillman
    Those are Report IDs, not Debug IDs.
  • mitchsilverman
    Okay.

    D683065220

    I really wish you had pointed me in the right direction.

    Should you choose to do in the future, here's a useful URL: https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output
  • mitchsilverman
    I tried another source, because I wasn't sure the one I had been trying might have been the problem.

    I really appreciate your help.
  • dstillman
    I really wish you had pointed me in the right direction.
    I literally linked to that page and said "Debug ID" "rather than a Report ID"…
  • mitchsilverman
    You're right, you did. I apologize.

    Maybe the red underlining threw me—I didn't realize it was a link.

    Did I get you enough information?
  • dstillman
    (3)(+0000001): Integration: http-addEditCitation:'1gawZCEObLk1lzRcDA2qix7UI23C_HuyHpt0rsSERzU4' complete in 29.617s
    This shows the operation completing in 30 seconds (including the time the dialog was open). You're saying it's staying as "Updating…" in the document after this? Can you now provide a Debug ID from the Zotero Connector for reproducing it?
  • mitchsilverman
    Okay, I did it without starting logging in the Connector, but I think the Connector still caught both errors, both the new and classic citation dialogs. Neither one works at this point.

    I used a stopwatch (on my phone). I watched the footnote, cursor blinking right after it, for over 90 seconds each time, with no change.

    The Connector Debug ID is 89457974.

    If that isn't sufficient, I'll restart the process, for both, with another clean document.

    I'm trying to help—this is a style I need to use, professionally and personally—and I am *not* trying to be snarky (or an asshole). (At this point, I am trying *not* to be those things.)

    Again, thanks for your help.
  • dstillman
    The Connector Debug ID is 89457974.
    No, that's a Report ID from the connector. You already provided that. That's why I'm asking for a Debug ID from the connector.
  • mitchsilverman
    Okay. I think this is what you want: D34409241

    I tried the new and classic citation dialogs. I tried the first, waited (well over) 90 seconds, then quit waiting and deleted the footnote mark. I tried the second, waited over 90 seconds, then gave up.

    I just groveled through the debug output myself. Sorry for the garbage at the beginning; I think I clicked on another tab. I have a feeling the output won't be useful, but I hope I'm wrong.

    Could the problem be in the CSL?

    Sorry for the delay—I haven't been back on my Chromebook again until tonight.

    Thanks again for your help!
  • adomasven
    Does it happen with every citation item or just with some specific ones? Is it reproducible with those items in a new document? If so, can you export those items from Zotero as RDF, upload them somewhere and post a link here (like dropbox), then write out full steps on how to reproduce the issue in a new document.

    Just to note, this issue is definitely not caused by the type of citation dialog you use, so no need to focus on that.
  • mitchsilverman
    edited August 11, 2022
    Here's the RDF file: [removed — D.S.]

    Anyone should be able to access it from the URL. (Please let me know when you're done downloading it.)

    There are four citations in the file. Gould (2009) works. None of the other three do.

    The steps to reproduce are simple: In a Google Docs document set to the Bluebook Law Review style, click the "Z" icon in the menu bar and attempt to insert a citation. With every citation I've tried other than Gould (2009), I get a footnote that says "{Updating}", in blue and underlined, as if it's a link. With Gould (2009) I get a correct footnote.

    Also, I tried editing the "{Updating}" footnote, and got an error message:

    "Selected field On8qLD not returned from Docs backend"

    Does the error message help?

    Is that enough detail?
  • adomasven
    I can't seem to reproduce this with your items in a new document. Does it work if you disable all extensions in your browser except for Zotero Connector? What about if you create a new Chrome profile and only install Zotero Connector for testing?
  • mitchsilverman
    I can't set up a new profile in Chrome on my Chromebook unless I create a new account on the machine (I think), which may be the next step.

    I *think* the problem is the Google Chrome extension "Google Docs Offline" (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-docs-offline/ghbmnnjooekpmoecnnnilnnbdlolhkhi). It's an essential extension, because it allows laptop and Chromebook users to access Google Docs files when they don't have an Internet connection. You may not have installed. (it's not really useful on a desktop computer, and it's not useful on a laptop unless you use Google Docs. On a Chromebook, however, Google Docs is the primary office suite.)

    I started with just the Zotero connector enabled: Everything (5-6 citations in a row) worked. I turned on Google Docs Offline, and the citations went back to "{Updating}". I turned it off again; it worked. I turned on a couple of heavier-duty extensions, everything worked. I turned Google Docs Offline back on, and nothing.

    Also, keep in mind, I'm using Linux Zotero on a Chromebook. I don't know whether that has figured into your troubleshooting. I can't *imagine* that there's an incompatibility between such an essential extension and Zotero with Windows Chrome.

    Thanks again for your help!
  • adomasven
    edited August 22, 2022
    Sorry for the late response. I originally missed the fact this is a Chromebook.

    We have had some users report that Google Docs Offline extension causes issues, although last time I tested with it, it worked fine. Moreover, the extension doesn't seem to be available to download anymore from the Chrome webstore. There's Docs Offline extension, but it has not been updated since 2019 and I cannot install it into chrome on my Linux machine. Are you sure it is still essential, or that Google Docs doesn't work in some other way when you're offline without the extension?

    EDIT:
    Oh, there is an up-to-date Google Docs Offline extension, but it does not cause issues on non Chrome OS, so it's likely the culprit. Unfortunately we don't have access to a Chromebook, so it's not clear if the issue is even fixable in the Zotero Connector. The obvious thing to do here, which I guess you figured out, is to disable the extension when offline functionality is not needed. The Zotero Connector wouldn't work offline either way.
  • mitchsilverman
    The less-obvious way to proceed—much less!—is to use LibreOffice... since Bluebook citation style relies heavily on small caps.

    I had to manually install the connector (by clicking on it from within Krusader, because running it from the command line didn't work. I know enough to be dangerous, I guess). I'm saving my files where they sync into Google Drive (like my whole Windows Documents folder), so using Win LibreOffice, interoperability with Word and Zotero isn't an issue.

    Anyway, mischief managed.

    I have seen reports of other problems with Google Docs Offline and Chromebooks. For the moment, I'm not complaining (wry grin).

    Thanks for your help!
  • adomasven
    Technically the Google Docs Integration V2 (in Connector Preferences -> Advanced) has proper support of smallcaps, unlike the initial integration, but the V2 is plagued by a Google Docs bug that Google doesn't seem too keen to address even after reporting to them and them saying they will look into it.
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