Is there a way to predefine additional citation styles for all users?

Blueslenz · January 30, 2023

I mean, can loading an additional CSL file into the %USERPFOILE%\Zotero\styles folder be predefined on program launch?

I want "deutsche-gesellschaft-fur-psychologie.csl" (https://www.zotero.org/styles/deutsche-gesellschaft-fur-psychologie) to be available for all users of a classroom PC without having to use User Environment Management (VMware DEM, Microsoft UE-V and the like).

I can't find any settings for this in prefs.js, zotero.js or about:config.

dstillman · January 30, 2023

There's not currently any way to do that other than putting the file in the right place. But if you would be customizing an existing Zotero profile directory anyway (for prefs.js), why couldn't you also create a skeleton Zotero data directory with just the .csl file you need in an otherwise empty 'styles' folder? Everything else (zotero.sqlite, other styles, translators, etc.) would be created around it.

(The only problem would be if someone unlinked their account and chose to delete their data, which would clear the preinstalled style as well, but I'm assuming these are user-specific logins where they'd keep their sync credentials set up.)

Blueslenz · January 30, 2023

Thanks for the tip. But where should I create the skeleton directory in a Windows OS?

C:\Program Files (x86)\Zotero\defaults\styles\ does'nt work for me anyway.

dstillman · January 30, 2023

The data directory location. See the page I linked to above.

Blueslenz · January 30, 2023

I just wanted to avoid editing a user profile or the data directory in this way.

I'd like to deploy Zotero via SCCM/MECM in the classrooms and if possible prepare the SCCM application so that the settings are predefined for all users.

For this I create Firefox-like a local-settings.js file under defaults\preferences in the program directory, refering a configuration file zotero.cfg in the program directory, where I can predefine all the prefs from about:config [ e.g. lockPref("extensions.zotero.firstRun2", false);)
lockPref("extensions.zoteroOpenOfficeIntegration.skipInstallation", true);
].

This all works fine so far except for the default citation styles.

So, I'll have to make a UEM predefined setting that copies the desired CSL file into the data directory on Zotero startup.

dstillman · January 30, 2023

Ah, it wasn't clear that you were setting prefs via the program directory rather than the profile directory.

There's no way to do this via just prefs, sorry. Someone could make a plugin that installed one or more styles pretty easily.