Google Docs error "Selected field null not returned from Docs backend"

markhwang · May 26, 2023

I am constantly getting this error while editing citations on Google Docs. It happens when I put in a citation and then come back to add another article to it. Even when I delete and re-insert the citation, it would eventually happen again. Sometimes the error message appears when I immediately try to edit the citation after I insert it.

Does anyone have a fix? I am using Chrome on Mac.

dstillman · May 26, 2023

Try disabling any other browser extensions you have installed and reloading Google Docs.

If you still have trouble, we'd want to see a Debug ID from the Zotero Connector for reproducing this.

markhwang · May 26, 2023

Actually, there was another thread about this issue. I think it has to do with citations in a table. Adding a trailing space works for me as a workaround.

https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/89961/cannot-read-property-startswith-of-null

madmargib · November 13, 2023

@markhwang this saved my life!! Thank you