Zotero app does not open and connect to library (Mac Sonoma 14.5)

Hallo zusammen,

seit einigen Tagen öffnet sich meine Zotero App nicht mehr – "Programm reagiert nicht". Meine Library liegt auf einem externen Datenträger, seit Jahren nutze ich dieses System. Leider habe ich keine Idee, was nun anders ist oder was ich tun soll. Kann mir jemand helfen?
  • You should move your data directory back to the local disk. We can't help as long as it's on an external disk.
  • I now moved the library to the local disk. I have removed and downloaded the app before, so there is no connection between my library and the app right now. if i open the app, I see just the loading bar in front of a grey zotero surface.
  • Deleting the app from Applications has no effect on your data or settings.

    Can you provide a Debug ID, as explained on Reporting Startup Errors?
  • I cannot open the App via Spotlight. It is the same problem. If I open the Terminal and set /Applications/Zotero.app/Contents/MacOS/zotero -ZoteroDebug

    it says

    2024-06-07 11:08:19.930 zotero[4972:151007] *** WARNING: Textured window is getting an implicitly transparent titlebar. This will break when linking against newer SDKs. Use NSWindow's -titlebarAppearsTransparent=YES instead.

  • -ZoteroDebug should open a separate window that lets you submit debug output. If that's not working, you can use -ZoteroDebugText as explained on that page and send the output via email.
  • No, we need debug output.
  • Hi again,

    admin@MacBook-Pro-28 ~ % /Applications/Zotero.app/Contents/MacOS/zotero -ZoteroDebug
    2024-06-08 10:41:59.241 zotero[6452:244092] *** WARNING: Textured window is getting an implicitly transparent titlebar. This will break when linking against newer SDKs. Use NSWindow's -titlebarAppearsTransparent=YES instead.

    is this the correct info?
  • Nope. Again, you can use -ZoteroDebugText instead of -ZoteroDebug to log to the terminal, as explained on the linked page.

    https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_problems#alternativelogging_to_the_terminal
  • Ah - I think now it worked:


    Last login: Sat Jun 8 10:41:47 on ttys000
    admin@MacBook-Pro-28 ~ % /Applications/Zotero.app/Contents/MacOS/zotero -ZoteroDebugText

    2024-06-08 10:47:33.823 zotero[6484:246602] *** WARNING: Textured window is getting an implicitly transparent titlebar. This will break when linking against newer SDKs. Use NSWindow's -titlebarAppearsTransparent=YES instead.
    zotero(3)(+0000000): Using data directory /Volumes/Transcend/Zotero_new

    zotero(3)(+0000005): Asynchronously opening database 'zotero'

    zotero(3)(+0000000): /Volumes/Transcend/Zotero_new/zotero.sqlite

    zotero(4)(+0000008): PRAGMA main.locking_mode=EXCLUSIVE

    zotero(4)(+0000000): PRAGMA page_size

    zotero(4)(+0000001): PRAGMA cache_size=2000

    zotero(4)(+0000000): PRAGMA foreign_keys=true

    zotero(4)(+0000006): SELECT version FROM version WHERE schema='system'

    zotero(3)(+0000003): Proxy not required for https://zoteroproxycheck.s3.amazonaws.com/test

    zotero(4)(+0000002): SELECT version FROM version WHERE schema='userdata'

    zotero(4)(+0000000): SELECT version FROM version WHERE schema='compatibility'

    zotero(4)(+0000002): SELECT value FROM settings WHERE setting='db' AND key='integrityCheck'

    zotero(3)(+0000001): HTTP GET resource://zotero/schema/global/schema.json

    zotero(3)(+0000003): HTTP GET resource://zotero/schema/global/schema.json succeeded with 200

    zotero(4)(+0000001): SELECT version FROM version WHERE schema='globalSchema'

    zotero(3)(+0000000): Database is up to date with global schema version 28 -- skipping update

    zotero(3)(+0000001): HTTP GET resource://zotero/schema/userdata.sql

    zotero(3)(+0000000): HTTP GET resource://zotero/schema/userdata.sql succeeded with 200

    zotero(3)(+0000000): Backing up database 'zotero'

    zotero(4)(+0000002): PRAGMA main.locking_mode=NORMAL


  • edited June 8, 2024
    That's still using the Zotero_new folder on your external disk. It's backing up the database, so if zotero.sqlite is big and the disk is slow it might just be taking a long time and you need to wait longer. Otherwise, you need to test this with the data directory on your local disk. After moving the data directory, you can reset the data directory location from Advanced → Files and Folders section of the Zotero settings, where you changed it originally.
  • okay, how do i reset the data directory location if i have no access to Zotero via the App? because if i run the command above giving me the error messages, the app starts but stays in the gray screen with the loading bar...
    is there an option to reset the directory via terminal?
  • Can you not still access the “Zotero” menu in your menu bar?
  • edited June 8, 2024
    In any case, if you just move the folder on your external drive out of the way, Zotero should prompt you to revert to the default location.
  • no accessing the zotero menu bar is not possible
  • See above.
  • I worked, thank you! We had to disconnect the external drive.
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