Zotero is updating your document please wait...

antounm
Zotero keeps showing this message, anytime I wannt to add/edit a citation or do anything with zotero on google docs. I can see the red progress bar but nothing is progressing, no matter how long i wait. does anyone have an idea how to fix it?
  • dstillman
    What OS and browser are you using?

    Restart your browser and try again, and make sure the citation dialog isn't just appear behind your other windows. That's the most likely situation. The citation dialog window is part of the Zotero app.

    If you're sure it's not that, try disabling all your browser extensions (particularly Google Docs Offline) and reload Google Docs, and then try again.
  • nanea.r
    I have the same problem where the red bar appears, the document shows a blue hyperlink that says "updating" and it stays like that for up to 10 minutes until I reload. I have reinstalled zotero, closed the browser, cleared the cookies, and still the same issue.
  • dstillman
    @nanea.r: Same answer.
  • khuengo
    I have the same problem with @nanea.r: the dialog appears, but the google docs interface stuck at Zotero "is updating your document please wait..." and I cannot edit. I tried reloading Google Docs several times but it keeps showing the "updating" link for so long.
  • adomasven
    Restart Zotero and your browser, then try again. When you attempt to cite, make sure you look through all your browser windows and make sure a Zotero Google Docs authorization window is not waiting for action, then look through all Zotero windows, to find the citation dialog.
  • joannebentley
    Did anyone resolve this? I have the same issue when using Zotero in Google Docs. When I refresh, the citation remains as "Updating" in the footnote, but never actually updates. Sometimes absolutely nothing happens when I try and add a citation - there is no message about updating, and no citation is placed until I shut down Zotero, open it again, and then add the citation again, at which point it goes back to the 'Zotero is updating your document' banner. I have disabled all other extensions in Safari. I reinstalled Zotero. I shut down Safari and reopened it. I checked for any browser windows waiting for action, and found none. I refreshed Google Docs. I moved over to Chrome and tried there, and I have exactly the same problem. My OS is up to date (Sonoma 14.5), and I checked that all apps are up to date.
  • adomasven
    Restart Zotero and your browser, and submit a Debug ID from Zotero for an attempt to use Zotero in Google Docs.
  • joannebentley
    Submitted with Debug ID D1622551701
  • adomasven
    Zotero is showing the citation window for you based on your debug log. If you cannot see it, you may need to look through open Zotero windows to find it.
  • joannebentley
    Ok, sorted, thank you
  • whitham.c
    I am having the same problem. Using Mac Sonoma 14.5 and using Safari browser. Trying to insert a citation into Google Docs document. I have checked that all Zotero sites and the Connector have full access/no restrictions. I can see the red bar "Zotero citation dialogue", but nothing is happening. It is just stuck like that, all red, and I can't insert a citation!

    I have checked various other threads and tried many things but nothing seems to work.

    Could this be anything to do with the fact that I have 2 google accounts and when I open my google doc, I always have to change the account I'm logged in with, and then Zotero also asks me which google account I'm using. (I am using the same for Zotero and Google docs - I've read in another thread that this shouldn't have any effect, but I just wonder if this extra step I am taking to confirm which account I'm using, is upsetting the process somehow?)

    Please let me know if I should submit a Debug ID? Thank you for any help!
  • adomasven
    Restart Zotero and Safari. When prompted to select the Google account, make sure it is the account which owns the document you are editing (it may, or may not be the same as the one you used to register your Zotero account). If you still get the red bar, restart Zotero and refresh the Google Docs page, then submit a Debug ID from Zotero for an attempt to cite.
  • whitham.c
    Many thanks for your fast response!
    Yes I still got the red bar unfortunately: here is my Debug ID D430109892.
    (One further question: Does this also mean therefore, that I cannot insert a citation/use Zotero with a Google document owned by another colleague, but which I have permission to edit?)
  • adomasven
    Could you also submit a Debug ID from the Zotero Connector? Does it work in a new document?
    Does this also mean therefore, that I cannot insert a citation/use Zotero with a Google document owned by another colleague, but which I have permission to edit?
    No, the Zotero Google Docs plugin will work with any document as long as your account has the permission to edit it.
  • whitham.c
    Thank you again.

    Yes, here is my Debug ID from the Zotero Connector: D469621558. Unfortunately I have tried this with new documents and I have the same problem every time.

    And thank you for answering my question :)
  • adomasven
    Does enabling Zotero Connector to run on all websites (see https://www.zotero.org/support/google_docs#menu_doesn_t_appear) help?
  • whitham.c
    I already have that enabled, and the result is the same.

    Does it have anything to do with the fact that when I click on "Add/Edit citation" and it takes me to a new window where I have to select the google account for authorisation... I then select the account, and the "Connector Authorisation Complete" window does not close automatically.

    Somehow it seems that the Zotero Connector is not functioning properly. However, it has all permissions enabled.... I don't know what more I can try... but I'm grateful for any ideas! Thank you
  • adomasven
    Yes, this is caused by Safari preventing Zotero Connector from working on all pages, specifically, Zotero Connector needs to run on the page that says "Connector Authorisation Complete", and cannot. Safari Preferences -> Extensions, when the Zotero Connector is selected should say "This extension can read and alter web pages you visit ad see your browsing history on all websites". If it does not, then the Zotero Connector is not correctly enabled to run on all websites. After enabling that you will need to restart Safari.
  • whitham.c
    I understand. However, I have these settings already. I have already given Zotero Connector permissions on ALL websites (as you have suggested). I checked the "Connector Authorisation Complete" page specifically, and it says that Zotero Connector has full permissions....

    Shall I try uninstalling the Connector and reinstalling again?
  • adomasven
    Does using a different account than the one authorized with this document work (or at least produce an error message)? It's worth trying to reinstall Zotero, although generally this doesn't help, but we have never seen a bug like this before.
  • whitham.c
    Thank you for all your help. I have tried using a different account and I didn't even get an error message - I just had the exact same response. I have uninstalled Zotero (along with the Connector) and reinstalled, but yes, it hasn't helped unfortunately.

    Luckily I just got Word installed on my Mac and I am managing to use Zotero with that for now. However, it would of course, be useful to be able to use Zotero with Google Docs too :( If you think of anything else that I might try, please let me know.

    Thank you for your time.
  • adomasven
    It's very likely that Google Docs will work fine with Firefox or Chrome. Ideally we would be able to figure out why it's not working correctly for you on Safari. Could you create a new temporary macOS user account and check if it works there correctly with Safari?
  • whitham.c
    @adomasven, Thank you again for your help.

    I created a new Mac OS user account (without signing in with my appleID account); I opened a Google docs document with the same Google account (the one I used when I encountered the previous problems); I then opened Zotero and did not sign in to my account (just an empty library); I downloaded one random article there and also downloaded the Zotero Connector onto Safari.... and it worked! I managed to insert a citation into my Google docs document, no problem! Hooray!

    I wonder if the original problem arises when I am in the Google docs interface, I click on the "Add citation" button, and then I am redirected to a page asking me: "Choose an Account... to continue to Zotero Google Docs Integration"...(because I have 2 google accounts, one work, one personal which I use on this computer and profile of Safari)...and here it goes wrong.

    In the case where I created a new Mac OS user account I only had the one google account, and everything went smoothly!

    Is it possible to understand what is going wrong here? Thank you
  • dstillman
    @whitham.c: Having multiple Google accounts shouldn't make a difference — we test that way all the time — but you can check by trying in a new Safari profile or by clearing your Google cookies in Safari.
  • whitham.c
    @dstillman: Apologies for my late response. I cleared all of my Google cookies in Safari, and suddenly it works! Thank you so much for your help!
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