refs become unlinked when copy (or cut) & paste in same googledoc

doctorproctor
Hi, I'm a faithful Zotero user (Mac OS 14.5; Zotero 6.0.37) and write in GoogleDocs (Chrome 126.0.6478.127). Lately I'm noticing that valid Zotero citations inserted using Z connector (5.0.140) become unlinked (in red) when I copy (or cut) and paste them elsewhere in the same GDoc. I then have to edit and re-link each.

This may/may not be related to a behavior I'm also noticing for the first time, in which occasionally when I have both Chrome and Zotero open and choose "Add/edit citation," I am warned that Zotero does not have proper permissions to do so, even though it was working perhaps a few hours prior. (I then just go to Document preferences" and re-connect.)

Thanks for any suggestions!...getting tired of re-linking citations.

Jim P.
  • adomasven
    If you click Add/Edit Citation on the citations that you are copying, does the citation dialog open with an ability to edit them? Does copying just one citation also produce this result? Could you produce a Debug ID from Zotero Connector for a copy and paste operation?
  • doctorproctor
    Thanks, I will report back when it happens again. This AM I did full doc prefs to make sure all was working, copy/pasted three passages, none had a problem. Will continue to monitor for this issue and post requested info.
  • doctorproctor
    I have not yet reproduced the problem I reported, but I *have* witnessed the attached twice today, in which after a break of several hours I return to the GoogleDoc to add a Z citation and get this error msg. If I copy/paste [or add a citation] after receiving this msg, all is fine, so maybe Z fixes itself, but if I had copy/pasted as my first Z action after several hours not working on the doc, I may have seen the copy/paste issue appear again (?).

    Thanks,

    Jim

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u610289/bd22t183j5e3wzp9mzoz.png
  • adomasven
    Thanks for the report. We will have a fix in the next release of the Connector in the coming days.
  • doctorproctor
    Thank you!
  • doctorproctor
    An additional, likely related, error attached. This happens when I select "Document preferences..." to connect Chrome with Z after a several-hour break. I can then select it again and all works fine; error just shows the first time.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u610289/j4j6wotomnbouu48su4x.png
  • doctorproctor
    OK, citations issue just happened; see screenshot att'd, and those two refs in GoogleDoc now in red. A few details:

    -They were fine a few hrs ago when I last worked on the doc.
    -I *think* I was "successful" this time when I did "Document preferences..." to make sure Z was connected, rather than the error in previous post.
    -But right after document prefs was complete, I got this error msg.
    -These two refs *may* be the last two I added, but not entirely sure...among the last I added for sure.

    OK, not sure if helpful, but that's my update.

    Jim


    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u610289/zo61kmsffw5w1k5hu8jp.png
  • adomasven
    Could you make sure you are running the latest version of the Zotero Connector (5.0.141), refresh Google Docs, run a Zotero command (like opening Document Preferences), resolve any unlinked citations if there are any, and then see if you can still reproduce this issue?
  • doctorproctor
    Yes, thank you; I restarted Chrome and now see the updated connector. I'll check to see if I can reproduce the error, and will report here if so.
  • doctorproctor
    Hi, experienced problem again just now; see att'd screenshots. Steps I was taking:

    (1) I had earlier copied/pasted a reference (Homans 2024) that appeared to paste just fine, i.e., it appeared in standard shaded Z format in my GDoc. (I have done similar copy/paste with other refs, without trouble.)

    (2) I then used the Connector to add two new citations (Kalmoe and Mason 2019; 2022). As soon as I added them (successfully), I got the error msg attached, and the Homans ref appeared in red.

    [Btw, not a serious thing for me, but when I go to Document Preferences after not working on the GoogleDoc for awhile (in order to confirm everything ok), I get a light gray rectangle the shape of the citation box in the foreground, sort of like the red citation box without color or text. I know to then go to Zotero and select the Preferences window, and once I accept that window all is fine.]

    Thank you for all you do!...Zotero is something I use every day, and teach my students how to use as well.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u610289/h2gbe3w6h11w5ni2aedb.png
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u610289/wz2yvg980l2ugc2vhovr.png
  • dstillman
    (1) I had earlier copied/pasted a reference (Homans 2024) that appeared to paste just fine, i.e., it appeared in standard shaded Z format in my GDoc.
    "Earlier" as in a few minutes/hours earlier, or potentially with the previous version of the plugin? If with this version, might it have been the same issue where you hadn't interacted with the Zotero plugin in some amount of time?

    To be clear, it's almost certainly the copy/paste that would've potentially unlinked the citation, and it would always appear normally — that part wouldn't be meaningful. The later operation is just what causes Zotero to rescan the document and discover that it was unlinked, and that's when it gets turned red. But it's the copying that would've done it, so the key thing would be to figure out what was happening around the time you copied it.

    Note that, when things are working normally, you should see a brief message at the top of the page saying that Zotero is updating the document. If it pastes immediately without that, it's a sign that there's a problem.
  • doctorproctor
    Hi, thanks and sorry, I'll be more clear as to your points. I'm pretty sure all of this (initial citation via Z connector, then later copy/paste of text with citation) happened following the most recent .141 update. By "earlier," I meant a time gap of a few hours.

    I hear you when/how the ref was detected as unlinked (yes, I see brief msg at top; but I see this each time I copy/paste as well).

    I'll pay more attn to "…what was happening around the time you copied it," and report if I experience this again, thanks.
Sign In or Register to comment.