Extra Variables Documentation

sicahjes
edited 6 days ago
I have found the [Citing Fields from Extra](https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/item_types_and_fields) page in the Zotero documentation, but I was wondering if there was a resource indicating which variables will work with which item type. I rarely get the output I need, and would love a guide to help me figure it out (As it comes up a lot).

For example, I have a historical document. Based on its type and citation data, I'm using the 'Manuscript' as the item type. My citation style is Chicago (Full Note).

Attempt 1: placed 'type: periodical'; 'volume: 1'; and 'issue: 9' in the extra field (each on its own row). None of the extra data was returned.

Attempt 2: removed 'type: periodical', and left 'volume: 1'; and 'issue: 9' in the extra field. Volume returned, issue did not.

Attempt 3: changed to 'book' item type, placed 'type: periodical'; 'volume: 1'; and 'issue: 9' in the extra field (each on its own row). None of the extra data was returned.

Attempt 4: still book type, removed 'type: periodical' left 'volume: 1' and and 'issue: 9' in the extra field. None of the extra data was returned.

Attempt 5: still book type, removed 'type: periodical', placed 1 in the 'volume' field, left issue: 9 in extra. Volume returned, issue did not.

There are also other fields in the linked list that would be really useful to show in citation data, but they rarely work for me. Some kind of mapping guide would be handy.

I didn't want to use book for this (the icons serve as a visual cure for me) but tried it anyway and it didn't work. I don't want to have to use report as that seems to be a catch-all and I really need to clean it up and get out of the habit of using it for things vastly different to reports.
  • aborel
    It sounds difficult, whether or not the Extra field will actually be used will mostly depend on the style (I think).
  • damnation
    Yes, that's correct.

    I would recommend that you tell us what you want to achieve in each individual case and we can give guidance or adapt the necessary citation style with/for you.
  • sicahjes
    Thanks, I was hoping to avoid having to do that. I'd rather have the information so I can adjust as I go.

    I'm using Chicago 17th Edition. Is there any documentation on this?
  • adamsmith
    The Extra field can hold any valid CSL variable and which variable is used for which item type and how depends entirely on the citation style, so you'd have to read the style's CSL code to follow that (we certainly can't document that individually for every one of >1,000 different styles).

    So we can help you with specific questions and we might be able to help you get CMoS 17 to do what you need, but I'm afraid the type of documentation you appear to have in mind is just not possible given how CSL works, sorry.
  • sicahjes
    All good, If this comes up again I'll see if I can make sense of the CSL code in the first instance and then post here if I can't figure it out.

    Regarding the example in my original post, would you know how I could set up the item to achieve the desired output? It needs to have title, author, place, date, archive, vol, number/issue.

    My citation style is Chicago (Full Note).
  • adamsmith
    That'd take quite a bit of moving things around, because Chicago is only to a very limited degree organized around item types and more about systematics of information (and volume/issue would never be in the end of the citation in regular Chicago style).
    You're wedded to using those variables? E.g. using dedicated variables for archival information, such as archive_collection and archive_location (I'm assuming that's what vol and number are) isn't an option? That'd make things much easier.
  • sicahjes
    Archive was more the name of the repository that the historical document is kept in. The issue I'm encountering is that I can't get the extra field to return what I need.

    It's not optimal to have to manage so much in the extra fields, but if that's what I need to do so be it.
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