Saving too soon

LTER Network
Hi, I use Zotero to maintain a publication database for a large network (LTER) by saving items (via the browser connector in Chrome) from a web-of-science search to our Zotero library with individual collections for each site. It has worked smoothly for years.

Usually, when I click the connector icon, I get a list of collections within our group and I have enough time to choose the correct collection and add relevant tags before the item is saved. With the latest update, Zotero started saving as soon as I hit the connector icon -- so my pubs end up in the wrong collection and without the relevant tags,

I have updated the software. I have not yet tried a different browser, but will do that next.
Any thoughts?
Marty
  • LTER Network
    OK, seems to work as usual in FireFox.
  • LTER Network
    Spoke too soon. When using Firefox, Zotero desktop opens in the correct collection, but the item has not been saved.
  • dstillman
    This is how saving works, and has for many years. It saves to whatever collection is selected in Zotero, but you can choose a different collection/group and add tags from the save popup in the browser, which will update the item in Zotero. You can make those changes even if the save popup has closed just by clicking the save button again without reloading the page.

    Auto-syncs are delayed as long as the save popup is open, so it won't, say, sync an item to a group as long as you move it from the save popup.
  • LTER Network
    That's how saving *has* worked, but it's not how it's working for me *now.*
    I am getting two different unhelpful behaviors:

    1) I hit the browser connector and the save window opens for an instant, then closes before I have a chance to change anything. I can often (but not always) find the item saved in whichever collection I was in before I clicked the browser connector. Your explanation of that behavior makes sense -- what's new is that the connector window is closing so rapidly.

    2) I hit the browser connector and a window opens with a choice of every reference referred to on the page *except* the main publication, which is what I want to save. So I close the save window without choosing anything. I hit the browser connector again and I get the usual save window. I choose the correct collection and add a tag or two and hit "done." I switch over to Zotero to check and find that nothing has been saved. I can, at that point, add the item using the doi, but That's not nearly as convenient as using the browser connector.

    I should mention that I am generally trying to save from Clarivate Web of Science and usually in the latest version of Chrome.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u4594278/pew36hoqrezzowhjp5hq.png

    Thanks,
    Marty
  • LTER Network
    edited July 25, 2025
    I have a new clue on what might be happening with this. There is a folder that is visible in the connector popup (Primo_Bibtex_export, see screen shot), that is not one of my Zotero collections. When I google the folder name, it seems to be a Clarivate product (which I guess explains why this is happening only in Clarivate. The workaround, for the moment, seems to be to open the paper at the publisher's website and save from there -- though it does add a few clicks to the process.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u4594278/dxcocwa2jrmpdpqn0mpb.png
  • LTER Network

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u4594278/v0eygtntocltfz8u088d.png
  • dstillman
    No, that's just a collection in your trash. If you're still running Zotero 6, it will be hidden instead of showing up in the trash. You should upgrade to Zotero 7 via Help → Check for Updates.

    If you're still having trouble after that, we can debug it further:
    1. I hit the browser connector and the save window opens for an instant, then closes before I have a chance to change anything
    Provide a Debug ID from Zotero for reloading the page and reproducing this.
    2) I hit the browser connector and a window opens with a choice of every reference referred to on the page *except* the main publication, which is what I want to save. So I close the save window without choosing anything. I hit the browser connector again and I get the usual save window. […] I switch over to Zotero to check and find that nothing has been saved.
    If you can still reproduce this, provide a URL where it happens.
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