No Web Page item type??

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It seems that I am just expected to install a browser extension to create a web page item in Zotero, but I am not permitted to install browser extensions on my computer. Why not have a manual way to add Web Page items? Why make it so confusing?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Yes, you're expected to install the Zotero Connector to use Zotero properly:

    https://www.zotero.org/support/adding_items_to_zotero#via_your_web_browser

    It's a core part of Zotero functionality.

    From a security perspective, it doesn't make a ton of sense for an organization to allow arbitrary desktop apps to be installed but disallow all browser extensions, given that desktop apps can generally do more, and in a harder-to-detect manner.

    If you really can't install the Connector, you can just create a new item of another type and change the item type, as explained here:

    https://www.zotero.org/support/adding_items_to_zotero#manually_adding_items

    But it'd be better to ask your IT department to allow you to install the Connector.
  • asdfkjhadsgfjhasdfhasdfkljhasdflkjasdf
    Well I'm not permitted to install arbitrary desktop apps, either. I'm not allowed to install anything, but IT will (has) installed Zotero for me, so I have Zotero, but all browser extensions are a hard no.
  • aborel
    edited 20 days ago
    One work-around for that unfortunate IT situation would be to create an item with a different type, change the type to Web Page, and then enter the relevant metadata.
  • asdfkjhadsgfjhasdfhasdfkljhasdflkjasdf
    Thank you for the information and links to the appropriate support articles. It is helpful. I still think that the process is unintuitive and unnecessarily complex, but I will use a workaround. I will either sync my Zotero account to my personal computer and add web pages there or manually add a new document of any type, then manually change the type to be a web page and enter the information.
  • jtmcnulty_iosbeta
    Here's another work-around. Print the web you want to a PDF file. Drag that file into the appropriate Zotero folder. Zotero automatically creates an item with its best guess for Item Type. You can change Item Type to suit your needs. The PDF you print will often contain data that auto-fills many Zotero info fields. (Zotero might even choose the right Item Type!). Tip 1) don't forget to delete the PDF from your save-to location. Not doing this can consume HD space at an alarming rate. Tip 2) Get into the habit of printing web pages when you suspect the URL will get moved or removed. Spending money on Zotero storage is a lot less frustrating than having hours of web research vanish.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    No…don’t do that. Just use the Zotero Connector, which automatically creates appropriate items and saves permanent webpage snapshots.
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