Citation dialog layout is different from the previous version

dstillman Zotero Team
This discussion was created from comments split from: Zotero no longer syncing with my Word document - compatible with track changes?.
  • VElderton
    This is exactly the issue as described by Malia above 3 years ago. {Citation} place holder come up and nothing syncs. For the past last couple years while writing my PhD thesis Zotero was my constant trusty assistant, now it a frustration and total waste of time.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    @VElderton: Same answer.
  • VElderton
    Problem solved … my issue was with the new configuration of Zotero v. 9 MS Word plug-in.

    The overall layout is quite different from the previous version I was using. This new version requires (1) choose citation … that hasn’t changed, the reference pops up in a dialogue box top of page … that’s a bit different (2) then you are required to check if you want an author name or just the date in the citation once you have made that selection, you select done ✔️ which means in my mind that’s all that should be required however then you have to (3) check the ✔️ in the citation dialogue box to complete the sync.

    Now that I figured out this circuitous process I am back on track and Zotero is once again a valuable friend.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    then you are required to check if you want an author name or just the date in the citation once you have made that selection
    Not sure what you mean by this. You can optionally customize each item using the citation popup to enter page numbers, choose Omit Author, etc., but you don't have to open the citation popup at all if you don't need to.

    The basic process in the new dialog is: 1) search for one or more items, 2) add them to your citation, and then 3) accept the dialog. Citations can always be made up of multiple items, so just choosing an item isn't sufficient, but you can always just press Enter twice to choose an item and then accept the dialog.

    If you were previously using the classic citation dialog, this comparison of common actions might be helpful:

    https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/classic_citation_dialog#comparing_common_actions

    If you're still finding something confusing or circuitous, provide some screenshots.
  • VElderton
    Obviously I was using the classic version, that I s what my university made available. I got use to that configuration.

    It would have been helpful to have the link you provided from the get-go … I found my way through on my own after a bunch of wasted time. I am happy that I have self-solved my issue.

    No response to this comment is required.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Obviously I was using the classic version, that I s what my university made available
    No, the classic dialog hasn't been the default citation dialog in 15 years. It's been a non-default option that you've had to turn on. The default dialog for the last 15 years has been the red-bar dialog, which worked similarly to the new one, except that the new one includes a library browser for people who were previously using the classic dialog.

    We may add a link to that documentation page from the citation dialog in an upcoming version for people using the library mode.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited today at 2:32pm
    (Again, though, if you think something is "circuitous", that's likely a misunderstanding. As the section I linked to explains, nearly all actions can be done faster in the new dialog than in the classic dialog.)
  • VElderton
    That’s an interesting response … I was only trying to describe my experience, yet your reply which I specifically stated wasn’t required, presents as impersonal Ai.

    What ever version that my university recommended 4 years ago never had a dialogue box … now that I have updated that’s been fixed.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited today at 2:56pm
    The point of these forums is to help people. When people post here and they've misunderstood something, we try to clear up the confusion. If you don't want help, you should not bother posting here.

    But if you are going to post here, you're going to have to trust that the people responding to you know how Zotero works and has worked.

    Once again, the classic citation dialog has not been the default citation dialog since 2011. The default one during that entire time was a red bar, still shown here:

    https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_usage#customizing_cites

    If you were using the classic dialog during that time, that's something you went out of your way to enable. That doesn't really matter at this point, but it's bizarre to make an incorrect claim — or claim that the new dialog is "circuitous" — and then expect for us not to try to help you understand things better.

    But since you don't seem to actually want help here, I'm going to close this thread to stop wasting everyone's time.
This discussion has been closed.