I don't know about development plans but you can get better integration yourself by adding the Zotero icons to the quick access toolbar (just right click on the zotero ribbon element and click "add to quick access toolbar"). Alternatively you can define keyboard shortcuts for the word plugin buttons as described here.
N.B. this applies to word 2007, I would imagine it would be similar in 2010.
IDK whether this is possible, but it would be nice to put the Zotero ribbon element in the "references" tab, rather than the "add-ons" tab. I would doubt this would create a space problem, as the references tab is one of the shorter tabs. This behaviour is possible at least for some programs - Bluebeam PDF Revu adds a ribbon element to my home tab.
Also the Zotero ribbon element is not well integrated with the general "feel" of the ribbon, and does not take best advantage of it. Compare the Zotero element to the "proofing" element in the review tab, which also has seven buttons. In this element the most important buttons have large icons, with text underneath, utilising the full height of the ribbon. The other buttons are stacked three high to the right, with small icons next to a text description. This emphasises the most important functions in an intuitive, visual manner.
The ribbon elements also show dynamic resizing behaviour as the window size is reduced. For the proofing element three of the large buttons collapse to a stack of small buttons, then the text of the rightmost button stack disappears, leaving just the small icons. Finally the element is replaced by a "place-holder" icon, which can be clicked on to bring up a popup of the full element.
Overall I am quite impressed by the amount of thought that has gone into the ribbon UI, and it is clear that Zotero is not fully integrated with this. However, IMO, it probably wouldn't be worth the programming effort to achieve full integration (if this is even possible). The Zotero commands are perfectly usable as it stands, even more so if they are added to the quick access toolbar, and IMO the only sensible way to use Zotero with Word is through keyboard shortcuts, given how often citations are inserted in academic writing.
Okay, I can see how that would be desirable. I mainly use Zotero from the quick access bar or keyboard shortcuts as you mentioned. As for moving the Zotero items on the ribbon, I don't think that is possible in Word 2007. It should be possible from everything I have read for Word 2010, but I have not been able to figure out how to do it. You can put anything on any ribbon tab. However, the macros list in the ribbon editor is empty even though Zotero integration is installed and working (and the Zotero commands do show up under macros for keyboard shortcut customization).
As for moving the Zotero items on the ribbon, I don't think that is possible in Word 2007
Actually, it is possible - but only if you are willing to dig quite deep into the "raw" UI XML (which, for the few advantages is gains I am not, except perhaps as a learning exercise). There is an extensive guide to customising the Office 2007 ribbon here. Apparently you can even make a ribbon tab which is a pretty good recreation of the Word 2003 menu and toolbar structure. The mind boggles.
Edit: I wasn't being obtuse earlier when I said IDK whether it is possible - I meant that I didn't know whether it was possible to achieve automatically, rather than on a user-by-user basis.
I could not see the Zotero toolbar on the add-in part of the ribbon in Office 2007 until I uninstalled an old copy of Reference Manager 10 and deleted the add-in files from the Word/Startup folder. The two pieces of software clearly competed with each other for the same space.
In some future release, it should be possible to get the Zotero links onto the Reference tab. I have a copy of Endnote on my university computer, which I plan to replace with Zotero, but that actually carves out its own space on the Reference tab alongside the Word citation area. I have added a link to the quick access bar as an interim solution, which has, I see, already been suggested here, but I agree that it would be neater if anyone can figure out how Endnote did that and can replicate it.
With Word 2010 final (Beta does not work) you can replace the Word citation tab with a custom tab that uses the Zotero macros using the Ribbon editor. You can export and import these customizations. I created a file and provide it here for you. The folder contains the UI customization and a screenshot how it will look like. However I could not use the original icons and the file may override all of your existing customizations to the Word UI.
I have Word 2010 Beta. When I install the Zotero add-in for Word 2.0, the Zotero tool bar does not show up anywhere, not under Add-ins. No Zotero macros anywhere. It's in Firefox under Add-ons, but I can't find it in Word anywhere.
When I press Reinstall Word Components, it doesn't look like it does
anything. The button depresses when I click on it and pops back up.
I hit OK, and zotero.dot is still not there in Word. I looked
further, and the instructions do not tell what to do for my version of
Windows, which I think is 2007. There is no Run on the start button
to search for that string that tells me where the zotero.dot file is
located.
I followed the links to manual installation instructions, and Zotero.dot is in the correct startup directory. I don't know why it's not showing up when I start Word.
I had a the same problem with Word 2007. For my system, the problem was a conflict with EndNote.
I did everything like suggested, and nothing worked. I couldn't get the Zotero Add-in menu to show up even though all files were in the correct locations (removed & reinstalled twice, restarted the computer etc.)
The Zotero menu finally popped up after I disabled my EndNote add-in via Word Templates and Add-ins in Preferences. But then it disappeared the next time I launched Word.
Finally, I went to the STARTUP folder and renamed all three EndNote files with another file extension, and then I could see the Zotero menu as an Add-in, and it stayed in the menu.
@austing - thanks so much for your ribbon customization file! This makes Zotero integrate nicely - and I can finally add individual Zotero commands to my quick access toolbar ;)
I highly suggest that the Zotero team looks into whether it is possible to include this solution in the official Word plugin - makes for a much nice user experience ;)
@hmarcuse: Download the file UI file from austing's link and then follow the simple instructions here for importing a ribbon customization (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/export-or-import-a-customized-ribbon-HA101850649.aspx).
Upgrade Storage
N.B. this applies to word 2007, I would imagine it would be similar in 2010.
Also the Zotero ribbon element is not well integrated with the general "feel" of the ribbon, and does not take best advantage of it. Compare the Zotero element to the "proofing" element in the review tab, which also has seven buttons. In this element the most important buttons have large icons, with text underneath, utilising the full height of the ribbon. The other buttons are stacked three high to the right, with small icons next to a text description. This emphasises the most important functions in an intuitive, visual manner.
The ribbon elements also show dynamic resizing behaviour as the window size is reduced. For the proofing element three of the large buttons collapse to a stack of small buttons, then the text of the rightmost button stack disappears, leaving just the small icons. Finally the element is replaced by a "place-holder" icon, which can be clicked on to bring up a popup of the full element.
Overall I am quite impressed by the amount of thought that has gone into the ribbon UI, and it is clear that Zotero is not fully integrated with this. However, IMO, it probably wouldn't be worth the programming effort to achieve full integration (if this is even possible). The Zotero commands are perfectly usable as it stands, even more so if they are added to the quick access toolbar, and IMO the only sensible way to use Zotero with Word is through keyboard shortcuts, given how often citations are inserted in academic writing.
Edit: I wasn't being obtuse earlier when I said IDK whether it is possible - I meant that I didn't know whether it was possible to achieve automatically, rather than on a user-by-user basis.
In some future release, it should be possible to get the Zotero links onto the Reference tab. I have a copy of Endnote on my university computer, which I plan to replace with Zotero, but that actually carves out its own space on the Reference tab alongside the Word citation area. I have added a link to the quick access bar as an interim solution, which has, I see, already been suggested here, but I agree that it would be neater if anyone can figure out how Endnote did that and can replicate it.
The folder contains the UI customization and a screenshot how it will look like. However I could not use the original icons and the file may override all of your existing customizations to the Word UI.
If you've tried the steps there, say exactly what you've tried and what happened.
anything. The button depresses when I click on it and pops back up.
I hit OK, and zotero.dot is still not there in Word. I looked
further, and the instructions do not tell what to do for my version of
Windows, which I think is 2007. There is no Run on the start button
to search for that string that tells me where the zotero.dot file is
located.
I did everything like suggested, and nothing worked. I couldn't get the Zotero Add-in menu to show up even though all files were in the correct locations (removed & reinstalled twice, restarted the computer etc.)
The Zotero menu finally popped up after I disabled my EndNote add-in via Word Templates and Add-ins in Preferences. But then it disappeared the next time I launched Word.
Finally, I went to the STARTUP folder and renamed all three EndNote files with another file extension, and then I could see the Zotero menu as an Add-in, and it stayed in the menu.
I highly suggest that the Zotero team looks into whether it is possible to include this solution in the official Word plugin - makes for a much nice user experience ;)
<mso:cmd app="Word" dt="0" /><mso:customUI xmlns:x1="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui/macro" xmlns:mso="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui"><mso:ribbon><mso:tabs><mso:tab idQ="mso:TabReferences"><mso:group id="mso_c1.234079" label="Zotero" imageMso="VisualBasicReferences" insertBeforeQ="mso:GroupCaptions" autoScale="true"><mso:button idQ="x1:ZoteroInsertCitation_0_25145B" label="Insert Citation" imageMso="RmsSendBizcard" onAction="ZoteroInsertCitation" visible="true"/><mso:button idQ="x1:ZoteroInsertBibliography_2_25145B" label="Insert Bibliography" imageMso="FormulaMoreFunctionsMenu" onAction="ZoteroInsertBibliography" visible="true"/><mso:button idQ="x1:ZoteroRefresh_1_25145B" label="Zotero Refresh" imageMso="RecurrenceEdit" onAction="ZoteroRefresh" visible="true"/><mso:button idQ="x1:ZoteroEditCitation_3_25145B" label="Edit Citation" imageMso="RmsSendBizcardDesign" onAction="ZoteroEditCitation" visible="true"/><mso:button idQ="x1:ZoteroRemoveCodes_4_25145B" label="Remove Zotero Codes" imageMso="InkEraseMode" onAction="ZoteroRemoveCodes" visible="true"/></mso:group><mso:group idQ="mso:GroupCitationsAndBibliography" visible="false"/><mso:group idQ="mso:GroupTableOfAuthorities" visible="false"/></mso:tab><mso:tab idQ="mso:TabMailings" visible="false"/></mso:tabs></mso:ribbon></mso:customUI>