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kb:debugging_broken_documents [2024/10/14 22:12] – [Microsoft Word] dstillmankb:debugging_broken_documents [2024/12/02 03:10] (current) – Add an entry for Word macOS users about disabling clipboard software adomasven
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     - Make sure you're using the latest versions of Zotero and Word.     - Make sure you're using the latest versions of Zotero and Word.
     - While troubleshooting, disable the Track Changes feature in Word, as it can have complicated effects when working with Zotero. If Track Changes is enabled when you insert or modify a Zotero citation, it may mark many or all of the Zotero citations in your document as changed or cause [[word_field_codes|field codes to be displayed]]. On rare occasions, Track Changes may cause Zotero to think a citation is corrupted. If you had Track Changes enabled previously, try accepting all changes to see if that resolves the issue.     - While troubleshooting, disable the Track Changes feature in Word, as it can have complicated effects when working with Zotero. If Track Changes is enabled when you insert or modify a Zotero citation, it may mark many or all of the Zotero citations in your document as changed or cause [[word_field_codes|field codes to be displayed]]. On rare occasions, Track Changes may cause Zotero to think a citation is corrupted. If you had Track Changes enabled previously, try accepting all changes to see if that resolves the issue.
-    - In Word Options -> Advanced make sure "Typing replaces selected text" is checked. +    - In Word Options → Advanced, make sure "Typing replaces selected text" is checked. 
-    - Check for citations in image captions. Zotero won't let you insert them, but if you copied a citation to a caption that's most likely the source of the problem. Delete it.+    - If you use any clipboard enhancing software on macOS such as TextExpander, LaunchBar, Pure Paste, etc., temporarily disable it. 
 +    - Check for citations in image captions. Zotero won't let you insert them, but if you copied a citation to a caption, that's most likely the source of the problem. Delete it.
     - Try copying and pasting the document content into a new document to see if the problem goes away. You may need to click the "Set Document Preferences" button before your old citations will be recognized.     - Try copying and pasting the document content into a new document to see if the problem goes away. You may need to click the "Set Document Preferences" button before your old citations will be recognized.
     - Make a copy of your document — by duplicating the file itself, not by copying and pasting the content — to use for debugging.     - Make a copy of your document — by duplicating the file itself, not by copying and pasting the content — to use for debugging.
-    - If using OneDrive on Windows, save the copy of the document to your local hard drive, or try  renaming the file to remove any spaces in the filename. OneDrive is known to interfere with the plugin for some people.+    - If using OneDrive on Windows, save the copy of the document to your local hard drive, or try renaming the file to remove any spaces in the filename. OneDrive is known to interfere with the plugin for some people.
     - Open the copied file and check if you get the error after switching to a different bibliography style.     - Open the copied file and check if you get the error after switching to a different bibliography style.
-    - If the document has a bibliography, delete it and check if you still get the error.+    - If the document has a bibliography, delete it completely and check if you still get the error.
     - While debugging, if you are using Fields mode in the Word plugin, it may help to display field codes rather than formatted text. To do this, press Alt/Option-F9 (or Alt/Option-Fn-F9) in Word.     - While debugging, if you are using Fields mode in the Word plugin, it may help to display field codes rather than formatted text. To do this, press Alt/Option-F9 (or Alt/Option-Fn-F9) in Word.
     - **Isolate the problematic citations.** In the copy of your document, delete half of the contents at a time and see if the error still occurs. If not, use Undo to restore the deleted section and then try deleting the other half. Repeat the halving process on the section that fails, or pick one at random if both do. Continue this until you find the smallest possible section, ideally with a single citation, that must be present for the problem to occur. Remove the isolated citations from the original document and the problem should go away (unless there are multiple broken citations, in which case you'll need to repeat the process). Unless the error still occurs if you completely clear the contents of the document, **this final step will by definition identify the problem.**     - **Isolate the problematic citations.** In the copy of your document, delete half of the contents at a time and see if the error still occurs. If not, use Undo to restore the deleted section and then try deleting the other half. Repeat the halving process on the section that fails, or pick one at random if both do. Continue this until you find the smallest possible section, ideally with a single citation, that must be present for the problem to occur. Remove the isolated citations from the original document and the problem should go away (unless there are multiple broken citations, in which case you'll need to repeat the process). Unless the error still occurs if you completely clear the contents of the document, **this final step will by definition identify the problem.**
kb/debugging_broken_documents.1728958321.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/10/14 22:12 by dstillman