#1
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Bibiography citation gets "Invalid source specified" error
I am trying to create a bibliography following the instructions here:
https://support.office.com/en-us/art...9-342c289fa2a5 When I finish creating my first source, the field displays as Invalid source specified. If I expand the field, it shows { CITATION Mat17 \1 1033 }. A little research turned up this page that claims the problem is unique to Office 2007 and has to do with a registry setting. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...9-ef0c7030150d Is this correct? Will it solve the problem and is it safe? That is, what else will it break? |
#2
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I've seen this happen when the citation hasn't been inserted into the current document directly, but has been copied from another document - especially if it's in a footnote. In that case the problem would be due to the referenced document not being included in the current document's reference list. Simply dragging it into the current document from the master list (assuming it's there) should solve that.
If that isn't the case, or doesn't resolve things, the next step would be to start Word in Safe Mode (hold down the Ctrl key while starting Word) and see if the reference updates correctly. If so, a rogue third-party addin is the most likely cause of the problem. Re-start Word and disable all third-party addins, re-starting each one in turn and testing until you find which one causes the problem. Disable that one and either delete or replace it. Failing that, try repairing the Office installation (via Word Options|Resources|Diagnose). The registry 'fix' you refer to amounts to invalidating two Word-related keys - the Data key and the Options key, so as to force Word to recreate them next time it starts. Deleting the Data key does resolve some problems; I'm unaware of anything being solved by messing with the Options key. One final thing you might try is to close Word, delete Word's 'BuildingBlocks.dotx' file, then re-starting Word. See https://www.msofficeforums.com/word/...locations.html for location specifics.
__________________
Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
#3
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Paul,
When I ran it in Safe Mode, the bibliography citation error disappeared. So I restarted Word and went to the Add-Ins dialog. I found just 1 add-in, from SnagIt, a screen capture utility, and disabled it. Then I restarted Word and tested the citations. The error was back. I went back to the Add-Ins dialog and found that there were now 2 add-ins: Person Name () and tm8word.dot. This is the first screen capture. I didn't think to get a screen capture before starting, but I am positive that neither of these were enabled the first time I checked. The tm8word.dot file belongs to a case management program called Time Matters. I have had all kinds of problems with it in the past and not only in Word. It's one of the worst pieces of software I have ever had to deal with. So I disabled that add-in first. These are the next 2 screen captures. I restarted Word, but the error was still there. I checked the add-ins and the tm8word.dot add-in was back. I'm only allowed 3 attachments, so I don't have a screen capture for that. I tried this several times. Every time I restart Word, that add-in re-enables itself. I found the tm8word.dot file. It's in C:\TMW8, where Time Matters installed itself. Should I rename that file? Is it likely to cause problems with Time Matters? PS: It looks like the attachments didn't make it. I'll upload them to Dropbox and post the link. |
#4
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Here's the Dropbox folder with the 4 screen shots.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gptwx7rij...NTWz-y1_a?dl=0 |
#5
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The way to disable a Time Matters addin is to do so through the Time Matters application itself.
Launch Time Matters by right clicking 'Run as Administrator' - you'll need your PC's Admin password for this. Then click: File>Setup>General>Workstation Level>External Program Setup then uncheck the Word-related checkboxes to remove the Time Matters Word addins. Deleting the tm8word.dot file might work, but Time Matters might have a hissy-fit about that... It might also be worthwhile checking for an updated Time Matters addin (not just the tm8word.dot file) and/or taking the issue up with Time Matters directly, through their product support page: http://www.lexisnexis.com/business-o...t/time-matters
__________________
Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
#6
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Wow, Paul, is there a piece of software anywhere that you do not know how it works?
I have TM running on two computers, a workstation and a laptop, connected over a P2P network. The master database is on the workstation. Are you saying that I need to be logged as "administrator" or "in administrator mode" (with administrator privileges)? I am logged in all the time as an administrator on both machines (with administrator privileges). I am able to add and delete programs, etc. On the workstation, I started TM and performed the steps you outlined. When I unchecked the box for Word 2007, it told me to retry the operation "with Administrator privileges". On the workstation, I repeated the steps. It did not complain and allowed me to uncheck that box. But when I checked it again, it was still checked. |
#7
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Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
#8
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Quote:
The reason this is important is that I cannot for the life of me find the password it wants when I right-click and ask to run as the administrator. I've tried all of the Windows login passwords I've ever used and none of them work. What puzzles me is that on the laptop, it won;t allow me to change the setting at all, but on the desktop, where the master installation is located, it allows me to change that setting, but it doesn't stick. I guess I'll have to live without the bibliography feature until we upgrade to Win 10 and Office 2016. Thanks for the help. |
#9
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Quote:
On a related issue, do be aware that Microsoft's referencing implementation doesn't conform to the published specifications for APA or either of the Chicago referencing formats (Word doesn't even recognise that there are two Chicago referencing formats)... Given that these are widely used and well documented, Microsoft's failure to get it right for a decade now is abysmal. I have my doubts about its implementation of the other referencing formats, too.
__________________
Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
#10
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Quote:
Quote:
I wonder what percentage of the well documented bugs in Leonhard's book ever got fixed. M$FT is one of the most irresponsible and arrogant companies ever. This is an internal document, so I don't care much how the bibliography is formatted of what standards it confirms to. As long as the team can use it, it's good. Cheers, -J |
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