Fix stale data from Zotero
What to do when changes you made in Zotero don't appear in ZotLit.
Available sinceZotLit 2.0.0
Use this guide when Zotero changes do not appear after you update a literature note in Obsidian.
Restore current Zotero data
Install or update the companion
Install the latest ZotLit companion, or update your existing installation in Zotero.
The companion keeps Zotero's main database file current so ZotLit can read recent changes.
Confirm the companion settings
In Zotero, open Edit > Settings on Windows or Linux. On macOS, open Zotero > Settings. Select the ZotLit pane.
Under Database, enable Keep the database file up to date for Obsidian. New companion installations enable this setting by default; it is the fix for stale data and needs no server.
Under Obsidian Notifications, selecting Enable is optional. It makes ZotLit refresh immediately once the database file is current, but only if live updates are also enabled in Obsidian.
Check Database Status in Zotero
In Zotero's item-pane sidenav, select Database Status beside Locate. If Write Changes to Database File Now is available, select it to make recent changes available immediately. If the menu says the database does not use a write-ahead log, continue to the next step.
The menu also reports the last write. If it reports a failure, collect Zotero debug logs before you continue.
Check the literature note
Make a small edit to an item in Zotero, then switch to Obsidian. Run ZotLit: Update literature note for that item.
The updated value should now appear in the literature note.
Refresh the database manually
If the note still shows old data, run ZotLit: Refresh Zotero database. Then update the literature note again.
Use Full copy as a last resort
If the problem continues, open Settings > ZotLit > Zotero database. Set Read mode to Full copy, refresh the database, and update the literature note again.
Full copy is expensive
Full copy captures the current database state, but it copies the entire database on every refresh. Large Zotero libraries take longer to refresh and use more disk space.
Report a remaining problem
If Full copy also fails, collect debug logs. Then file a bug report with your ZotLit version, operating system, and reproduction steps.