Bookends Scan in Microsoft Word Isn't Working

[TruckTurner]

Here's the problem: When I try to use Bookends to scan citations from Microsoft Word it doesn't work. The application goes through the motions, but the citations themselves remain unchanged.

I've tried using existing documents and started new Word documents completely from scratch to test the scan capabilities. Nothing works.

I've used all the suggested workarounds given on this forum and the FAQ. Please help because I have a massive book project and Bookends is my reference manager of choice and while I can use a different word processor I'm used to Word and would hate to change at this point.

The details:

Operating System: MacOS Mojave Version 10.14
Microsoft Word: Version 16.16.2 (180910)
Bookends: 13.1.3

[Jon]

just to be sure, this is the FAQ you read and it didn't help?

https://www.sonnysoftware.com/faq/faq.h ... rting_a_ci

Jon
Sonny Software

[TruckTurner]

That's the exact FAQ I've followed.

I just tried it again to be sure.

Here were my steps:

1. Create an entirely new document in MS Word.
2. Verified that MS Word was chosen as my word processor in Bookends.
3. Used the "Add-ins" feature of MS Word to insert a citation from Bookends.
4. Scanned the document via Add-ins feature.
5. The following boxes were checked: "Retain hidden citations," "Create new document window," and "Try to resolve ambiguous citations." The box for "Proofreading scan" was not.
6. Used the "Edit -> Paste Special -> Formatted Text (RTF)" steps from the FAQ

Even with all of the above there's nothing that get's pasted into the new document when I run step 6 and the original document remains unchanged.

Note: Bookends completes the scan as expected when using the .rtfd format, but not the .rtf format. These are the only other text formats I've tried. I've also tried running the scan via the Apple Scripts menu and that also did not work.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

[Jon]

Please Rebuild your library, it can't hurt.

If it persists, please send me your small document and your Bookends library, I'll try scanning here.

Jon
Sonny Software

[TruckTurner]

I just rebuilt the library. It's still not working.

I'm sending the library and a test document to support@sonnysoftware.com.

Thank you

[Jon]

support@sonnysoftware.com

Jon
Sonny Software

[Jon]

The scan worked well here (also running Mojave). I wonder if this is one of the new macOS AppleEvent permissions issues? You must allow Bookends to "control" your computer to exchange information via AppleEvents. Check your System Preferences (Privacy) and make sure the Bookends can.

Jon
Sonny Software

[TruckTurner]

Hi Jon,

Ok, it's official, I feel like a moron.

While I was waiting on your response I kept asking myself what was different about this database versus others I'd created in the past. I realized that I had the Bookends database I was trying to use in a folder other than the default folder (which for me is Documents:Bookends). Once I moved the database to that folder...everything works as it should.

Regardless, thanks for your quick responses. Beyond the stellar quality of your product, it's your customer service and ongoing updates that keeps people like me as loyal customers for Bookends.

[Jon]

I'm glad the problem is resolved, but honestly I don't understand what caused it. Bookends doesn't care where the database is stored. I wonder if this is another of the new Mojave "security" features? I just found out that even though Bookends has been approved to send System Events (like paste) via AppleEvents to other apps, it didn't work until I went to System Preferences and UNCHECKED and then CHECKED Script Editor as an approved application (in Privacy). I think there are bugs in Mojave wrt AppleEvents right now. Hopefully these will be cleaned up in future updates.

Jon
Sonny Software