# citationstyles.org, installing styles

**URL:** <https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768>\
**Category:** CSL Development\
**Created:** [September 21, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768 "2009-09-21T16:28:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Bruce_D_Arcus1)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768/1 "2009-09-21T16:28:22Z")

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With the forthcoming release of [citationstyles.org](http://citationstyles.org), and previous  
discussions, an obvious target for both is to have a single, simple,  
installation instruction for CSL styles, regardless of which tool  
people are using. Right now, that’s clearly impossible.

Bruce

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**Author:** ![Robert\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@Robert\_Knight](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Robert_Knight)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768/2 "2009-09-21T17:02:51Z")

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Hello,

If there is just one local tool installed this is quite simple - the  
program can associate itself with .csl files and handle being passed  
one when opened, or in Zotero’s case hook into downloads of CSL files  
through Firefox (which I believe is how it interacts with the  
’Install’ links in the Zotero style repository?)

If there are multiple programs installed at once or if the program  
that the user wants to use is web-based (and therefore cannot hook  
into the download) then it becomes a little more tricky. There is a  
fallback of option of just requiring the user to copy and paste the  
URL of the style into an ‘Add New Style’ box but this isn’t as simple  
as point -\> click -\> done.

Regards,  
Robert.2009/9/21 Bruce D’Arcus \<@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1\>:

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**Author:** ![Robert\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@Robert\_Knight](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Robert_Knight)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768/3 "2009-09-21T17:06:31Z")

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> If there is just one local tool installed this is quite simple - the  
> program can associate itself with .csl files and handle being passed  
> one when opened

Clarification - the [citationstyles.org](http://citationstyles.org) website in this case provides  
an ‘Install’  
link for each file which links to a ‘.csl’ file download and the  
user’s browser takes care  
of handling the download with the appropriate program.

Regards,  
Robert.2009/9/21 Robert Knight \<@Robert\_Knight\>:

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**Author:** ![Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Bruce_D_Arcus1)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768/4 "2009-09-21T23:38:33Z")

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Is it feasible to simply download it to a common location, as  
previously discussed?

Bruce

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**Author:** ![Robert\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@Robert\_Knight](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Robert_Knight)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/citationstyles-org-installing-styles/768/5 "2009-09-22T08:41:26Z")

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> Is it feasible to simply download it to a common location, as  
> previously discussed?

Yes, I think that would be fine as well. The only catch is that the  
common location would have to vary per platform - but  
the web site could detect the user agent and highlight the appropriate  
instructions for the user.

Regards,  
Robert.2009/9/22 Bruce D’Arcus \<@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1\>: