Standalone Zotero - Portable on USB

I have installed standalone on my USB drive.
The Standalone Zotero does start from the USB drive when I click zotero.exe.
If the Standalone Zotero is on the USB are the processes of the Standalone running from the USB. Basically, I do not wish to have the Standalone installing anything on the P.C. when I click zotero.exe.
If the Standalone is on my USB is it installing anything on the PC?
  • Sorry to bump and old thread, but I can't find any others. Long time user, very happy to see ZS come out. I have also installed on USB with the intent of using on work computers (which block Firefox from running). I note when Zotero is first opened it installs its settings and profile into c:\Documents and Settings\**user**\Application Data\Zotero\

    I understand this is likely due to there being no Firefox profile to default into. Is there a way to make ZS default into or have an option to place these folders in the installed directory? This would make ZS portable as well. If an existing Firefox profile were detected, maybe an initial set up option could be presented?

    Thanks
  • You can install to USB by unzipping the package into a folder on the USB. It is not a clean portable version as it automatically creates the folder mentioned above on the computer hard drive (in windows, at least).

    You can manually set the Zotero library location to a folder on the USB in the settings panel, it seems to run fine like that. The problems are that you need to change the setting to that folder every time you run Zotero on a new computer, and you will leave a trail of folders with default settings on every computer you use. As far as I can see anyway. A portable version of Zotero Standalone could automatically create and use a folder in its own directory for settings, but this would need to consider its integration with an already installed Firefox version.
  • edited June 3, 2011
    I forgot, alternatively you can install Portable Firefox with the Zotero extension on your USB, and that works seamlessly as a normal installation does. I used this setup for a long time with no problems. That is probably the best solution in general, except where Firefox can't be used. Like for me.
  • I just found that I can run Zotero Standalone with "zotero -profilemanager" and create a profile on my portable USB disk.

    Anyone knows how to fix the driver letter issue when running on multiple machines?
  • Lugusto,

    Try USBDLM V4.7.0.0 - USB Drive Letter Manager for Windows - I make my portables P:, but if you plug another one in first, it takes that one, and the next is Q.

    http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbdlm_e.html
  • USBDLM requires admin access. Computers from libraries and universities hardly have admin access to theirs ordinary users
  • hold "standalone zotero" and "profile" contents in different folders;

    create a batch file in parent folder :

    @echo off
    cls
    for /f %%i in ("%0") do set batchpath=%%~dpi
    echo Starting Zotero
    echo batchpath=%batchpath%
    Zotero\zotero.exe -profile "Profile"
    echo Exit 0

    use this batch file to start "standalone zotero".

  • For all of you who are looking for a portable .paf installer are more than welcome to test the Development Release:

    http://portableapps.com/node/36565
  • Hello, thanks for the portable .paf version. Just starting to use it and it looks ok. First bug (may be), I tried to get back in my library something from the bin and it doesn't work. I clicked "restored" but nothing happen.

    All my apologizes if you don't understand what I said, I have the french version so I translate by myself...
    H
  • Thanks for your feedback Henri.

    I tried it myself and restoring an item from trash works flawlessly here.

    I assume your problem is not directly related to Zotero Standalone Portable.

    Regards

    Robert
  • I just expierenced one problem. Zotero for Firefox cannot communicate with Zotero Standalone Portable. It does not recognise the Portable version running and does not switch to connector mode.

    Any ideas why?
  • How are you starting Zotero? Are you adding a -no-remote flag?
  • edited March 19, 2013
    No, I am starting it with zotero.exe -profile "%PAL:DataDir%\profile".

    The task manager shows me two processes, one called "ZoteroStandalonePortable.exe" and one called "zotero.exe".

    Does the connector look for a specific process name or how does it identify the Standalone being active?
  • I'm not entirely sure. Simon can probably give you the details once he reads this. I think that in order to detect that Standalone is running, the Firefox add-on must share the same data director with Standalone. So my next question would be whether you set that up correctly.

    Once it detects that Standalone is running, Firefox add-on switches to connector mode and communicates over an open TCP port that Standalone had created. So also make sure nothing is blocking that.

    Hopefully I'm not completely off on this. I'd wait for Simon to confirm this.
  • > I'm not entirely sure. Simon can probably give you the details once ? he reads this. I think that in order to detect that Standalone is running, the Firefox add-on must share the same data director with Standalone. So my next question would be whether you set that up correctly.

    I hope they are not connected with each other. Having the portable version requires the data directory to be different from the installed Firefox.

    > Once it detects that Standalone is running, Firefox add-on switches to connector mode and communicates over an open TCP port that Standalone had created. So also make sure nothing is blocking that.

    This should be fine since Chrome + connector recognises the running standalone.
  • I hope they are not connected with each other. Having the portable version requires the data directory to be different from the installed Firefox.
    that's definitely the case though. If people have separate data directories, the assumption is that they don't _want_ FF to switch into connector mode/connect to Standalone.
  • It would be pretty confusing if Zotero for Firefox saved to one library when Zotero Standalone is closed and a different library when Zotero Standalone is open.

    Why can't you point Zotero for Firefox toward the portable version's data directory?
  • > Why can't you point Zotero for Firefox toward the portable version's data
    > directory?

    That's something I have not thought of yet. But course that should be the solution!

    Thanks
  • Dears,

    Please, do you confirm that, in order to register a reference on Standalone, from a web page, I need the pluggin installed on Firefox (so you click on the purple "stuff" which appeared in the "research" bar) ?

    In fact, I use three different computers, and I would like to have only the Standalone on my USB key. Is their a solution ?

    What ever the answer, many thanks for all your work.
    Ah, by the way, I wrote before a problem with the "restored" option (see HenriJ's comment). I do not have the problem anymore.

    Cheers, Henri
  • There are a number of different solutions to this - portable Firefox with Zotero installed is one (portable Standalone likely won't work), plugins for Firefox (or Chrome or Safari) are an option, as is the Zotero bookmarklet which will connect either to Standalone or to your Zotero library online
    http://www.zotero.org/downloadbookmarklet
  • edited May 13, 2013
    @ adamsmith (first, thank for your fast quick flashgordon answer): "There are a number of different solutions to this:"

    1) "portable Firefox with Zotero installed is one (portable Standalone likely won't work".
    => Yes, it doesn't work.

    2) "plugins for Firefox (or Chrome or Safari)"
    => In fact, I synchronise Firefox as I use 3 computers and I don't want to synchronise Zotero, so it doesn't work either.

    3 "as is the Zotero bookmarklet which will connect either to Standalone or to your Zotero library online http://www.zotero.org/downloadbookmarklet"
    => Yes, it does work.
    In fact, I need to first log in Zotero server (just after I click on the bookmark, a pop-up opens from Zotero server and ask for my name and keyword), to then synchronise standalone, to then go in the "non classified" document, and to drag it where I want in my collection.

    Would a bookmark that connected directely to Standalone work ? (so the connexion with the serve will happen after the registration of the document in Standalone, with the synchronize option of Standalone)

    I guess you already talk about registering in Standalone, with "aurimas", "orschiro", "simon", above, but I am not sure I understand (I am not english).
    Henri
  • Would a bookmark that connected directely to Standalone work ? (so the connexion with the serve will happen after the registration of the document in Standalone, with the synchronize option of Standalone)
    in general yes, but if you don't want to sync Zotero for Firefox, I don't understand how Standalone is preferable.
  • edited May 15, 2013
    I wan to sync, but I don't install Firefox portable because it is too slow (specially when you work on many different pages).

    I use a "normal" Firefox with Standalone. So I mix something fixed (Firefox) with something moveable (Standalone).

    To resume, I use Firefox on 3 different computers, and they are sync, but I want to keep Zotero apart (because he is my favourite ;)
  • edited May 22, 2013
    Hello Adamsmith,

    You said a "tool" which would connect directely a Firefox web page to Standalone can work (the goal is to automatically fill the information fields).

    (Remember that I can't use Firefox portable for two reasons: i)too long, ii) I use a normal version which is synchronized, but I don't want to sync Zotero. If I open a portable version in parallel, the opening page is not from the portable version, but from the first Firefox version I use). #sorryfortheheadhache

    Please, do you know if someone from the Zotero community intend to manage it, and if yes, roughly when can we expect it ? Of course, my question can sound a little bit shocking, as Zotero is not a "service" and the work is done on free time (or something like it). I simply need to organize myself, because right now my referencement method is too long and complicated, so I need to change if Zotero Standalone won't evolved.

    Many thanks.
  • Get sync running with standalone portable and use the bookmarklet in whatever browser you want:
    http://www.zotero.org/downloadbookmarklet
    or am I misunderstanding you?
  • edited May 31, 2013
    It's work, many many thanks for all the job, the richness of the nations is you(rs) !
  • Hello.
    I have a rather dumb question.
    As far as I could see all the comments and problems above refer to Zotero 3.X.
    However, I would like to ask if the standalone 4.0 of Zotero is portable by default or if it is still mobile.
    Thank you very much.
  • not sure what your question is but nothing about this has changed this since 3.x
    The main issue above isn't that Standalone isn't portable - it is - but that the portable version won't connect to a browser.
  • Just adding to this that you can download from here [1] and use the internal update function to update it to the latest version 4.x

    Then you will have the latest *portable* version of Zotero.

    [1] http://portableapps.com/node/36565
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