Upgrade StorageEnhance Zotero Linking: More Tools, More Item Options (feature suggestion)
Hi everyone,
I have just switched to Zotero as my primary reference management software and PDF editor. Firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to all the developers and contributors for Zotero - you are all stars!
As a new user, I have some suggestions to enhance the linking feature and take it to the next level. Please let me know if similar features already exist. I have attached screenshots with annotations to better explain my suggestions:
1. Having the ability to link highlighted texts directly from the toolbox option:
When we highlight texts, the ability to link directly with any item in my catalog (e.g. PDFs or even specific lines in my other annotated notes) from the toolbox option would help in:
(a) Saving a lot of time - instead of doing it manually like adding that highlighted text to my main note, then copying the main note and attaching it with other items - if i want to link items with specific highlighted lines only. This takes a good 5mins roughly - sometimes more.
I like linking to specific lines in my notes as it saves me time going through the full notes to find my area of interest and not get 'lost' or be distracted by other things in my notes lol
(b) The highlighted text linking having bi-directional linking, which is useful for going back and forth, creating mind maps, etc.
Please refer to the annotated screenshot here to better understand what I mean. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wC2qT491-YcXZTdAb43IlWmwOFU46kCa/view?usp=share_link
2. If the above feature is added - then having the ability to see "Linked highlights" within the main PDF, similar to when we add a comment and a comment annotation icon appears beside the highlighted text. Why would this help?
(a) Just like the comment icon, I would not know if this highlighted text has been linked to any other place without opening a seperate sidebar to view all my notes (saving screen space) and I would also be able to quickly see the any linked note of interest at that instant..
This becomes more useful when we share our catalog with colleagues (who is not aware of our linked notes from highlights, or someone who is completely new to zotero) - they can easily search for the links made in the highlighted texts of the PDF by just clicking on the linked annotation icon in main text of pdf/file.
(b) Further saves time and generates more work efficiency by enhancing the linking feature further.
3. Having the ability to link from the sidebar panel and having the ability to discern different types of linked items (like notes versus PDFs vs any other possible forms used in Zotero):
This would help in:
(a) faster/quicker navigation to the point of interest, which can be accessed from any workspace.
(b) being able to organize our related items based on the kind of items linked (e.g if I would just like to see my linked notes rather than liked pdf's or vice versa)
Basically, it can add another layer of a quicker navigation tool for linked items besides the current features already existing and provides more quicker/user-friendly way of searching it - this would help starters like not to get lost with navigation/linking specially when when multiple steps involved in the process).
Please refer to this annotated screenshot for reference: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AWzrzolFeWopxBnGWQrt0LZMrT9pKJ_u/view?usp=share_link
Please let me know if any such or similar features already exist, and I apologize if similar questions have been asked before as I could not find similar queries in the forum so far.
I understand that my above suggestions may be a BIG ask, but I have zero background about coding/software development - so I am unsure if that is something worth considering based on zotero's team consideration of balancing feasibility in generating such features versus its demand/potential for users.
Thank you,
Ali
I have just switched to Zotero as my primary reference management software and PDF editor. Firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to all the developers and contributors for Zotero - you are all stars!
As a new user, I have some suggestions to enhance the linking feature and take it to the next level. Please let me know if similar features already exist. I have attached screenshots with annotations to better explain my suggestions:
1. Having the ability to link highlighted texts directly from the toolbox option:
When we highlight texts, the ability to link directly with any item in my catalog (e.g. PDFs or even specific lines in my other annotated notes) from the toolbox option would help in:
(a) Saving a lot of time - instead of doing it manually like adding that highlighted text to my main note, then copying the main note and attaching it with other items - if i want to link items with specific highlighted lines only. This takes a good 5mins roughly - sometimes more.
I like linking to specific lines in my notes as it saves me time going through the full notes to find my area of interest and not get 'lost' or be distracted by other things in my notes lol
(b) The highlighted text linking having bi-directional linking, which is useful for going back and forth, creating mind maps, etc.
Please refer to the annotated screenshot here to better understand what I mean. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wC2qT491-YcXZTdAb43IlWmwOFU46kCa/view?usp=share_link
2. If the above feature is added - then having the ability to see "Linked highlights" within the main PDF, similar to when we add a comment and a comment annotation icon appears beside the highlighted text. Why would this help?
(a) Just like the comment icon, I would not know if this highlighted text has been linked to any other place without opening a seperate sidebar to view all my notes (saving screen space) and I would also be able to quickly see the any linked note of interest at that instant..
This becomes more useful when we share our catalog with colleagues (who is not aware of our linked notes from highlights, or someone who is completely new to zotero) - they can easily search for the links made in the highlighted texts of the PDF by just clicking on the linked annotation icon in main text of pdf/file.
(b) Further saves time and generates more work efficiency by enhancing the linking feature further.
3. Having the ability to link from the sidebar panel and having the ability to discern different types of linked items (like notes versus PDFs vs any other possible forms used in Zotero):
This would help in:
(a) faster/quicker navigation to the point of interest, which can be accessed from any workspace.
(b) being able to organize our related items based on the kind of items linked (e.g if I would just like to see my linked notes rather than liked pdf's or vice versa)
Basically, it can add another layer of a quicker navigation tool for linked items besides the current features already existing and provides more quicker/user-friendly way of searching it - this would help starters like not to get lost with navigation/linking specially when when multiple steps involved in the process).
Please refer to this annotated screenshot for reference: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AWzrzolFeWopxBnGWQrt0LZMrT9pKJ_u/view?usp=share_link
Please let me know if any such or similar features already exist, and I apologize if similar questions have been asked before as I could not find similar queries in the forum so far.
I understand that my above suggestions may be a BIG ask, but I have zero background about coding/software development - so I am unsure if that is something worth considering based on zotero's team consideration of balancing feasibility in generating such features versus its demand/potential for users.
Thank you,
Ali