automatically edit and save modified PDF attachments

GR
great project ..

I'd like to store my references and corresponding PDFs in the zotero database.
I'd also like to make annotations inside PDF files while I read them (as zotero supports for stored webpages).

Is there - or could there be - a way to open such PDF attachments with an editor (as PDF-XChange) and to save modified PDFs back to the zotero database?

It would be extremely helpfull to easily store modified PFDs and synchronise them between different computers.

regards, GR
  • adamsmith
    if you open a pdf from within Zotero, annotate and save, the annotations will be saved to the copy in the Zotero database.
    You can either configure FF to open all pdfs with pdf x-change, or you can use the
    launch non-native files hidden pref to change the behavior of Zotero specifically:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/hidden_prefs#general_preferences
  • mark
    edited December 17, 2009
    I make annotations with Adobe Acrobat Professional, which is set to automatically open my PDFs from within Zotero. Saving the changes thus always updates the copy in the Zotero database, just like adamsmith says.
  • GR
    Thanks for your comments! I have to find out how this works with Linux and Wine. If I know how to do it, I'll post it here.
    GR
  • GR
    edited December 17, 2009
    How to use Zotero and PDF-XCview with Linux:
    (Kubuntu 9.1; Wine 1.2; PDF-XView 2.0 (42.9))

    Write a shell script and make it executable (you may need to adjust the path to PDFXCview.exe depending on your language and installation):

    #!/bin/bash
    wine "C:\Programme\Tracker Software\PDF Viewer\PDFXCview.exe" "`winepath -w "$@"`"

    Point Zotero to this script and Zotero will open and save annotated PDF attachments easily.

    This solution was mentioned in LinuxNotes: http://lglinux.blogspot.com/2008/01/pdf-viewer-with-text-highlighting.html along with some other usefull comments.
    GR
  • mlt
    I have not ever hear about PDF-XChange Viewer before. Thanks guys!
  • adamsmith
    edited December 18, 2009
    GR - that's interesting, thanks for posting it! - usually wine is so shaky that I never use it, but considering the almost total lack of usable pdf annotation tools on linux, having the XChange viewer would be very nice.
  • kaktux
    i got a similar question to this old topic:

    How to tell zotero not only to update the files in the database but also to SYNC this file.

    Procedure is for instance:
    1.opening a pdf attachment from zotero with pdfxhangeviewer
    2.adding a note/mark/comment
    3.saving the pdf

    Now it is updated in the local database - but not synced to the external webdav i use.
    So when i open the pdf file on a different pc the note is not seen - as the file was not updated.

    Is there a way to update modified files automatically via sync??
  • mlt
    @kaktux Check your WebDAV sync settings in Preferences. There should be a "Verify Server" button. It should do what you want by default. No extra steps are needed if everything is set up properly. Make sure you have enough space on your WebDAV server.
  • adamsmith
    (in other words, Zotero does sync modified files based on the last modified date/time)
  • Patrgrossmann
    I have to ask for the PDFXChange viewer under Linux. GR seems to have a nice solution. However, I do not understand what GR means by "point zotero to that script". Where and how do I point zotero TO this script? Thank you very very much in advance! I'd be so happy to finally have this solution :)
  • clara.straimer
    Hi guys - my zotero automatically opens PDFs in Adobe - but when I close them it asks me to save them. It does not automatically save it to Zotero and I cannot seem to find Zotero's database.

    Can you help with this?

    (I have enabled the nonnative documents launch option but no change - I guess my problem is not opening it in an external viewer but saving it in a way that the changes are synced to Zotero. At the moment I have to save it in my file directory but its not linked to Zotero database.)
  • adamsmith
    This is an Adobe issue. They changed how files are saved by default. See the second but last post here for a solution:
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/55284/
  • alinaserafin
    Hi,

    I have a similar problem. Zotero opens my files in Preview but I can't save edited files into Zotero folder. It says that the original document can't be changed. Do you have an idea how I can fix it? Thanks in advance!
  • dstillman
    @alinaserafin: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/262845/#Comment_262845
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