having trouble in linking box or google drive to Zotero

ds1kde

Hi, I followed the online tutorials but still am having trouble linking either box or google drive to Zotero.

I went on Zotero Preference->Advanced->files and folders->base directory->and changed it to box or google drive folder(after installing box and google drive app in the window)

Then I went on tools->zotfile preferences->general settings->location of the files->custom location->changed the custom location to the box or google drive folder

But still the files downloaded through zotero connector doesnt download in those folders.

in zotero preferences->sync->settings->file syncing, do I need to change “sync attachment files in my library using “zotero”” to “webDAV”?

I think box no longer supports webDAV and I dont know how to set URL for google drive given the lack of information. Zotero webpage says that webDAV bridge needs to be set up for linking google drive through webDAV but doesnt expalain how to set it up.


Can anybody help me with this?

tim820

Zotfile documentation is in a state of flux. It was not updated when some things changed from Zotero v5 to v6 (annotation extraction moved into Zotero). And now it will likely change again for Zotero v7 (likely replaced by a new plugin with similar funtionality). You will find some university libraries have good online instructions on Zotfile; others are out-dated.

Firstly, you only need to set a Linked Attachment Base Directory if you use Zotero on different computers *and* your linked PDF files are at a different location on each computer. The LABD just tells Zotero where to *look* for linked PDFs. It has no effect on where they get *stored* (by Zotfile in your case).

So that means that the LABD setting is not involved in your problem - where the linked PDF files get stored by Zotfile. So I would remove that LABD setting until you get Zotfile working (and then only set it if you actually need PDFs stored in different locations on different computers).

I would then first test Zotfile operation by simply setting Zotfile's Custom Location to a normal folder on your computer (not Google Drive, Dropbox, Onedrive etc). Set Zotero's file syncing to OFF (under Edit\Preferences\Sync\File Syncing); you can leave Data Syncing ON if you wish (it does not count against your online quota).

Then go to a journal site where you have access to the PDF. Click on the Zotero Connector icon and the popup should show the article data and PDF downloading. In Zotero Desktop, the paper should be added as an item, and the Zotfile popup should show the PDF being renamed/moved to the Custom Location as a linked PDF. If you right click on the added PDF and select Show File, it should take you to the PDF in the Custom Location folder.

Once that is working, you can change the Custom Location to the folder you actually want to use for linked PDF files.

Webdav is a whole other thing. Nothing to do with linked files.

ds1kde

Thanks for your comment!