Make Zotero be able to link own folders on personal computers rather than create a new folder

gotenks2029

I realized that Zotero would make its own contents folder which makes it hard to track down PDF's moved into the Zotero app. Unlike the app -PDF Expert and Documents app, Zotero would make duplicates of PDFs from our personal to the "Zotero" file/folder and Zotero would name them on their own accord. I want the option to have my PDF documents connected to my folders where I have them set and not have to chase down the annotated "Zotero file" of the same work/PDF. This separation of from my own files into Zotero's folder that Zotero creates on my Macbook is unnecessary. I can just allow access to my folders and that's it. There would be times I would look for my PDF where I saved it, only to realize that all of the annotations are not there because Zotero took that file, placed in a different folder, (their own) created somewhere on my mac, and those annotations are a different file altogether. I place my PDFs in Zotero app for work, I should not have to manage my own PDF folders and Zotero's folder on my mac .

dstillman

I place my PDFs in Zotero app for work, I should not have to manage my own PDF folders and Zotero's folder on my mac .

You don't. The whole point is that Zotero manages them for you, and you delete the original. And in most normal Zotero usage, there wouldn't even be an original file, because you would be saving from the web.

See Stored Files and Linked Files for more.

gotenks2029

I need my PDF annotates to stay on my local device and not have an original on my local device that is never worked on, and a copy that is made by zotero to be worked on because that creates more degrees of separation of handling files. It is nice to have access to it on the web but overwhelming the space of pc to have my work be isolated to Zotero puts more dependencies on "other computers" to hold my work. I have icloud. The user can manage their own files. Zotero helps with keeping those files "in view" when using the app. Deleting the original is not helpful.

dstillman

If you're going to post here, please actually read the information we provide. Stored files are stored on your computer and accessible externally via Spotlight or a smart folder. Or you can use a linked-file workflow if you prefer, but we don't recommend that and you're on own for troubleshooting that if you run into trouble. This is all covered in the documentation I linked to.

tim820

If you really need to keep your PDFs separate from Zotero (without duplication) - but still visible within Zotero - you can use linked files, as described at the link provided earlier (albeit with some limitations, described there) ... and mentioned again in the post above while I was writing this, ie
https://www.zotero.org/support/attaching_files#stored_files_and_linked_files

The rationale for the way annotations made in the Zotero PDF viewer are stored in the Zotero database is described below . But there is nothing stopping you adding annotations to linked PDFs in other PDF viewers outside Zotero, and also having those annotations appear in the Zotero reader (albeit locked, unless imported).
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/annotations_in_database

You can even open PDFs in an external viewer from within Zotero using this plugin ...
https://github.com/retorquere/zotero-open-pdf

gotenks2029

Yes, I have to jump from Zotero to PDF expert since Zotero does not have as many features in the annotations space as PDF expert for mac hence the posts I've made calling for more control of our PDFs. I do like the "all files in view" when I open up the Zotero app and the citation feature (can still be improve, where's the AAA citation method?). I fear that Zotero is becoming a database for others more than a place for the individual to do work. Like a wiki for citations and papers and Zotero is taking that work for free. All I am asking is more trust in the user and control for the user rather than the other way around. I suggest looking into other PDF editing apps and see what works because the PDF work is drawing people like me to use it, otherwise, people would rely on what they have already (gdrive, icloud) and the PDF apps that they use already,

dstillman

Like a wiki for citations and papers and Zotero is taking that work for free.

I have no idea what this nonsense is supposed to mean, but you're just incredibly confused here and seem primarily interested in making bizarre, accusatory comments about the Zotero project, so I'm going to close this before you waste any more of anyone's time. We've told you exactly how you can do everything you've asked in your two threads so far.