duplication for new account from a single file import

dualwhizz

I just installed the program (version 6.0.35 for Linux), and imported from a single XML file from Endnote. I found almost all entries are duplicated. In the storage directory, there are two sub-directories, each containing exactly the same XML file from which I imported.

Is this normal? Please help.

dstillman

No, that's not normal, and almost certainly means you either imported twice or the XML file had duplicate data.

If you haven't synced and have no other data, close Zotero, delete your Zotero data directory, and try again. If it still happens, you can send the file to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread and we can take a look.

dstillman

In the storage directory, there are two sub-directories, each containing exactly the same XML file from which I imported

Wait, what do you mean by this? The 'storage' directory would have attachment files, not the XML file.

dualwhizz

I tried multiple times, the results are the same. The file structure is like this:

/home/user/Zotero/storage/
├── DUYZKF3Q
│   └── My EndNote Library-Converted.xml
└── PVYUUFGR
└── My EndNote Library-Converted.xml

dstillman

But that just means you're adding the XML files themselves as attachments — e.g., by dragging the XML file directly into Zotero rather than by using File → Import. Or you've somehow gone astray in following the import steps and the XML file you're importing via File → Import references itself as an attachment.

dualwhizz

The steps I used: File → Import -> a file (...) -> copy file to the Zotero storage folder.

Then import process started. I noticed that one sub-directory in storage was created halfway during the import process, and the second sub-directory was created at the end of the import process.

dstillman

Can you send the file to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?

dualwhizz

Which file? The original XML file from Endnote?

dstillman

Yes.

dualwhizz

The following are my observations:

- Linux version: for big XML file (~15000 entries), the weird thing I reported in the original post;
- Linux version: for smaller XML file, this did not happen; there is no "storage" directory. I think this is what is expected.

- Windows version: for the big XML file, the weird thing mentioned above did not happen, but the import did not finish properly;
- Windows version: multiple smaller XML files worked.

dstillman

If you want us to investigate, we'll need to see the file, which we haven't received. We've never seen anything like this, and it makes very little sense.

If the file is large, you should ZIP it before sending it.