Noob question re data and file sync

mike95370 · 2024-04-27T09:15:51+00:00

I'm new to Zotero. I want to sync Zotero installations between two computers (both Macs) over my LAN. I don't want to sync over the Web, I don't want storage on the Web. I don't want to use WebDAV, iCloud, Google Drive, or any similar service/product. I just want to make changes to my reference data and files on one machine and have those changes reflected on the other machine (and vice-versa).

Can I use Chronosync for this purpose? I've searched, but haven't found anything on point. I use Chronosync to bidirectionally sync document and photo folders on these machines, and it works quite well. But I have over 19,000 references with pdfs (52 GB, migrating from Papers), and I don't want to work through that pile if, afterward, I can't sync Zotero locally.

Any thoughts gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

dstillman · 2024-04-27T10:05:28+00:00

No, not safely. You can always transfer your library manually with Zotero closed, but an automatic sync program would be functionally the same as a cloud storage folder:

https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/data_directory_in_cloud_storage_folder

mike95370 · 2024-04-28T01:15:12+00:00

Thanks. I'll probably go the manual sync way. All the ref managers I've looked at make sync so complicated. I was spoiled by Papers, which did reliable sync over LAN regardless of the app's run state.

dstillman · 2024-04-28T05:10:05+00:00

All the ref managers I've looked at make sync so complicated.

I mean, that's an absurd thing to say. You sync Zotero by putting in your username and password — that's it. It then automatically syncs everything for you. It's fine to not want to sync over the web, but the fact that you're adding other advanced technical requirements doesn't mean that Zotero is somehow making syncing complicated. You can't safely store the database for any database-backed program in a synced folder. That's just a technical reality.