Request: for-dummies upgrade to Z7 - prev used ZotFile with Dropbox

bert.lloyd.89
Hello Zotero community,

I am looking forward to upgrading to Z7. I have been using zotfile to link to attachments to a dedicated Dropbox folder. I see that zotfile will not be updated to work with Z7, and that there are some new features in Z7 and add-ins such as that work with Z7, and would like to replicate what I've done previously **while retaining current links from Zotero items to items in my Dropbox folder**.

I would really appreciate a step-by-step for-dummies guide, if anyone in the community has the time to create such a thing. I am reluctant to experiment myself because I don't know if I'll make any dumb, irreversible mistakes.

Thanks,
BL

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u1435020/lml4i1qcvlfomawll597.png
  • tim820
    edited August 14, 2024
    The location of your *existing* linked PDFs is already stored in your Zotero database, so there is no danger to those in migrating to Zotero v7 (without Zotfile). As in your screenshot, that location is the Custom Location folder specified in Zotfile preferences under Zotero v6 (which Zotfile used when originally saving those files). Zotfile users should document all their current settings as displayed in each pane of Zotfile preferences before migrating to Zotero v7. And with any migration you should have a good backup of your Zotero data.

    Under Zotero v7, for *new* PDF attachments you will need a plugin that replicates Zotfile's automatic moving of those PDFs (downloaded by the Zotero web connector) as linked files to the same folder (and its manual, right-click-option movement of selected PDFs). Either zotmoov or attanger will do that. Both provide similar support for linked attachment file handling. You could try both (separately) and keep the one you like best. They do not provide Zotfile's enhanced file renaming - see below. Neither plugin offers Zotfile's send-to-tablet feature.
    https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov
    https://github.com/MuiseDestiny/zotero-attanger

    Zotfile's PDF attachment file renaming is now handled by Zotero v7's enhanced renaming. Under Zotero v6, the Zotfile default renaming scheme was written as {%a_}{%y_}{%t} (in Zotfile preferences, along with some additional modifiable renaming parameters).

    The default Zotero v7 renaming scheme is different to Zotfile's default, and is also written differently:
    {{ firstCreator suffix=" - " }}{{ year suffix=" - " }}{{ title truncate="100" }}
    https://www.zotero.org/support/file_renaming#customizing_the_filename_format
    (ie it uses dashes and spaces instead of a single underscore to separate authors/year/title, and truncates the title at 100 instead of 80 as in Zotfile's default).

    The above v7 format is shown at the link above to produce a filename like this:
    Lee et al. - 2023 - The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor.pdf

    If you need a different renaming format, you can of course change Zotero's default renaming specs. The following thread is currently where people are getting support from the Zotero devs for more complex remaining requirements:
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/116752/specific-zotfile-workflow-with-zotero7-file-renaming-rules#latest
  • bert.lloyd.89
    Thank you @tim820 , this is incredibly helpful.

    I asked a similar question of the zotmoov developer on his GitHub site (my post here took some time to get approved and based on previous experience I thought it had been rejected, so I apologize to anyone annoyed by the double-post), and he is in the process of adding an item to his FAQ. I will mention your reply over there as it may be useful to others in my shoes later.

    Regards,
    BL

    Issue on zotmoov Github site:

    https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov/issues/36

    Beta version of addition to FAQ:

    https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov/tree/beta?tab=readme-ov-file#migrating-from-zotfile
  • bert.lloyd.89
    Just wanted to report for the benefit of any potential future readers:

    I have successfully upgraded to Z7 and switched from zotfile to zotmoov by following the Installation guide and FAQ item over at the zotmoov site (links below) and consulting the post above from @tim820 for helpful additional advice.

    https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov#installation

    https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov#migrating-from-zotfile
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