Most reference entries lost after clicking “Unlink Account” (2 questions)
Hi dstillman and everyone, I am new to Zotero. I am using the most recent version (7.0.1) in my Mac. I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files. It looks like that I can only one RDF file. I duplicated the 1st RDF file I created and tried to use the 2nd file for a different paper. However, whenever I made some change to one of the RDF files, the other file would have the same change at the same time. This is pretty annoying, and I would like to have each RDF file for a different paper. I don’t want to have a single RDF file with unrelated reference entries when I work on a different paper. Question 1. How to create multiple RDF files not connecting together?
Yesterday I was trying to use the web version of Zotero with the hope that I can have different files for different papers in the web version. After I clicked “Settings” below “About Zotero,” I then clicked “Sync,” the reference entries I had in my Zotero file in my Mac did not appear in the web version. (BTW, I only have “Settings” in my Zotero interface, I don’t see a “Preference” tab).
Then I clicked “Unlink Account” under “Sync.” Then a complete disaster happened: most of the reference entries in my Zotero file in my Mac disappeared with only 4 reference entries left! It took me a lot of time to get those reference entries into my Zotero file, and they were mostly gone now. Question 2. How to restore the lost reference entries? BTW, I don’t see a folder named “storage” inside my Zotero folder; Also, I only see a file named zotero.sqlite and a file named zotero.sqlite-journal; I don’t see a file named zotero.sqlite.bak files.
(Please start new threads for new issues — posting to someone else's thread isn't helpful for anyone. I've moved this to a new thread.)
I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files
I have no idea what you mean by this. It's certainly not true if you're actually talking about a Zotero RDF export, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're talking about. See Steps to Reproduce for the kind of precise description we need. I genuinely don't even know what general area of Zotero's functionality you're referring to.
Then I clicked “Unlink Account” under “Sync.” Then a complete disaster happened: most of the reference entries in my Zotero file in my Mac disappeared with only 4 reference entries left!
Just unlinking your account doesn't have any effect on your data. There's a "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" checkbox, though, and if you check that, it does exactly what it says. It sounds like that's what you did.
If so, you would only have whatever data you had in the online library before you unlinked your account and removed local data (which appears to only be about a dozen items, at least in the account you're posting from), or any backup you made on your own (e.g., with macOS Time Machine).
Generally speaking, it sounds like you have some major misunderstandings about how Zotero works, and I would strongly, strongly encourage you to just ask questions here in the future before taking drastic steps on your own. It sounds like you've potentially made your situation much worse, and there may not be much we can do to help you at this point.
Thank you for your reply. I tried to start a new thread last night, but the forum did not allow me to do it at that moment.
1. Regarding “I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files,” I was talking about the Zotero software I installed does not have a “New File” function.
Under the “File” Tab, I see “New Item,” “New Collection,” and “New Library.” But none of them allows you to create a new file like EndNote or MS Word does.
I clicked “New Library,” there are only 2 options: New Group and New Feed. The “New Group” tab only directs you to the web version of Zotero. I would like to create a New Library file in my Mac for a new paper like what I did for EndNote and Word. Any advice on this?
I will respond to your other comments later. Thanks!
Hi dstillman, This is a follow up to my last post:
2. Where is the "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" checkbox? I took another careful look at the Zotero software I installed, I just don’t see it. I don’t think I checked a box named "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" before I unlinked my account.
3. In the Web version of Zotero (in the account I am posting from), yes, I only have about a dozen items. However, in the Zotero software in my Mac, I have a lot of items and they were mostly gone now. I hope to restore those items. Any advice on how to use “macOS Time Machine” to do it?
Except using “macOS Time Machine,” is there any other way to restore those items? Thanks!
1. Regarding “I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files,” I was talking about the Zotero software I installed does not have a “New File” function.
You definitely don't mean "RDF files" here — I'm not sure where you got that from.
In any case, Zotero is a library-based app. You just use collections to organize materials from different projects. Think of them like playlists in a music app or photo albums in a photos app. All your items from all your projects always appear in the library root.
I'm still not sure what you mean by "whenever I made some change to one of the RDF files, the other file would have the same change at the same time", but if you explain exactly what you were doing, we can help you understand what a proper workflow would be.
2. Where is the "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" checkbox?
It's in the confirmation prompt when you go to unlink your account from syncing:
Any advice on how to use “macOS Time Machine” to do it?
A Time Machine backup is something you would've had to have made before this happened. I'm afraid there'd be no way to restore this data other than with a backup you made.
Upgrade Storage
Hi dstillman and everyone,
I am new to Zotero. I am using the most recent version (7.0.1) in my Mac. I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files. It looks like that I can only one RDF file. I duplicated the 1st RDF file I created and tried to use the 2nd file for a different paper. However, whenever I made some change to one of the RDF files, the other file would have the same change at the same time. This is pretty annoying, and I would like to have each RDF file for a different paper. I don’t want to have a single RDF file with unrelated reference entries when I work on a different paper. Question 1. How to create multiple RDF files not connecting together?
Yesterday I was trying to use the web version of Zotero with the hope that I can have different files for different papers in the web version. After I clicked “Settings” below “About Zotero,” I then clicked “Sync,” the reference entries I had in my Zotero file in my Mac did not appear in the web version. (BTW, I only have “Settings” in my Zotero interface, I don’t see a “Preference” tab).
Then I clicked “Unlink Account” under “Sync.” Then a complete disaster happened: most of the reference entries in my Zotero file in my Mac disappeared with only 4 reference entries left! It took me a lot of time to get those reference entries into my Zotero file, and they were mostly gone now. Question 2. How to restore the lost reference entries?
BTW, I don’t see a folder named “storage” inside my Zotero folder; Also, I only see a file named zotero.sqlite and a file named zotero.sqlite-journal; I don’t see a file named zotero.sqlite.bak files.
I look forward to your advice. Thanks!
If so, you would only have whatever data you had in the online library before you unlinked your account and removed local data (which appears to only be about a dozen items, at least in the account you're posting from), or any backup you made on your own (e.g., with macOS Time Machine).
Generally speaking, it sounds like you have some major misunderstandings about how Zotero works, and I would strongly, strongly encourage you to just ask questions here in the future before taking drastic steps on your own. It sounds like you've potentially made your situation much worse, and there may not be much we can do to help you at this point.
Thank you for your reply. I tried to start a new thread last night, but the forum did not allow me to do it at that moment.
1. Regarding “I found out that Zotero does not allow you to create multiple RDF files,” I was talking about the Zotero software I installed does not have a “New File” function.
Under the “File” Tab, I see “New Item,” “New Collection,” and “New Library.” But none of them allows you to create a new file like EndNote or MS Word does.
I clicked “New Library,” there are only 2 options: New Group and New Feed. The “New Group” tab only directs you to the web version of Zotero. I would like to create a New Library file in my Mac for a new paper like what I did for EndNote and Word. Any advice on this?
I will respond to your other comments later. Thanks!
This is a follow up to my last post:
2. Where is the "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" checkbox? I took another careful look at the Zotero software I installed, I just don’t see it. I don’t think I checked a box named "Remove my Zotero data from this computer" before I unlinked my account.
3. In the Web version of Zotero (in the account I am posting from), yes, I only have about a dozen items. However, in the Zotero software in my Mac, I have a lot of items and they were mostly gone now. I hope to restore those items. Any advice on how to use “macOS Time Machine” to do it?
Except using “macOS Time Machine,” is there any other way to restore those items? Thanks!
In any case, Zotero is a library-based app. You just use collections to organize materials from different projects. Think of them like playlists in a music app or photo albums in a photos app. All your items from all your projects always appear in the library root.
See The Zotero Collections Model to make sure you understand how collections work.
I'm still not sure what you mean by "whenever I made some change to one of the RDF files, the other file would have the same change at the same time", but if you explain exactly what you were doing, we can help you understand what a proper workflow would be. It's in the confirmation prompt when you go to unlink your account from syncing:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u6/fqevn4gktlgynbyl6ab3.png
Checking this is the only way that local data would be removed when you unlink your account. A Time Machine backup is something you would've had to have made before this happened. I'm afraid there'd be no way to restore this data other than with a backup you made.