pdf imported to library, can it be imported with a sensible name?

emorales

Hi. I use "Create New Item from Current Page" to save a pdf to my library after a successful search online. The problem is that the saved document has a useless filename like "application/pdf". Is there a way to save a pdf paper with say its own paper-title as the filename? The paper I imported was indexed successfully but its filename in the library was still "application/pdf". You might understand I don't want to have 500 papers named "application/pdf". Thank you.

ajlyon

First set the item data (in the right panel) to the correct bibliographic data. Then right-click on the attachment and select "Rename item from parent metadata".

Bionatsci

Note that even after renaming, Firefox tabs showing the PDF will still be called "application/pdf" due to a limitation in Firefox. The only workaround I have found for this (as it gets to be a problem when you have more than about 4 PDFs open) is to set Zotero to open PDFs in an external viewer.

mark

You might as well first create the bibliographic item (or import it from some repository, like JSTOR or CSA or Google Scholar) and then drag the PDF onto your item. That way you don't have to change the Item type and all from 'webpage' to whatever the PDF is. After dragging you can rename the PDF as suggested by ajlyon.

emorales

Ajlyon. I tried to follow your instructions but I don't seem to find what you say. Could you please be more specific on "First set the item data (in the right panel) to the correct bibliographic data" In the panel located to my right I don't seem to find any icon where I can click to set the correct bibliographic data. I apologize but I am new to this Zotero and the clarification requested might sound ridiculous to you. Thanks for your help.

adamsmith

either you right-click on the pdf and pick "retrieve metadata" or you have to manually add title, author, and any other information. (by "manually add" I mean type or cut and past from the document).
Often, also, when you search on google scholar you can use the item in the URL bar to import directly with information and pdf. That is even more true if you search in databases such as JSTOR.

emorales

Bionatsci. I actually don't mind having the same "tab" labeled as applications/pdf. It is the actual name of the file that bugs me. Thanks for sharing your way of working around the problem.

emorales

Adamsmith. I am doing what you suggested, it is really easy with metadata, it creates the item with title, but the retrieve-metadata works for about 70% of the files although they are 100% indexed. That I don't understand. I am looking into JSTOR, is not a database I currently use, don't even know if its good for physics. Thanks you for your post.