Selectively sync *by* group library?

erikfredner

Is it possible to selectively sync group libraries one by one?

I found one option in Settings > File Syncing > Sync attachments in group libraries, but this seems to apply to *all* group libraries.

If I am a member of two group libraries—one of which I want to sync attachments with, and another of which I do not want to sync attachments with—is there any way to do so?

Thanks!

dstillman

No, file sync settings can currently only be applied to all group libraries.

You can disable auto-sync altogether and then right-click on individual libraries to sync them, but that would mean that data wouldn't ever sync automatically either, so we wouldn't recommend that.

Can you clarify what you're trying to accomplish? You want to sync data and files for all libraries but have some groups only download files as needed?

erikfredner

I have the free storage plan because I store all of the PDFs etc. in my Zotero library on my laptop and do not need to sync between devices.

I maintain one group library with a colleague that we use to share citations for co-authorship, but we do not sync those attachments.

Another colleague (who has Zotero's unlimited storage plan) recently invited me to join a group library where we would like to sync attachments for a different research project.

Because syncing group libraries is "all or nothing," I can't figure out a way to contribute to the second group library without the attachments in the first using up the entirety of my storage and preventing me from uploading to the second.

Of course, I recognize that I could solve this problem by paying for unlimited storage, but as I don't sync between devices, the first library does not require shared attachments, and the owner of the second has unlimited storage, it doesn't seem obvious that I would need to do so.

It seems to me that if it were possible to decide to sync attachments by group library that would resolve this issue.

I recognize that this is an edge case, and I appreciate your follow-up question.

adamsmith

If you don't sync file attachments in the first group, you can set the group to "no group file storage" and it won't use up file storage:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u2433/tctwahigh7xxq4xof7yq.png

I do think that'll mean you won't be able to _store_ attachments (locally) in that group either; you'll have to decide if that's a problem.