Hi, first of: thanks a lot for everything you guys do. I still use Zotero all of the time and it keeps improving, which is great. I hope I understood everything above and in the link you've shared correctly. Please, disregard anything I say below if it is already part of a planned update or if its simply not helpful.
I have all my (pdf, ebook, image, web pages) files in discrete folders in my laptop (one folder for pdf's and ebooks, one for images, one for web page (sub)folders) and I use the 'linked file' option each time I download a file. For some parent items I have multiple files (one original file, some edited, some with OCR, etc). I have found this to be the best way to keep Zotero light and organized without multiple duplicates in the library (yes, I've tried using duplicates for each edited file but it was a logistical nightmare). This method allows me to share and backup actual files while (only) synchronizing the (very light) library data to the cloud. In my case I have always had to change the name of the file manually. I'm unsure if this was the result of some preference change I made in the past (+-5 years ago), but this was my preferred option anyway. It allowed me to first edit the parent item/citation to the file system I use and only then to change the actual file name in the folders with all the files. It allowed me to append a suffix such as "OCR" or "COMMENTED" to a version of an actual file and to change its name directly from Zotero (by ticking the box that I believe has disappeared with Z7). Overall, this method also does away with the 'itunes' kind of behaviour when using Add attachment > File or "Automatically attach and rename associated PDF's ..." or "Automatically take snapshots of web pages ..." whereby the resulting library structure had little in common with the actual structure of the "storage" folder and eventually I had no oversight of where files were or how heavy they were.
With Z7 each time I link a file and rename it with parent item data 1. the file is indeed renamed, but 2. I get inconsistent behaviour from the label that the attachment gets in the actual library. Mostly, the attachment label changes to "PDF", "ebook", but sometimes the label indeed doesn't change, and I still see the name of the original downloaded file. I find this weird, since I always first download the file to the specific folder (pdf with pdf's, jpg with images, etc) and only then "Add attachment > linked file" to link it to the parent item in the zotero library + "Rename file" to change the actual file name to match the citation style of the parent item. Currently, I'm dealing with this by manually changing the name of the actual file in the folder in my PC, and by manually changing the label in Zotero to match the actual file name.
This is a minor nuisance, but it would of course be easier if it were possible to revert to the previous behaviour.
By all means, any advice on how to better manage my library is always welcome.
Thanks again for all the amazing work you guys do. Zotero for the win! Toro
I get inconsistent behaviour from the label that the attachment gets in the actual library. Mostly, the attachment label changes to "PDF", "ebook", but sometimes the label indeed doesn't change, and I still see the name of the original downloaded file.
The first file you add is supposed to be set to "PDF"/etc., but there was a bug specifically with linked files that caused the first two files to be titled that way. That's fixed now in the latest Zotero beta, and the fix will be included in Zotero 7.1.
As for the rest, we have additional changes coming that might help, including continuous renaming and a renaming variable for the attachment title. Essentially, you'll be able to specify a format like "use the attachment metadata, unless the attachment title doesn't include 'PDF', in which case append the title to the end of the metadata within parentheses", and then you could simply type "OCR" into the attachment title field and have the file automatically renamed to "Smith - 2004 - This is My Book (OCR).pdf", while still getting the benefits of simpler, less redundant titles in the items list.
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I have all my (pdf, ebook, image, web pages) files in discrete folders in my laptop (one folder for pdf's and ebooks, one for images, one for web page (sub)folders) and I use the 'linked file' option each time I download a file. For some parent items I have multiple files (one original file, some edited, some with OCR, etc). I have found this to be the best way to keep Zotero light and organized without multiple duplicates in the library (yes, I've tried using duplicates for each edited file but it was a logistical nightmare). This method allows me to share and backup actual files while (only) synchronizing the (very light) library data to the cloud.
In my case I have always had to change the name of the file manually. I'm unsure if this was the result of some preference change I made in the past (+-5 years ago), but this was my preferred option anyway. It allowed me to first edit the parent item/citation to the file system I use and only then to change the actual file name in the folders with all the files. It allowed me to append a suffix such as "OCR" or "COMMENTED" to a version of an actual file and to change its name directly from Zotero (by ticking the box that I believe has disappeared with Z7).
Overall, this method also does away with the 'itunes' kind of behaviour when using Add attachment > File or "Automatically attach and rename associated PDF's ..." or "Automatically take snapshots of web pages ..." whereby the resulting library structure had little in common with the actual structure of the "storage" folder and eventually I had no oversight of where files were or how heavy they were.
With Z7 each time I link a file and rename it with parent item data 1. the file is indeed renamed, but 2. I get inconsistent behaviour from the label that the attachment gets in the actual library. Mostly, the attachment label changes to "PDF", "ebook", but sometimes the label indeed doesn't change, and I still see the name of the original downloaded file. I find this weird, since I always first download the file to the specific folder (pdf with pdf's, jpg with images, etc) and only then "Add attachment > linked file" to link it to the parent item in the zotero library + "Rename file" to change the actual file name to match the citation style of the parent item.
Currently, I'm dealing with this by manually changing the name of the actual file in the folder in my PC, and by manually changing the label in Zotero to match the actual file name.
This is a minor nuisance, but it would of course be easier if it were possible to revert to the previous behaviour.
By all means, any advice on how to better manage my library is always welcome.
Thanks again for all the amazing work you guys do.
Zotero for the win!
Toro
As for the rest, we have additional changes coming that might help, including continuous renaming and a renaming variable for the attachment title. Essentially, you'll be able to specify a format like "use the attachment metadata, unless the attachment title doesn't include 'PDF', in which case append the title to the end of the metadata within parentheses", and then you could simply type "OCR" into the attachment title field and have the file automatically renamed to "Smith - 2004 - This is My Book (OCR).pdf", while still getting the benefits of simpler, less redundant titles in the items list.