Can't access my OneDrive with my Zotfile library data

sjrose

Hi all,

So during my PhD my supervisor and I setup my Zotero and zotfile library to link to my university OneDrive. Every PDF I downloaded I would rename and it would upload into my OneDrive folder. Now that I've finished my PhD and lost access to my OneDrive my PDF files are no longer opening in my library. I downloaded almost all the PDF files from the OneDrive just before I lost access to ensure I still had them. I am now trying to update the citations with the new location of the files but have failed to do so. I have tried Zotfile by changing the location of the pdfs and changed the Base Directory to the new folder. I am now thinking I might have to reupdate every library item manually with my new PDF. Is there a quick way I can add all the files back into there correct items on the library?

Thanks!

tim820

The clue to solving these problems is usually the Zotero error message. When you try to open a linked PDF and it fails, does the Zotero error message tell you the path where Zotero thinks that PDF should be ? If so, is the PDF actually at that location ? If not, what is that actual path where Zotero thinks it should be and what is its true path now ?

Changing Zotfile settings will only change where future PDFs get stored, not change where Zotero looks for existing linked PDFs (whose paths are stored in your Zotero database).

The simplest approach to allow Zotero to find your linked PDFs is to put those PDFs under a path that is exactly the same as it was originally.

But if the path to your linked PDFs is now unavoidably different to what it was originally, you need to set that new path as a Linked Attachment Base Directory (LABD) in Zotero settings. It's the LABD that tells Zotero where to look for your linked files (in situations where it has changed).
https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#files_and_folders

sjrose

Thank you for the feedback. There is no error message a "Loading" message just appears in the new tab of the pdf as if it is trying to locate the file. I have changed the LABD to a new folder with the PDF files yet when I click "show file" on the PDFs that are "Loading", it shows that they are still linked to the old OneDrive that I can no longer access. Somehow it is still linking to that folder despite me changing the Base Directory (LABD)...

tim820

Firstly, the Zotero devs may be able to explain why Zotero's LABD setting is failing to achieve the desired result in this instance.

Regarding other options, the Zutilo plugin has linked file options for Show/Modify/Copy Attachment Paths. Show Attachment Paths is a quick way to display what Zotero's stored path to a PDF is. If the prefix of that displayed path is "attachments:" it means that a LABD is in place. To check that LABD setting is correct for finding the PDFs, put your LABD setting in place of "attachments:" and you should get the correct path to where that PDF actually is.

But if Zotero is still not finding linked PDFs, the Zutilo's Modify Attachment Paths should be able to change the path of selected PDFs. You may need to turn off the LABD so that Zotero reverts to absolute paths for Zutilo to modify correctly.

Regarding Onedrive, even though you no longer have access to your university Onedrive cloud, is the folder still on your computer ? That is, is it useable as a normal folder ?