Advice needed for temporary migrating to another PC

Asketa

I have been using Zotero on my desktop PC for several years. Zotero itself is installed on drive C, while my library (storage) is located on drive D. My library contains a mix of attachments: roughly half are stored files, and half are linked PDFs.

For example, on my desktop PC, stored files are located at paths like:

D:\PDF\Zotero Storage\storage\8VJJKQZ9\file.pdf

and linked files are located at:

D:\PDF\To Read\biology\file.pdf

I will be traveling abroad for two months and will need to work from a laptop during that time. I have already synced Zotero between my desktop PC and laptop. However, as I understand it, Zotero sync does not include attached PDF files?

I wanted to move everything from my desktop PC to an external hard drive, and then to my laptop. However, there is a complication: my laptop only has a C drive (no D drive).

What would be the least painful way to migrate everything so that I can fully use my library (including PDFs) on the laptop during this period?

P.S. I don't understand if Zotero sync works independently of Zotero storage?

tim820

Zotero *file* syncing only syncs "stored" PDFs not "linked" PDFs. And in order to sync stored files, you need a sufficient online file storage quota (300 mb free; paid storage plans for more). Zotero *data* syncing is free and unlimited.
https://www.zotero.org/support/attaching_files#stored_files_and_linked_files

Re "I have already synced Zotero between my desktop PC and laptop", do you mean both data *and* your "stored" PDF files ?

If so, the simplest solution for your linked files (on D:) would be to attach an external drive D: with those PDFs to your laptop for the duration of your travel; so that all linked PDFs are at the same named paths as on your desktop. And if you add new PDFs there during your travel, copy those back onto your desktop (D:) upon your return (or set up cloud sync using Dropbox, Google Drive, Onedrive, etc).

If your stored PDFs are *not* already synced to your laptop, a somewhat more involved strategy would be required.

Asketa

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I did first mean only the data, as I didn't know that Zotero also syncs some stored files. Then I realised that some PDF files are being synced as well.

Either way, I have around 11 GB of stored and 14 GB of linked files.

At the moment, I think that Zotero data is synced, and 300mb of PDF files, the rest is not.

I do not mind to convert all of my linked files to stored ones. I also read a bit about 'relative paths' and 'absolute paths', as it says: "allowing you to access files on different computers as long as the file structure within the base directory remains the same." Does this also work with stored files?

My original plan was to convert all linked files to stored ones, then transfer my Storage from desktop PC to laptop using external HDD, and then - somehow, don't know how - tell Zotero that that is the new Storage.

tim820

OK, since you do not have sufficient online file storage quota to sync even all your stored files to your laptop via Zotero servers, the simplest approach would be to expand on the solution I originally proposed to cover just your linked files: an external D: drive that has *both* your Zotero data folder (which contains your stored files) and your linked files folder.

As long as the paths to your linked files are the same on both computers, and you set up Zotero on your laptop to point to the Zotero data folder on the external D: drive (Edit\Settings\Advanced\Files & Folders\Data Directory Location), everything will work in the same way as on your desktop (there is no need to convert linked files to stored files). Some people operate their Zotero libraries from an external drive permanently (with either all stored files, or all linked files, or a mixture of both). A Zotero library on an external drive will be a bit slower than on an internal SSD. Just make sure that the external drive is plugged in before you fire up Zotero (one solution is to velcro an external drive to the back of your laptop screen, and keep it permanently plugged in).

Then when you return, you would reverse the process to copy everything from the external drive back onto your desktop computer. You should of course have a good back up routine for all your files (everything under the Zotero data folder, and all your linked files), both now and while you are away.

If instead you wanted to copy your data folder and all your linked files to the laptop's internal C: drive while you are away, or a hybrid C: (stored files)/D: (linked files) strategy, that is possible too. It's just the more complicated option in this case (eg requiring a Linked Attachment Base Directory setting on both computers).

Asketa

Thank you for your reply again. You are really helping me out here!

Let us suppose that I want to do the second option, as I have been thinking of moving my entire PDF library to Zotero (converting it to stored files). Also, I wouldn't want to carry my external HDD to all my lectures.

If I do that, and then move my Storage to my laptop, will it work there as well?