Unintentional Zotero Lock In due to non logical file structure?

loorung

The benefits of Zotero are that it's not propriety and works across different operating systems. But am I still locked in?

For example, Zotero will not store my pdfs in a logical file structure (I wish developers would listen to the demand for this -- it's one the features for Mendeley). If I wish to switch to a different reference manager I understand that I can export my library, but I'm not clear I can export my all pdfs in one go very easily. Is this the case?

If the pdfs were all in a folder of my choosing (like my mp3 are, like itunes does, like Mendeley does, like Papers and Bookends do) I could just copy this folder onto a usb and take it with me, install it on another computer, have another reference manager search that folder. I could also browse it, and move things at will.

In other words, keep the complicated multi folder Zotero folder, but have a copy of each pdf sent to another folder of my choosing (a la Mendeley, Papers, Bookends, etc)

The Zotero folder is full of so many things. I only have about 3-400 references, but in the Zotero folder there are over 7000 items that sync to my back up plan, due to the file structure.

Could a behind the scenes file organizer akin to the one on Mendeley not be added? Then I would have non-propriety complete freedom to do what I wish with my library and references.

This is the one downside for me of using Zotero.

noksagt

Please refer to other threads on this topic. This request is not being ignored, but has a lower priority than other features because most functionality already exists in zotero, in third-party plugins for zotero, or in the file manager of your operating system.

But am I still locked in?

No & this is a silly accusation to make. You have the source and, while you disagree with the file structure, it is not "illogical" & other programs have been made to rewrite the path.

If I wish to switch to a different reference manager I understand that I can export my library, but I'm not clear I can export my all pdfs in one go very easily. Is this the case?

Attachments may be exported by the Zotero RDF and the Bibliontology RDF.

I could just copy this folder onto a usb and take it with me, install it on another computer, have another reference manager search that folder.

All attachments are in your Zotero storage directory. You can have your another reference manager search a copy of that folder too.

The Zotero folder is full of so many things. I only have about 3-400 references, but in the Zotero folder there are over 7000 items that sync to my back up plan, due to the file structure.

Do you have web page attachments (that would contain many separate files) and/or do you have items in your trash folder (attached files are still stored in case you'd like to restore them)?

Could a behind the scenes file organizer akin to the one on Mendeley not be added?

What does this mean?

adamsmith

In other words, keep the complicated multi folder Zotero folder, but have a copy of each pdf sent to another folder of my choosing (a la Mendeley, Papers, Bookends, etc)

your operating system can already do this - most conveniently using smart searches on a Mac, a linux solution is described in one of the other threads on the topic and I'm sure by now Windows has caught up and introduced something like saved or virtual folders, too.
That's one of the main reasons this isn't treated by Zotero with any priority.

For what it's worth - I think that the main "lock in" danger at the moment is that RIS export doesn't include the link to files (neither stored nor linked) - that has nothing to do with the file structure and is something that will probably be addressed soon-ish. In any case, the ris export translator is pretty straightforward Java script, so the lock-in is not very tight - anyone with some time and js capabilities could add this.