Importing PDF files universally broken/ in need of tutorial

decider
I've tried everything recommended to import my existing directories of PDF files. Nothing works. This is a *very* common request, and, whoever is writing the tutorials is just ignoring it. Can we get some clarity on the precise steps to take if you want to import a directory structure of PDF files?

This requires step-by-step instructions and a list of required installed plug-ins if necessary. It would also help to describe the way the the program is designed to handle PDF files, sort of the rationale behind design choices. For example, will the directory structure show up as a structure of collections? Is there some way to automatically arrange PDFs into collections? That sort of thing.
  • ajlyon
    Drag them into Zotero. Select a few at a time and select "Retrieve metadata for PDF". Zotero will attempt to find the metadata for the item and attach the PDF to a new item if possible. When the automatic method fails, you'll need to either create an item manually by clicking the green (+) button and filling in the data or looking up the item (probably by title) online and capturing the item data from the journal publisher's website or a journal database.

    Zotero cannot at present import entire directories at a time while maintaining the directory structure through collections, although perhaps that's something that the wonderful Zotfile plugin could be modified to handle in the future.

    I suggest you start moving some PDFs into Zotero in this way and see how it works for you.
  • decider
    This issue needs a tutorial.

    The actual instructions for importing directories of PDF files are:
    1) Recreate your directory structure manually in the library
    2) Select each and every subcollection and drag the files from your subdirectory into the middle window (the contents of the subcollection)
    3) Go into each subcollection and select all files. Right click on files, select retrieve metadata.
    4) Swear incessantly because only half your files have metadata on Google scholar
    5) Repeat hundreds of times even though it could be automated with about an hour's effort on the part of a programmer.
    6) Realize that despite loading the PDF2text option, PDF files still can't be searched any more effectively than on Google scholar.
    7) Go get a different software package to deal with PDFs.

    If anyone can add to this tutorial to improve PDF file handling, I would appreciate it.

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