pdf files in zotero store but not attached

stephengourlay

I'm using Zotero 3.0.3 integrated with Firefox 10.0.2 (Win XP). I have ticked 'automatically attach pdfs ...'.

1) Problem: A file indexing program that includes my Zotero files shows I have some pdfs in my Zotero database that when I check in Zotero are not shown as attached to the particular record. The date and time for the pdf is identical to that of the Zotero record. (This has not happened with all recent additions to my records however). Any suggestions?

2) Managing these files - I'm keen to delete them as I don't want to keep pdfs in Zotero - presumably I can manually delete those in the database that do not appear in a record outside Zotero without upsetting the indexing.

Thanks.

adamsmith

1) That seems surprising and is the first I have ever seen/heard this. Have you tried emptying your Zotero trash (bottom of the left panel)? There really is no plausible way how a pdf could get into the Zotero folder without being added to Zotero (unless you manually moved the file there, which I assume you did not).

2)Could you re-phrase that? I don't understand what you're asking.

stephengourlay

Thanks Adam. I didn't realise about emptying trash - done that and this seems to have done the trick.
My second point - I assume in normal cases to delete an attachment I should do this from within Zotero to prevent the database from getting corrupted. (I.e. I should not simply delete it using a file listing program.) But it doesn't apply now.

dstillman

You should never need to touch files in the Zotero data directory on your own, but the only consequence of deleting a file would be its not being available when you try to open it in Zotero. There's no way to corrupt anything.