Storage on the cloud and synching

erluck53

Is there a way to manage the information that Zotero stores without affecting the library?

Also, is there a synch to a flash drive?

adamsmith

"Is there a way to manage the information that Zotero stores without affecting the library?"
Could you clarify that question? But if you're asking whether you can fine-tune what parts of your data are stored in the cloud, the answer is no. It's either Files and data, just data, or nothing.

You cannot sync to a flash drive, no, but you can use a flash drive to back-up and/or transfer your library
http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library

erluck53

The default is which setting, files and data or just data?

I guess I was curious if one can purge the data from the cloud only.

adamsmith

I believe the default is just data - but you need to create an account and then put in your username and password in Zotero, which means it won't happen automatically, either.
Purging your online data is relatively easy: You create an empty Zotero library (e.g. in a different FF profile) input your Zotero username and password and then use the "restore to server" option in the sync tab of the Zotero preferences. Importantly, though, you need to make absolutely sure to _not_ perform a sync with your regular Zotero profile afterwards, as it will be overwritten by the empty server profile, i.e. all your data will be deleted.

dstillman

The default is both, but as adamsmith says, only if you've entered your account information in the preferences. Just look at the Sync pane of the Zotero preferences.

Importantly, though, you need to make absolutely sure to _not_ perform a sync with your regular Zotero profile afterwards, as it will be overwritten by the empty server profile, i.e. all your data will be deleted.

Actually, Restore to Server just clears the online data without recording any deletions, so syncing the original account wouldn't cause any data to be deleted. But presumably one wouldn't want to sync the other account again anyway if the goal was to clear the online data.

dstillman

Also, there's no storage quota for data, if that's your concern—only for files.

erluck53

Thanks