Upgrade StorageHome-dir-relative storage of linked files.
For linked files (as opposed to those in Zotero's storage folder), it would be good to have the option of Zotero storing their paths relative to a user-defined home/root. This would make it easier to make the Zotero library portable between machines -- eg. if you like to the same file hierarchy on two differently-laid-out machines, all you have to do is change the configured 'home' directory.
This would fit in with what I see as a *highly* desirable design bias: seeing Zotero as a tool to index and choreograph the use of multiple sources of information, rather than as a monolithic container for everything.
Cheers,
CB.
This would fit in with what I see as a *highly* desirable design bias: seeing Zotero as a tool to index and choreograph the use of multiple sources of information, rather than as a monolithic container for everything.
Cheers,
CB.
There are 2 practical reasons I don't always want items stored directly in Zotero:
- I have a directory hierarchy that I want to keep, and want it navigable by other means in addition to Zotero (file managers, organisers, etc)
- There are files that it just doesn't make sense to clutter zotero with (eg. LaTeX intermediates), but I want them physically placed alongside files that I do want zotero to reference (eg. pdfs generated from LaTeX).
The philosophical reason is also worth reiterating: Zotero should in my view play to its strengths in organising and tagging (more than storing) items from multiple sources, with the local file system being just one of these.Relative paths (or some other means of indirection) would all make this more manageable. Does anyone else find this a problem, or have a good way of managing for the time being?
Also again -- does anyone else find the issue of integrating zotero items and collections with the rest of their files an issue, or (even better) have a smarter way than mine (which is to muddle along) of dealing with it?
I could imagine(*) that in the simplest case this could be as simple as
1 - Zotero home directory is: /path/to/dir/zotero
2 - Base directory is thus: /path/to/dir
3 - New file: /path/to/dir/papers/mypaper.pdf
4 - Relative link to new file is: <BASE>/papers/mypaper.pdf
I guess this would satisfy most users.
That way my research could all sit under
/path/to/dir/zotero
/path/to/dir/papers
/path/to/dir/collected_articles
/path/to/dir/[etc...]
(*) I've not done any thought about this, so forgive me if there is any glaring errors...
ln -s /the/real/path/to/my/usb/stick /my/zotero/path/stub
I don't know Windows, but soft links apparently are possible since XP:http://www.shell-shocked.org/article.php?id=284
One to try with care, for sure, but it might do the trick. (Oh, wait ... if the drive letter is in the path registered in Zotero, it's going to break things under Linux, isn't it.)
Before I found this thread I posted a related idea here http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/6729/best-practices-zotero-folder/#Comment_34824 which I think could make the relative paths even more flexible.
You can count more 12 votes for relative paths, me and all my research team.
The random folders used by Zotero to store files were totally rejected by our team's members (and I don't know a single user of Zotero among the several we have in our Univ. that like it) and to bypass the "no relative paths issue" we use a little application sqlite that changes the path every time we sync machines (but it is only a bypass and error prone).
Cheers
It is important because I save all the Journal articles in a separate LITERATURE folder. Zotero points to them. Once I move to a new machine, I loose these links, especially when it is once on drive D: and once on drive E:
The problem is that currently the full path is stored in database.
I use Zotero with Firefox Portable Edition. Both sit on a USB stick so I have access to my library on any computer no matter the OS. Files to which I link in Zotero also reside on the same USB. Nevertheless, the links get broken as the stick receives various mounting points under different systems:-(
Given the unanimous demand for relative paths, would it be possible if a zotero developper gave a brief statement whether this will be implemented soon?
I just started working with zotero, but the lack of this (simple?) feature really reduces the applicability.
For me, this is a make-or-break feature (without it, it's virtually impossible to move linked files between computers), and unless it's going to be implemented soon, I'm going to have to find another reference manager (which I'm very reluctant to do, as I really like Zotero).
Dan: Can you tell us what the situation is, please? Thanks!
Changes in 1.0.0b3.r1 (January 8, 2007)
* Imported attachments use relative paths for improved cross-platform compatibility
I wonder what happened to that?
Anyway, I vote for relative paths (and no drive letter).
I use Zotero on Windows XP at home, Linux on a laptop and also on a wide range of Windows 7 machines at University. So far I effectively keep and use my PDFs only on the XP at home because the links don't work either on Linux or on the University Windows machines. This is a pain, and I have been thinking whether it's worth going to a competitor like JabRef that doesn't make such a mess of it.
Facing the lost link problem third time: 1) when migrating from one OS to another, 2) after complete OS reinstall due hardware failure, and 3) now that I have to use multiple computers with different OSs, etc. Like others, I also prefer not to store my files inside Zotero.