Automatically import pdf for existing metadata

nilsolav

I have several papers in my db, but many of them do not have the pdf attached. If I have online access to the pdf, is it possible to have Zotero automatically search (e.g. via doi) and attach pdf's to my database?

mronkko

Not possible currently, and I do not think that this is planned either. (I do think that it would be a nice feature)

This relates to the ability to refresh the item data that has been discussed in the forums earlier, and could be implemented as a plugin to Zotero.

adamsmith

Depending on how we're going to do the refreshing of item data, we'd likely include the option to attach a PDF:
If we're just refreshing the item data from CrossRef (i.e. the DOI database) that won't work, but we've been talking about following the link provided by CrossRef or Google Scholar to the original source of the paper and - as long as that site has a Zotero translator - we'd be able to get the PDF, too. I believe this is more likely to happen in Zotero than as a plugin at this point and while it won't happen in the next couple of months, it's also not that far out of reach.
See under Re-fetching Metadata here:
http://www.zotero.org/support/requested_features#zotero_interface

stevejoslyn

What about automatically populating a specific library folder with papers from the latest issue of a journal when they are released, and then have zotero also bring across the PDF. Perhaps a plug-in would be needed to update the latest available, but is this all that far fetched? (mind the pun).

mronkko

What about automatically populating a specific library folder with papers from the latest issue of a journal when they are released, and then have zotero also bring across the PDF. Perhaps a plug-in would be needed to update the latest available, but is this all that far fetched? (mind the pun).

This is a separate issue from the original topic, but yes, this could be written as a plugin. Someone just needs to write such plugin.