Max number of citations and how to count files

s2green

Hi. I am conducting a meta-analysis that may result in upwards 20,000 citations that I want to track in Zotero. I conduct a search of a number of databases on a date and import the file into Zotero housing it in a dated folder. Right now I have 14,600 citations but I notice each has two items associated with it. I have about 5 databases yet to search and I want to import the results into their own folder(s), but I am concerned about hitting a maximum number. Can Zotero handle something like this? If not, is there any way to set up separate copies of zotero or separate databases to get around the max number? Thank you. Stacy

adamsmith

There is no theoretical maximum number of citations for Zotero, just practical limitations that concern speed and syncing. Depending on your set-up they typically become relevant at somewhere >50k total number of items http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/item_count

For speed - how is the performance of Zotero currently? Some operations will probably take a little time, but if it still runs pretty smoothly you should be fine.

For sync - are you planning to sync this to other computers? If so, don't wait with syncing until you're done, but keep syncing - massive uploads are more problematic than incremental ones.

adamsmith

(you can run separate copies of Zotero - with separate databases - using Firefox profiles, but that'd be a last way out).

s2green

Thank you. One question - if I need to have an original folder with all citations found on a certain date and a second file with the contents of the original folder minus duplicates, do I have to have create two copies of the original folder and then remove duplicates from the second one? Or is there another way to accomplish this? I need to maintain a record of each step of my meta-analysis so I cannot remove the duplicates from the original folder.

Thank you,

Stacy

adamsmith

First, note that collections aren't folders - if you have the same item in two collections, it is still only one item in Zotero (by that I mean if you copy it between collections - this doesn't apply to duplicate versions imported from different databases).
With that in mind - no, there is no alternative to the procedure you describe. If you were to merge duplicates using Zotero's duplicate detection function in collection B they'd also be merged in collection A (because, again, they're the same items).

s2green

Thanks for the explanation I really appreciate your help. I think I might have to try Endnote and see how it handles duplicates. Take care.