Add library to mine, or as group library, but with all PDFs

lddimov
In Zotero StandAlone, I want to add a friend's library to mine, including all pdf files. Through online sync I could get the library items, but not the pdf files. So I have a flash drive with all her zotero files and directories (locate, storage, styles, translators; all executable, sqlite files, etc.), including the pdf files (zotero put each pdf in a separate folder inside the Storage directory). I can't find a way to import my friend's zotero database and pdfs despite trying a number of different ways. Any tips will be appreciated. Thanks!
  • aurimas
    In Zotero StandAlone, I want to add a friend's library to mine, including all pdf files.
    Do you mean that you want to merge her items into your library? Or do you want to have her library as a separate library?
    Through online sync I could get the library items, but not the pdf files.
    Is this via group library sync, or did you enter her username and password in your Zotero?
  • lddimov
    Ideally I would like to merge her items into my library, but if not possible, I'll be happy to also have her library as a separate library.

    The sync was through a group library.
    Thanks!
    PS I am on MS WinXP operating system
  • aurimas
    If you are sharing a document that you are both editing, then I would say that group sync (including file attachments in a private library) would be your best bet. We can discuss further how to get the file attachments transferred if this is the option you need to go with.

    If you are not working on the same document, then you can export her library as Zotero RDF with attachments and import it on your computer. The only catch is that this will not preserve collection structure.
  • lddimov
    We're not working on the same document.

    I had tried exporting the library as Zotero RDF, but every time I try, after a few seconds I get this script error message:
    ==============================
    A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete.

    Script: C:\Documents and Settings\L\Application Data\Zotero\Zotero\Profiles\dvnovsfs.default\zotero\translators\Zotero RDF.js:330
    ===============
    And then whether I click on the Continue button or the Stop Script button, the export operation fails.
  • aurimas
    Could you provide a Debug ID for an export attempt? http://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output Press continue if asked about a script taking too long. How many items are you exporting? What Zotero version is this?
  • lddimov
    Debug output has been sent to the Zotero server.
    The Debug ID is D1524321.

    When I click the Continue button, the warning message about the unresponsive script comes right back. At previous attempts to export, I clicked it 3-4 times before giving up. This time I kept clicking on it probably 20+ times while it was exporting, because I noticed that between clicks, the size of the folder where I was exporting a library kept increasing. Eventually it stopped asking and finished exporting. So at the end it did work - the zotero library and all files did get exported, despite the bug!
    Items trying to export: 607
    Size of the Zotero exported library: 1.1GB.
    Zotero StandAlone Version is 3.0.11.1.
  • adamsmith
    You're using a very old version of Zotero. Update to 4.0.11
    Might not fix this, but is definitely a good idea.
  • adamsmith
    re unresponsive script, see http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/unresponsive_script_warning
  • lddimov
    Updating to the latest Zotero Standalone version did not resolve it - I still get the script error.

    The solution at http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/unresponsive_script_warning didn't help either - the value of my Firefox's dom.max_chrome_script_run_time is already 0. I changed it to 300, but either way, I keep getting the script error.

    So in my case, clicking the Continue button of the script warning many, many, many times seems to be the only way to export the library.
  • dstillman
    Out of curiosity, does setting dom.max_script_run_time to 0 make a difference? (Be sure to reset it after trying.)
  • lddimov
    I can't tell, because the script error doesn't want to occur now, a good problem to have! I haven't changed any settings or made updates in Zotero since the last time I tried to export the library (when I was getting the script error). I did restart the computer since then, but I don't know if this is what made the difference.
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