Import and process lots of pdfs for s.b. else

cmaier1985

Hi

this might be an easy thing to do, but I am curious about the best way to achieve what I want to do. I would appreciate any advice you might have!

Here's the situation: my professor has a lot(!) of pdfs, saved in folders on his hard drive. My job is to import all of them into Zotero, process them (as in get the meta-data, create the references) and then hand his library over to him, so he can work with Zotero on his own, with his literature. I am not necessarly interested in keeping all of his literature in my personal Zotero library so my question is:

How can I keep his literature separate from mine?

I was planning to copy the actual files where Zotero stores the references and associated pdf files, and give those files to my professor, so he can build his Zotero library on his computer with it. My question is: does this system of moving libraries around maintain the individual collections? If it does, me prof and I could simply delecte the collections that literature the other person's literature. Is that correct?

Any advise you can give on this topic is greatly appreciated!

adamsmith

I was planning to copy the actual files where Zotero stores the references and associated pdf files, and give those files to my professor, so he can build his Zotero library on his computer with it. My question is: does this system of moving libraries around maintain the individual collections?

As you say, the problem with this is that it would also include your library items, but otherwise this would work including maintain collections, yes.

I can think of three alternatives:
1. Use a separate Firefox (or Zotero) profile when working for your professor https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles (instructions are analogous for Zotero standalone). Pro: The library you deliver to him is ready to use, no deletions necessary. Con: You need to deal with the separate profiles

2. Use a Zotero group for his documents. He can leave them in the group or just drag them over to his library in Zotero. Pro: Elegant solution and he can see your work in progress by syncing. Con: To transfer PDFs you'd need enough Zotero storage, if there are a lot of PDFs that likely means paying for it.

3. Export the collections you work on for him as Zotero RDF and have him import them. Pro: Very easy to do Con: There might be minimal (though really minimal) data loss. Collections would remain intact, I think the only thing I can think of at the moment are single field authors.

cmaier1985

Thank you! I did create a separate profile as you described (alternative 1). However, when I go to import references into the newly created Zotero profile from Firefox, it does not store the references in the new profile (the profs) but instead in my personal(old) profile, even though it was not open at the time.

How can I get Firefox to store the references in the particular Zotero profiles I want it in?

Thank you!

adamsmith

that's not really possible. Run us through exactly what you did and what you're seeing, likely you're just missing a step somewhere.

cmaier1985

I created a separate profile as described here https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles just for Zotero, to keep my literature and that of my professor separate from each other. Then I opend Zotero and was prompted to choose the profile I want to work with, I chose the new profile I had created for my professor. Zotero opens, and the library is empty, as to be expected. Then I open Firefox and try to import references as usual, the message in the bottom right corner pops up, saying it is saving the reference (as usual). But then I go to see the reference in Zotero (the profs profile) and the library is empty. When I close this profile and Zotero, and open my old Zotero profile, the reference I tried to import is there. Does this help at all?

adamsmith

Yes. So here is what happens
Your personal library in Zotero Standalone (your old profile) shares a data directory with your Zotero for Firefox version.
When you have Standalone open in your old profile, Firefox switches into "connector mode" - you can try this out: If you click on "Zotero" at the bottom right of Firefox it doesn't open.

If you have the new Standalone profile open, however, or if you have Standalone closed entirely, Firefox just behaves like an independent plugin - you can see this if you click on "Zotero" again: the Zotero pane will open and show your personal library.

Solutions: Either use the Chrome or Safari connector to work with the new Zotero profile or also create a separate Firefox profile.

cmaier1985

Thank you! I would like to create a separate firefox profile, but how exactly do I connect the new profile in Zotero with the new profile in Firefox?

adamsmith

You could try having Zotero Standalone open with the new profile when you create the new Firefox profile. There's a good chance that Zotero will then prompt you automatically to share the profile when you install it.
If it doesn't, you can just choose a custom data directory (under advanced--> files and folders) in the Zotero for Firefox and point it to the data directory used by Standalone
http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data

cmaier1985

Thanks! I ended up creating a profile for my professor which stores the zotero information in the firefox profile. I am personally not a big fan of having Zotero basically become part of firefox, I prefer having Zotero and Firefox in separate windows. (my personal library is stored on a local drive, separate from my firefox profile). If I were to set up my professor with a standalone Zotero and wanted his library to not be stored as part of his firefox profile, can I just move the approprate files out of his firefox profile and store is somewhere else? Or is that likely to cause problems?

Thanks!

adamsmith

that would work just fine:
http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library
you can also just have both installed.