Zotero pdfs on two different computers

CC007

I am in the process of replacing my laptop. It looked as though I had copied my zotero storage onto the new laptop in the zotero directory - as there were lots of coded folders in the zotero storage folder. I then started using zotero on the new machine and downloading additional files. However, I now find that, when I look into these coded folders, there are no pdfs stored from the old machine, so I only have very recent pdfs stored locally.

How can I combine the zotero folders from both machines? Zotero sync is enabled so I am also not sure why they are not in the local zotero folder. It means that I can not back up my library.

Please help. Have looked through multiple forum discussions, but I can not find the solution. Am worried about ending up losing data.

dstillman

Copying the 'zotero' directory (not just 'storage') is all there is to it:

http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library

But note that if you linked PDFs rather than storing them in the Zotero data directory, they won't be there. They'd be elsewhere on your disk.

dstillman

I do see full downloads from your account from a week ago, suggesting that you copied the wrong thing. If you had copied the data directory in full, Zotero should have started syncing right where you left off.

CC007

Can you explain what the difference is between linking pdfs and storing them in the data directory? How do I know which I have done?

dstillman

http://www.zotero.org/support/attaching_files

dstillman

And you can tell by either looking at the icon of the attachment in Zotero, which will have a little chain part if it's a link, or by doing Show File and seeing where the resulting file is.

CC007

By data directory, do you mean zotero folder?

And what can I do now to make sure I have all the pdfs in one place ready for back up? Don't they automatically save to my computer when automatic sync happens?

CC007

The pdfs are all stored in zotero, not linked.

CC007

Does zotero automatically create a coded storage folder for each reference? i.e. if there is not a pdf attached, does that mean it remains empty? Perhaps this would explain why there are a lot of empty folders in storage?

dstillman

Forget about the contents of the 'storage' folder. What matters is what happens in Zotero itself when you try to open files. If you copy your Zotero data directory from one computer to another correctly, you'll have the exact same library in one that's in the other, except for any linked files, and any files that you can open from one you'll be able to open from the other.

For general issues with files not syncing, see Files Not Syncing, but if you copy the data directory correctly that shouldn't be necessary (unless the files also aren't available on zotero.org).

CC007

Thank you. I think what you are saying is that I wouldn't need to copy over any files if I am using zotero storage anyway. They should all sync to new computer and then I can back up from that. Was just confused that there were so many folders without pdfs in storage but I think that is because zotero creates a folder even if there is no pdf attached. Thanks for your prompt responses.