What is the best way to give someone my Zotero library

Gurdas_Sandhu

I would like to give my Zotero library to a colleague who has been using Zotero since a week. My colleague has created a couple dozen items in his Zotero library while I have over 500 items in my library (not counting attachments). Of the couple dozen items in my colleague's library, some are duplicated in my library while others are unique to his library.

What is the best way to give my library to my colleague so that he can import it and save time by avoiding recreating the items I have already created? I see two possibilities:

1. I want to give my library with notes and tags but without the attachments (mostly webpage snapshots and PDFs)

2. I want to give my complete library including attachments


For (1), I tried exporting a small collection as Zotero RDF with 'Export Notes' checked but 'Export Files' unchecked and then reimported this RDF as a new collection. At quick glance, it seems to have worked but maybe there are nasty details which only time will reveal?

I then tried Zotero RDF with both options checked and it now created a RDF file just like before and also created a folder called "files" that has subfolders for my attachments. How should the "files" folder be handled by the person importing the RDF?

aurimas

Zotero RDF is probably the best choice in this case. The only downside to export -> import is that the imported items are treated as completely different items, so they will not work if you want to share a document with your colleague (use Groups for that).

How should the "files" folder be handled by the person importing the RDF?

There's no special handling. The only consideration is that the .rdf file must be in the same directory as the "files" folder.

Gurdas_Sandhu

Thanks, aurimas.

For case (2), does it mean that when the .rdf is imported, the attachment files will be imported automatically and connected to their correct items, and (maybe) copied to the Zotero library of that computer?

About your Groups suggestion, is that still the preferred method if this "handshake" between me and my colleague is only a one time handshake? After he has received my library, we do not need to maintain a ongoing common library.

ps: If my colleague is willing to redo the few entries he has made (at his end), maybe an even better option is to give him my sqlite file? In which case, if attachments are not important, may I give just the sqlite file or the complete Zotero folder within my firefox profile?

adamsmith

For case (2), does it mean that when the .rdf is imported, the attachment files will be imported automatically and connected to their correct items, and copied to the Zotero library of that computer?
yes, this exactly.

About your Groups suggestion, is that still the preferred method if this "handshake" between me and my colleague is only a one time handshake? After he has received my library, we do not need to maintain a ongoing common library.

As Aurimas says above, for a one time "handshake", export/import is probably easier.

ps: If my colleague is willing to redo the few entries he has made (at his end), maybe an even better option is to give him my sqlite file? In which case, if attachments are not important, may I give just the sqlite file or the complete Zotero folder within my firefox profile?

sure, that would work as well - note that the sqlite contains all your items and notes for both your library and all groups you belong to. You should use the complete Zotero folder to make sure to also transport the attachments. There is really not much difference in how you do this, so just pick what you find most convenient.

aurimas

Ooops. Forgot about this thread. Sorry gurdas. And thanks adamsmith!