copy/backup zotero folder while firefox is running

cr3

Hello,

I use zotero as a plugin in firefox. I want to backup my zotero library with a backup script periodically, since I can't risk a lost day of work due to a hdd failure or something else. In other words I want to copy my zotero folder.

I know that one should close firefox before copying the zotero folder (http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data), but it seems like a major problem to me since it's an error prone operation in combination with a backup tool.

It seems to me that I can't use a automatic script/backup tool to save my zotero folder, because this tool would copy the zotero folder even if firefox is open.

Is my information right? Or is it not a problem to copy the zotero folder while firefox is open? If it's a problem, would it be enough to close zotero in firefox?

Best regards

adamsmith

I wouldn't be particularly worried about this, pretty much all powerusers I'm aware of use an automated/scripted back-up like that. The "Close Firefox/Zotero" step is recommended so that the database is properly closed when you back up and if you're going to do this manually you should do that, but if you have a script doing the backup you'll be fine - worst that will happen is that you lose the last edit you made in the database.

cr3

Thanks for your answer adam! That sounds good so far.

But I don't see the difference between a backup script (which copies the files like when you do it manually but automatically scheduled) and manually copy. Why is it ok for an backup script to copy the database but not when I do it manually?

Or do you mean:

When the "open" database is copied the worst thing that can happen is that one lose all changes made since the last data base transaction?

So when you do a backup every hour for example that you can't be sure to have exact the version before an hour, but you can be sure to have the version before "roughly" an hour?

I guess changes to the database are: adding items, sorting items, tagging items, metadata, added and changed notices?

In contradiction: When you copy the folder with firefox closed you can be sure that you got exact the version right before you have closed firefox.

adamsmith

When the "open" database is copied the worst thing that can happen is that one lose all changes made since the last data base transaction?

So when you do a backup every hour for example that you can't be sure to have exact the version before an hour, but you can be sure to have the version before "roughly" an hour?

this, yes.