pdf import from url

bjohas

Hello!

I wonder how to import a pdf file while browsing? Let's assume this is an open pdf file, rather than a login-only journal article. My FF preferences are "preview pdf in firefox". Say I am looking at http://something/something.pdf. I can right click, and get "create web page from current page". Sure enough, Zotero creates a web page. However, that page doesn't contain the pdf.

How do I directly add that pdf to Zotero? (with one click.) Of course, I can download the file, and then add to Zotero manually (or drag the url into Zotero). But surely there must be a single click option to import (open) pdf files while browsing?

(Incidentally, in Chrome, the little Zotero icon doesn't appear for pdf files at all.)
Bjoern

bjohas

Ok - so if I don't have Zotero standalone open, I can use the "blue document" button to import the pdf! However, if I do have Zotero standalone open, it appears that there's no single button way of importing the pdf. Correct? Bjoern

adamsmith

correct, there is currently no single click option (if you don't count dragging the URL to Zotero) to download PDFs into Zotero Standalone.

bjohas

Many thanks for letting me know!

adamsmith

(generally planned - no one is happy with the status quo)

bjohas

Also see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/35770/ctrlcmdshifts-on-webbased-pdf-files with hint for using Zutilo! Very useful.

rakista

This kills the utility of this program for me.

With Mendeley I just click and I am back reading it when I get home.

Opening two windows and navigating a link across them when I am running out the door is not going to happen.

Back to Mendeley.

adamsmith

The Mendeley bookmarklet isn't very reliable saving PDFs from the browser either, so I'm wondering whether you're talking about something else.
Note that as bjohas says, using Firefox there is a one-click solution.
(also, in most cases you'll want to save from the article abstract page and Zotero will attach the PDF, the need to save the PDF directly should be quite rare)

carhogg

Hi Adam,

I was wondering if there had been any progress with the saving pdf functionality?

I have to say, I often want to save a PDF directly. Currently I have to save to desktop, wait, navigate to where I saved it with a weird name, drag to zotero, wait. Something like that anyway.

I have no idea what the blue document button is, so I don't know if that could help me.

Thanks so much for all the great work done on Zotero. It's generally a great product.

Charlie

adamsmith

nothing new. As I say above, there's a one-click solution from Firefox and the option to drag and drop the URL from Chrome (and I believe Safari).
You could also see if ZotFile's watchfolder option would be useful for this. It looks like it might, though I've never understood whether there is an option to add PDF as parent items (to then, e.g. retrieve metadata). The 3.1 changelog suggests it is possible, but I can't make it happen.

carhogg

The drag and drop works well actually. The icons take a little while to update on my slow machine, so I hadn't quite realised that it worked.

skiss

This is a frustrating part of Zotero. I'm a brand new user, but honestly, this alone would send me back to Papers.

adamsmith

Sorry, what is "this"? The actual issue discussed here is solved in the new Chrome connector (not sure about Safari, though).

dstillman

Yes, saving a PDF you're viewing via the save icon works in all three connectors.