Can't find my libraries

FLSBLibrary

I am very mixed up with Zotero. We just 'upgraded' from Windows XP to Windows 7, and I had to reinstall Zotero. I can log in on the web version and see my library, but when I open the stand-alone, there's nothing in it. How can I open my library in the stand-alone? And how do I find the other group library? I thought that when I logged in, I would automatically see these things.

Also, lots of the record items we had already added to our library now have a 'link' icon on them instead of the PDF icon. Any clue as to what that means?

Thanks for any advice.

Jeff

aurimas

https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/sync

FLSBLibrary

Thank you! Now, another confusion: I have what seems to be two different URLs for my library. The first one seems to be the one we want, so can I delete the second without affecting the first? If so, how exactly do I delete them? Again, thanks for any advice!

Home > Groups > MacDonell Bloodstain Library > Library

Home > People > FLSBLibrary > Library > MacDonell Bloodstain Collection

aurimas

One of those is a group library (the top one) owned by FLSBLibrary, the other is a collection within FLSBLibrary's "personal" library. It's not exactly clear what you want to do though.

See https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide#collections
and https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide#groups (follow the links in those paragraphs for more info)

FLSBLibrary

We've imported a huge number of PDF files into Zotero and are cataloguing each one. When done with a record, we delete the PDF attachment to save space. I think (but not sure) that the top link above (the group library...the MacDonell Bloodstain Library) is the one we want to keep. I'm confused as to what the second link represents. It still shows PDF icons, hyperlink icons, etc.

I think we'd like to delete the second link so it doesn't confuse us. Can we do this without affecting the group library. I've read your zotero links above, but I'm still unclear about the whole hierarchy.

Thanks as always.

aurimas

All of the below is much easier to understand if you look at your local Zotero client and not zotero.org.

When you install Zotero/create an account you have a personal library. In the library you can create collections and place items into those collections (that's the second "link" you're referring to). Only you are able to edit items in this library, but you can make the library visible to others.

You can also create groups (that's the first "link" that you mention). Groups are almost exactly like your personal library, except other people can join them and edit items, create collections, etc.

Within a library (either your personal library or a group library) a Zotero Item or a PDF attachment can be categorized under multiple collections, but is only present as a single copy. When you move items from your personal library to a group library (or between two group libraries), this creates a _copy_ of the item and if you look at the "same" item in your personal library and in a group library, they are completely independent of each other (you can edit one without affecting the other).

What often happens (and what I think happened in your case) is that people create collections in their personal library and then decide to share them with others. To do this, you would create a group library and drag your collection to the new group library. This would create a copy of the collection and its items in the group library. You would then end up with the situation you are describing.

You now claim that you want to get rid of one of those (actually, you're saying that you want to get rid of the link, which is not possible unless you want to actually delete either the group or the collection). So the one you want to delete depends on whether you want to keep the data in your personal library or if you want to continue sharing the data using a group.

FLSBLibrary

Starting to sink in, I think. Thank you for all the time you're taking to explain this.

So it seems like I should keep both collection and to use the group one as the publicly viewable library. Since I'm still concerned about space allocation, is there any way to delete just the PDF files from my personal library? We're deleting them from the group library as we catalog each item, but they're still in my personal library taking up lots of space.

Thanks again!

aurimas

You can delete each PDF individually either via right-click or Delete key.

If you need to do it in batch, you can use a saved search (right-click My Library -> New Saved Search). Use "Attachment Type" "is" "PDF" and "Collection" "is" . Save the search, click it in the collection tree, and use Ctrl+A to select all PDF attachments (this will also select top level PDFs though)

FLSBLibrary

For deleting individually by right-click or delete key, the only choices I get are 'remove item from collection' or 'move item to trash'. I want to keep the record info but just delete the attached PDF. Can I do that?

adamsmith

if only the attachment is selected, you shouldn't have the remove item from collection option. You may need to expand the item to show&select the attachment (little arrow on the left or plus key on the keyboard to expand all).

FLSBLibrary

If I import a large number of PDFs into my existing library, how do I then get these PDFs into the existing group library so my colleague can edit them? When I imported them, they merged into the existing records alphabetically so I can't tell which ones to move into the group library.

I seem slow to grasp the functionality of zotero. Thanks for help!

aurimas

You can sort by date added. (add that column by clicking the button at the very top right corner of the center pane)

FLSBLibrary

Yes, nice. But now I want to just drag those records over to my group library, but it doesn't allow it. Shouldn't I be able to just drag-and-drop?

aurimas

Is that a private group (file sharing is not allowed in a public group)? Does it allow file attachments? Do you have permission to edit the group? (all of these settings can be found on zotero.org)

FLSBLibrary

Is there any possibility I could give you a call? Seems like it would be so much easier to discuss it rather than trying to describe everything. If not, I understand.

Otherwise, it much be a private group since it mirrors my library and my colleague has been editing it for months.

thanks!

dstillman

Sorry, we don't provide phone support.

What exactly happens when you try to drag? If the item already exists in the library (with or without an attachment), you'd have to delete it and empty the trash before you could drag the same item again.

dstillman

(But as long as some of the items you're trying to drag don't exist already in the group, it should allow the drag. But if you're trying multiple items, try dragging individual items.)

dstillman

Also, you can't drag a child PDF on its own. You'd have to drag the parent item.

FLSBLibrary

Nothing happens when I try to drag, even a single item. And the item doesn't already exist in the group library. (the trash is empty, by the way).

What's a child PDF vs parent PDF? How do I tell one from the other?

And this is confusing: there are quite a few duplicate items in my library...one has a PDF icon in front of it and one has a hyperlink symbol. Only on the hyperlink symbol can I actually open the PDF. The one with the PDF icon says the attached file cannot be found.

Thanks!

dstillman

In the group, if you create a new empty book item, can you add a file to it via the Add Attachment (paperclip) button?

adamsmith

pdfs with the hyperlink/chain icon are linked files, i.e. files that are somewhere on your harddisk other than in the zotero storage folder. Those don't work in groups (since they won't sync with zotero & thus wouldn't be available to anyone in the group anyway). The other PDFs don't seem to be available in your library (though that's a bit odd if you have file syncing turned on), so you can't drag those, either.
Does that explain all of the relevant failures?

FLSBLibrary

Yes, I created a new book item and added a PDF to it. That's fine for individual files, but somehow I've imported bulk PDF files before and now it doesn't seem to work.

I just tried dragging a file with the hyperlink icon, and it won't drag. BUT, I could drag the same file that had the PDF icon. But, as I said, the ones with the PDF icon don't actually have the PDF file attached. Groan!

So is the question how to import the PDFs in bulk into the zotero storage folder? Before, I thought I had just dragged them from a folder on my hard disk, but the last time that didn't work and I did it by the "link to file" on the little green/white cross.

What method should I use?

Thanks!

adamsmith

If the files are mostly attached to an item, Zotfile should work for that:
http://zotfile.com/
In the ZotFile preferences, under General Settings, make sure "Attach Stored copy of file(s)" is selected. Then select linked attachment(s)-right-click--> Manage attachments --> Rename File
That will store the file in Zotero.
Again, this only works for files that are attached to a Zotero item, I don't have a good idea for those that aren't.

FLSBLibrary

I'm completely lost now. I installed zotfile and selected 'attach stored copy of file". I right clicked on item -manage attachments - rename file, but got a zotfile 'skipped attachments' warning.

Am I doing this in my library or in the group library. And will I have to do this item by item?

If I can't figure out how to import batch pdfs, I don't see how I can continue because I have hundreds of them.

dstillman

The other PDFs don't seem to be available in your library (though that's a bit odd if you have file syncing turned on), so you can't drag those, either.

adamsmith: Not sure what you mean by that last part. Even if the attachment file is missing, stored file attachments can still be dragged.

Generally speaking, I'm not really clear what the issue is here, beyond the fact that linked files can't be dragged to groups. But as long as you have regular stored files in Zotero, you can drag them to groups. (Obviously, it would be helpful if the associated files existed on disk first. If non-linked files are missing, they're likely just not synced, so see Files Not Syncing.)

adamsmith

Even if the attachment file is missing, stored file attachments can still be dragged.

yeah, sorry, I had remembered that wrong since it came up in some other case of missing attachments.

dstillman

To clarify, though, adamsmith is telling you how to convert working linked files into stored files using ZotFile — but I'm just saying that if the stored files you do have are missing, it's possible they just haven't synced, since stored files shouldn't disappear on their own, and it'd be easier to look into that first.

FLSBLibrary

Thanks. I'll revisit this Monday, hopefully with a fresh head. Thanks for your help.