Standalone & Firefox connector

zoowalk

I would like to double check something in relation to the use of zotero standalone and firefox as browser.

I understand that the firefox zotero verison (not standalone) acts as a connector so that references can be imported from the browser bar into zotero.

But does this mean I have all my sources twice on my computer? Once in firefox (since the connector runs as part of the firefox version) and a second time in the stand alone? So i basically have two full zotero versions running?

I find this solution somewhat confusing. Isn't there a firefox connector file, like for chorme etc.

many thanks.

adamsmith

Zotero for Firefox only goes into connector mode with Standalone if both Zotero for Firefox&Standalone share the same data directory, i.e. you only have your data once.
This is the default set-up that Zotero prompts you to chose on install (whichever of the two you install last) and it's almost always the right choice.

If you're interested in details, see here:
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory

RevAugie

I believe I have installed both standalone and firefox with separate data directories on my home, work, and assistant computers. So I think I have 6 separate copies of my data syncing! Not a big problem when I was just storing book references. But since I have started adding snapshots of webpages, my data use is growing.

If I only use zotero within firefox, can I just delete/uninstall the standalone application and all its data and not hurt the firefox installation and data?

dstillman

I'd check a few times to make sure that they're actually using separate data directories, and then make a backup of both for good measure. After that, yes, you can uninstall and tell it to remove data (which it doesn't do by default).

(Note, though, that the default setting, as explained above, is for the version you install second to share the existing data directory, and then you can easily switch back and forth between the two. So the easier solution is just to change one to point to the other and then delete the orphaned directory.)