what is best method to move library & preserve citation links (word'06)?

danioore

hi, i really appreciate your help.

strangely, it seems that even though my library is pointed at the external drive, all the new files are still being imported to the local computer drive file. it doesn't even look like any files were moved to the external file. what could be causing this?

danioore

do i need to re-move the entire library to the external (even though its already pointing at the external)?

danioore

even though my zotero stand alone is pointed at the external drive (and the sqlite files on the external indicate the most recent time i opened zotero), all the pdf files are still only being added to my local drive.

im not sure whether dragging my local folder to the external drive would solve the problem.

any ideas?

thank you

adamsmith

what's your setup? Which browser?

danioore

firefox

danioore

osx 10.6.8
firefox 45.0.1 ('up to date')

adamsmith

and are you also using Zotero Standalone? If so, you have Firefox and Standalone pointed to different directories.
See
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory

danioore

Yes, this seems to be the case (when I go to firefox troubleshooting and click 'show in finder' for the profile folder, then it takes me to a folder on my computer hard drive, rather than the external).

how do i switch firefox to share with standalone (so that firefox points to the external hard drive)?

thank you!

fbennett

(@adamsmith: Aha.)

danioore

Any further thoughts on how i switch firefox to share with standalone?

(...so that firefox points to the external hard drive)

Thank you

adamsmith

which part of the above linked instructions isn't clear?

danioore

...

adamsmith

I assume the fact that you edited means you found the right place, but just in case: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory#sharing_the_data_directory_manually

danioore

only sort of..
in step 3 of manual share, i want to redirect my firefox to the more complete standalone directory, but the preferences for firefox don't have the same file hierarchy...
what am i missing?

adamsmith

you should be looking in the preferences of Zotero for Firefox, which look exactly like those for standalone.
Access either from about:addons in Firefox or by opening the Zotero pane (click on the "Z" icon at the top right) and going through the gears menu.

I think that's what you're referring to with not the same file hierarchy. Otherwise please explain more.

danioore

sorry...
when i check my add-ons i only see add-ons for 'zotero word' and 'zotfile'...

(and not sure which 'Z' icon.. the one at top left of firefox pane doesn't lead to any gear menu)

adamsmith

How do you import from Firefox to Zotero Standalone, say when you're looking at a journal article?

danioore

before i synced firefox and standalone (as of a few days ago at the beginning of this thread), i would import metadata by selecting 'save to zotero' in my firefox bar, and then i would go into firefox library and select the item and export it to the desired standalone folder.

adamsmith

OK, do you still have the "save to Zotero" option in Firefox? What happens when you click the Z next to it?

danioore

i still have the 'save to zotero' option: it still imports the item/metadata into my firefox library, but now that this is synced to my standalone, i only have to re-sync the standalone. (with the small question of why moving items into different folders within standalone, is not automatically syncing in refreshed firefox window.)

i see no Z next to the 'save to zotero'option.

adamsmith

Can you take a screenshot and post it to a free image hosting site and link to it here? There hasn't been a "Save to Zotero" icon without a Z attached to it for many months, not should you have that option without the Zotero add-on installed in Firefox, so this is all rather confusing.
(imgur.com is an option that doesn't require registration, but dropbox, google drive etc. will do, too).

danioore

...

adamsmith

ok, so you're using the bookmarklet and somehow don't have Zotero for Firefox installed anymore. You probably want to install Zotero for Firefox again (it works _much_ better than the bookmarklet) and then follow the steps for sharing data directories if that doesn't happen automatically (which it very well might).

But that doesn't answer why the PDFs are saved somewhere other than the data directory.
So please take a screenshot of the advanced --> files and folders tab of the Zotero Standalone preferences and also upload.
Then, also say _exactly_ where PDFs are saved. Make sure you don't have ZotFile set up to automatically move PDFs

danioore

okay, im going to install zotero for firefox.

and in the attached screenshot it shows the preferences for standalone (top left) and also zotfile (bottom). it looks like maybe zotfile is sending things to the old directory. i never re-set zotfile (e.g. when i moved directory, etc.) is that what is causing all of this?

...

adamsmith

yup. You have Zotfile set up to move all files to that folder. Set that to "Attach stored copy of file" and it'll be fine.

danioore

haha. wow. thank you.

what is the best way to move the new files to my external folder? (assuming it won't happen automatically once i reset zotfile)

adamsmith

Reset Zotfile, then select the items to which they are attached and use "Manage Attachments --> Rename Attachments" that will apply the new ZotFile settings.

danioore

'reset' for zotfile, or 'manage attachments'.. is it in firefox extentions menu or standalone zotfile prefs?

adamsmith

it's a right-click option when you have items selected in Zotero when ZotFile is installed.

danioore

is it safer to simply move the library to the external drive? if so, do i just create a new destination on my external drive?

(i don't want to import only selected items into the library on my external, because it is not clear which and how far back.)