Group Library and Local Library Syncing pdfs while using Zotfile

JohnSmith2013

I have been using zotero standalone for a few years but just start to use the group library lately. I used to use zotfile and choose the option 'Custom Location' under the option of 'Location of files', not to sync with dropbox but just trying to keep files in the same project in the same folder. I usually do only 1 project at a time and after the project is finished, I set the custom location to another place. Although, sometimes, working with multiple projects is a pain for me because files in multiple projects are not junked into one folder.

I use the syncing feature basically for myself to sync files on two different computers. So, I have two accounts, one(a)is a major account with huge load of on-going files and history files, the other one (b) only deals with on-going project files. So, I setup a group library with account A and let account B be admin of it. Most of the time, I download files on computer with account B through the chrome zotero plugin. So the downloaded files directly goes into the group library and linked. And after a while, I can see the new literature on computer A and view the file on computer A.

What I can also do is to drag-and-drop items (including entries and pdf files) from the group library to the local libraries on either computer A or B. I do notice that the icons for the pdf files are 'pdfs' instead of 'links' as the case in zotfile. So, when drag-drop from group to local, I can open the pdf file on the local entry by double clicking the local entry. What I cannot do is when I drag-drop an entry with pdf attachment from local to group library, the pdf link is gone. I searched a bit and more or less knew it is because the 'links' in my local library are 'symbolic link' since I chose 'Custom Location' option in zotfile. Maybe if I choose 'attach stored copy of files', it can work. But what I do not understand is, I do not see any fundamental reason why it cannot work. Can't zotero just determine the file location on computer A and automatically upload the file to cloud when I drag-drop the entry from local to group library?

Any suggestion or work-around is appreciated. For example, any suggestion how to organize files if choosing 'attach stored copy of files' in zotfile? Not sure, maybe something to do with the 'base directory' option in zotero?

adamsmith

You mostly have this right, except that the links ZotFile creates aren't symbolic links (aka symlinks) but just plain links to files.

Those don't work in groups (because they wouldn't work for different people on different computers), so you can't drag them there.

Theoretically I suppose Zotero could convert those to attachments again, but that seems rather problematic, conceptually. There may be a reason you _didn't_ want a file stored in the Zotero cloud and it shouldn't just absorb it again.

All of this is a long way of saying that apart from disabling custom location in ZotFile and using attach stored file instead, and thus doing without the separate folders, I'm not aware of any workaround, no, sorry.

JohnSmith2013

Actually I doesn't mind if zotero cloud stores the file or not. The reason why I use zotfile is to automatically organize in one place that I can possibly check when I do not open zotero, instead of the default feature that zotero keeps each file in some random XK56GY folder.

So the difference between links to file in zotfile and files in zotero is that if zotero keeps the file in some XK56GY folder, it will be downloaded at another client in a folder with the same name?

I think it makes no real difference to me regarding organizing the files if the 'attach stored copy of files' can store files in a more organized and recognizable way. Also, I think the best fit for me is to automatically put attachments in the same library/collection in the same folder/ subfolder. Is there some known plug-in for this?

adamsmith

I realize it doesn't matter to _you_, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't matter. We have a fair number of users who use links because they don't want to -- or are even legally barred from -- putting files into the cloud with Zotero. My point was that Zotero shouldn't just move those files as part of a simple drag&drop operation.

So the difference between links to file in zotfile and files in zotero is that if zotero keeps the file in some XK56GY folder, it will be downloaded at another client in a folder with the same name?

Not just the same folder -- just as important is the fact that Zotero is aware of where that folder is (because from the position of its database it's always /storage/XK56GY.
For individual libraries, this can now be solved due to relative links, but those haven't been implemented for groups and doing so requires solving some tricky GUI issues.