Sync Zotero ?!?

nblumenthal

Hi, I want to sync my zotero datas with my zotero.org account and also found an instruction on the website (http://www.zotero.org/support/sync#file_syncing). Unfortunately I could not find the mentioned "Zotero's Sync preferences tab" to put my login information in. Have I to install another feature to use zotero sync?

Thanks!

Tjowens

Sync should be the second tab in your preference pane, right next to general. If you don't see it you are most likely running Zotero 1.0.9 instead of 1.5. Upgrade and you should see it.

nblumenthal

Hi, I do nor know if it is important but I am using Zotero as Firefox Plugin and for this the latest version is 1.0.9. I tried to upgrade the addon but it tells me that it is the latest version. Where can I get the 1.5 version as Firefox addon?

Thanks again!

EDIT: Ok I found it and it works... :)

jencrothers

It's not at all obvious where the sync preferences tab is, not even where the preferences tab. For ease of use, this info should be added to the instructions. I'm trying to convince others to use Zotero and if they find it at all hard I don't think they'll use it. So much else is simple but this was a brain buster for me. It's just not obvious if you don't know the answer.

adamsmith

fair enough. Where to put it though? Which documentation do people read?

jencrothers

i was trying to set up a group for my class. So I went to groups. Read down and it told me I had to enable data syncing so I clicked that. Then under "Data syncing" it told me to go to the sync preferences tab. That's where I got stuck.

There's already one pic there, I would just add another small one of a cursor hovering over the cog and selecting the Preferences line. That would at least get me to the right place and I could figure it was the second tab from there.

dstillman

We'll be changing Zotero to automatically open the Sync preferences pane if you click the Sync icon with missing or invalid credentials.

jencrothers

I think that'll be a good step forward.

But again from a user perspective it's not obvious that the circling green arrow is for syncing. Once you know it's clear, but if you don't know you don't know.

There are tool tips, but perhaps a screenshot with arrows and explanations in the documentation would additionally help? Just a suggestion. Thanks for following up.

jennydauer

Wow. I still can't find my "preferences" pane or my "general" pane... this is a pain. I have Zotero 2.

adamsmith

if you open Zotero the fourth symbol to the left is what we refer to as the "gear icon".
Click on on the little arrow to its right and select preferences from the context menu that will open. The preferences open to the "General" pane, on the top you can toggle between the other ones, including sync.

I'm interested in improving documentation on this, but I'm not sure where (and whether) people are looking. Did you read any of the documentation before posting here Jenny?

jennydauer

I read through/skimmed much of the "documentation" pages. I watched the video. It might be because I'm busy and distracted and have little time (probably like most of the users of Zotero) that I missed something like the little "gear icon".... maybe that should be front and center of the explanations? Or add more visual descriptions, like the comment above "I would just add another small one of a cursor hovering over the cog and selecting the Preferences line". (Although I was even looking for a picture of what she/he was referring to and didn't see it, didn't get it.) Got it now, thanks.

adamsmith

OK, how about this. I added some illustratsions on the entry for preferences on t the documentation
http://www.zotero.org/support/preferences
and added a link leading there from the Syncing documentation
http://www.zotero.org/support/sync#data_syncing
better?