ZotFile and Syncing with GoogleDrive folder on two computers

I'be been trying to determine how to solve a syncing issue I have with Zotfile and haven't quite found a solution on my own yet.

I have two computers, my work and personal machines. I have Zotero, actually Juris-M, on both.

On both machines, I have Zotfile point to the same GoogleDrive folder that I simply label 'Zotero' - My PDFs sync into the folder now problem, but it looks like the link to them breaks. If I worked with the PDF initially on one machine, it can't link to and open the PDF on the other, and I have to manually connect them together by clicking 'Locate' on the dialog box them comes up.

I think this is because each machine has it's own file path and Zotfile is saving that file path data, hence why it doesn't just open the PDF on either machine.

Are my assumptions correct, and is there a way to fix this? Am I simply using Zotfile the 'wrong' way?
  • You need to set the Base Directory for Relative file links in the Zotero (not ZotFile) preferences (Advanced Tab) on _both_ computers to your google drive folder. Then this should work, at least for newly added files. I'm never quite sure how that deals with existing ones, but I think it should work, too.)
  • Bam! Yes this is the detail I was missing. I'm having no problems at all now. Thank you!
  • Hi guys, I encountered this same problem earlier and found only further headaches with Zotfile.

    I chose the simpler approach of generating shareable static links from Google Drive files to Zotero Items, that way no client configuration is needed.

    I've automated the process here:
    https://bitbucket.org/mtekman/zoterogoogledrive_pdflinker/
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