When I copy an item to a group, the PDF attachment can't be found

joehill

I recently created a group to share references and PDFs with a graduate student. I copied over some of my references, which include attached PDFs, but the PDFs can't be found. The original PDFs in "My Library" can be found and opened.

I made sure I have enough storage (although I doubt this is a syncing problem, because I've done everything from one computer). I deleted the items and copied them over again. I deleted the syncing history and re-synced. Then I deleted the references and copied them over again. Each time, the PDF attachment appears as a child element but the attached PDF itself can't be found.

I don't know if it's relevant, but I'm syncing "My Library" using WebDAV while syncing groups using Zotero storage. But again, I'm not sure syncing is an issue because this happens immediately after I copy items into the group.

Thanks for your help with this issue.

Joseph

joehill

One more detail, if I follow the "Locate . . ." option and select the original PDF from My Library, the attachment can then be opened and also gets synced to Zotero storage and can be accessed via the web. But that means both the personal and group attachments are pointing to the same file. A temporary workaround but clearly not a solution.

dstillman

Can you provide a Debug ID that shows opening an item from My Library, dragging it to a group library, and trying to open it there unsuccessfully?

if I follow the "Locate . . ." option and select the original PDF from My Library, the attachment can then be opened and also gets synced to Zotero storage and can be accessed via the web. But that means both the personal and group attachments are pointing to the same file.

That wouldn't be the case, as you should be able to see if you do a Show File on the relinked attachment. You can only relink to files within the original storage directory. For stored (as opposed to linked) files, if you choose a file in another directory, it's copied to the item's proper storage directory.

joehill

Ah I see, thanks for clarifying about the item being copied when I locate it.

I just replicated this issue (copied an item with a working PDF to the group directory, tried unsuccessfully to open it) and submitted bug id D147065213.

Thanks for following up.

joehill

After copying more references into the shared library, I can now see that some of them (a small minority so far) successfully copy the PDF while others do not. I have no idea why it works with some but not with others.