Change Zotero Standalone Install Directory?

hannahgr

I teach Zotero workshops at my university from a library computer classroom. Because of the cryptolocker outbreak, our IT folks installed more strict group security policies that blocks files from running Appdata and appdata\Temp and specifically blocks zip files and 7zip files. The result has been that workshop participants can't install Zotero Standalone (for Chrome or Firefox) on the classroom PC computers (the machines are dual boot Macs, so they can install on the Mac side). This wasn't as big a deal when I just demo'ed how to install the Zotero for Firefox extension instead, but with the move to Zotero 5, I am switching to just teaching the Standalone installation. Is it possible to change the Zotero Standalone install directory so that Zotero isn't trying to interact with Appdata or appdata\Temp?

Thanks for any insight or pointers about other things I can suggest to my IT folks. - Hannah

LiborA

I think it is not problem, for example, I have Zotero installed on pathway D:/Documents/Zotero/Data

hhng

I think Hannah is referring to the zotero files/folders that are in the username\AppData\local and username\AppData\roaming directories, not the install directory usually in "Program Files"

I believe the data directory can be changed to custom in the settings, but there may be still other files\folders being used by Zotero in AppData. I think someone like @dstillman would be the best to answer your question if these can be moved.

I know it's not ideal, but in the meantime, you can always try the unofficial portable version. Discussion can be found here: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/277655#Comment_277655

LiborA

You do not understand me. I have Zotero data in this directory, not Zotero program files. But I am not sure if it can be specified during an installation process.

EDIT: Oh sorry, I 've thought that all my data are on disc D: but now I see that the profile is still in username\AppData\roaming directory.

EDIT2: On another side, I really understand the point of view of university IT folks. The installation of Zotero is very small and not so important part of Zotero workshops. As one of a possible solution, I see working in the virtual machines during the workshops. It should be safe enough for IT folks.

dstillman

Zotero takes the same command-line flags as Firefox, so you can use a different profile directory by passing the --profile flag and pointing that to a specific directory.