pdfs on local vs cloud

I'm not even sure I'll be asking this correctly, but...

I am getting the "You have reached your Zotero File Storage quota. Some files were not uploaded" message when I try to sync my account. I have outright deleted a ton of records, but am still getting it. One weird thing is that if I try to access attached pdfs from my desktop I get an error message saying the file can't be found, but I AM able to access them from my cloud account. Are they taking up storage space even though they aren't available to open? Or is the storage space only a concern online?

I'll be honest, I don't really understand where the storage is an issue (online? desktop? both?). Am I able to attach whatever I want to the desktop but only on the cloud to a certain limit?

Apologies for the basic questions, I'm old and at a loss.

Many thanks
  • edited August 3, 2017
    The storage limit only applies to your online storage on zotero.org. There is no limit to what Zotero can store locally. If you don't want to sync your files to the Zotero cloud, you can disable file syncing in the Zotero preferences. Otherwise, you can get more storage space by purchasing space at http://zotero.org/storage or by using a third-party WebDAV server to sync your files (I recommend using Zotero storage, as it is more convenient and very reasonably priced).

    Regarding still hitting your limit after deleting records, have you emptied the trash can in Zotero?
  • Well, no I hadn't (sheepish), so thanks for that.

    My issue now is removing pdfs from zotero.org without deleting them from local storage. I actually just UNdeleted the files I had trashed so I can keep the metadata, but now still need to clear up online space. My worry stems from not being able to access those pds from local storage, even though I can open them online.

  • No need to be sheepish about not emptying the trash—it's a fairly common oversight in these sorts of situations.

    For the local files, let's try a few things. First, when you try to open one and get the error, click the Locate button, which will take you to the last known location of the file. Is the file there that you can select? Second, if that doesn't work, change Zotero's sync settings to Download Attachment Files "As Needed". Then try to open one of the missing attachments again.

    Once we resolve the local files issue, then you can disable Sync Files in Zotero's sync preferences, since you don't appear to need online file syncing.
  • When I get the error message I don't have a locate button (I'm on a mac if that matters) - if I follow "more info" it goes to online Zotero info.

    Changing my settings to download as needed DOES allow me to open at least some number of my pdfs, but for at least one sent me to my previous institution's library login page. I'm guessing I didn't actually download that pdf.

    But that is great!

    Once I've "downloaded as needed" for a specific pdf, will it then be held on my desktop Zotero? ie, is it safe for me to delete pdfs from zotero.org that I have opened on my laptop? And those I haven't yet opened?

    some more info, I'm no longer on the same machine as when I collected the vast majority of these records.
  • And just now when I tried to open a pdf from the laptop I got File Not Found, but there IS a locate option. Following it shows me stuff I can't translate
  • What do you mean "I can't translate". It should take you to a folder on your computer. Is the missing PDF in that folder?
  • I just mean I don't know what I'm looking at.

    It takes me to a Storage file, which holds a long list of alphanumerically-labeled folders (that are largely empty, but some hold a single pdf that I recognize as one of my Zotero pdfs, and others hold a slew of things I don't recognize - lots of .css, .js files).
  • Oh, okay, so it's not taking you to a specific attachment folder. What version of Zotero are you running?
  • I would recommend going through and opening each pdf to see how many you can’t open. Don’t delete any from Zotero.org. That will actually trigger a deletion locally as well. Once you have downloaded the files, just disable File Syncing in the Zotero preferences.
  • Okay, thanks for your help (!) - I'll see what happens.
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