Import Zotero RDF issues?

pedrom34

Hi,

I just realized that when exporting an encyclopedia article in Zotero RDF, and then importing it in an other Zotero instance, the fields "Collection" (dc:title), "Number in collection" (dc:identifier) are lost in the process.

Is it a bug? Did I do something wrong to get this result? Those fields are quite important to me.

I have +100 references to correct, which is pretty hard to do when you are crying.

pedrom34

Up!

adamsmith

Yes that's a bug, but not sure how quickly it's going to get fixed. You're aware that import/export is typically not the best way to move items around?

pedrom34

@adamsmith No... What's the best way?
I have two zotero profiles. One for my ongoing work, and one for archive. Once my ongoing work is finished I export the folder and import it to the archive zotero profile.

adamsmith

I'd just use a group to transfer them

pedrom34

I'm sorry, I don't get it.
How am I supposed to do that? Never used groups, even if (I think) I know what it is.
Doesn't it mean uploading the references and files to zotero server to download it back to a local profile? Isn't it a bit overkill to such a simple task?
What if my current work exceed the storage size limit?

adamsmith

It does mean using the Zotero server for exchanging the information, but I don't see why that's overkill. It's more elegant than using a (lossy, as you've found out) exchange format that moves the information into an entirely different format and then back.

You could use file syncing only for the group, but yes, you can only use 300MB at once there for free, so that might be an obstacle.

pedrom34

Overkill because it's based on a distant machine somewhere on the planet when my data is on my computer in the two profiles.
Anyway, I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Gurdas_Sandhu

If I may ask, why even have two profile for this use case? Why not create two collections, called Archive and Current? Or, Use a group for Current, and My Library for Archive?

But assuming you must have two profiles (say, "Current" and "Archive"), what adamsmith is saying is that you create a group (say "Exchange") and connect both profiles to it. Once you are done with the current work (in Current profile) and ready to archive it, drag-drop everything to the Exchange group. Now, when you login with your Archive profile, the group entries will show up, and you can drag-drop them to the My Library of the Archive profile. If your current work that you are trying to archive is larger than 300 MB, split the move in to parts. It is still much less work and loss-less.

Once your current work is archived, delete from Exchange group. Thus, the group is acting only like a transfer container.

pedrom34

Gave it a try:
I created a private group to transfer files from my "current work" profile to my "archive" profile.
I went to the preferences of both profiles to add my sync account. Unchecked the sync of the collection, checked the sync of the group.

Result:
1/ Worked like a charm for the exchange.
2/ SCREWED UP my entire "current work" profile as it replaced it with the "archive" profile. I lost something like a hundred references to an "elegant solution"... I still don't know how I'm going to do to recover my work.

I'm pissed off...
I don't understand why such a simple function as "export" references is not a priority.

adamsmith

Sorry, I suppose I should have been clearer on this -- if you have two profiles that you want to keep separate, you need to separate accounts to sync them.

That said -- I don't really see how syncing would delete any references; it might merge the two profiles, but it will only ever delete references that you have explicitly deleted.

bwiernik

For your use case, I would recommend just making a Group library that you are the only member of (call it something like Archive). Then move any items you would like to have archived to that library instead.

Gurdas_Sandhu

"Unchecked the sync of the collection, checked the sync of the group." By collection you mean "My Library", right?