Group Library Folders Exist, Files Missing

KinjalDave
Report ID: 1266632550

When accessing our group library, one of the members notified me that the folders are visible, but there are no files in any of the folders.

When I opened up the group library in my desktop app, I was able to see the files within the folders, but the files disappeared once the app finished syncing.

Looking at previous threads, it might be that someone accidentally deleted the files trying to leave the group, though maybe not because the folders remain intact.

I have asked another group member make sure her local Zotero desktop app doesn't sync and we'll look into restoring that library, but is there any way to find out what happened?

Thanks in advance.
  • dstillman
    Yes, someone deleted all the items on August 3rd. We don't currently record who performs deletions.

    If a group member has a backup of their data directory from before the deletions, the easiest fix is to upgrade to Zotero 5.0 (this is possible in 4.0 but the process is easier in 4.0), take the computer offline, start Zotero with a copy of that data directory, and then add a temporary tag to all items in the library. When Zotero syncs, there should be a conflict for all the items, and they should be able to choose all the local items to keep.
  • mawnikr
    Thank you.

    The solution you lay out is for restoring all the files locally, correct? If so, is there any way to restore the online group library?
  • dstillman
    It's for restoring the items in general. The person doing the restoring needs to have the backup locally. The steps I outline are for triggering conflict resolution when they sync, so that they can tell the sync process to choose the local items, which will then sync back up to the online library and to everyone else's computers.
  • adamsmith
    that's what the tag is for -- if, in the conflict resolution, you then tell Zotero to keep the local copy in all instances, that will sync back up to the server.
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