Links between notes, and to notes from outside of Zotero

CB

I've been disappointed with each upgrade not to have available hyperlinks between notes (also to notes or other items from outside of zotero, and preferably to individual paras within notes). I probably shouldn't be 'disappointed' as they've never been promised AFAIK, but it's what I would need to make much use of Zotero notes.

At the moment, I use various apps for notes, and now and then link back to the web-based version of my zotero items. But it's pretty clumsy.

Having links available seems such an obvious requirement, that I'm wondering: is it only a small number of users who want them? Am I mistaken about the 'obviousness' of the need? If they are widely desired, what's the resistance? Is it that it's difficult to implement with Zotero's architecture?

haraldkliems

I don't think we're talking about the exact same thing, but our requests seem to be somewhat simillar:

http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/6642/linking-to-files-in-db-directly-zoteroattachment/#Item_1

I haven't gotten any responses. Maybe the two of us really are the only ones interested in more hyperlinking options.

noksagt

While I understand your frustration, I don't think it is time for it: developer time is limited & most of it has been poured into the quite excellent web/group functionality that was released in beta. Just because your favorite feature request hasn't been implemented doesn't mean that it will never be implemented. If there hasn't been much past discussion on this feature request, maybe others don't find it to be the most compelling "missing" element, but that doesn't mean that the feature wouldn't be valuable.

In any case: you can, at least, currently use the "related" field to at least link notes together. This doesn't give the fidelity needed for detailed notes, of course.

If they are widely desired, what's the resistance?

Again, I don't think they are widely desired. Neither do I think there is resistance.

Is it that it's difficult to implement with Zotero's architecture?

Nothing fundamental that can't be changed. Notes are stored in the zotero database (not as files) & so it is presently impossible to give a standard link to them. Either another URI scheme would need to be rolled (in order to find and present a note from the database) or notes would have to be stored as attachments.

haraldkliems

noksagt, I suppose your comment is directed at CB but I just want to emphasize that I'm not frustrated at all, quite on the contrary. Zotero is getting better with each release and I always had the feeling that user suggestions and complaints are taken very serious by the Zotero team! Thanks for your work!

Back on topic:

Nothing fundamental that can't be changed. Notes are stored in the zotero database (not as files) & so it is presently impossible to give a standard link to them. Either another URI scheme would need to be rolled (in order to find and present a note from the database) or notes would have to be stored as attachments.

Hm, but in my the web-based library notes do have an URI, just like other items. Is that one not stable or generated just for the web library? Or am I misunderstanding the issue? At least for my purposes, having the ability to get to that URI (http://www.zotero.org/hobbesvsboyle/66/items/xxxxx) more easily would be just fine.

noksagt

Hm, but in my the web-based library notes do have an URI, just like other items.

Yes; CB noted that he has "link[ed] back to the web-based version of [his] zotero items." But he also stated it was clumsy to do this & the URI for those is not the URI of the desktop-based versions of the notes. The distinction is very important (especially for disconnected clients & updated, but not synced notes).

Is that one not stable or generated just for the web library?

I assume it is stable, but it is obviously not the same URI as the client-side note. Client-side notes do have unique, stable identifiers. But there is no current URI you can specify to get to them (as you can use a zotero:// uri to open up attachments).

At least for my purposes, having the ability to get to that URI (http://www.zotero.org/hobbesvsboyle/66/items/xxxxx) more easily would be just fine.

I agree with CB that this seems somewhat clumsy. That being said, it would seem like a fairly straight-forward extension.

bdarcus

Goes back to earlier discussion about a plan for identifiers.

On first glance, one could make the argument that the local note in your sqlite db and the online version at zotero.org might be identified by the same URI, but that there just might be different conventions to accessing them depending on from where one was clicking the link (e.g. if using the zotero client, default is the local version; if online, the online version).

But this isn't totally straightforward, and there are other ways to associate references (collections, tags, "reference" links, etc.), and those need upgrading as well. So be patient ;-)

haraldkliems

Thanks for the clarifications. Looking forward to the straightforward or not-so-straightforward updates :-)

CB

noksagt: 'frustration' might be overstating it. I'm well aware that the feature has never been promised and may not be important to others. I just haven't myself been able to imagine making significant use of non-paper notes without hyperlinks for at least the last decade.

I concur that a useful waystation would be to make the server URIs more readily available; perhaps copyable to the clipboard with a right-click and/or keyboard shortcut?

CB

Although it sticks in the craw to commend something in a Microsoft product, Onenote is great in this regard. It quickly and simply provide hyperlinks to documents (pages) or individual paragraphs or items on a page.

Unfortunately it also determinedly enforces data lock-in, so is only of any use for transitory desktop-bound notes.