Library disappeared after upgrade

penelopecave

OK, thank you, what turns up is:
zotero.sqlite.bak
zotero.sqlite.1.bak
zotero.sqlite-journal
zotero.sqlite
All the above are Zotero
then the 1st 2 and the 4th are repeated with Zotero-Old beside them

dstillman

OK, if it's just showing /Users/:username:/Zotero and /Users/:username:/Zotero-Old then those would seem to be the only Zotero databases on your computer.

I don't understand the instruction: how to temporarily change the data directory setting

It's just a setting in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences. Click Choose, pick the Zotero-Old directory, and restart Zotero when it prompts you to. That will cause it to use the zotero.sqlite.bak in Zotero-Old and let you see what's in that 2.5 MB database.

penelopecave

Thank you, I have followed your instructions in choosing under Data Directory Location /Users/penelopecave/Zotero-Old and now have a pop up saying Restart Required under which it instructs that Zotero must be restarted for the change to take effect. It then states, 'Be sure to move files from your existing Zotero data directory to the new location before reopening Zotero'. I do not know how to do this, or if this is what you meant?

fbennett

It issues that warning, but if you have selected the Zotero-Old directory, you are good to click OK there.

penelopecave

Huge thank you to all of you who have responded to my inept cry for help! It has worked and my library is returned to me!

dstillman

OK, it seems like you must have renamed that to Zotero-Old without actually trying it. So what you'll want to do is 1) close Zotero, 2) move the current "Zotero" out of the way, and 3) rename "Zotero-Old" to "Zotero". When you restart Zotero, it will detect that your custom data directory is missing and offer to use "Zotero" instead. Say yes, and it should restart with your data in the default location ("Zotero").