Just started trying to use Zotero, library disappeared

Hi, I am very new to Zotero, and very ignorant about how it works. I registered, logged in with my username and password, and began following the instructions about how to do manual entries into your library. I spent about 40 minutes putting in 20 entries or so. Then I logged out on Jan. 7. I do not know anything about how Zotero stores files so I didn't do any backups to my computer (evidently there's a way to do this). When I logged back in today (Jan. 16) using the same username and password, the library was empty. I have no idea where my Jan. 7 entries went, but if this is going to happen every time I try to use it, I'm reluctant to go any farther. Does anyone have any idea what might have happened to my Jan. 7 entries?
  • Is this all on the same computer?
    Zotero, by default, is local software and doesn't have a concept of "log in" and "log out", (except here on the site) so something you were doing is unusual.
  • edited January 16, 2019
    See:
    https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide

    Begin by following the installation instructions from the link near the top of the page.

    edit: You will very rarely need to hand-enter metadata information but should use Zotero's mechanisms for automatically importing the information and files.
Sign In or Register to comment.