Why am I still getting duplicates when syncing to a blank database?

khoelting

Hello there, I am new to Zotero. I am trying to sync between computers and am having difficulty. I've been reading the forums trying to answer my question for myself, but am getting a bit lost and would love a little guidance. The issue requires some background explanation, but I imagine it is very basic and probably easily answered. Here goes:

I am trying to transfer my stand-alone Zotero database from one computer to another. For background, the stand-alone database is made up of many thematic folders, and I have included most of my records in two, if not three or four, different relevant folders.

First I tried copying the files from Computer #1 using a thumb drive and importing them in the database on Computer #2. This worked except that the sorting system did not transfer (records were no longer in their relevant folders.)

Second, I tried syncing Computer #1's stand-alone database to my online Zotero account, and then syncing from the online account to a blank database on Computer #2. (By "blank," I mean I deleted the zotero.sqlite files and all of the storage files to clear the Zotero database on Computer #2.) This worked, except that I ended up with lots of duplicates in the stand-alone database on the second computer, and sometimes triplicates/quadruplicates.

Could this be because the original stand-alone database had records in 2-4 different thematic folders? Does syncing from stand-alone to the online account automatically create separate records for each occurrence of the same record in the original stand-alone database? If this is the case, then it seems there would be no way to avoid the duplicates on the second computer... And I'm also concerned about duplicates eventually appearing in the original stand-alone database when I go to sync that one with the online account again...

But, if this is not the case, I would greatly appreciate your suggestions about how to avoid the duplicate records appearing, or if there is a way to easily get rid of them! Also, I would appreciate knowing whether manual deletion of duplicates/triplicates/quadruplicates is safe to do in the second stand-alone database, without removing them from the relevant thematic folders or messing up the database in the online account.

Thanks in advance for your help....

khoelting

p.s. The duplicates/triplicates/quadruplicates are only in the overarching "My Library" list, not in any of the sub-folders. The number of extra copies in the My Library list does seem to match the number of folders that a given record is included in.

I just tried deleting a duplicate, and it seems that the record remained in both folder locations....??

dstillman

First, read through the documentation on collections — it sounds like you may be saving/importing items separately into multiple collections, which isn't how you use Zotero. You save or import an item once, it appears once in the library root, and then you can add it to as many collections as you want.

As for transferring your library between computers, there are two ways to do that — syncing and transferring the entire data directory — and neither produces duplicates:

https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library

If you have a library without duplicates, the only way to get duplicates is to use export/import.

As for recovering from your current situation, it depends somewhat on how you created this library to begin with, but most likely you'll want to use the Duplicate Items view and merge items, which will leave a single item in any collections that the duplicates existed in.

khoelting

Hi there, thanks so much for the quick response!

No, I am not saving/importing items multiple times. But it's possible what I'm doing is having a similar effect I suppose... I am only capturing a file once from the internet. Zotero requires that I highlight the folder where I want the item to be saved, so I start by selecting the most relevant collection (sub-folder under My Library). From there, I add it to other collections that are also relevant. I am always working in sub-folders within My Library, but I notice that the files are also automatically added to the master "My Library" list.

Is this an OK approach? Or should I always be saving to My Library first and then adding to sub-folders to avoid duplicates?

Thanks also for the tip about "Duplicate Items view." I have started looking around and don't immediate see where to find that, but will keep looking. If it's easy for you to direct me, I'd appreciate it. I've got Zotero 5.0.60 running.

Thanks again!

khoelting

Ok, I found the "duplicate items" collection at the bottom of the list of collections. It's interesting, as it the duplicates are based on difference creation dates. I think one is the original date that I captured the file on Computer #1 and the other is the date I tried transferring the database to computer #2 on a USB. So perhaps my attempt to clear the Zotero database by deleting zotero.sqlite files and the storage files didn't really work out.... even though Zotero was completely empty before I tried syncing this morning.

Based on the "collections" link you shared, I think I'm capturing and filing things just fine. And I think I can easily merge all the duplicates/triplicates/quadruplicates.

I'd be curious if you agree with my assessment.

Thanks again!
Kristin

dstillman

Yes, the way you're saving and organizing sounds fine, but you almost certainly used export/import to transfer between computers — as I say, that's the only way to get duplicates from an otherwise unduplicated library. Having lots of items with the same creation date is a telltale sign of using import. There's no way to get duplicates if you use syncing or transfer the database itself.

khoelting

Ok, that makes sense.

At this point, is there any way to completely clear out the Zotero database on Computer #2 so that I can sync from my online account without the duplicates? As you know, I already deleted the zotero.sqlite files and all of the storage files (and emptied the trash), but somehow they still showed up.

Should I uninstall and reinstall Zotero stand-alone?

Hopefully this is my last clarifying question for now. I really appreciate your help!!

dstillman

It really is as simple as deleting the Zotero data directory. But if you uploaded the duplicates, you'll just get those when it pulls the data down again. You can check your online library to see what you have there.

Uninstalling/reinstalling has no effect on your data.