Export collection without sub-collection contents [recursiveCollections = false]

edited June 20, 2019
I'm trying to get my head around a stubborn issue: I try to export a collection without items from sub-collections. Although having the 'recursiveCollections' option set to 'false' in the about:config-pane, exports (tested: BetterBibTex, Bibtex) still include those items in the export .bib-file.

Any idea how to get around this?

I looked for information in these recent issues (of which I understood that setting the 'recursiveCollections' setting to 'false' should do the trick), but did not found what could be the issue [https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/269285#Comment_269285; https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/314306#Comment_314306; https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/334183#Comment_334183]

I'm using Zotero 5.0.67.3 with:
- BetterBibTex 5.1.92
- Zotfile 5.0.10
- Zutilo 3.0.3
(+ Scaffold, Report Customizer, Scholar Citations, Scihub, ZoteroQuickLook)

Thanks in advance, would be nice if somebody has a clue!
  • BBT simply exports the items handed to it by the translator framework, so it's not something I could address from my end. Translators aren't told whether you're exporting a collection or just some selected items -- we only see "here's a number of items to export".
  • If this is for one-off export, you can just use select all --> Export selected items, but I don't have a good idea what to do if this is fore BBT continuous export.
  • hey emiliano and adam, thanks for your insights! It seems indeed the issue of including or excluding [which I don't manage to] sub-collection items from an export isn't caused or influenced by BetterBibTex, as @emilianoeheyns explained and @adamsmith as the issue occurs both for continuous export and one-time export [for either BetterBibTex or any other format].

    Could there be another setting in about:config (apart from the 'recursiveCollections') that could in- or exclude sub-collection items in an export? [either continuous or one-time]. Would it make sense to try opening zotero without add-ons? I remember having played around with the recursiveCollections settings once, but don't see what else I could try for the moment.
  • Is it still not possible not to export items from subcollections?
  • @alekhe What exactly are you trying to do?
  • I want to export a collection without items from its subcollections.
  • In what format? BibTeX? Is this a one-time export or a continuous export managed by BBT?
  • I want to create a bibliography automatically exported using “Better BibTeX” format.

    I know that I can export selected items from a given collection, but that is not convenient for keeping it updated. This is what adamsmith and floriand have already mentioned.
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