Feature Request - Links to library items in a note

nicomic

I use notes a lot :)

I'd would like to reference library items, labels, collections, other notes, etc. using some form of link inside a note.

I'm thinking of something like what gitlab and other platforms have when editing text. for example:

@ to tag users
# to reference other issues

Links like these are "internal".

¿Does someone know if this can be implemented somehow in the notes text editor?

I have some (very basic) JS experience, and would be willing to contribute with some guidance.

Thanks!

bwiernik

You might consider the Related Items feature to connect an item or note to another item.

To get a link like that, I nstall the Zutilo plugin. This will add an option to the right click menu to “Copy Zotero Select link”. That link will select the item in your Zotero library.

nicomic

I've installed the plugin and it seems to work fine!

However, I'm only able to relate items already sharing a collection (because they must both be selected to use the context menu, they must both be visible afaik).

If they share a collection, they are already sort of related, more or less explicitly.

The main issue is that i cannot say "how" they are related, or relate items from other collections easily.

Perhaps I'll come back and have a better look at this when I have more time.

Thank you

adamsmith

All items are listed in "My Library"

nicomic

Hi, i imagine your suggestion is that i select items from "My Library" and relate them.

My library has over 700 items. I've tried using the search bar after selecting the note, but that de-selects the initial selection.

This is rather impractical, and the effort defeats the purpose. Instead I can go on writing "williams 2007 is a related paper" in my note, which requires less time, but fails to [hyper]link the reference.

I thank you for the suggestion, but it does not seem to work.

dstillman

You can just sort the items list by Title or Creator and quickly scroll to the second item.

rmenezess

This feature would be very nice, especially alongside markdown in notes!

Nevertheless, as @bwiernik pointed out, two solutions are possible and are currently working:

1. Using the items' link inside the note, so when you click the link the linked item is selected.
To speed up this procedure, consider configuring some shortcut using Zutilo (Zutilo Preferences > Shortcuts > Copy selected item links)

If using Markdown (e.g. https://github.com/fei0810/markdownhere4zotero) it is possible to use [Readable Citation](zotero://select/library/items/.......) to link the item but render it nicely without much effort.

2. Relating items in the library
This could be done effortlessly also using a Zutilo shortcut.
(Zutilo Preferences > Shortcuts > Item pane: Add related item)
You then select the first item you want to link, press the shortcut and a small popup appears in which you can search and select the second item [a note in this case]. No need for endless scrolls or having items in the same collection.
It can be also be done through interface under item's "Related" pane: you just click into "Add" and select the note. Be mindful that selecting the node first doesn't work as it doesn't have the "Related" pane.