Is it possible to access the citation collection online, to share the citation list with a griup (and not to have to copy it always on the harddisk of the computer I am using)?
There are plans to create a Zotero server, but none is out yet. Last I heard, the plans were for early fall.
Until then, there are numerous work arounds. You can, of course, import/export. You can also use a shared database file (but only one client should access it at a time). You can also use a third party server that can import zotero citations & can be "translated" by zotero. I do the latter (quick-copy an export format into refbase, which has embedded metadata (unapi+mods) that zotero will digest).
Just curious, is early fall still the right timeframe for this?
I'm dying to move lots of students off of RefWorks but a high percentage of our students still rely on the campus computer labs for research/paper writing and thus can't save their collections locally.
Even a local, institutional, server would be helpful. Anyone know offhand what it would take to set one up?
I'm afraid Zotero itself is not capable of server access yet, so there is no possibility at all to set something up. It seems that a stable 1.0 release has taken more time than they expected. Unfortunately, this means there's nothing for it at this point but to wait, (or possibly solicit development help for the Zotero team.)
If you only need to access the zotero database for reading, you could install a php management tool for SQLite databases (such as SQLiteManager - http://sourceforge.net/projects/sqlitemanager/) and copy the zotero database to your webserver (it seems to me that FireFox has to be closed to do that). This would give you (and your colleagues) read access to the database on any web enabled computer.
[Do not attempt do manipulate the database online and write it back to your zotero folder. The reasons are outlined here: http://dev.zotero.org/accessing_zotero_data_using_an_sqlite_client]
Another suggestion for millikel: the often described MobileFirefox-on-a-thumbdrive solution also works on any other 'drive'. For example, in my institution, students (and staff) have an H: (home) drive that is basically a network drive that they can assess from any campus computer they sign on to.
I personally have a copy of Firefox (from PortableApps.com) on my H: drive, so that I don't have to use IE when I have to sign on somewhere else than my office.
So if students in your institution have a similar facility, they would install (well, it's not really 'install' - that's the beauty of it) a copy of Mobile (or portable) Firefox on their H: drive and add the zotero add on and start using it. This way their zotero data travels with them to whatever campus computer they are using.
I hope this helps,
krueschan
P.S. If you want it easier for students, you can even unpack the PortableApps Firefox to your computer, install the zotero plugin (and set your institutions proxy settings, if you're already on it) and re-pack the whole ready-to use pack for distribution to students.
If you only need to access the zotero database for reading, you could install a php management tool for SQLite databases (such as SQLiteManager - http://sourceforge.net/projects/sqlitemanager/) and copy the zotero database to your webserver (it seems to me that FireFox has to be closed to do that). This would give you (and your colleagues) read access to the database on any web enabled computer.
I copied SQLiteManager to my webserver and tried to use it but after quite a few trials and errors I still did not figure out how to get web enabled access to my Zotero library. I also copied (via an FTP client) the entire Zotero folder (including the storage folder) to the same web server.
I would greatly appreciate it could you (or anyone else) put me in the right direction.
Upgrade Storage
Until then, there are numerous work arounds. You can, of course, import/export. You can also use a shared database file (but only one client should access it at a time). You can also use a third party server that can import zotero citations & can be "translated" by zotero. I do the latter (quick-copy an export format into refbase, which has embedded metadata (unapi+mods) that zotero will digest).
I'm dying to move lots of students off of RefWorks but a high percentage of our students still rely on the campus computer labs for research/paper writing and thus can't save their collections locally.
Even a local, institutional, server would be helpful. Anyone know offhand what it would take to set one up?
[Do not attempt do manipulate the database online and write it back to your zotero folder. The reasons are outlined here: http://dev.zotero.org/accessing_zotero_data_using_an_sqlite_client]
I personally have a copy of Firefox (from PortableApps.com) on my H: drive, so that I don't have to use IE when I have to sign on somewhere else than my office.
So if students in your institution have a similar facility, they would install (well, it's not really 'install' - that's the beauty of it) a copy of Mobile (or portable) Firefox on their H: drive and add the zotero add on and start using it. This way their zotero data travels with them to whatever campus computer they are using.
I hope this helps,
krueschan
P.S. If you want it easier for students, you can even unpack the PortableApps Firefox to your computer, install the zotero plugin (and set your institutions proxy settings, if you're already on it) and re-pack the whole ready-to use pack for distribution to students.
I am very much interested in the following: I copied SQLiteManager to my webserver and tried to use it but after quite a few trials and errors I still did not figure out how to get web enabled access to my Zotero library. I also copied (via an FTP client) the entire Zotero folder (including the storage folder) to the same web server.
I would greatly appreciate it could you (or anyone else) put me in the right direction.
Thanks!