Missing files in Zotero library

brimmoo

So I didn't use zotero for almost a year, I downloaded it to my work desktop and found some missing folders in my library. Basically nothing over the past 2 years. I've tried many fixes including. I use it with chrome. I'm not sure whats happening but its making me panic. Now my macbook isn't showing the folders either

dstillman

See Changes Not Syncing. It sounds like you may be misunderstanding where your data is. You haven't uploaded any data to your online library in almost two years, so there's no way you'd be able to download it on a new computer without first syncing the one where the data was added.

brimmoo

I definitely have downloaded, that is the issue, and the files show up on my word documents that i used zotero for in the past 2 years, even as late as 1 year ago

brimmoo

I just accessed 2 word documents that I used zotero for and the citations are there, just not in the library

dstillman

This has nothing to do with citations in a Word document.

Again, you haven't uploaded any data to your online library in the last two years. If you sync a new computer, you will just get the data in your online library. If you want access to all your data, you need to actually sync the computer where you added the data originally, which you haven't done in the last two years, so that it uploads the data to your online library and makes it available to other computers.

brimmoo

I apologize but Iguess I dont understand, i used the folders from my online library. That is the only way i know how to insert my references to my word document, by saving them to a specific zotero library and then importing it from my library to the word document. So I'm not sure it disappeared

dstillman

Zotero is a local program that runs on your computer. When you use the Word plugin, it pulls from your local library in Zotero.

The only way to get that data on another computer is to use Zotero syncing.

You were using Zotero and the Word plugin on a different computer from the one you're using now, and that computer has not synced in the last two years. You can look at your online library on this site to see that you have no data since early 2018.

If you set up Zotero on a new computer and sync, all you'll get is the data in the online library, which in your case goes through 2018.

If you want your more recent data, you need to sync the computer where you added that data. Once that data is in your online library, you can sync Zotero on any other computer and have that data in your local library, which will let you use it with Word.

brimmoo

OK, the computer i used last has been discarded or updated ( was a work desktop). Does that mean it is gone?. Is there a way I can transfer my current references on the word document to a folder in zotero? I appreciate your help and timely responses

brimmoo

I say it is gone because I had to re-download zotero again

dstillman

You would need the original Zotero data directory or a backup of it. Your IT department certainly should've made a backup of your computer before they wiped it.

Is there a way I can transfer my current references on the word document to a folder in zotero?

If you don't have a backup, you can extract Zotero citations back to your Zotero library with Reference Extractor, but you'll need to reinsert all instances of those in existing documents you want to keep using (being sure to cite from the library and not the "Cited" section of the search results in the citation dialog). You would also get duplicates for any items that were from before 2018 (that you already have in your library) and would want to merge those using Zotero's duplicate detection.

brimmoo

Ok one last thing, I was trying the fix about missing references when updating to version 5 and I changed the name of my folder on my mac to zotero old. It then created a new zotero folder. I did not sync because i got a warning. What can I do to get it back to normal so i don't lose my data?

dstillman

Rename “Zotero Old” back to what it was before. Zotero reads the “Zotero” folder.

brimmoo

It tried but it says the file zotero already exists and isn't allowing me

dstillman

Zotero creates a new "Zotero" data directory if one doesn't exist. Just delete the new one and put the old one back into place.