[Request] The option to copy annotations in plain text.

zrahner2019

I use an assistance program that reads text that I copy out loud. When I copy annotations to hear them red aloud, they always contain an intext citation or hyperlink. My assistance reader reads these aloud, and it makes it difficult to just skim my highlights when opening a paper. I would like the option to remove intext citations as is possible when you export annotations to a note.

Here's an example of what I'm referring to:

“The notion that variability among group members’ judgments may provide meaningful information is consistent with the basic logic underlying within- and between-entities analysis (WABA; Dansereau & Yammarino, 2000).” ([Cole et al., 2011, p. 3](zotero://select/library/items/H4VP5HGV)) ([pdf](zotero://open-pdf/library/items/H88RYIPP?page=3&annotation=HMVKZBQX))

dstillman

Reading text by copying just isn't really a great approach — that's just not what copying is for. Most text-to-speech programs can just read selected text. Is that not an option for you?

Zotero currently copies annotations to plain text as Markdown, with links back to the Zotero item and PDF. In a later version we'll be adding additional format-specific options to Quick Copy to control whether various features, including links, are included, so you'll be able to turn off links for Markdown note Quick Copy, but for the moment it's not configurable.

zrahner2019

I have a very complex workflow set up through balabolka. It doesn't read my clipboard unless I press a macro key on my mouse.

Glad to hear your working on adding the option.

lillemets

I am also eagerly waiting for an option to export annotations
- as plain text
- without quotation marks,
- without citations,
- without links.

Currently the text is copied in some convoluted format (HTML?). My workflow involves copying annotations to a plain text external editor to be merged into my Zettelkasten system. When I forget to paste as plain text and paste normally, it freezes the editor for many minutes due to the vast amount of code that is pasted with the text. Even when I paste as plain text, each link needs to be removed manually as these contain unique addresses.

So the current implementation seriously disrupts my work.

yulipetrus

I appreciate this new feature and I was also impressed the first time I used it. However, it is actually quite annoying when copying something for a quick Google, I too would also love to be able to switch it off and/or configure it. Thank you!

lillemets

On Linux there is a simple workaround for cleaning a file from the stuff that Zotero adds to annotations. The command below removes all document references as well as quotation marks from a given file.

sed -i "s/”\\s(\\[.*//;s/^\\“//" file