Searching/Sorting in My Library

janetterutterford
After adding all records to zotero, I now need other users accessing from other computers to be able to search/sort for items. This doesn't seem possible in My Library - or it is? I am struggling to find any information as to whether this can be done. Other users don't seem to have access to the records in the left/centre and right hand panes. I only appear to have access as I added the records. Or can they? I am struggling again to find any information as to whether this is possible.

Thanks
  • adamsmith
    please describe what you're actually trying to do in specific terms. You can make your library public, in which case people can see all of it online after you sync.
    http://www.zotero.org/support/sync
    You can set your library to public under
    Settings-->Privacy at the top of this webpage.

    Depending on your needs you may also want to look into groups:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/groups
  • janetterutterford
    I would like other users to be able to, in My Library, for example, search for all books written by the same author, or search for all books which have a particular word in the title. From what I can see or have tried this doesn't seem possible?
  • mronkko
    edited November 1, 2011
    What are these "other users"?

    "My Library" is only accessible to you in the Zotero client, but can be made public on the Zotero website. If you want to share items with other people, you need to use a group library, as recommended by adamsmith
  • janetterutterford
    Is it still possible though to sort/search in My library using my examples above?
  • mronkko
    You can search and sort items in your "My Library". Others cannot access your "My Library" using the Zotero client. If you make your "My library" public, then others can search it on the Zotero website.
  • janetterutterford
    How do I go about doing this as it doesn't seem that clear. Say for example, after doing a search, I just want to show items that are written by a particular author.
  • adamsmith
    If I understand you correctly, the answer is no. AFAIK you can only use a generic search in the online version of the library.
    If you want/need more sophisticated searches, use a group library and syncing - in the client you and other users in the group can use advanced searches (including for just author/title) and combine them.
  • janetterutterford
    Sorry I don't quite understand what you are saying. Basically I can't do anything in My library, it all has to be done via a group library. In theory then, I need to move all My Library entries into a group to be able to do anything with them?
  • adamsmith
    No. _You_ can do everything (and more) in My Library that you could do in a group library. _Other People_ cannot. For that you need groups.

    You keep writing these short questions. We try our best to answer, but my original request still stands. If you would actually take some time to write up in specific terms what you're trying to do we could give precise and meaningful answers rather than engage in a rather time consuming guessing game.
  • janetterutterford
    I have been told in the discussion above you can sort/search items in "my library" and I have asked how you go about doing this - even giving an example about trying to find articles written by a particular author. Your thread earlier on says this can't be done - hence my other discussions - but then you said you can? Forget anything to do with groups as this is obviously confusing what I am trying to ask.

    My question is:

    Can you sort/search in my library. If so, how do you go about doing it.

    I am new to zotero and have done various searches to try and find out this information before contacting the forum and trying to get some help and advice.
  • adamsmith
    Yes you can.
    "My Library" is in two places. It is online under
    http://www.zotero.org/janetterutterford/items/
    and it is in you Zotero client - either in the standalone client or after opening Zotero in Firefox.

    For the Online Version:
    - Search by typing a search term into the "Search Library" field at the top right and hit return or click search.
    - Sort by clicking on the respective column header. The column currently sorting is indicated by a small black triangle. Reverse sort order by clicking on a selected column. Add new columns using the "Library Settings" Icon immediately above the library to the right. (looks like some books and a little arrow or so=.
    - Online you cannot limit your search to specific fields (I'm not 100% certain, the search may be restricted to authors and titles).

    In the Client
    - Quick Search using the search box to the right of the magnifier symbol. Choose the type of search using the little arrow.
    - Advanced Search, allowing you to specify the exact field to look in, combine searches, exclude terms etc., by clicking on the magnifier symbol
    - Sort by clicking on the respective column header. The column currently sorting is indicated by a small black triangle. Reverse sort order by clicking on a selected column. Add new columns by clicking the little table icon at the right of the rightmost column-header.

    If that doesn't answer your question, please don't ask a new one, but instead describe specifically what you want to do (as in: "I'm a professor for a class. I want to share some literature with my students. They have (don't have) Zotero installed. I want them to be able to...." etc.)
  • janetterutterford
    Thank you. That has answered my question.

This is an old discussion that has not been active in a long time. Before commenting here, you should strongly consider starting a new discussion instead. If you think the content of this discussion is still relevant, you can link to it from your new discussion.

Sign In or Register to comment.