How to get rid of import folder without loosing the imported items?

petzi
Whenever I import Zotero RDF Files I got a new collection in my library. I want to integrate these imported files into my library and then to get rid of the import folder (collection). But whenever I delete the collection all the imported items are also gone.

I moved the items explicitly to my library collection or to other collections. But again: If I delete the imported collection folder all my items are gone where ever I have moved them.

The only way - I figured out – is to copy all the items. But this is an tedious task as you can only copy one item by one item.

Maybe I'm getting something wrong. I'm sure there should be an easier way to integrate imported items seamlessly.

Peter
  • Gracile
    Are you sure?
    But whenever I delete the collection all the imported items are also gone.
    Check this again. No item is deleted if you delete a collection (which is *not* a folder). Except if you press shift-delete (on windows) but, then, you would have had an explicit warning message.
    I moved the items explicitly to my library collection
    This is not necessary: an item belongs automatically to "My Library". Actually, when you add an item to a collection, you don't copy this item: it's the same item which belongs to multiple collections. That's why we say that "collections are not folders" but work like itunes playlists or gmail categories or important tags.
    The only way - I figured out – is to copy all the items
    You mean create a duplicate ?
  • petzi
    Your are completely right! Whenever I deleted the collection Zotero automatically jumped to the next collection (the colletion underneath but where I had similar items exept the new imported ones). Sorry for consuming your time. Mea culpa!
  • aurimas
    I'm just curious why you're importing so many (unless I'm misinterpreting) Zotero RDF files. Doesn't seem like a typical workflow.
  • petzi
    Good question and you are right Not "a typical workflow". I'm preparing a list of my publications for my new WordPress Website using ZotPress. A starting point you can see here: http://peter.baumgartner.name/schriften/publikationen-zotpress/

    But ZotPress has problems to sync my relatively huge Zotero Database (about 3.000 entries). Maybe something wrong with German Umlaute or a similar problem? I spent nights to find the problem together with the plugin author. So I decided in the meanwhile to open up a new Zotero account and to export/import my about 200 publications entries by a punch of 5-10 publications and to see if ZotPress synchronization still works.

    I tried with Zotero to share a group and to synch between the two accounts, but – because of many PDFs – I'm getting over the size limit of my new account and don't want to pay for two Zotero accounts.

    I know: Not "a typical workflow". Maybe there would have been better solution but I'm running out of my spare time (Holidays) and I really have my publication list done.
  • aurimas
    I see. Thanks for sharing. I was asking because (re-)importing items can sometimes lead to unintended consequences, like breaking links with Word/LibreOffice documents, and usually there are better ways to approach certain issues. Unfortunately, I don't have any better advice for you. Hopefully the ZotPress sync issue will be worked out some time in the future. Good luck in the mean time!
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