I read attentively this post after trying to use a different directory to store my attachments (storage folder) and running into a problem: 1- I am using zotero standalone in a PC and a Mac (I also have it installed in firefox) 2- everything worked fine in the PC. 3- in the mac (10.9) didn't work! 4- my custom data directory is ../edgargomes/documents/zotero and I create the following base directory for the linked attachment .../edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage 5- when I click on an attach file I have an error saying it does not find the file (Debug ID is D1612731869) 6- I delete the "storage" folder in the ../edgargomes/documents/zotero folder and once I restart zotero, the "storage" folder is created again. 7- if I insert a new attachment into zotero, it is saved in the custom data directory although it still has the new base directory selected 8- if I open the about:config file I have the following that corresponds to the correct location: "extensions.zotero.baseAttachmentPath;/Users/edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage"
this looks similar to what was described in the beginning of this thread prior to the release of 4.0.6 version. I am using 4.0.13.
You're misunderstanding how this works.
There are two options to store attachments for Zotero items
1. store them in Zotero
2. store links to them somewhere else on your harddisk
The custom data directory _only_ applies to option 1.)
Relative file links _only_ apply to option 2.)
You're mixing the two - which isn't possible - and it's not clear to me with what purpose. So unless that clarifies things a bit, you'll need to step back and explain what exactly you're trying to achieve.
I think I did not use the right words and specially the best names for the new folder outside of zotero:
- I used to store attachments in zotero folder and now I want to switch the attachments into another folder. - when I did that in the PC, everything is fine - when I did it in the mac, it did not work. - in the mac the files continue to be saved in the zotero folder "../edgargomes/documents/zotero" (which I called "custom data directory" in my previous post and generate the confusion). - this happens even after I choose a "link attachment base directory" folder that now contains my attachment files that are somewhere else in the hard drive("../edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage" ATTENTION, this is NOT the zotero folder!). - strangely enough, when I add a new item to zotero, it saves it in the zotero folder, although I have the option to save in a base directory (i.e. somewhere else on the harddisk) active.
the goal of all this is to sync my attachments between a mac and a PC using a 3rd party software (e.g. dropbox) while syncing the zotero database using zotero sync server (only syncing the database file, nothing else). Basically what is discussed in this post. however, while the users mention the problem was solved after 4.06 version, I still have that problem in my mac, but not on my PC, which is odd.
I hope you understand my problem. sorry for the confusion
You're still misunderstanding. Setting a base directory doesn't change where Zotero saves files. It just changes how the paths are stored in the database so that when you sync your database to another computer Zotero can look at the same path relative to whatever you set the base directory to on that computer.
The base directory only applies if you link to a file under the base directory you've set on that computer, not if you store it (which will cause it to be saved within the Zotero data directory's 'storage' directory).
So do I understand correctly you want to convert attachments stored in Zotero to linked files outside Zotero. You need to use Zotfile for that, this can't be done with Zotero itself - no idea how that would have worked on your PC.
I guess I am really missing something. And the meantime, the PC computer stopped working, so something is really wrong in my setup.
Is there any updated tutorial about this function? I cannot find it on the website.
basically I want to move the location of the storage folder into my dropbox. this way the storage folder is synced using dropbox while the zotero database file is sync via zotero website. but looks like this is not going to work since this new function is for linked files, not for storage files. I will explore better zotfiles since I have the feeling that it might work for this
That being said, for most users, Dropbox is inferior to Zotero storage and even free WebDAV services. If you are not using groups, just register a user account at one of the commonly used free webdav services:
Lately, I changed the zotero file storage folder location to my dropbox and of course I changed the associated setting in zotero as well as zotfile; unfortunately, I cannot open those old attached pdf files anymore (with the error: The attached file could not be found. It may have been moved or deleted outside of Zotero).
To be specifically,
I used to store all of my research papers at "E:\Nutstore\zotero\storage"; now I moved the storage folder to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage". At the same time, I changed the "zotfile preferences - location of files - custom location" to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage", and "zotero preferences - advanced - files and folders - base directory" to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage". Unfortunately, I cannot open those old attached pdf files anymore (but the new added attached pdf files successfully appeared under the new folder). Then I tried to restore the folder to the previous location and it works again.
So I wander is there any way to relink all those old attached files to the new folder? I only changed the base directory and I expected that the change may work since it uses the relative paths.
merrillyeung -- let's keep this in the new thread you created (generally, please don't double post). Continued here: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/56055/a-zotfile-problem/#Item_1
Upgrade Storage
I read attentively this post after trying to use a different directory to store my attachments (storage folder) and running into a problem:
1- I am using zotero standalone in a PC and a Mac (I also have it installed in firefox)
2- everything worked fine in the PC.
3- in the mac (10.9) didn't work!
4- my custom data directory is ../edgargomes/documents/zotero and I create the following base directory for the linked attachment .../edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage
5- when I click on an attach file I have an error saying it does not find the file (Debug ID is D1612731869)
6- I delete the "storage" folder in the ../edgargomes/documents/zotero folder and once I restart zotero, the "storage" folder is created again.
7- if I insert a new attachment into zotero, it is saved in the custom data directory although it still has the new base directory selected
8- if I open the about:config file I have the following that corresponds to the correct location:
"extensions.zotero.baseAttachmentPath;/Users/edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage"
this looks similar to what was described in the beginning of this thread prior to the release of 4.0.6 version. I am using 4.0.13.
any ideas?
thanks for your help
There are two options to store attachments for Zotero items
1. store them in Zotero
2. store links to them somewhere else on your harddisk
The custom data directory _only_ applies to option 1.)
Relative file links _only_ apply to option 2.)
You're mixing the two - which isn't possible - and it's not clear to me with what purpose. So unless that clarifies things a bit, you'll need to step back and explain what exactly you're trying to achieve.
- I used to store attachments in zotero folder and now I want to switch the attachments into another folder.
- when I did that in the PC, everything is fine
- when I did it in the mac, it did not work.
- in the mac the files continue to be saved in the zotero folder "../edgargomes/documents/zotero" (which I called "custom data directory" in my previous post and generate the confusion).
- this happens even after I choose a "link attachment base directory" folder that now contains my attachment files that are somewhere else in the hard drive("../edgargomes/Copy/zotero/storage" ATTENTION, this is NOT the zotero folder!).
- strangely enough, when I add a new item to zotero, it saves it in the zotero folder, although I have the option to save in a base directory (i.e. somewhere else on the harddisk) active.
the goal of all this is to sync my attachments between a mac and a PC using a 3rd party software (e.g. dropbox) while syncing the zotero database using zotero sync server (only syncing the database file, nothing else). Basically what is discussed in this post. however, while the users mention the problem was solved after 4.06 version, I still have that problem in my mac, but not on my PC, which is odd.
I hope you understand my problem. sorry for the confusion
The base directory only applies if you link to a file under the base directory you've set on that computer, not if you store it (which will cause it to be saved within the Zotero data directory's 'storage' directory).
I guess I am really missing something. And the meantime, the PC computer stopped working, so something is really wrong in my setup.
Is there any updated tutorial about this function? I cannot find it on the website.
basically I want to move the location of the storage folder into my dropbox. this way the storage folder is synced using dropbox while the zotero database file is sync via zotero website. but looks like this is not going to work since this new function is for linked files, not for storage files. I will explore better zotfiles since I have the feeling that it might work for this
thanks for your time
http://zotpad.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/170701-getting-started-with-dropbox-sync
That being said, for most users, Dropbox is inferior to Zotero storage and even free WebDAV services. If you are not using groups, just register a user account at one of the commonly used free webdav services:
http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/webdav_services
https://www.zotero.org/support/sync#zotero_file_storage
To be specifically,
I used to store all of my research papers at "E:\Nutstore\zotero\storage"; now I moved the storage folder to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage". At the same time, I changed the "zotfile preferences - location of files - custom location" to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage", and "zotero preferences - advanced - files and folders - base directory" to "E:\Nutstore\OneDrive\Dropbox\zotero\storage". Unfortunately, I cannot open those old attached pdf files anymore (but the new added attached pdf files successfully appeared under the new folder). Then I tried to restore the folder to the previous location and it works again.
So I wander is there any way to relink all those old attached files to the new folder? I only changed the base directory and I expected that the change may work since it uses the relative paths.