Item context menu: Show in collection

orschiro
I first reported this request on Github [1] but was told to do so here again.

When I open the context menu of an item, I have the option Show in library. This shows the item in the entire library.

I would love to see support for something similar but for collections:

Show in collection.

Clicking on this entry would show the item in its respective collection folder. Such a feature would also resolve the request to search collection names [2] and being able to quickly find a certain collection if you know that a specific item resides in there.

What do you think of it?


[1] https://github.com/zotero/zotero/issues/416

[2] https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/23377/searching-collection-names/#Item_12
  • adamsmith
    you're aware of this?
    http://www.zotero.org/support/collections_and_tags#identifying_collections_an_item_is_in
  • orschiro
    edited November 11, 2013
    Yes I am. But this Alt key highlighting does not completely do what I am looking for. Let us say:

    1. I am in `My library` and select an item.
    2. I press the Alt key
    3. If my library has dozens of collection folders, I do not even see which collection folder is highlighted because the list of folders is exceeding the navigation pane.
    4. In that case I have to scroll down and look for the respective collection folder

    That being said, it would be great if Zotero could jump directly to the respective collection folder (in the sidebar navigation pane) when pressing the Alt key.

    What do you think?
  • Dominik Schrempf
    I didn't know of the ALT key behaviour, it should be pointed out to the user that this otion exists!
  • aurimas
    That being said, it would be great if Zotero could jump directly to the respective collection folder (in the sidebar navigation pane) when pressing the Alt key.
    https://github.com/zotero/zotero/issues/135
    Show in collection.

    Clicking on this entry would show the item in its respective collection folder.
    That wouldn't work when one item is in multiple collections. In that case you would have to add a submenu with all collections that the item is in. Depending on how much the collections are nested, this could result in quite busy submenus.

    There has been some discussion about this:
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/22870/display-collections-to-which-an-item-belongs/
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/22870/display-collections-to-which-an-item-belongs/
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/25093/#Item_22
  • orschiro
    edited November 11, 2013
    @aurimas

    I see your point about items residing in multiple collections.

    Yet I still see potential for the feature to switch the view of the collection pane directly to the highlighted collection. The issue 135 you are referring to has been left uncommented for one year.

    Is there a specific reason why this feature has not been implemented in the meantime?
  • adamsmith
    edited November 11, 2013
    Is there a specific reason why this feature has not been implemented in the meantime?
    no. No one has done it. There are lots of open tickets, many older than a year. Obviously patches are welcome.
  • Calorion
    +1 on this. This should work like iTunes, where you can select “Show in Collection,” a submenu which lists all collections the item is in (including the main library and any saved searches), and selecting one pops you into that collection with the item highlighted.
  • enozkan
    @Calorion Maybe I misread your description, but this exists, exactly as you describe, in Zotero 7.

    Have you tried clicking on the "Libraries and Collections" icon (in the right-most vertical bar) for any item, and go to the list of all collections for that item. Clicking on that, then, does exactly as you say.

    Libraries and Collections is the fifth section in the Items Pane, so you can also just go to the right pane and scroll down to easily get to it.

    Sorry if you meant something else.
  • Calorion
    That does indeed perform the described function (and I just learned that clicking on “My Library” takes you to that item in your library; thanks), but I was specifically asking for it in the context menu.
  • adamsmith
    I don't think the context menu is the right place for it -- it's already too crowded as is.
  • Calorion
    I just expected to see it along with “Add to collection.” It’s more of an interface nicety (which Zotero could use more of) than a necessary feature.
  • Calorion
    The sidebar also doesn’t show saved searches (and shouldn’t), whereas a context menu item should.
  • enozkan
    but I was specifically asking for it in the context menu
    I just expected to see it along with “Add to collection.”
    The context menu indirectly shows which (sub)collections the item is under: They are shaded gray. I think that's a neat way to show which collections an item is under without cluttering the context menu.

    I had my misgivings about interface choices, but Zotero 7 has improved matters quite a bit.
  • Calorion
    I mean…not really? If it’s in a subcollection, it’s hard to see; you have to scroll through to find it. Maybe a mark of some kind next to the collections and subcollections it’s in, and if you select that, it jumps you there. I dunno.
  • Calorion
    Also, only reference items have that sidebar feature. Standalone notes, links and files do not
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