PDF sync

torsten_st
Hi all,

i have a general question (may be i missed something). I am playing around with zotero_sync. How do i get zotero to sync also the attachments made to an database entry? Neither snapshots nor attachements of seems to be avaiable if i log into a different account of my PowerBook and try to sync the library.

Do i miss something ?
  • Gitty K
    I think that's not yet implemented, see:
    http://www.zotero.org/documentation/sync_preview_known_issues
  • sean
    Syncing of attachments is now possible with Zotero 1.5 Sync Preview 2. Currently the functionality requires a WebDAV storage space such as iDisk or Jungle Disk. Many universities also offer WebDAV storage to students, faculty, and staff. Please see the Sync pane of Zotero preferences for more details.

    In the future we will also offer a storage service based on Amazon S3 for Zotero users.
  • leevonk
    I installed jungledisk and am signed up for amazon s3, when i click on the synch pref pane in zotero it asks for an URL, and a user name and password,...
    how do I go about getting zotero to work with jungledisk/amazon s3 ?
  • sean
    Ah, good question. We're still working up some documentation, but I believe that Jungle Disk utilizes a local WebDAV server. I found the following information in a forum post that may be useful:

    "You should be able to use http://localhost:2667/ if you only have one bucket. You can find the exact URL for any bucket using the Bucket menu, 'Open Local Web Interface.'"

    Please let us know how it works out for you.
  • spydouglas
    This was a particularly valuable post; I was a bit confused when I didn't see my snapshots & attachments sync'd with my other items. It would help if this were more explicitly mentioned on the 'known issues' pages.

    Is there a way to re-create my snapshots automatically (since zotero stores the URLs)?
  • dstillman
    spydouglas: There's no known issue to list. As Sean notes above, Zotero 1.5 Sync Preview 2 and later support attachment syncing using a WebDAV server, and you'll find a section for file syncing in the Sync pane of the Zotero prefs.

    The Sync pane can probably be clarified to indicate that only metadata is synced via the Zotero Sync Server, however.
  • Manusnake
    Hi,

    I would like to use the file sync feature, but I can't.
    I've set up a WebDav folder with my University hosting's service. Zotero tells me it's ok ((https://www.mywebsite/myid/zotero/with username and password, I get: "File storage is successfully set up"). That's ok.
    Now, how do I tell Zotero that one entry corresponds to a specific file on the server? When I want to add a link to the file, I have the normal Finder dialog (Mac OS 10.5 btw), and no way to add a url.
    If I do a direct link in Firefox (https://www.mywebsite/myid/zotero/folder/file.pdf), it wants to download it and can't open it right in the browser (wich I don't want it to do anyway).
    So, how do I tell zotero to sync with "https://www.mywebsite/MYID/zotero/folder/file.pdf" for each file, since my WebDav server is properly set?
    Thanks,

    Manusnake
  • dstillman
    manusake: I don't really understand what you're trying to do, but Zotero's file syncing is completely automatic. Once you've set up file sync (and Zotero server sync, which is also required), Zotero will sync your attachments (in compressed form) to a 'zotero' folder on your WebDAV server.
  • Manusnake
    edited September 26, 2008
    Oh, I didn't understand that. I thought I had to make direct links to files on the server.
    Then, how do I tell zotero to put the files on the server? (the initial put) It is set up correctly, but it didn't put anything on the server (about 18MB of pdfs, I have 200MB capacity).
    Thanks

    By the way, the Sync function (for the metadata) works perfectly, great work !
  • sean
    Where are your PDFs on your computer? They need to be included in your Zotero library. To associate a PDF with a Zotero library item, simply drag the item into Zotero (on top of the item to be associated).
  • Manusnake
    edited September 26, 2008
    It's uploading now, I'll try with my laptopt to see if all works well.
    Thanks for your patience and advises.

    Manusnake
  • Catlynnl
    I just wanted to add that I didn't realize I needed a WebDAV thingy when I first started playing with 1.5. I do not have much computer experience at all, so maybe I shouldn't be a beta tester? But if I can get this to work, I think anyone can... At any rate, everything else is quite well-explained on the Sync 1.5 download page, but I had no idea what WebDAV meant, or that I needed a WebDAV thingy - I guess I was under the impression it was some optional thing I didn't need to understand.

    So as a note from a naive user - I could have benefited from more information on what you mean when you say WebDAV, what a WebDAV server does, why it is necessary, what metadata is and what Zotero keeps stored, etc. Not anything too technical.
  • dancohen
    @Catlynnl: Sorry for any confusing terminology; we'll make this a lot clearer for everyday users when 1.5 goes out of beta. Anyway, you can use 1.5 without WebDAV. WebDAV is only used to back up and synchronize files or attachments, like PDFs. Your Zotero library consists of "metadata," or citations, and any files attached to that metadata. All users of 1.5 have the option of synchronizing just the metadata (author, title, etc. for everything in your library) with the Zotero server. Right now, if you also want to sync attachments you need to have access to a server that's running WebDAV software and that has some space on it for you to use to store your files. You can get all of the additional functionality of 1.5 without this particular feature. Hope that's helpful.
  • chad.s.gilbert
    I'm also a fairly naive user, but I'm looking to learn a bit... I have ~7GB of free storage space on gmail that I'm not currently using. Is there any way that I can make use of this to serve and sync my PDFs?
  • idcolvin
    Hi,
    I've been syncing metadata with Zotero 1.5b2 and now 2.0 for a while. In the last few days I've managed to get WebDAV set up with my university and have filled in the relevant boxes on the sync preferences and successfully verified that the WebDAV server works by clicking said button. However, when I visit the zotero folder on my WebDAV account, which Zotero successfully created, there are no files or folders visible there (this is several days later and after adding new files and syncing a fair few times). I assume there should be. Does this mean that the pdf syncing is not working? How can I tell whether my files are successfully backing up? And how would I access them if there was a disaster and I wanted to recover them?

    Apologies if this has already been asked/answered. I've searched the forums, but could not find the answer. (It may have been buried in a sea of requests for which WebDAV services work.)

    Thanks for this exciting tool, and thanks in advance for your help making it work! :-)
    Ian
  • RintzeRintze
    edited May 21, 2009
    There was an issue with file syncing with the previous beta of Zotero (2.0b3). See also:

    http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/7094/cannot-sync-files-to-local-webdav-server/?Focus=31274#Comment_31274
  • idcolvin
    Thanks very much for your swift response. I've upgraded, ticked a new box in the preferences, and now it works. (Will try next to see if it syncs ok with my other machine -- I've no reason to think it won't.)

    I am more and more impressed with this program. Will have to try the groups feature next.

    Thanks again.
    Ian
  • idcolvin
    It worked with both machines. Am very content.
    Thanks!
    I
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