Copying to/from My Library/Group Libraries

If I add a new reference to My Library I can drag 'n drop it to a Group Library and vice versa. If one of them is then updated, say I add an attachement, drag 'n drop to the other one doesn't update it, the destination library is not overwritten and there are 2 different versions in the 2 libraries.

Normally I would first add a reference to My Library and then copy it to the Group Libraries for others to see

What's the way to ensure that all copies are in sync?
  • Currently, there is no way (besides deleting an older version and re-copying). The plan is to update an existing copy via drag-drop, instead of simply preventing the copy, but that hasn't been implemented yet.

    Automatic "syncing" between personal and group libraries is probably not going to happen, since these items are meant to be independent.
  • Thanks, I'll use delete/copy till then.

    I understand your logic on automatic sync but on the other hand having the main library always current with changes that I and others make in the Groups would be a good thing. I often find that the same reference is in more than one Group library when we set up Groups on a per project team basis and updates go on in each independently.

    Complete main/groups sync would mean Groups losing control since outsiders could update them. In between is keeping the main synced with the latest in each Group and enabling drag n drop update from Main to Group
  • I don't think other people being able to edit items in your library is a good idea in general, which is why Group to personal library sync is probably not going to happen. The other way, I would say, is less of an issue, since you're part of the group the item belongs to, so you have edit permissions anyway (unless you added the item and then the permissions were revoked, but that would block the update anyway). The issue there is that some groups might have some specific metadata requirements (e.g. no tags), so pushing personal edits to group libraries would also be undesirable. Additionally, since this would only be a one way sync, what happens to metadata that is edited in both group and personal library? Does an update to personal metadata overwrite group metadata?

    In your case, you're mostly concerned about PDFs. I would argue that most people are probably not going to want to share attachments (much less so keep attachments automatically synced) with the group library, because PDF attachments in personal library will likely contain personal annotations.
  • @aurimas - I thought part of the reason we have the internal links between libraries is to enable that type of syncing in the future. That's at least how I understood Dan in the past.
  • Well, manually, yes. That way the user's intention is clear (plus, probably an alert of some sort). I haven't seen much discussion on automatic sync.
  • Need help. What are the instructions on copying your files from the personal library to the group library?
  • As in _updating_ previously copied items (which is what this thread is about), or copying for the first time? If the latter, then just drag and drop. If the former, then nothing has changed, so the information in this thread still stands.
  • I am not able to move some items from a Group Library to My Library. Both the notes and attachments are lost. I just moved a set of entries, and all the attachments moved too. Perfect. Then I try another set, and some just will not move. I have gone and manually deleted the item from My Library, and yet the notes and attachments will not move. Any ideas on what to do?

    I have a research assistant who uploads notes and attachments for me, hence these entries first appear in the Group Library. Once they are complete, I move them to the appropriate collection in My Library.
  • Try emptying the (Zotero) trash after deleting in My Library, then try moving again.
  • Often, I find mistakes in the page numbers or authornames in zotero items. It would be nice if these errors can be corrected in all occurences of such items, in all my libraries. Hence, this "meta-data" update seems a nice feature to have! Is it implemented in the meantime? Or when is it on the roadmap?
  • not implemented, and I cannot, unfortunately, give you a good ETA for when it will be, though it's certainly still planned.
  • Hello all! Just indicating interest in this feature! Thanks!
  • 4 years later, please add this feature!
  • Hello all! Just indicating ongoing interest in this feature!
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