PDF preview window

cckim47
It would be great to have the option of browsing through your library while previewing the PDFs in another pane. Being able to browse the actual PDFs can be very useful when searching for a specific figure or piece of information.
  • VQL
    that would be extremely useful...
  • dsjolie
    Maybe you need to clarify? What do you mean with "previewing" in "another pane"? How is it different from viewing the pdfs in the normal way?

    I would like to be able to specify another way of opening files from Zotero than from Firefox in general. I want pdfs to open in a new window (external pdf-viewer) when I open them from Zotero but not when I open them from Firefox in general.

    Also (or alternatively since this could probably replace the request above for my use), being able to direct Zotero to use another Firefox-window to display anything (pdfs or links) would be nice. This would make using Zotero in fullscreen mode more feasible, shift-clicking to open in a new window currently is a bit cumbersome since you get a new window each time.
  • adamsmith
    @dsjolie - using the "show file" version that's just one click (or maybe two) more, no? (i.e. click show file and open the pdf from explorer/finder/nautilus).

    I figure the preview option mentioned is along the lines of what Mac OS currently does? But where would sufficiently large preview icons go?
  • dstillman
    I would like to be able to specify another way of opening files from Zotero than from Firefox in general. I want pdfs to open in a new window (external pdf-viewer) when I open them from Zotero but not when I open them from Firefox in general.
    Enable the launchNonNativeFiles hidden pref.
    direct Zotero to use another Firefox-window to display anything (pdfs or links)
    Hold down Shift when clicking the View button. Zotero follows the standard Firefox modifier key link behaviors.
  • dsjolie
    @adamsmith
    True, "show file" is only one click more I guess, but it's a quite a bit more moving of the mouse and you open an extra window - I really don't like that option. The launchNonNativeFiles works perfectly for what I want right now though so no worries. :)

    @Dan
    launchNonNativeFiles works fine for me now so I'm not insisting on any changes but I do think that it is possible to improve on the Shift-clicking function specifically to make it smoother to use Zotero in fullscreen mode. Essentially you should always want to open links and whatnot in another window when in fullscreen mode, right? I'm inspired by the request in another thread for a stand alone application, sorry if this get's a bit mixed up now. :) Anyway, just a thought.
  • djcrowley
    Hooray for Recursive Collections! (off topic, but I had never explored hidden prefs).
  • Sajid Nadeem
    I absolutely agree with cckim47.
    Zotero should have a pane for previewing the PDFs. This can help especially in cross checking the citations created by "retrieve metadata from PDF" option.

    Endnote has some similar functionality too.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=endnote+pdf+preview&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAkQ_AUoA2oVChMImtTTj6uPxwIVS9UsCh0x0AT1&biw=1366&bih=606#imgrc=bvHTacdWPmRFqM%3A

    I second this request and hope to see it soon.
    Many thanks.
  • adamsmith
    There's very likely not going to be a PDF (or other) preview built into Zotero in the foreseeable future. Especially if you're on Mac or Linux, though, see https://addons.mozilla.org/En-uS/firefox/addon/zoteroquicklook
  • Sajid Nadeem
    I tried zotero quick look on my Windows PC but it did not work. I used the official tutorial for installation.

    https://zoteroquicklook.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/235499-installing-on-windows

    Please add this functionality in the softwere anytime soon. It will be a great relief.
  • Luis_Claveria
    Anyone have information about similar pluggin to Standalone??
  • adamsmith
    zotero quicklook works in standalone. Install under tools --> add-ons --> little tools icon --> install from file.
  • bwiernik
    I never found maComfort to be very usable. You might try using ZoteroQuickLook with this instead: https://sourceforge.net/projects/ccseer/
  • Luis_Claveria
    edited April 10, 2016
    Thank for your help Adam Smith and Bwiernik.

    I tried Macomfort, but -as Bwiernik says- was not usable. I just install Seer on my Windows, but I don't know how make it work in zotero. Can you help me please? I am little lost


    Pd: sorry about my english. It is not my native language
  • alandsloane
    Does anyone know if the Zotero Quick Look extension is still being maintained?

    I tried installing it from the link on zotero.org and also from Mozilla, but hit the new Mozilla extension-signing wall. I also tried the "no-unpack" XPI and installing it from a file after negotiating past all of Mozilla's alerts and warnings. It does then show up in my extensions, but there is no sign of any config entries for it (e.g. extensions.zoteroquicklook.*), nor is there any effect from typing the spacebar or CTRL+y.
    My FF is 47.0.1 (up to date apparently) and my Z is 4.0.29.10.

    Thanks.
  • adamsmith
    I'm sorry to say that I don't believe it's maintained anymore. I haven't seen any sign of the developer anywhere in years.
  • ricardolinares
    I am having the same problem as alandsloane. I installed the Zotero quick look extensions, but the latest one (zoteroquicklook-1.2.1-fx.xpi) is not compatible with Zotero standalone v4. I also tried the "no-unpack" version, and it installs but there it is not showing up in about:config. It seems that the plug-in has not been updated in over 4 years.
    Is zotero planing to add a preview functionality for pdfs? It would be really helpful to get a quick view of the pdfs as you browse through a specific file.
  • greglkelly
    Yes, it would be great to have the preview function that mac finder or papers has. With a large library it helps to have a visual prompt to remember papers and it also helps to check the metadata, as someone else mentioned.
  • adamsmith
    I think quicklook works for Zotero 5 -- @bwiernik may be able to confirm
  • bwiernik
    edited June 7, 2018
    Yes, it definitely works.
    https://github.com/mronkko/ZoteroQuickLook/releases/latest
  • JCChen
    This is an old thread, but just want to reiterate this as an extremely useful feature. It is the only thing that I miss from EndNote.
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