Do Your Back-ups!

rlubensky
My PC had a meltdown yesterday and there is a chance I'll lose about 500 references. I had failed to recently export a backup copy burned to a CD. There is a chance that only the motherboard died, and installed in a new computer tomorrow the hard drive still works so I can peel out my Zotero folders.

This is another reason why a complete server-based version of Zotero would be a preferable solution.

In the meantime, Do Your Back-ups !!!
  • CB
    Let me commend DropBox for this purpose. Real-time syncing of a local directory with space on their server, along with web-based access to versioned files. A simple, light local client app (Windows, Mac, Linux) to take care of all this automatically, which is the real beauty of it for those who forget backups. 2GB of space free, and apparently paid plans are coming soon.

    I have no connection with these guys, but am a happy user.
  • sphokc
    edited September 21, 2008
    I'm also using dropbox to both back up and sync my zotero database (+attachments) between my work and home PCs.

    I'm still using version 1.07 of zotero and haven't tried the 1.5 test yet.

    Currently dropbox deals with my syncing needs just fine. I have my zotero database saved to exactly the same location on both machines (i.e. C:\Dropbox\Zotero database) and also my attched pdfs stored outside of the database (i.e.C:\Dropbox\pdfs), so all the links to attached files work on both machines. I guess 1.5 will do this more elegantly(?). I exported my database and fully backed up before trying this dropbox sync in case it messed up my database or anything.
  • ftr
    I am about to try DropBox. Which files do you have to backup : the zotero.sqlite file only or all of the subfolders in addition ?

    BTW: How to store the pdfs - which take real space - outside the database? I thought they were part of it - ?

    - ftr
  • Tjowens
    edited January 13, 2009
    You should back up your entire Zotero directory.

    The zotero.sqlite database contains all your data. This includes your bibliographic information, your notes, and the way you have organized your collections. The storage directory contains all of the attached files, PDFs, images, videos, audio files etc.
  • scot
    Though the next time I set up autobackup of my Zotero directory with one of these services, I'm going to set it up to backup *a backup* of my Zotero directory. Then I can choose when I want the sync to happen (by syncing my actual Zotero directory with the backup directory on my computer.)

    The reason for this is that zotero's database files get changed in the filesystem every time I run firefox (or certainly every time I open Zotero), whether I change anything or not. And in my case they're big enough (35MB) so that it's a nuisance to have the database file and its backup sync'ed every time I go online. When I was adding references all the time, I was glad to have this protection, but now that I'm not, I don't want the database being backed up again needlessly.
  • Aliya
    I have several questions :)

    Is there a difference/preference between a) backing up your zotero database to Dropbox, and b) just having your main zotero storage location in Dropbox? (right now I am using option b)

    If it is better to have Zotero on my hard drive but do a backup to dropbox, how do I set up an auto-backup?

    I noticed that user sphokc stored his pdfs outside the Zotero database - why did you do that, and if I should do that, then how to make Zotero store PDFs somewhere different?

    Where IS my storage folder? It's not in the Zotero data directory...the only folders there are "styles" and "translators". However, I do have the "attach associated PDFs" option checked.

    THanks!
  • Aliya
    Sorry - found my storage folder. I think I"ve just been moving the Zotero data folder around too many times. I'll probably regret it shortly.
  • jeriches
    I have all my files in folders the split screen when I am in Firefox; but when I go to my account in Zotero my Documents folder is empty. I do not understand how to get files from one to the other (if, indeed that is an option.) I save periodically anyway to a local server, but.... just curious.
  • adamsmith
    @jeriches - not sure I understand - did you succesfully sync? Are you using v. 1.5b2?
  • jeriches
    1.0b3 plug-in option Have Word 2004 Mac so the 1.0 seemed the best option.
  • adamsmith
    @jeriches -
    and by "my Zotero account" you mean the account on this webpage?
    You only get your library here by syncing, i.e. using the new sync function of the 1.5b version.
  • trixtah
    I do like 1.5b for synching. Dropbox sounds like a great idea too.

    However, as a former Refworks user, I am quite vehemently against having your references entirely online. I once was locked out of my references for 5 days due to a glitch in my account. Still, it made me remember the importance of exports, backups!
  • adamsmith
    edited May 5, 2009
    @trixtah - Zotero always works from a local directory. The library is synced with the Z server - not outsourced to it. So even if someone would want to, there is no way of having references exclusively online.

    edit: which means you can use 1.5 without ever syncing. You can use 1.5 having synced regularly and still continue to use it without an internet connection or if (hypothetically) the Zotero server breaks down. Basically, there is no downside to syncing.
  • trixtah
    edited May 6, 2009
    @adamsmith, yes, I know that. I was contrasting Zotero with Refworks, which doesn't have a nice local MySql database, and you're stuck if you can't connect to your RefWorks account in the cloud. My account was locked for no reason once, and it took their support 5 days to unlock it again.
  • hussong
    I have been using Dropbox for six months now to back up and sync my entire Zotero folder (I'm still using Zotero 1.0) and it works like a charm.

    I like that it syncs everything automatically in the background without me even thinking about it. And as for extra paranoia, you can manually create a zip archive of your Zotero folder or additional exports of the library (including notes and attachments) every now and then.

    In case you want to give Dropbox a shot, feel free to use this link to get 0.25 GB of free storage on top: https://www.getdropbox.com/referrals/NTE2NzMzMzk
  • derlco
    Hi,
    if I change the Storage Location of zotero to my dropbox, do I have to paste the old information to the new location? does zotero move my current files?
    thanks for your help
  • hussong
    IIRC, Zotero doesn't move anything. If you point it to an empty folder, it'll complain, so I
    - quit Firefox
    - zipped the Zotero folder for backup
    - moved the Folder to /Dropbox/Zotero
    - started Firefox
    - set the new path in Zotero preferences
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