Two questions; how to delete items from server, and to switch from SA to FF

carl0087
Hey everyone,

I've been searching through the forums and I can't quite find a solution to the couple of questions I have. So any help would be amazing, thanks!

Context: I use Zotero SA on my office Windows computer, doing a PHD. I'm wanting to switch to FF because then I won't need to get authorization to update the software etc for SA, and it's been freezing a lot when using Word.

Q1: Is it possible to delete items off the server so as to update my library (on server and Z) to my newest possible version? When I synced recently, it came up with nearly 1000 duplicates (which I had tidied previously, very frustrating) and it brought up very outdated files and folders that are for a completely different project that I will definitely not use any more. So how can I update the server information to reflect my current project, as it appears in my non-synced library? I tried deleting from the Zotero website but that didn't seem to work... I have saved an exported Z library file for the current project, but I don't think you can upload those files onto FF as a library, or if that is how it's supposed to work...

Context + Q2: I'm also creating/updating a Z profile for my supervisor. It was looking great in FF, but then it synced with my own SA profile when I had the two windows open (bugger....) and now my supervisor's synced server library has all of my old junk in it. I guess this is the same question from above - How can I delete my items from her collection and server profile? I hope this is possible!

Thanks again for your help everyone, hope I've provided enough information/that this makes sense!
  • carl0087
    P.S - my sync is very outdated from my own Z library; when I have tried to sync recently, it comes up with an error dialogue box saying that files have been moved/not in their original location etc. This may be that I moved the library onto a different computer and hard drive in 2013. I think this is where the duplicates dilemma comes in ... it's created duplicate PDF files through this I think. Very confused! :-\
  • adamsmith
    edited January 24, 2016
    You can overwrite your sever library with your local library using the "Restore to Server" option under Sync-->Reset in the preferences. This should take care of both of your problems described here. Note that this will overwrite anything that's on the server or an any other computer that's not in the local library. You'll want to make sure to have backups of all databases:
    https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data#backing_up_your_zotero_library

    That said, your setup sounds somewhat precarious:
    1) you should just have auto-sync running all the time. Don't rely on you remembering to click the manual sync button.

    2) your library wouldn't have mixed with your supervisors just by having the windows up at the same time. You must have actually put the login information for your supervisor into a copy of Zotero that held your database. The best way to handle two databases would be to actually use entirely separate _Windows_ accounts for each. If that's not an option or too cumbersome, use separate Firefox profiles:
    https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles

    edited for typo
  • carl0087
    Thank you so much for your speedy reply! I will get back to you about the success (fingers crossed) of that approach.

    Just to clarify, what do you mean exactly when you say "Not that this will overwrite anything that's on the server or an any other computer that's not in the local library"?

    And re: #2, I think I thought that I could log in and out of the ZFF using the different logins thinking it would work like logging in and out of another program, but that's where the mixing happened. I've already looked into having separate firefox profiles following other Zforum threads, it will definitely make life easier.

    Thanks again!
  • adamsmith
    sorry, the first word there should have been "Note" -- that should make it clearer. Will fix above, too.
  • carl0087
    Oh cool, no worries. Thanks :)
  • carl0087
    edited January 26, 2016
    Hey again, I'm trying to sync my SA library after reseting the library as per above, but several attempts have been unsuccessful. It's giving me the error code 823057436 and 610073833, without any real explanation of what the error consists of...
    :-\ little help, please?!

    EDIT: No worries, seems to have fixed itself! Having some problems creating Firefox profiles (doesn't remember they are two separate profiles) which is frustrating but hopefully will be easily fixed.

    Thanks

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