Move linked files
Hello,
I'm using zotfile to move pdf to a single folder. So I end up with all my pdf in a folder and linked file on zotero item.
I need to move this folder to an other place. I try but Zotero don't find the linked file anymore even if I change the directory.
On Zotero:
- I was NOT using a base directory so my paths are certainly absolute path. Don't know if it make a difference if you use zotfile anyway.
- I'm using the profile directory for data.
On zotfile:
- I'm using custom directory for the "Location of files". This is this directory I want to change.
I know I can use the locate but can I modify the path of linked files in batch?
Thanks for your help
I'm using zotfile to move pdf to a single folder. So I end up with all my pdf in a folder and linked file on zotero item.
I need to move this folder to an other place. I try but Zotero don't find the linked file anymore even if I change the directory.
On Zotero:
- I was NOT using a base directory so my paths are certainly absolute path. Don't know if it make a difference if you use zotfile anyway.
- I'm using the profile directory for data.
On zotfile:
- I'm using custom directory for the "Location of files". This is this directory I want to change.
I know I can use the locate but can I modify the path of linked files in batch?
Thanks for your help
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/zutilo-utility-for-zotero/
But yeah perhaps I missed somethings, Zotero's folders settings is so confusing :/.
1) Create two directories, A and B.
2) Drag a file into A.
3) Add the file in A to Zotero as a linked file. The file will be stored with an absolute path. If you move it, the link will break. (You can test that, as long as you don't have Zotero set to download synced files as needed.)
4) In the prefs, set A as the base directory. The file will now be stored as a relative path — in this case with just the filename, because it's at the root of the base directory.
5) Drag the file to B. The link will now be broken, because A/file.pdf doesn't exist.
6) Back in the prefs, set B as the base directory. The link will now work again, because B/file.pdf exists.
7) If you change the base directory again or disable it, the link will revert to an absolute path to the file within B.
But I think it's easier to understand if your can only choose where is your "library" folder. The "library" folder contain item's file (pdfs or HTML pages) and the MySQLlight file. The preferences can stay in the profile folder in some hidden place. It's what Calibre and iTune do for example.
I know you can do somethings similar with Zotero but it's not straightforward.
Why not keep simply files in the profile folder? Because you want to access those files (pdf) with other programs. And profile folder can be a mess. It's also less "magic" if you can see where the files endup.
Then when you add a file you can simply ask the user "add this files to my library or link it." with "add / link" and a checkbox "always do that".