[5.0 Beta] Data directory migration problem

dstillman
This discussion was created from comments split from: [5.0 Beta] Data directory migration not finishing.
  • mc
    edited February 24, 2017
    After upgrading to the latest build (5.0-beta.152+1633a73) I got the message "Data directory migration in progress". This moved my data directory (set using extensions.zotero.dataDir=[EternalDrive]) to C:\users\[username]\Zotero. When I re-launch Zotero is looks for the data directory in the original location on the external drive. There was also I file created called migrate-dir with the contents
    {"sourceDir":"[ExternalDriveDataDir]","automatic":true}

    I could close Zotero, move my data directory back to the external drive, restart and all was good.

    BTW: I use my own version of the WinPenPack launcher, so that the profile and data directory for Zotero are mapped to the external drive no matter what the drive letter is allocated to the external drive. This is the first time that the data directory has been changed on me.
  • dstillman
    edited February 24, 2017
    Sorry, I'm not really understanding. Can you explain further what the issue is?

    First, Zotero shouldn't perform an automatic migration if your data directory was in a custom location, only if it was in the Firefox or Zotero profile directory. But I'm not familiar with WinPenPack, so I don't know what effect that has.

    But if it does perform the migration, it certainly should then open the database in the location it just migrated it to. Are you saying that's not happening?
  • mc
    edited February 26, 2017
    From what you said my understanding now is: On install/upgrade to Zotero 5 (beta), if the Zotero data directory is in a profile directory (either Zotero standalone or Firefox add-on), then it is moved to the default location C:\users\[username]\Zotero. I was saving my data directory under the Zotero profile directory but I have now moved it to a different location outside the profile directory. Therefore, on the next upgrade the data directory should not be moved?

    Should there be a warning that the data directory will be moved and to where? And should there be the ability to cancel, accept, or choose a location? The data directory (mine is ~6 GB) could be moved to a SSD without the capacity to hold the data. What would happen then?

    BTW: winPenPack works like PortableApps, in that it customises the launch of an application so that it can be made portable. When using winPenPack or PortableApps the location of the data directory would point to the original data directory after re-opening Zotero, even though Zotero moved the location on install/upgrade. So long as it is known that Zotero moves the data directory when it is in the profile directory, this can be accounted for so that the data directory is first moved by winPenPack or PortableApp rather than by Zotero.
  • dstillman
    edited February 26, 2017
    But where were your Firefox and Zotero profile directories? You're saying they were on another drive, because you're using portable installs?

    We definitely don't want to prompt in the default case, but we may be able to detect when the Firefox profile directory is on a different drive from the home directory (which could also be done with a symlink) and skip the automatic migration in that case.
  • mc
    Yes, my profile for Zotero and the data are on an external drive,

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