Moving Files Into Zotero

ahsemenya
I may be a bit confused about the capabilities of Zotero (I just downloaded it), but I'm wondering if I can do the following.

I have a variety of pdf files that I've downloaded to my computer (in the past) that I would like to organize by topic or library in Zotero. I thought I might be able to drag and drop these pdf files into the library, copy or save them into zotero, import them, but none of this works. Am I only able to use Zotero for any future information I download, but nothing I already have? Or Zotero just doesn't store files, but just references? I'm confused. Any help would be appreciated!

A.
  • jverber
    Zotero can store files as "attachments" to references. In my own library, I've created several journal article items, then for each gone to the "attachments" tab and chosen "store copy of a file," which moves the file to the Zotero directory for safe-keeping. You can also use the attachments tab to link to files instead of storing them in Zotero.
  • jverber
    edited October 25, 2006
    Hmm, I just looked and it turns out you don't NEED references associated with your files. Just click the green and white "+" and choose store copy of a file. However, doing it this way means you won't be able to store author/title/publication info about the PDF (which may or may not be important to you.)
  • dstillman
    Attaching multiple files is a bit tedious at the moment--we'll update it soon to allow drag and drop from outside Firefox as well as the attaching of multiple files via the file dialog.
  • aaronwilcher
    To Dan Stillman et al regarding the last update comment: YES. Ideally Z will be a master organizer for the scholar/writer (we all want the Library of Babel, eh?) I have so much junk in so many different formats, I want Z to come right in, replace EndNote, and be able to integrate all the garbage I've got on my HD (and in my office, and on the bookshelf) into a master system, totally searchable and retrievable. Ive got pdfs, EndNote references, webpages saved, Word documents, etc. Thanks!--AW
  • ahsemenya
    Thanks for the help!

    A.
  • giclin
    follow up to this. i can drag-and-drop a pdf from HDD to copy it into Zotero, but can I "MOVE" the pdf into Zotero? maybe with some hot-key (I tried shift or alt / ctrl, all won't work). now i have to copy it in and then delete the HDD version (i want it in the zotero database folder but not it's original ones)
  • giclin
    another related but different thing i want to do, is to do something like "drag-and-drop" a pdf file from the HDD to an item in Zotero, so that it'll be an attechment linked to the item, not copied or moved into Zotero database. Is there this function now? (not from the attachments / add .... options within Zotero)
  • Mart
    I'm looking for the same thing (being able to drag and drop for MOVING and just ATTACHING). Copying is not a good idea at all as it creates confusion about which is the pdf I've been working on (commenting, highlighting.... )
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