Now available: Zotero 5.0

13
  • bwiernik
    edited August 6, 2017
    LyZ and Google Scholar Citations work fine with 5.0. The only popular plugins not working with 5.0 are BetterBibTeX and Prevent Duplicates.
  • Ipe
    Many thanks for fixing the zotero links in the most recent update!
  • yadgary
    Would it be possible for you to post the Mac version of Zotero on the App Store? My university desktop does not allow for installation from outside sources (other than the App Store and the university's own managed applications repository, which does not include Zotero...).
    Many thanks.
  • Gracile
    @yadgary : did you ask your university to add Zotero to their applications repository?
  • dstillman
    (And no, it's not possible for us to offer Zotero via the Mac App Store, for various technical reasons.)
  • yadgary
    thanks for the reply. I did ask that they add Zotero. They promised it is on their list of things to do, but as the IT guy told me, they tend to move in a "glacial" speed. I guess all we can do is to wait...
  • bwiernik
    You could, while you wait for the IT department to add Zotero to the list, run Zotero as a portable app off of a USB drive (though you can store your Zotero profile information in the default location of ~/Zotero):
    https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/277655#Comment_277655
  • marsh
    This is probably good news. The GitHub page for zotero-scholar-citations mentions Zotero 5 and has activity as recently as 11 days ago. The page for zotero-better-bibtex also mentions version 5, albeit in an obviously informational way, and has activity as recently as today. So it appears that with regard to these two plugins, help is on the way!

    (BTW, I would have put links to the two pages in this post, except I don't know how. If one of you would point me to documentation for formatting posts on this forum, I'll add the links and will be quite appreciative.)
  • marsh
    Gurdas, when you say "TAKE A FULL BACKUP," do you mean of the computer or of the Zotero database?

    I have Time Machine running, so the computer is being backed up regularly. But I'm not sure how to backup the Zotero database. Does this only involve copying the Zotero Library directory to a portable mass storage device?

    Obviously both would be safest, but I'm trying to understand the risks and remedies.
  • dbrear
    Hurray! Just upgraded to 5.0 standalone from 4 and it looks (and works) just the same. You get wary of these things, particularly when the upgrade process warns you that the existing installation will be removed. Why not add to that message that earlier versions (4 anyway) remain available? And also suggest that the user backs up the data? We don't all sync.

    5 is an improvement in one convenient way - 4 never remembered the size of the tag pane and I had to adjust it each time I ran the program - no longer! :-)
  • Gurdas_Sandhu
    @marsh A full backup would be to copy the entire Zotero directory (with all its files and sub-folders) to at least one, preferably two, external drives.

    The Zotero directory can be found from:
    Preferences > Advanced > Files and Folders > Show Data Directory
  • adamsmith
    ... but what that means is that TimeMachine does back-up Zotero, so you're already covered.
  • huckfield
    Dear All. A fascinating series of comments. Like many colleagues, having fled from EndNote and RefWorks, I'm totally dependent on Zotero and and am pondering downloading Zotero 5. I use a standalone version and carry my Library of more than 3000 references between machines in two different locations on my USB stick.

    Am I OK simply to download Zotero 5 without disturbing my existing Library? Will I be able to port my Library from one location to another (provided that Zotero 5 standalone is installed on both machines) leaving Collections and SubCollections intact?

    Look forward to receiving feedback and comments. Many thanks.
  • bwiernik
    @huckfield The easiest way to use Zotero on multiple computers is to sync with Zotero.org. Otherwise, can you start a new thread and describe exactly what your setup is and we can give you advice?
  • Mkwawa66
    to huckfield ,
    Until my current, and only glitch, with Zotero I have been a great disciple of the system which I have found very easy to use . I, too, was defeated by Endnote and despaired of being able to 'cite and write ' or to construct bibliographies for the PhD I am undertaking in my retirement .Once I was introduced, in just an afternoon, by a colleague, to Zotero everything fell into place and I've really enjoyed using it. I just don't have the knowledge to answer your questions about library transfers from other systems into Zotero.
    There is a handbook by Jason Puckett ;' Zotero: A guide for librarians, researchers and educators ' which you might want to read .
    Good luck
  • mklacmer
    edited August 19, 2017
    Just one remark...
    I do miss Zotero for Firefox. :-(
    It was more manageable. I have many Zotero collection folders and now when I dont see this collection folders down in my Firefox I sometimes save for exsample pdf from Web in a wrong one.
    Any tips how to see Zotero standalone and Web page on a screen simultaneously?
    Many thanks.
  • bwiernik
    As you've likely read in this thread, Zotero didn't have a choice about Zotero for Firefox, as Mozilla has discontinued the technologies it relied on to work.

    You can resize the windows of both programs to have then shown side-by-side or stacked. Windows OS has keyboard shortcuts for this.

    I would also suggest that developing a new habit of switching to Zotero using Alt+Tab or Cmd+Tab before saving an item to check which collection is selected is likely to be a fairly quick one to develop.
  • mklacmer
    OK, will do that, not a problem, just habits...
    Thanks.
  • Dr. Gweltaz
    edited August 24, 2017
    Dear Developers,

    I love Zotero for firefox... let's hope for a new way around the mozzila problems mentionned in other posts here.

    The work that was done up till the last version of the firefox plugin was exceptional. I never tried to use endnote as it seemed ridiculous compared to the advantages and possibilities offered by this little Zotero module and by all the add-ons available.

    The firefox module is a perfect solution for a lot of people. I just hope that it will be possible to continue using it.

    What I'm saying is: please keep the standalone AND the plugin available, both independent and autonomous from each other. This way everybody does as he pleases :).

    (Yes I edited my message : so that it would better reflect my long term thougts, and yes I still think that this end of zotero for FF is a big loss but I hope I will be proven wrong in the future :)
  • mark
    @Dr. Gweltaz: As you can see above, the Zotero developers really have no choice here, as Mozilla is discontinuing the relevant technologies. This means our beloved Firefox plugin will simply stop working at some point, and "everybody doing as they please" is not really a feasible option. Personally, I'm thankful to the developers that they are working to give Zotero a stable foundation going forward, instead of clinging to solutions that soon will be deprecated.
  • bwiernik
    Also, Zotero 5.0 shouldn’t have any issues syncing if you had Zotero for Firefox previously working. If that’s the case, please start a new thread and describe your issue in detail and we will be glad to help.
  • adamsmith
    Well, "shouldn't" -- proxy and/or firewall configurations in institutional/corporate setups can certainly prevent Standalone from syncing where Firefox already has the necessary setup -- but yes, definitely solvable.
  • hadzi
    right, thank you for the zotero firefox plugin for as long as it lasted.

    it is unfortunate that mozilla got swallowed up by google, & that defacto floss in the browser nowadays means chrome & absolute surveillance. so yes, moving standalone is probably the right move in an independent & political way. also a thank you there for keeping up the work.

    after having had an error loading zotero for firefox for the first time, since mozilla gave up, & having to restart firefox in order for zotero to work, i probably will need to get ready soon for standalone.

    @zotero devs, i reported the crash with error id 731098000 - anything useful there? or does all the deprecated javascript warnings mean that zotero for firefox will soon stop working?

    until then, having read through the forum, i'd like to get some clarification on the update process. @dbrear mentioned two weeks ago that version 4 remains available. would there be an issue for me installing zotero 5 standalone & running zotero for firefox (4) at the same time (until zotero for firefox stops working or i manage to switch to standalone before that)? i don't sync, i only use one zotero folder, containing all the files i need for my research.

    also, @gurdas mentioned that 'updating google scholar citations' is not working in standalone 5. & @marsh mentions two weeks ago that there seems to be movement on github concerning zotero-scholar-citations & zotero-better-bibtex.

    is there any update on that front?

    so, coming back to my original question, if it is in deed the case, that this functionality is not available in standalone, can i safely run zotero for firefox (4) & standalone, side-by-side, using the same database (remember, i don't sync)? of course not having both opened at the same time.
  • bwiernik
    Zotero 5 and Zotero 4 databases are not compatible, so you cannot run Zotero 5 alongside Z for Firefox without having two separate databases and using sync.

    Emilio appears to be making steady progress on getting BetterBibTeX working with Z 5. The developer of the Google Scholar Citations plugin made a few commits in the last few days and put out a new release on GitHub. Perhaps that fixed the problems?

    For any other issues, please start a new thread and describe the problem as fully as possible.
  • hadzi
    @bwiernik, thank you for clarifying. guess i will have to start synching as well. i feel so old school. so if i create two databases, one for 5 & one 4, & sync, i should be fine?

    can i simply copy the whole folder of 4 & use the copy for 5? or do i need to take care of the db in a specific way in order to be able to import into 5? or will 5 take care of this automatically? & once i have those two up & running, can i set up a sync locally?
  • LiborA
    @hadzi :
    if i create two databases, one for 5 & one 4, & sync, i should be fine?
    Currently yes, the data structure on the Zotero servers are same for both versions and it is not a problem to use version 4 and 5 with the same data on Zotero servers; it is a typical situation with group libraries when some users use Z4 and others Z5 (maybe some admin/developer can be more accurate). But developers are waiting for Zotero 4.X will "death". It is necessary to add new items/fields to the Zotero.
    can i simply copy the whole folder of 4 & use the copy for 5?
    I am not sure what exactly do you mean to do. The local Zotero database structure is different for Z4 and Z5. You can not use the same database from version 4 in version 5, but Z5 migrate Z4 database to a new structure during the upgrade process. If you mean, that you create a backup copy of your Z4 directory, migrate from Z4 to Z5 and then use Z5 from standard location and Z4 from backup copy location - it should be possible. But I am not sure if "simply copy" is enough for that.
  • hadzi
    thank you for your quick reply. just confirming if i understand everything correctly.

    if i would create first a z4 standalone version using the data of the copy of the zotero folder, then i could simply upgrade this z4 standalone version to z5, by following the instructions here: https://www.zotero.org/blog/zotero-5-0/ (via Help -> Check for Updates), without having to touch z4 for firefox)?

    this would not interfere with z4 for firefox (as they call two different databases)?

    & how can i then setup a sync between the two? will this only work over a server? or could i have a sync running on a localhost?
  • LiborA
    edited August 26, 2017
    I think the easiest way for you is:
    1. install Z4 for Firefox (I think it is your current situation)
    2. install Z4 Standalone and do not share data directory (https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sharing_data_directory)
    3. Synchronize both Zotero installation
    4. Upgrade your Standalone version from Z4 to Z5

    And of course, create a backup of your current installation before you try to do it ;-)

    add 3 - my recommendation is through the Zotero servers, but a copy of SQLite database should work too.
  • hadzi
    @LiborA, thanks, that worked. as i'm on a linux system it would be nice if this works in the repos. i found the following: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/linux_packaging.
    is this ppa up-to-date? as in can i install zotero from this repo & it'll automatically update when i update the system?
  • hadzi
    also, is there any way to get the functionality 'Attach Snapshot of Page' in z5?

    as i often attach snap shots, of secondary research, to the main object (basically by right-clicking the main object).

    when right-clicking an object in z5 i only get three options ('Attach Link to URI...", 'Attach stored copy' & 'Attach Link to File').

    or is there any way to tell the connector where to save a snap shot into?

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