I have downloaded all the new releases but I am still missing "parts of my library." I have three papers I built using Zotero for other graduate school classes that are not in the library. What do I do to get them back?
I am a graduate student and have built four papers through Zotero. As recently as July, I saw them all in folders (as I had built them) in my library. I upgraded to the new Zotero and only one of the papers is showing up in my library; the other three are missing. I have only a "partial" library now which concerns me because I had edits to do on one of my papers that is being considered for publication.
1) Do you see the items in your online library here?
2) What's your current data directory location in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences?
3) Were you previously using Zotero for Firefox or Zotero Standalone?
4) If your data directory is set to "Zotero" within your home directory, do you see a "zotero" directory in either your Zotero profile directory or your Firefox profile directory, and does it have a larger zotero.sqlite and/or contain more folders within its 'storage' folder than your current one?
1. I only see my "first" paper not the other three. 2. The current data directory location in Advanced - Files and Folders is "Default." 3. I am not certain which Zotero I was using. That being said, I always launched Zotero from my Firefox browser. 4. The Data Directory says C:/Users/Owner/Zotero
You could check if the .bak one is larger than the regular one, but it probably isn't. In that case try to answer Dan's other questions under 4) above, following the links (highlighted in red) to understand where to look. If something isn't clear, feel free to ask -- the more specific the better.
Hello DStillman: The Zotero directory does in fact include the files your mentioned. Zotero.sqlite and storage folders. I have opened them up using Adobe and get an error message stating "There was an error opening this document. This file is already open or in use by another application." I still only see a partial directory from one of four papers I used zotero to write. Can you provide some additional assistance? Thank you.
Thank you for the response. I have very carefully read your comments and have answered them as best I can. With regard to question 4, I see the zotero.sqlite and bak files but get an error trying to view them. I have clicked on your instructions zotero profile directory. I simply do not see anything on the instructions relative to locating a missing library. Can you direct me to someone that I can perhaps talk to on the telephone for assistance?
Zotero is free software and doesn't offer telephone support. You might be able to get hands-on support from someone at your university library.
No one suggested that you should try to view the files with another program. That could do damage to the files if you used another program to view and save them.
I got the impression that you might have used more than one version of Zotero. Could you have used more than one user-name? Could you have more than one online Zotero account?
Please only follow the exact directions you are given. @dstillman is the lead developer of Zotero. It isn't common for the lead developer of software to respond to tech support requests but that is standard practice with Zotero.
I am a graduate student at Providence College in Rhode Island. If there is someone there that you think could assist me, that would be great. Thank you.
first stop would be your library, but if all else fails, you could see if this person might be willing to try to help? https://www.linkedin.com/in/megblack (I don't know her, but she's in town, used to be at PC and used to teach zotero
Also, anyone who is reasonably good with computers would be able to help you identify the old data folders Dan mentions above
Please take this as friendly advice I'm not intending to be harsh. It is essential in the 21st century for graduate-level students to be at least minimally computer savvy. Your university's computer help desk people can likely suggest workshops that will give you the basic knowledge and skills you need. A couple of hours of instruction should be sufficient.
Order and method are an important part of graduate education but are essential when working with computer software. Learning to drive a car, learning to shave, learning to read a map without getting lost each require a bit of up front effort and practice before one can become competent and confident that you will not harm yourself. Computers have become so easy to use that most people can just use them without a second thought. But when something goes wrong it is necessary to have a certain basic knowledge of a computers operating system and file structure to be able to properly ask for help and understand directions. You must know how a map is organized (north is up) before it is meaningful. You don't need to be an expert to read a map. If you don't have a basic understanding of how files are placed and organized on your computer and online you will be at a disadvantage and that can be painful.
Thank you for the note, and I did not take your advice as harsh. That being said, I am 52 years old and grew up using a typewriter and not a computer; in fact, all through college. I do consider myself "minimally computer savvy" and have used MS Office products for papers and presentations. The zotero upgrade with the firefox browser and the technical issues and problems that go with it are not within the general knowledge of 99% of the people that use a computer, which is why I used this forum to reach out and try to solve this problem. If I might add, north is not always up on a map. A map has to be oriented to north in order to use it effectively. I will take the advice on the forum and contact the PC campus library for assistance with this program, but perhaps, I will also look for other programs that might be more user friendly on future papers.
just to be clear -- we're happy to try to help here; you asked for someone to contact so I obliged.
All is Dan asking you is to see if you can find a folder named "zotero" -- other from your current data directory -- in either of the two locations he specifies (with links on how to find them), i.e. the Zotero or the Firefox Profile directory. If anything about that is unclear, we can try to help clarify but obviously we give these instructions as best as we can so without details on how far you get, there's not much we can do.
Thank you for the note Adam. The lecture I got from "DWL-SDCA" was unacceptable, and what was clear to me, despite my best attempts to follow instructions from Dan, was that he was frustrated and at an end result for trying to solve my problem. I will contact the school today and see if someone will be able to resolve this problem. It occurred to me from other programs that I've looked at online such as Mendeley, I could import the other papers into their programs which would immediately resolve my problem. I consider my question for assistance "closed" and thank you for your time.
@jemitch65 We here are happy if you need further assistance. I can assure you that neither Dan nor adamsmith are frustrated. I agree that DWL-SDCA's comments were not helpful or called for.
I personally would recommend sticking with Zotero. Mendeley isn't being very actively developed by Elsevier anymore. Again, we are happy to help you figure out your issue.
Hello bwienik: Thank you for your comment. I appreciate that. I'm going to take adamsmith's advice and contact the school. He has also provided a contact name of someone I may wish to speak with also. We'll see how it turns out. Thanks again.
Upgrade Storage
2) What's your current data directory location in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences?
3) Were you previously using Zotero for Firefox or Zotero Standalone?
4) If your data directory is set to "Zotero" within your home directory, do you see a "zotero" directory in either your Zotero profile directory or your Firefox profile directory, and does it have a larger zotero.sqlite and/or contain more folders within its 'storage' folder than your current one?
2. The current data directory location in Advanced - Files and Folders is "Default."
3. I am not certain which Zotero I was using. That being said, I always launched Zotero from my Firefox browser.
4. The Data Directory says C:/Users/Owner/Zotero
I clicked on "show data directory" and I did see zotero.slite, locate, storage, files, translator.
Typo from earlier...I see the zotero.sqlite file.
No one suggested that you should try to view the files with another program. That could do damage to the files if you used another program to view and save them.
I got the impression that you might have used more than one version of Zotero. Could you have used more than one user-name? Could you have more than one online Zotero account?
Please only follow the exact directions you are given. @dstillman is the lead developer of Zotero. It isn't common for the lead developer of software to respond to tech support requests but that is standard practice with Zotero.
Also, anyone who is reasonably good with computers would be able to help you identify the old data folders Dan mentions above
Order and method are an important part of graduate education but are essential when working with computer software. Learning to drive a car, learning to shave, learning to read a map without getting lost each require a bit of up front effort and practice before one can become competent and confident that you will not harm yourself. Computers have become so easy to use that most people can just use them without a second thought. But when something goes wrong it is necessary to have a certain basic knowledge of a computers operating system and file structure to be able to properly ask for help and understand directions. You must know how a map is organized (north is up) before it is meaningful. You don't need to be an expert to read a map. If you don't have a basic understanding of how files are placed and organized on your computer and online you will be at a disadvantage and that can be painful.
All is Dan asking you is to see if you can find a folder named "zotero" -- other from your current data directory -- in either of the two locations he specifies (with links on how to find them), i.e. the Zotero or the Firefox Profile directory. If anything about that is unclear, we can try to help clarify but obviously we give these instructions as best as we can so without details on how far you get, there's not much we can do.
I personally would recommend sticking with Zotero. Mendeley isn't being very actively developed by Elsevier anymore. Again, we are happy to help you figure out your issue.