Zotero refuses to import .rdf

ilja.nieuwland
I saw threads about this issue on the forum, but because they were so old I'm posting it anew. After a successful import from Bookends (Mac), I wanted to import my Zotero library into another Mac instance of Zotero using an RDF import. To my astonishment, this did not work because the "selected file is not in a supported format". This obviously sounds ridiculous to me. The library contains ca 3400 records, with just under 3000 attached PDFs. Any idea how to troubleshoot? I could of course re-perform the original import, but I did some curating the tags that I'd prefer not having to repeat, and I have to perform another import to my Linux machine (don't want to do sync) that I'd like to go all right.
  • adamsmith
    While this should absolutely work, don't use RDF to transfer a library. Instead see one of the options here:
    https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/transferring_a_library (i.e. option A if you don't want to use sync -- I'd very much reconsider that though. Maintaining databases on three machines without sync is a nightmare and metadata sync is free regardless of library size)

    Could generate debug output for an attempt to import the RDF? https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#zotero
    and post the debug ID here?
  • ilja.nieuwland
    I'll have a look at debugging, thanks.

    The thing is that I don't _wish_ to sync the library, but rather split it out gradually from its current eclectic state into the uses I have for it at my two places of work. So it's going to end up as two different libraries with some overlap.
  • adamsmith
    (Still don't use RDF for transferring, though)
  • adamsmith
    Actually, if you do want these to be two completely separate libraries (and might in the future want to sync each of them), RDF might be the best way to go.

    One concern might be sheer size of the file -- Zotero (or rather your computer) can run out of memory on large RDF/XML imports, though that should produce a different error message (and also take some time before it happens), so I'd want to see why Zotero isn't recognizing the file as Zotero RDF
  • ilja.nieuwland
    Thanks for your help. The library has now been migrated to a different machine, but the attachments can't be found, Zotero apparently doesn't offer the possibility to set a base directory for attachments, and the "Locate" function to connect to the files doesn't do anything at all.

    I think I'm throwing in the towel and look for alternatives. This has cost me a day and a half with no solution in sight yet.
  • dstillman
    We're happy to help you debug this, but you'd need to let us. Spending a lot of time on this by yourself, getting frustrated, and giving up is a little silly when we're here to work through this with you and can provide very specific guidance.
    The library has now been migrated to a different machine
    How? By transferring the data directory or by using export? Can you provide a Debug ID for trying to open a file that's missing?
    Zotero apparently doesn't offer the possibility to set a base directory for attachments
    There is a way to set a base directory for linked-file attachments, but it's for a specific purpose that may not be relevant in your case.
    the "Locate" function to connect to the files doesn't do anything at all
    It does do something, but for stored files it does something specific, and again, it may not be relevant in your case.
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