Moving pdfs back to default location after using Zotfile

Tsau017
Hey guys,

I'm a long time user of Zotfile. I'd like to move all of my pdfs back to the default location and start paying for Zotero storage to support development. But I'd like to keep using Zotfile to rename.

Is there a simple way of doing this for 1000 files at once?

I'm guessing I'd need to change the following settings:

- Zotero: Revert to absolute paths
- Zotero: Tick both options under 'File sharing' of the Sync tab
- Zotfile: General tab: Attach stored copy of file? Or leave custom location blank?

Will this achieve what I'm wanting?
  • dstillman
    We're working on a feature to convert linked files back to stored files, hopefully for the next version. I'll post here when it's available in a beta.

    (As for ZotFile, I believe either ZotFile can't do this or the functionality is broken currently, since we've been getting a lot of requests for this.)
  • Tsau017
    Sweet thanks Dan
  • adamsmith
    ZotFile used to be able to do this and still can for individual items, I believe. The batch functionality is unfortunately broken.
  • Tsau017
    Hey guys, if I started a document now and inserted refs using my current library, would these refs still be linked in the doc once I switch my items back to the vanilla directory?
  • Tsau017
    Apologies for being lazy - I just tested this by inserting a ref into a new doc, generating a bib, changing the ref in zotero back to it's default path.

    Ref still seems to be linked fine, and inserting the new ref above the old caused it to change the author details in the old ref in alignment with APA. So I'm guessing it will be ok?
  • bwiernik
    Citations in Word have nothing to do with attachment file location, so nothing will change about your documents
  • Tsau017
    I ended up doing this manually by right clicking each citation and selecting 'rename attachments'.

    Then changed these settings:

    Zotero: Revert to absolute paths
    Zotero: Tick both options under 'File sharing' of the Sync tab
    Zotfile: General tab: Attach stored copy of file

    Then grabbed 6Gb plan. All seems to be working as intended.
  • dstillman
    Just to note for others who might come across this, I've just pushed out a new Zotero beta that includes this feature as File → Manage Attachments → "Convert Linked Files to Stored Files…".

    If you want to help test this out, you should temporarily disable auto-sync and make a backup of your Zotero data directory (and, if you use the "Delete original files after storing" option, your PDF directory) before trying it, and then closely review the converted files before turning syncing back on. Let us know if you run into any problems.
  • kevintaylor
    Hi,
    I'm trying to convert from file attachments stored in a Dropbox folder to stored in Zotero stored files.

    I don't see this option of File -> Manage Attachments -> "Convert Linked Files to Stored Files". Is this for Windows only? I am on a Mac with Zotero version 5.0.97-beta.39+dea4a47b6. Thanks

  • dstillman
    @kevintaylor: It's in the Tools menu. (The feature has been moved since the above post.)
This discussion has been closed.