Drag & Drop malfunction

robatk
Hi, all.
I'm new to Zortero and not familiar with trouble shooting it. I'm trying to add a bunch of PDF's to a fairly new install, maybe about 100 pdfs so far. The drag & drop was working last night before shutting down, but not now. Don't know of anything that has changed. I would like to resolve that issue, but I would also like no know if there is any other way to add PDFs from my system, not downloaded, it appears that this is the only process available, which seems unusual, because there are usually multiple ways of achieving an action as basic as this.
  • dstillman
    I would also like no know if there is any other way to add PDFs from my system
    @robatk: Drag and drop should work, but you can also click on the New Item menu and choose "Store Copy of File…", and select one or more files to add.
  • robatk
    I was previously adding PDFs by Drag and Drop from either the desktop or folder, but that was working for only the first day. Now, it won't accept them by that process at all, but I can still download them as part of a clip. There doesn't seem to be any other method to import them, just the work around of copy and paste into a note, but that defeats the entire purpose of the app. This is extremely important to me and is the only reason I am attempting to use it. If there isn't a repair, perhaps there is another app that someone could recommend. I'm not so much interested in the bibliography abilities as I am just organizing my research, Onenote and Evernote are inadequate for my needs, but I have to use them until I can find another replacement. Any help with this will be appreciated.
  • dstillman
    There doesn't seem to be any other method to import them
    Not sure why you're saying this — I mentioned the alternative method in my response. Did you try that?
  • robatk
    Probably didn't comment on that because it doesn't really resolve the issue. Yes, you can attach a PDF, which is to basically create a link, but it doesn't perform any of the desired functions. Everything has to be hand edited, and with the volume of pdfs that I have to process, it isn't really a viable solution.

    When I setup the software and signed up for an account, I was surprised to find that I had already done that back in 2015, but I had forgotten completely about it and moved on. This could have been the reason. Maybe we will have this conversation in another 4 years, but I'll probably forget about this it by then as well. I looking at Mendeley again, their Android version works, hopefully the desktop will as well. Good luck on the PDF issue.
  • dstillman
    No, there’s some sort of misunderstanding here. You said drag and drop wasn’t working for you. We can obviously try to resolve that, but as a temporary workaround I told you the identical process, which is to use Store Copy of File. That will add the file as a stored file and run metadata recognition on it, the same as drag and drop.

    If you’re trying to do something else, you’ll need to explain exactly what that is.
  • robatk
    O.K. you are saying that their is an alternative path that will process the metadata, I haven't found it yet. To use the Store Copy function, you have to start by creating either a new item or note, right? Then you can use Store Copy, which brings up the list of format options. Is there a particular form to use? what's the process from there?
  • dstillman
    To use the Store Copy function, you have to start by creating either a new item or note, right?
    No. Did you try it? It's exactly the same as dragging a PDF in as a top-level item — that's why I've suggested it twice now.
    Then you can use Store Copy, which brings up the list of format options. Is there a particular form to use? what's the process from there?
    I'm actually not even sure what you're referring to here. What "format options"? We're talking about "Store Copy of File…" in the New Item (green plus button) menu. It just brings up a file picker that lets you select a file to add to Zotero as a top-level attachment.

    Either way, if you have "Automatically rename metadata for PDFs" selected in the General pane of Zotero preferences, as it is by default, and the PDF can be recognized, Zotero will create a parent item with metadata. If that setting is off, you would need to right-click on the standalone PDF and select Retrieve Metadata for PDF, which runs the same process that happens automatically by default.

    To be clear, not all PDFs will have metadata detected. Generally speaking, academic PDFs will usually be recognized (and ones with DOIs on the front page should nearly always be), and other files that are just random documents converted to PDF won't be recognized. If you drag a PDF that can't be recognized, it will remain as a top-level attachment.

    If a file can't be detected but metadata is available for it somewhere online, you would want to just save from the browser using the Save to Zotero button or use Add Item by Identifier and add the PDF to that item (if the PDF wasn't saved automatically) rather than entering metadata manually. If you really need to add metadata manually, you can right-click on the unrecognized top-level PDF and choose Create Parent Item.

    I'd encourage you to read through Adding Items to Zotero for more on all of this.

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