Not able to sync (Error: Please enter URL)

ICFAOR
Hi,

Apologies in advance for my ignorance- I'm trying to learn! I am fairly new to Zotero. My colleague and I have tried to sync our references, but we are not able to do so. We get the error message- Error: Please enter URL. I have no idea which URL to add or where to find it, though I know where to add the URL.

Thanks!
  • jonbean
    Yes, I get the same error. I'll be working in Zotero (not trying to sync) and I keep getting an annoying popup "Please enter url" I have sync set to automatic so perhaps it keeps trying??
  • dstillman
    edited March 29, 2009
    You have file syncing enabled, but you haven't entered a WebDAV URL. Zotero 1.5 currently requires an external WebDAV server to sync attachment files.
  • rhoneysett
    So the answer is - go to Zotero preferences and in the sync tab uncheck the file sync button. It's worked for me!
  • wlx
    I got the same problem.
    I can use the zotero sync server, but could not use my own webdav server.
  • Melani99
    Well, that's a bummer. Esp since WEB Dav is quite above my pay grade (I had to look it up on Wikipedia). Any chance of IDisk and/or Mobile me operating in such a way?
  • dstillman
    Melani: MobileMe provides WebDAV. Search the forums for help.
  • richardparkerdc
    Dan,

    I think the message you're getting from a lot of users -- now myself included -- is that this "Please enter a URL" error message problem is a pain in the butt that needs to be solved on your end if you want researchers to be able to use your product happily and successfully. I don't know what WebDAV is, I really don't want to know: my interest is in foreign policy, not computers. The fact is, the new version of Zotero is NOT USER FRIENDLY. It is still full of booby-traps for the unwary, and I wish I could revert to 1.0, but I can't go back (another huge problem in your system). And the new philosophy among developers of Zotero 2 is that users ought to become technicians and immerse themselves in your troubleshooting forums to learn how to solve esoteric technical problems if they want to use your product. That is not a good sign, and bodes ill frankly for the future of Zotero as a reference tool. I say this candidly as a friend and supporter of Zotero who realizes its huge potential and hopes it will be realized.
  • sean
    richardparkerdc,

    Thanks for your message. Your idea is a good one, and we have already adjusted the URL message in our internal build. Are there other specific issues that are causing problems for you? If so, please chime in on other relevant threads or start a new one.

    As for the expectations of our users, please remember that Zotero 2.0 is beta software. With your valuable help, it soon won't be.
  • richardparkerdc
    Thanks, Sean. I will follow your suggestion, and appreciate your prompt response. Meanwhile, I have disabled auto syncing to avoid the URL problem. Does that mean I should manually sync from time to time, and should I expect to encounter any problems from applying the manual sync workaround, if it is such?
  • sean
    No, it means you should uncheck the "Enable file syncing" checkbox in the Sync tab of Zotero preferences. You can leave autosyncing enabled.
  • richardparkerdc
    Thanks. I have done as you instructed. One last question: what will be synced now that I have done that? Will the snapshots I take of web, pdf and word documents be synced? Or only the notes I take on them?
  • adamsmith
    only the items and the notes. Not the pdfs, snapshots, or any other attached files.

    I would strongly recommend not using sync as a substitute for a regular (i.e. daily, preferably automatic) backup of _all_ your important files, including, of course, your Zotero directory.
    If your on a Mac time machine will do this quasi automatically, if you' re on linux, consider back in time and if your on windows... well.... I'm sure there's some solution...
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