Import from Citavi 6.3 to Zotero 5.0.80 not working

MDarowski
I tried to import my Citavi project into Zotero according to the User Manual but it didn´t work. The ID of the report is 52511111. Anyone who has the same problem?
  • dstillman
    What exactly did you try, and what happened?
  • MDarowski
    Hi dstillman,
    I tried to import my Citavi Library according to the documentation. I copied the .ctv6 -File into the Folder with the pdf-Files and started the import-procedure in Zotero. The error report says "not a valid Mendeley database".
    Tried to rename ctv6 to xml. Still the same problem.
  • adamsmith
    This sounds like it's the wrong type of files -- how exactly are you getting the ctv6 files? Is that an unzipped copy of the back-up?

    CC @zuphilip
  • MDarowski
    edited January 1, 2020
    @adamsmith
    Exact. I made an local project backup in Citavi and then renamed the .ctv6archive to .zip. After unzipping I copied the .ctv6 into the pdf-Folder and tried to import the .ctv6 into Zotero.
  • zuphilip
    Actually, it sounds for me that you choose the wrong option on the first importing dialog. Choose there import from a file = "Einer Datei (BibTeX, RIS, Zotero RDF, etc.)" and then you can select the Citavi archive file.
  • dstillman
    edited January 1, 2020
    I don't think so — the error message should be fixed, but it would happen if the file you try to import is an SQLite database rather than a text file.
  • zuphilip
    Okay, the file should look similar to this one but probably much larger in order to correctly import. Can you have a look at your ctv6 file for a small (!) export example with any text editor? Is it somehow readable (and similar to the one linked) or does it looks more like random characters?
  • MDarowski
    When I open the .ctv6 from the unzipped archive in a text editor it starts with "SQLite format 3" followed by random characters.
  • MDarowski
    edited January 2, 2020
    Ok. I solved that problem by doing these steps.

    1. Save a local copy of the citavi project (this is neccessary if you have a cloud project, otherwise you can´t make a backup of the project)
    2. Save a backup of the project (this will generate a BackupExample.ctv6bak-File in the Citavi backup folder)
    3. Save a local archive copy with attachments (this will generate a example.ctv6archive-File)
    4. Rename example.ctv6archive-File into example.zip and unzip. This will generate a new folder (Example) with an example.ctv6-File and an attachment folder. Then delete the example.ctv6 (which is a SQLite Database) in the Example folder
    5. Copy the most recent BackupExample.ctv6bak File from the Citavi Backup-Folder into the unzipped (local archive) Example Folder and rename it to .zip
    6. Unzip the BackupExample.zip File (now I you have a .ctv6-File with xml-format)
    7.Copy the .ctv6-File into the attachment Folder
    8. Import the .ctv6 File into Zotero

    Works perfectly. Everything, including comments and pdf is imported.
  • Raphael Borchers
    @MDarowski

    Your solution is pretty much the same you can find right here: https://www.zotero.org/support/de/kb/import-from-citavi
    But for me it is not working. It creates a new and properly namend collection, but "no title is found". What am I doing wrong?
  • pew_13
    @MDarowski
    Thanks alot for your tutorial. I had the same problem and it was freaking me out. I followed your tutorial to the inch and it worked out.

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