Can I take notes in Notes section while PDF open?

I cannot figure out how to use the Notes feature to take notes while the pdf is open. I can read and highlight the pdf. But when I click notes on the right to begin notetaking the pdf closes.

Do I need zotfile for that?

I thought that I would need zotfile for that but I cannot determine how to download that add on.

I am frustrated.
  • edited May 21, 2020
    It sounds like you're misunderstanding what's happening here.

    When you open a PDF in Zotero, it just opens in whatever program handles PDFs on your computer. It's a separate program from Zotero. If you want to take notes in Zotero at the same time — if that's what you mean — you have to switch back to Zotero to do so. You can see our Switching Between Programs page to learn how to do that efficiently, but there's nothing Zotero-specific about it — it's just using two programs on your computer at once.

    You also don't have to take notes in the main Zotero window. If you prefer, you can open notes in separate windows and rearrange them however you want on your screen — e.g., so that you can see both the PDF and the notes at the same time. But again, this is just a question of how you'd interact with windows from any two programs on your computer, so it's not really a Zotero question at all.
Sign In or Register to comment.