I can't find my zotero files - HELP!
Hi. I have used Zotero to store references for my dissertation work for 4 years. A little while ago my computer shut down unexpectedly. When it opened back up I got a message that said something like you are trying to sync into an empty account. Or something like that. I can only seem to get an online version of my files. Can someone please help me with this problem?
Christy
Christy
You didn't provide all the information requested in that section:
- What are "the names, sizes, and dates of the zotero.sqlite* files in your current data directory"?
- For the 'storage' directory, it's not about it being "current" — it's about whether there are folders corresponding to your entire previous usage of Zotero on this computer. The goal is to determine if this is actually the data directory you were previously using.
- Whether your current data directory is in the default location (“Zotero” in your home folder)
zotero.sqlite-journal 91KB, today, 9/8/20 at 1015pm
Data directory location: Default (/users/chjrn77/Zotero)
Is that the additional information that you needed?
You appear to be missing all the various database backup files (zotero.sqlite*.bak) that Zotero makes in the data directory. That could happen if this wasn't actually the data directory you were using previously, but then there wouldn't be folders in 'storage' either. If there are folders in 'storage' corresponding with your previous usage, then somehow all the database files in this folder were wiped out while 'storage' wasn't touched.
Are you running any non-standard security/cleaning software on this computer?
But it also looks like you've been using Zotero syncing, so you can also just sync to pull down all the data in your online library, at least up through whenever you last synced.
Should I first try to sync?
Thanks
This is all about the Zotero data directory. Zotero reads the zotero.sqlite file from there when it starts up. If you copy a backup of zotero.sqlite that contains your data into that directory and then start Zotero, it will read the data and show you your library.
1) I need to go into a recent time machine backup
2) I need to find the application for Zotero
3) I need to open Zotero to find a zotero.sqlite file
I just tried that and it didn't work.
If that is not where I find the zotero.sqlite file, can you tell me how I find it in time machine? Thanks
Again, Zotero just reads zotero.sqlite from the data directory. Right now you have a new, 983 KB zotero.sqlite file with no data in it. You need to go into that exact same folder in your backup and go back in the history — that's the point of Time Machine — to find an earlier version from before all the files were deleted, and then restore that file to the exact same place in your current data directory, replacing the 983 KB zotero.sqlite file with the larger one from the backup. When you then start Zotero normally, it will show you your data.
Version: 2020-09-08-184142
Choice 1: Macintosh HD
Choice 2: Macintosh HD - Data
Choice 3: Recovery
Which of the choices do I click on? I tried to click on #2, then go to applications, then go to Zotero. I get this message: "you can't open the application Zotero because it is in a Time Machine backup."
I tried to do a search in the search bar in time machine for "zotero.sqlite" and I don't find anything. I know that I have used Zotero in the past few days.
And again, in no way should you be trying to open the Zotero application in your backup. I didn't say anything about doing that. All you need to do is browse via the Time Machine interface to the exact same folder we've been talking about — your Zotero data directory — in the exact same location in your Time Machine backup and restore the file from there.
We're well past the point where this is really related to Zotero at all, and we can't provide general computer support here, so I'd suggest you ask someone you know to help you restore a file from a backup — any technical person familiar with Macs can help with that via screen sharing — or just use Zotero syncing to pull down your latest synced data as it exists in your online library.
I will get help elsewhere.
I have worked with Apple, my school IT and many other software and hardware specialists and have never had this much difficulty with getting the assistance/getting my questions answered in a way that meets my needs.
I do not find this "discussion group" format helpful in providing answers and solutions to challenging technical questions about 4+ years of work that is extremely valuable to me; work that I am concerned about losing. I have never done tech support for this type of involved problem in this manner. It needs to be done via phone or some type of video chat like Zoom or webex.
The point here is simply that the only part of this specific to Zotero is telling you that you need to restore a pre-deletion backup of zotero.sqlite from the Zotero data directory in Time Machine to your active data directory. That's it. But you can't expect us to walk you through how to use the particular backup system you choose to use on your own computer. It's your backup system, and for it to serve any purpose at all you need to know how to use it. That has absolutely nothing to do with Zotero. You're just restoring a specific file from your backup.
If you don't know how to use Time Machine, and your online Zotero library is up to date, you can literally just click the Sync button and be done with it. You could've done that hours ago and had your data as of the last time you synced.
The only reason you might want to restore from a backup instead is if you haven't been syncing and your online library isn't fully up to date, which you can check yourself from this site.
What is not clear to me about syncing is this: if I sync and my online library isn't fully up to date, then what happens?
And how do I check to see if the online library is fully up to date on this site?