Zotero cannot find file even though computer search finds it in Storage

catsy83
Hi everyone,
So apparently people have had this similar issue, but I can't quite find anything exactly like my problem, so here goes.

I recently had to switch laptops - both Macs - and am now on a M1 chipped, Big Sur running, lean, mean, normally awesome machine. I had downloaded Zotero, and from what I could tell, my gajillion of files were all just fine.

Well, today I tried searching for a file I was sure I added using the program itself and I was coming up empty. Like, no mention whatsoever of that author, title, filename - nada.

I used my Mac's search function, and Finder spit out pretty much right away the location, the full path being like this: /Users/[me]/Zotero/storage/CMBIXB7B/[filename].pdf

But when I look for the file, even by filename in Zotero, crickets.

What is going on??? And how do I fix it? Please help. I need to turn in my dissertation soon, and I really don't want to have to insert things by hand. I have over 2000 footnotes - if some of them are not syncing properly, it'll be murder to sift through everything.

Thanks in advance.
  • catsy83
    NM - It was in the damn trash. *facepalm*
  • xcadorel
    Arghhh, same thing here, Mac M1 Big Sur11.2.3, I've updated to Zotero 5.0.96.2 and my storage file kept all the alphanumerical folders but they are now all empty. I recovered the storage file from the bin but alphanumerical folders do not match :(
    So still receiving this message:
    The attached file could not be found at the following path:/Users/[me]/Zotero/storage/SRF58W7U/[filename].pdf
    Help!
  • dstillman
    @xcadorel: You're misunderstanding something. A Zotero update wouldn't have any effect on your attachment files. If you're not seeing them, the most likely reason is that you're on a different computer from where the files were created and your files haven't synced. That or you deleted them outside of Zotero.
    I recovered the storage file from the bin
    I don't know what you mean by this, though. Your recovered what from what bin? Again, if you delete your Zotero files outside of Zotero, you're not going to be able to open them in Zotero.
  • xcadorel
    That was indeed my surprise, how can this update can delete my storage files. Following catsy83 story I looked in my bin and found an old storage file with the old zotero 5.0.96.1.dmg and so I tried to use this one but files are not matching.
    I tempt to think that my one drive is playing up, but I'm not sure how to fix this.
  • dstillman
    That was indeed my surprise, how can this update can delete my storage files.
    Because it didn't do that. Again, you're misunderstanding something.
    I looked in my bin and found an old storage file with the old zotero 5.0.96.1.dmg and so I tried to use this one but files are not matching.
    Moving files to the OS trash isn't something Zotero itself can do. I can't tell you what you did here, but it wasn't caused by Zotero. It sounds like you deleted files from your Zotero data directory outside of Zotero, so it's entirely on you to recover from whatever you did.
    I tempt to think that my one drive is playing up
    Your Zotero data directory absolutely should not be in OneDrive, and Zotero will warn you if it detects that it is. If that's the case, we can't provide any support to you here.
  • xcadorel
    My Zotero is on a local drive, but I used OneDrive to transfer the storage file from a old laptop to the current one and this is where files got lost :(
  • dstillman
    edited May 10, 2021
    The 'storage' folder alone isn't useful. You need the entire Zotero data directory. See Transferring a Library.
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