Download, move, rename, then unlink the attachment

I have a feeling that I'm asking this for the thousandth time. I apologize in advance. I really couldn't get it to work myself by reading the documentation.

I need to sync my library to different machines. I also need to have access to the files. Due to the size limitation of the free account, I decided to use ZotFile and move pdfs to another folder that is synced with my cloud space (google drive). Zotfile, however, somehow always attaches files to the library, and I'd like to avoid that.

Is there a way to prevent Zotfile from adding files to the library as attachments? Or alternatively, is there an automatic way of converting the library entries back to links (without moving them back to the default Zotero folder)? So here are the full steps I'd like to do:

1. Download pdf to the library (files saved in Zotero folder, so far)
2. Trigger Zotfile to move and rename files (files are now moved to the desired folder, also attached to the library, which is bad)
3. Unlink the attached file, but keep the files in the desired folder (!= Zotero's default folder) to keep the library attachment-free.
  • I'm confused by what you're asking.
    Zotfile moves files to a custom folder and links to them. It doesn't attach files. Are you saying that under 2. ZotFile keeps the attached file? That'd just be a bug.
  • edited September 10, 2021
    I always see that Zotfile adds a new child pdf to the entry (with my desired name format in my desired directory), and more importantly with a little clipper sign under the pdf icon (which I infer as the symbol of the attached state). In addition, it removes the original child pdf. So eventually, I'm left with one parent entry with one attached chile.
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