Upgrade StorageZotero questions
Hi,
I plan on using Zotero, but I've got some questions and hope I get honest answers in here.
First, I've read on these forums and across the web that Zotero can get really slow (and Firefox as well) with a huge database. Is this still the case, and could someone give some impressions of what "slow" means? My database will probably have around 300 or 400 entries in the end, most of them with PDF files attached to enable full-text indexed search. Is there a few second wait on Firefox start, or just when I click on my Zotero icon? Is full-text search responsible or do I have to wait some milliseconds after typing every single letter? These are all issues I read somewhere. Are these fixed in version 2?
Second, we are a group of five people with similar databases, who would like to sync. Is there a way to do (offline) synchronization? The Zotero online storage is a nice feature, but not an option. We have a university network, is there a way to store all the PDF files in one central folder and all Zotero clients on all PCs link to the same files? And how does Zotero store the database internally, is there some .bib file that we could store in a SVN to keep it up to date.
Thanks for your help!
I plan on using Zotero, but I've got some questions and hope I get honest answers in here.
First, I've read on these forums and across the web that Zotero can get really slow (and Firefox as well) with a huge database. Is this still the case, and could someone give some impressions of what "slow" means? My database will probably have around 300 or 400 entries in the end, most of them with PDF files attached to enable full-text indexed search. Is there a few second wait on Firefox start, or just when I click on my Zotero icon? Is full-text search responsible or do I have to wait some milliseconds after typing every single letter? These are all issues I read somewhere. Are these fixed in version 2?
Second, we are a group of five people with similar databases, who would like to sync. Is there a way to do (offline) synchronization? The Zotero online storage is a nice feature, but not an option. We have a university network, is there a way to store all the PDF files in one central folder and all Zotero clients on all PCs link to the same files? And how does Zotero store the database internally, is there some .bib file that we could store in a SVN to keep it up to date.
Thanks for your help!
The speed has improved a LOT with the new beta release 2.0 b7.
I have 4000+ items - most with attachments, and most things are pretty fast now.
The only thing which is painfully slow is the normal search - due to the "search-as-you-type" function.
You can prevent this by typing a " (i.e. one double-quote character) in front of your search - in which case it doesn't search until you press return - and then it's quick (considering it's searching a few million characters)
But you have to remember to put the " each time (unfortunately "search-as-you-type" cannot be turned off at present).
Everything else, autocomplete, general navigation etc. is pretty fast now.
(I had some other Firefox performance issues recently, but downgrading to 3.0.14 (from 3.5) solved those, and they weren't directly Zotero related.)
When you first start up Zotero within firefox, there is a bit of a wait, up to maybe 3 or 4 seconds - but I believe it's caching and stuff, and once it's loaded up, after that first time, it runs quick.
I don't know much about your question 2 sorry.
2. Zotero has a storage directory
http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data
you could put that on a central location and use SVN - I think that should work, yes.
Care to share why online storage isn't an option? That would probably help coming up with options. The actual database is stored in the zotero.sqlite file
There are two main reasons why we don't want online storage:
1. There are some sensitive files. Just for me it wouldn't be the problem - I'm using online storage for some of my data myself. But other people, especially at university, don't like the idea, and I don't like to fight with them about that.
2. (The more valid reason.) Even though internet speed at university is quite fast, using local file storage is obviously faster. We have a office with ten PCs, when I arrive I just pick a free one. It really makes a difference then if my files are stored on the home folder inside the network or online. Not to mention the situation when internet access is not available - we had this issue yesterday for one hour. It just makes things easier having all files on our server, instead an invisible online storage.
3. Of course, a small third issue: Money ;-) Online storage doesn't come for free (100MB Zotero won't do it for us).
I guess, depending on our network setup, choosing a shared folder for the storage wouldn't be a problem. But has anyone tried to use one sqlite file and share these among several accounts?
if people use the sqlite simultaneously it screws up the database royally.
So if you do it you'll need to do something with version control like SVN.
As far as I understand, my only option would be to create a new Zotero online account and use that to sync our DB. The data would be online, not the files (which could be an option, keep the files local on a WebDAV folder). Could we use this Zotero account simultaneously or would this screw up, too?
although for what you want, why not get individual accounts and use the group feature - seems much easier and that way each of you can also use Zotero for other stuff.
edit: ah, right, what noksagt says: no WebDAV with groups.