Text highlighted in Zotero not available when PDF is opened outside Zotero

arnabdey
Hi,

I use Zotero 6.0.16 on a PC and save the PDF files for my papers on Google Drive via Zotfile. I also use an iPad to read my papers interchangeably and access the PDFs saved on Google Drive for the purpose.

The issue that I am facing is that when I highlight a text by opening the PDF within Zotero standalone, it does not reflect on the PDF stored on my google drive. As a result, when I switch to reading the paper on my iPad, I don't have access to my highlighted text.

Am I missing any step?
  • dstillman
    https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/annotations_in_database
    As a result, when I switch to reading the paper on my iPad, I don't have access to my highlighted text.
    Annotations made with the built-in PDF reader sync with the Zotero iOS app.
  • arnabdey
    Thanks for the response. I have an older iPad that runs iOS 12.5.6. I cannot download the Zotero iOS app on this. Is there a way I can use zotfile to seamlessly transfer annotations between my PC and iPad?

    I have enabled the "Use Zotfile to send and get files from tablet" under Zotfile Preferences -> Tablet Settings. The Base Folder location points to a folder in my Google Drive that can be accessed by the PDF reader (Readdle) on my iPad.

    My usecase is this:
    1. I have some annotation done on my zotero standalone on my PC.
    2. I right-click on this paper in Zotero on my PC and Manage Attachments -> Send to tablet
    3. I move to my iPad and see the PDF has been transferred to the folder that I had pointed to in my Google Drive.
    4. But when I open the PDFs, I don't see the highlights that I had made on the PDF when I was reading it on the zotero standalone on my PC.
    5. Conversely, I make some annotations on the PDF reader on my iPad and when I pull this annotations from the tablet, I don't see them reflected on the PDF in the zotero standalone.

    I am assuming that the Zotero iOS app makes it seamless. But was wondering if there is way to sync annotations between Zotero standalone and an older iPad, without having to buy a new one!

    Thanks for all your help.
  • adamsmith
    You can't sync Zotero Desktop annotations to iOS via ZotFile, no.
    The reverse, however, should work: if you annotate on the iPad with a reader that uses standard PDF annotations and then get that file pack from the "tablet", Zotero should recognize them. You can test whether you have the annotated file by using "Show File" and opening with a different reader like Acrobat -- if the annotations are visible there, they should be visible in Zotero's reader. If they're not, the problem is the transfer.
  • arnabdey
    Thanks so much. It seems like there is a problem with the transfer. The annotations that I make on my iPad are not visible in the PDF when I open it using acrobat. How can I troubleshoot?
  • adamsmith
    You go step-by-step, i.e. next you check wether they are visible in the synced tablet folder on your PC. If they're not, the problem is the sync (i.e. Dropbox or water service you're using). If they are, the problem is ZotFile get from tablet function.
  • arnabdey
    Thanks!
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