export missing attachments

TonyPrince
I'd using Zotero beta 6.023 on a MacBook (M1) running Ventura 13.2.1

I have a Zotero database with just over 1000 entries 90% of which have attachments. The Zotero storage file on my Mac is 15.6 GB. some of the files are over 100mb as I've OCR'd them in order to be able to highlight and annotate them (prior to using Zotero).

I want to export the database to play around with it in Bookends on the Mac.

But when I try, I find that most of the attachments are missing.

The .ris file and associated folder is 750mb for the export. And when I inspect the folders in that folder, most do not have a file in them. As such, when I import the .ris file into Bookends, most entries do not have an attachment.

I've tried exposing collections, but I run into the same issue.

When I click on the entries in the database and select 'show file' - I can see the file that the export should be including, but it's not. So I know the file exists and is associated with the entry. But I can't get it out of the database unless I manually drag it out.

Any suggestions gratefully received.
  • dstillman
    edited March 12, 2023
    Can you provide a Debug ID for exporting a single item that doesn't include an attached file that should be included, as well as the contents of the exported RIS file?
  • TonyPrince
    the debug ID is D1736444934

    The contents of the .ris file (copied from finder are:

    TY - BOOK
    TI - Human Error
    AU - Reason, James
    AB - Human Error, published in 1991, is a major theoretical integration of several previously isolated literatures. Particularly important is the identification of cognitive processes common to a wide variety of error types. Technology has now reached a point where improved safety can only be achieved on the basis of a better understanding of human error mechanisms. In its treatment of major accidents, the book spans the disciplinary gulf between psychological theory and those concerned with maintaining the reliability of hazardous technologies. As such, it is essential reading not only for cognitive scientists and human factors specialists, but also for reliability engineers and risk managers. No existing book speaks with so much clarity to both the theorists and the practitioners of human reliability.
    CY - Cambridge England ; New York
    DA - 1991/02/28/
    PY - 1991
    DP - Amazon
    SP - 320
    LA - English
    PB - Cambridge University Press
    SN - 978-0-521-31419-0
    L1 - files/3113/Reason - 1991 - Human Error.pdf
    L2 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Error-James-Reason/dp/0521314194
    ER -

    the export has a folder named 3113 but there is nothing in it.

    Thanks for your attention to this.
  • dstillman
    (3)(+0008350): Exported PDF with 0 annotation(s) in 10952 ms

    (3)(+0000001): Exporting PDF for item 1/3MJXG6JR

    (3)(+0001335): Submitting debug output
    You might just not be waiting long enough. This shows exporting these files taking 10–20 seconds (are they very large?), and you submitting output without waiting. Though it also looks like it's exporting multiple files, so if this export was for a single file it may still be processing files from an earlier export attempt.
  • TonyPrince
    Thank you dstillman I think you are right. I just checked back with an earlier export of my whole library and the folder size is growing.

    Is there any way to monitor the processes that Zotero is performing? It would be useful to know what it is doing in the background. As it is there's no visual indicator that anything is happening. Hence me wasting your time - sincere apologies :-)
  • dstillman
    This is a known issue where there's no progress window when exporting attachments. Note that if you haven't been annotating using the built-in PDF reader, the export will be much faster if you don't select "Include annotations".
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