Mysterious display of filename, other stuff in right-hand panel

fredpowledge
Maybe it's just I; I haven't seen anyone else writing about this. But in 2.0b7.4, I get a file name at the top of the right-hand panel, and it's uneditable. So I am deprived of the opportunity to turn a gobbledygook file name into something meaningful to me. Also can't edit "Creator," which for me is an important way to recall what's in my database. The biggest stumper of all, however, is the display of formatting tools (bold, italic, underlining, alignment, printer quotes, etc.) that shows up in the middle of this panel. The result, at least until I learn what's up and can change it, is a version of my beloved Zot that I can't use. Can anyone please explain? Thanks. --Fred Powledge.
  • dstillman
    You're looking at a file attachment, not a regular metadata item.

    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/library_items

    You can edit the filename by clicking on the title at the top and choosing "Rename associated file".
  • fredpowledge
    Dan Stillman,
    Great, and thanks for your very quick response. But how do I control (if at all) whether an item (Web page, PDF file, long report) gets treated as a regular item or attachment? The link to which you pointed me doesn't seem to say. And some of the bits I saved today in Zotero end up as attachments and some as regular items, and I can't see what the decision is based on. Also, does this mean that things that Zotero designates as file attachments are not editable at all--i.e., I cannot enter a name in the "Creator" field? And what in the world is that formatting display all about?
    I sure hope there's a neat way out of this; the alternative is to restore my backup. Thanks again.
    --Fred Powledge.
  • ahoward
    What you probably want is to create a regular item (Book, Journal Article, Web Page) and then attach the file (PDF, snapshot, etc.) to that regular item. That is how Zotero handles such things when you do it automatically. If you save an item through JSTOR and have Zotero set to automatically download the full PDF, the article will appear as a parent item with the PDF as an attached child item. Similarly, if you want to save a web page as a web page (as opposed to extracting item data from it for something like a book or article), you would want to click the "Create New Item From Current Page" button in the Zotero toolbar. (It's the blue page with the green plus sign.) That will create a parent item of type Web Page, with all the associated metadata, then attach a snapshot of the page as a child item.

    You can do the same thing manually with any regular item and attachment. Simply drag the file you wish to attach onto the regular item. The grey arrow or plus sign will appear next to the regular item and clicking that will allow you to see the attached files.
  • adamsmith
    That will create a parent item of type Web Page, with all the associated metadata, then attach a snapshot of the page as a child item.
    unless you have a pdf open using the acrobat/pdf xchange plugin - then Zotero will save a single pdf file without a parent. The idea is that you would then use the retrieve metadata function to attach that file to a parent item.
  • fredpowledge
    I cannot find anything called a "retrieve metadata function." Yes, I know what each of the three words mean. This is getting more and more time-consuming and, it seems, counter-intuitive. It looks as if I'm now going to have to enjoy the process of downgrading to the earlier Zotero.

    Also, what's the quoted material at the top of Adam Smith's message about, and where's it from?
  • adamsmith
    look, people are trying to help you here. We're not being paid, so be nice.
    My quote comes from the post right above mine, which I'm clarifying.
    Retrieve metadata appears in the context menu when you right-click on a non-attached pdf. Zotero has very good documentation, which you can search:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/retrieve_pdf_metadata
    2.0 has vastly improved functionality over 1.0. You may have to spend some time (less than 1h I'd say) on familiarizing yourself with the new features and how they work. If you don't have or want to commit that (very limited) time, go ahead and revert to your backup (note that downgrading by re-installing the 1.0 Zotero is not possible)
  • adamsmith
    the formatting display btw. is the top of a note taking window you can see when you enlarge your Zotero or display in fullscreen.
  • dstillman
    edited October 27, 2009
    I sure hope there's a neat way out of this; the alternative is to restore my backup.
    I don't actually know what "this" refers to. You seem to feel that you're in some sort of new situation, but as far as I can tell nothing you describe (other than the ability to use rich-text formatting rather than just plain text in notes) is new in 2.0. If something is an attachment—rather than a regular item—now, it was an attachment before.

    So as adamsmith suggests, I think you need to spend some time in the documentation, as you seem somewhat confused by basic functionality of Zotero that hasn't changed since 1.0.

    Edit: I guess you may be trying to use Create New Item from Current Page on an open PDF, as adamsmith suggests, in which case, as he says, Zotero will currently just create a standalone attachment rather than a web page item + child attachment as it used to. It's been noted on other threads, but I'll repeat here that this is a temporary change just to allow the use of "Retrieve PDF Metadata"—eventually clicking that button on an open PDF will instead automatically run the PDF detection routine and, if that fails, create a blank parent web page item with the PDF as a child attachment.

    But the basic limitations of attachments (vs. regular items) haven't changed since 1.0.
  • fredpowledge
    Thank you both for your clarifications. Adam Smith, I wasn't aware that I wasn't being nice. I'll try harder. Maybe I lived in Brooklyn too long. I had not seen the helpful post from ahoward, since I was responding to a link to Adam Smith's post that came in my email. I agree with your assessment of the fine Zotero documentation; I have about a hectare of it printed out on my desk. I confess that I had not found the "retrieve_pdf_metadata" link, but I will now. --Fred Powledge.
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