Treat webpage snapshots like files when it comes to storage/sync

zachwhalen · November 3, 2009

When I save a snapshot of a page, I would love for that snapshot to be available through the web interface and across synced libraries in the same way that PDFs and other files currently are. As far as I can tell, this isn't the case, and in terms of the "snapshot", what shows up in the public library is a link to the page.

In cases where someone needs to record multiple versions of a page as it changes over time (like I'm having my students do for a current project), a snapshot is essential for sharing the data of the captured item.

(Disclaimer: If Zotero does already do this and I've missed it somehow, I would love very much to hear about it.)

fcheslack · November 3, 2009

For syncing purposes between clients, snapshots should behave like other files. Making snapshots available on the website is a bit complicated and we don't have a timeline right now for when this might happen.

zachwhalen · November 4, 2009

I understand why sharing a snapshot through the web interface would be more complicated than a single file, just thought I'd put it out there as a request.

However, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to share snapshots through a group library. Why would the sync operation from group member to group member be different than from client to client?

Or, is it supposed to work this way and I've uncovered a bug? (Currently, if I attach a snapshot to an item in a group library, other members of that group -- even if they have file editing privileges -- are unable to view that snapshot. They would get the message "The attached file could not be found.")

dstillman · November 4, 2009

As fcheslack said, snapshots should behave like other files for syncing between clients. So if they're not, then something is wrong.

Have you confirmed that new single files in your group libraries are available from other computers and new snapshots are not? If so, we'll need a Debug ID for both syncing and trying to open a snapshot from one of the other users.

fbennett · December 9, 2009

Snapshots seem to be populating through to clients just fine for us here.

I'll second the thought that making snapshots available via the website along with files would be very elegant and nice, though. When a Zotero group is used to distribute class readings, it would then be possible for students to access materials from machines that do not have Zotero installed, until they get up to speed on the use of the client.