download pdf on new device

wwdok
I use zotero(version=6.0.30) on computer A, now I want to use zotero on computer B, I have synced the data, but when I try to open a pdf on computer B, it says “The attached file could not be found at the following path. It may have been moved or deleted outside of Zotero, or, if the file was added on another computer, it may not yet have been synced to or from zotero.org.”
Supposed the pdf is stored in A:\D\zotero_root\storage\9ZUBM4NZ on computer A, why not zetore just create new same directory (B:\D\zotero_root\storage\9ZUBM4NZ) on computer B, and then download the pdf from the web on the fly just like saving the paper at the beginning when user try to open the pdf ?
  • tim820
    See:
    https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/files_not_syncing
  • wwdok
    I saw https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/files_not_syncing, but this does not have the answer I wanted. zetero seems provide two ways to sync pdfs : Zotero Storage and WebDAV, Zotero Storage has limited storage, webdav configuration is complicated (I tried this, but not succeed completely). I thank sync pdf is not necessary, because zotero can download the pdf on new device if zetero has the pdf download link (I think zetero has stored the pdf download link). I don't know if zetero 7.x if support this feature, if not, will you add it in the feature ?
  • adamsmith
    No, Zotero doesn't necessarily have the download link for PDFs (they may require authentication, they may not be permanent links, etc.) and no, Zotero will not add that as a feature. That's what file sync is for, sorry that doesn't work for you (and to be clear, Zotero file Storage is not limited; *free* Zotero file storage is limited)
  • wwdok
    In my practice, I installed the zotero browser extension, and often save the paper in arxiv website, zotero will automatically download the pdf by the way, so in such case, the pdf download link should be accessiable all the time. I think it will be better if zotero provide such mechanism that zotero will automatically download the pdf into new computer according the download link (if failded, just skip and print out the message).
  • Astro_max
    I do agree. This would be useful to avoid pointlessly storing things online when they can be downloaded as needed. There are many websites with a permanent link to the .PDF in free access (Arxiv, ADS, ...).
    And I don't understand, how is this not the same as when we initially click on the zotero connector in ADS without logging in? The pdf can be downloaded in the same way.

    If someone wants an alternative meanwhile: I use syncthing to sync the folder containing the PDFs on all my computers.
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