Upgrade StorageMAC - MOVING ZOTERO FROM LOCAL STORAGE TO ICLOUD
Dear all,
I moved my zotero folder to my Icloud to have better sync but now if I open Zotero app it says "The Zotero database cannot be opened.Make sure you have read and write permissions for all files in the Zotero data directory and that security software isn’t preventing Zotero from accessing that directory.Data Directory: /Users/myname/Zotero"
the problem is that the directory should be changed, do you know what can I do?
Thanks
I moved my zotero folder to my Icloud to have better sync but now if I open Zotero app it says "The Zotero database cannot be opened.Make sure you have read and write permissions for all files in the Zotero data directory and that security software isn’t preventing Zotero from accessing that directory.Data Directory: /Users/myname/Zotero"
the problem is that the directory should be changed, do you know what can I do?
Thanks
You should move it back to the default location.
- you could use icloud for file sync with the pdf files in the external folder (like icloud or Dropbox) with Zotfile plugin (but then you cannot preview them in ipad/ios app)
- if you really need to use icloud (which is discouraged by developers) you could change the path for zotero folder somewhere in the settings/preferences
https://notarocketscientist.xyz/posts/2022-10-04-using-zotero-with-icloud-as-the-storage/
I'm just starting to use Zotero and I'd like to know if this solution seems satisfactory to the specialists because I don't understand why the developers advise against linking Zotero/iCloud (where I've already stored many files that I'd like to integrate into my Zotero library... )
Thank you!
https://www.zotero.org/support/sync#alternative_syncing_solutions
https://www.zotero.org/support/sync#alternative_syncing_solutions
The last para there says:
"Alternatively, you can use a symlink to sync only the storage directory from your Zotero data directory using the external sync service. This will sync your attachment files without touching the main Zotero SQLite database. This is an advanced technique, and if you don't fully understand how to create symlinks and how they interact with your cloud storage service, you should not use it. This method may also interfere with Zotero's full-text indexing processes, so you may need to take manual steps to index newly added files on some devices."
So as a new Zotero user, it is not advisable. If you are IT savvy and have used symlinks before (eg know how they can break), you might consider it later on when you also understand more about how Zotero works 'under the hood'. And have good incremental backups in place. If you have a large collection of PDFs already in iCloud, you could also consider linked PDF attachments (also described there), noting their limitations (don't work for Groups, on the mobile apps, or the web library).
I will indeed use simple links for my documents already stored in iCloud and wait to better master Zotero before considering other possibilities.
However, I point out that I have had access to a temporary Zotero group library, which included PDFs placed in a Google Drive: they were easily accessible to all members.
To be continued and thank you again!
Also, neither of the mobile apps support linked files.
If a user needs cloud storage of *linked* PDF attachment files, setting a Linked Attachment Base Directory (LABD) only facilitates a rather small element of such a setup - the situation where access to linked PDFs is required on more than one computer using Zotero desktop (linked PDFs don't work for the mobile apps or the web library) AND when those PDFs are at a slightly *different* path location on each computer.
https://www.zotero.org/support/attaching_files#linked_files
https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#linked_attachment_base_directory
A LABD setting only modifies where Zotero *looks* for linked files. It has no effect on where they are stored (but is sometimes misunderstood to affect that). When one contemplates a linked attachment file setup, one typically already has a mechanism in placed to ensure that attachments get *stored* to a cloud-mirrored folder. How that storage is achieved (eg via Zotfile in Zotero v6, or via zotmoov or attanger in Zotero v7, currently in beta) is really the more important issue. That issue requires a good understanding of the difference between Zotero data and Zotero files, and their respective locations and syncing.
https://www.zotero.org/support/sync
The Zotero data directory cannot be stored in a cloud-mirrored folder ...
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/data_directory_in_cloud_storage_folder
To the actual, rather limited role of a LABD setting, if the cloud-mirrored folder for your linked attachment files has the *same* path on each computer, there is no need for a LABD setting. When you try to open a PDF on any computer, Zotero will simply look to the same location on each computer. But set a LABD on each computer if that path is different on each computer.
https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#linked_attachment_base_directory