Upgrade StorageZotero 7 - evolution?
Hi there,
I'm sorry. Yes, I know Zotero is for free, but still I would like to state some concerns.
I just update to Version 7 and to be honest, I'm a little bit shocked (Got the impression Microsoft might be involved ;-) ) since the GUI is improved, looks nice and shiny but unfortunately my whole workflow and method of using Zotero are suddenly broken. I hope that most of the issues will be solved in Version 7.1 but still I would like to mention some of my frustrations:
1. Using Zotero on Linux, even though the setting is to use the "system's" PDF application when opening files,.. it does not.
2. If I rename an attached PDF to the actual name by the metadata it does not work, still keeps deafult name.pdf in the gui (although not in file system)
3. I cannot attach the "latest files" (or is it the most recent?) anymore via context menu
4. If I select the "tags" section in the right sidebar and changed the files it "jumps back" to Info; annoying if you need to change tags in several files. (BTW: why can't I just select many entries if I change the same metadata field?)
5. Open Snapshots to mark texts to get the notes is really great, but has no one thought about an "unmarking" or "undo" (CTRL+Z did not work here)?
Ok, these were "just" annoying but now we come to the show stoppers leaving be no choice but going back to version 6:
5. "send to tablet" is gone. That was THE feature.
6. Using Obsidian, the import dialogue line need now a mouse click and additional keyboard strokes. Why?
And finally something I really do not understand: Why is not every command by default equipped with a short cut. I have so many work steps I do over and over again and every time I habe to use the mouse instead of just pressing CTRL+XYT.
Ok, waiting for 7.1 and hoping for the best...
I'm sorry. Yes, I know Zotero is for free, but still I would like to state some concerns.
I just update to Version 7 and to be honest, I'm a little bit shocked (Got the impression Microsoft might be involved ;-) ) since the GUI is improved, looks nice and shiny but unfortunately my whole workflow and method of using Zotero are suddenly broken. I hope that most of the issues will be solved in Version 7.1 but still I would like to mention some of my frustrations:
1. Using Zotero on Linux, even though the setting is to use the "system's" PDF application when opening files,.. it does not.
2. If I rename an attached PDF to the actual name by the metadata it does not work, still keeps deafult name.pdf in the gui (although not in file system)
3. I cannot attach the "latest files" (or is it the most recent?) anymore via context menu
4. If I select the "tags" section in the right sidebar and changed the files it "jumps back" to Info; annoying if you need to change tags in several files. (BTW: why can't I just select many entries if I change the same metadata field?)
5. Open Snapshots to mark texts to get the notes is really great, but has no one thought about an "unmarking" or "undo" (CTRL+Z did not work here)?
Ok, these were "just" annoying but now we come to the show stoppers leaving be no choice but going back to version 6:
5. "send to tablet" is gone. That was THE feature.
6. Using Obsidian, the import dialogue line need now a mouse click and additional keyboard strokes. Why?
And finally something I really do not understand: Why is not every command by default equipped with a short cut. I have so many work steps I do over and over again and every time I habe to use the mouse instead of just pressing CTRL+XYT.
Ok, waiting for 7.1 and hoping for the best...
Most of the points you make do not affect me but the last point about shortcuts resonates: I can no longer just press SHFT-CTRL-Z to open a new tag, because Zutilo doesn't work any more. But really it shouldn't take an independent developer to provide what is surely basic functionality?
2. See this: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/451124/#Comment_451124 - You are confusing filename with Attachment Title. Once you appreciate that an item can have more than 1 PDF attachment, it makes a lot of sense. For example, I use zotero to review papers, which may have a PDF for the manuscript, and PDFs for the Tables. I like to have that control for the Attachment Title.
3. Can't comment as I haven't used this feature.
4. Double click or Right click - > Pin section to keep it pinned between files.
5. Not familiar with that.
The other 2 I think are plugin features, and need to be requested to the plugin developers of the respective plugins.
https://github.com/wileyyugioh/zotmoov
https://github.com/MuiseDestiny/zotero-attanger
Neither has Send to Tablet, but zotmoov can currently facilitate a more manual version of that. Since Zotero now has mobile apps, plugin developers have not seen Send to Tablet as a priority.
*manual steps to check plugins before upgrading from v6 to v7 ...
https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/116639/plugin-checking-before-migrating-to-zotero-v7
1 has been a long running issue in various ways: Linux doesn't have a reliable way to access system standard tools.across distros. You can look through some existing threads and documentation to find some places.to check.
There are dozens of threads on 2. 3 I don't think many people were using in Zotfile, so I don't think that's currently coming back. 5 is being discussed for zotmoov.
(Btw, this "Got the impression Microsoft might be involved ;-" isn't a good look.)
I would like to stress again that I fully value and appreciate that I can use Zotero for free (btw: If there is a place to donate something let me know) but naturally (in this case) I look at it as a pure customer and as such I wonder that I (in my case) have almost no benefit of the new version but just problems and i appears to me that a lot has just vanished or be complicated.
I would like to elaborate on some points a little more:
1. Using in my case the standard application Okular with Zotero on Linus Mint 22 worked fine in Zotero 5 and 6, but thakns for the link, dstillman, I will have a look!
2. I agree to gustms' comment about the difference between filename and attachment - basically. But If I export (in my case send to tablet) the file, the name means nothing anymore if it is not renamed by metadata. And it was like this in Zotero 6. Maybe using suffixes for the files would then be a good idea (even if it is just "_1", "_2" etc. Or using other additional metadata fields to distinguish the attachments?
3. and 5. Yes, as mentioned, they came with Zotfile. But Zotfile is a depricated plugin since when? It still was possible to use it with Zotero 6 (even with a warning). Why not in Zotero 7? And, btw, why must it be a plugin at all?
4. That one was clearly my stupidity. Thanks to gustms again for pointing out the right function!
6. The point here ist that with Zotero 6 I use the Obsidian connection, a popup appeared with a text field, I started writing, I pressed ENTER and the file was processed.
Now the popup appears, lost focus, I have to select with mouse clicks ... just inconvenient and Obsidian has not changed.
And shortcuts... well I would like to be able to use a software just with keyboard..
I did a roll back to Zotero 6 and hope for 7.1 ;-)
Still great tool despite my complaining...