PDFs do not open locally after Sync on new device

jraths
Hi,
I synced my library because I am using a new computer.
I am on a payed plan.
Now I have the following problem:

Some of the pdfs appear in my library, but I cannot open them locally (see screenshot https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u7459231/zsoqckjpiup8kljtz3vg.png)
I can only open them online.

I even see the notes I made in some pdfs, but still they do not open (see screenshot:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u7459231/zkyy2sghl4v442bztf1l.png)

This looks like a sync problem, how do I solve this?
If its not possible to solve, can I tell zotero to search for the missing pdfs online and replace them automatically?

Thanks for the support!




  • dstillman
    https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/files_not_syncing

    You're close to your storage quota, so additional files may just not have synced.
  • jraths
    Great, thanks. Turns out they were not synced. As I do not have access to the previous PC (broken) there is no chance to still do the sync.

    1.
    Is there a way to automatically fetch the now missing pdfs? Just found a thread from 2017 where it is stated zotero would be working on that functionality.

    2.
    Is it possible to automatically implement the apparently saved comments into the new pdfs (see second screenshot above)?
  • jraths
    edited 5 days ago
    [Merged from a new thread]

    My plan ran out before I changed computer. Now I have tons of issues with pdfs appearing in the connected to my entries, but when I click on them I get an error (file could not be found).
    I am on a subscription again, but the problem persists.

    1. Is it possible to regain all the missing documents? The only functionality I found was manually deleting the pdf entries and reattaching (manually because also the automatically fetching of documents using right click --> "find text" does not work or is incredibly slow (yes, URL, DOI and everything available)).

    However this way all comments on the pdf are lost which is terrible.
    2. Is it possible to automatically implement the apparently still saved comments into the new pdfs?
  • dstillman
    edited 5 days ago
    [Merged from a new thread]

    See Files Not Syncing. You just have to sync the computer where the files actually exist, now that you have storage space, so that the files get uploaded. Just adding a subscription doesn't magically make files available online that were never uploaded to begin with.
    The only functionality I found was manually deleting the pdf entries and reattaching
    There's no reason to do this unless you no longer have access to the computer where you were using Zotero previously. OK, sounds like that is indeed the situation.
  • dstillman
    edited 5 days ago
    Please don't create new threads for the same issue, even if you haven't received a response — it just makes it harder for us to help you. Just post to your original thread if you've been waiting for a response.

    I've merged this back into this thread.
  • dstillman
    edited 5 days ago
    right click --> "find text" does not work or is incredibly slow (yes, URL, DOI and everything available))
    We could debug "incredibly slow" separately, but Find Full Text won't show up if there's already a PDF attachment, even if there's no locally available file. That also wouldn't preserve existing annotations. So that's not what you want to use.

    To keep annotations, you need to keep the original attachment items. Open either the PDF via the attachment link (if it still works) or the original page via the DOI field on the parent item, download the PDF to disk, try to open the file in Zotero, and then use Locate in the File Not Found dialog to select the PDF you downloaded. It will be automatically copied into the correct location in your Zotero data folder, and you should be able to open the PDF in Zotero with annotations. You can then delete the PDF in your downloads folder.
  • jraths
    Thank you very much for the support and sorry for the double threat!

    The reattachment workaround you proposed is also faster than when I copied the files to the individual repository myself :)
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