Error Message when trying to open my files

cwiborg · 2024-11-09T16:03:52+00:00

Hello!

Below is the error message I am receiving after trying to open my files in Zotero. Everything is synced and I have unlimited storage. When I select to 'locate' the file, it states, ".zotero-ft-unprocessed" in the file search.

Error:

"The attached file could not be found at the following path:

C:\Users\cwibo\Zotero\storage\PFLE37V4\Silverstein and Bengtson - 1997 - Intergenerational Solidarity and the Structure of .pdf

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 zotero.org."

The Zotero 'more information' is not helpful because it lacks the understanding of my issue. I have thousands of files, please help so I do not have to re-download all of them.

Thank you in advance.

dstillman · 2024-11-09T23:10:40+00:00

The message is correct, as is the page it links to. Why do you think it isn't?

If you're getting that message, the file doesn't exist on this computer, which means it either never existed on this computer or something deleted it outside of Zotero. It's almost certainly the former, in which case you'll need to follow the Files Not Syncing steps linked from that dialog.

dstillman · 2024-11-09T23:14:03+00:00

It looks like you switched from 2GB to unlimited storage today, and you're still only using 2 GB. So you haven't synced the computer where the files exist now that you have more space. Upgrading your storage doesn't somehow make files available on other devices that haven't been uploaded in the first place.

This is all covered on the troubleshooting page linked from the dialog.

cwiborg · 2024-11-10T14:08:34+00:00

Hello,

I have done all of the troubleshooting steps, as I mentioned, and I am still getting the error. My files are synced with no syncing errors.

adamsmith · 2024-11-10T14:31:04+00:00

See step 5, read it closely and provide the requested information

cwiborg · 2024-11-10T15:58:41+00:00

Here is some of the Debug ID output, I am still having issues:

[additional errors removed — D.S.]

(3)(+0000004): Remote file not found for item 3/JPNKPCR4

(3)(+0000005): Download request 3/JPNKPCR4 finished

(3)(+0000005): Notifier.trigger('download', 'file', [12744]) called [observers: 4]

(3)(+0000004): Download failed -- opening existing file

(2)(+0000010): Attachment file 'C:\Users\[…]\Zotero\storage\JPNKPCR4\Benner et al. - 2021 - Parent and teacher educational expectations and ad.pdf' not found

adamsmith · 2024-11-10T21:08:15+00:00

(generally please post debug output IDs, not just excerpts) What that debug says is that you're trying to open a file that's neither online nor on the computer you're trying to open it from -- in other words, it's on another computer that likely hasn't successfully synced yet. That's the first line in the troubleshooting:

Sync the device where you added the file. Unless you deleted the file outside of Zotero, you will still be able to open it on that device. After syncing, check for a sync error in the Zotero toolbar.

If you have done so and you still don't see those files syncing, troubleshoot from that device.

cwiborg · 2024-11-11T14:28:24+00:00

I only have this computer so I am unsure where else it would need to sync from. I have not deleted any files. Is there any other steps I can take to troubleshoot?

dstillman · 2024-11-11T15:04:14+00:00

See what I said above:

If you're getting that message, the file doesn't exist on this computer, which means it either never existed on this computer or something deleted it outside of Zotero.

So either you added it on another computer or you did something to your local Zotero files (e.g., moving the Zotero data directory incorrectly or wiping your local OS install and syncing from scratch). If this is a new computer, you would need to sync your previous computer where the files actually exist.

But this isn't a problem in Zotero. There's literally no code in Zotero to delete files outside of Zotero without the attachment item in Zotero being deleted.