Importing Goodnotes annotations to Zotero

llenitaap · 2024-11-26T00:30:22+00:00

I am a new Zotero user, attempting to access/import the annotations I made on my pdfs using Goodnotes. I have successfully imported the pdfs from Goodnotes into Zotero, and I found the instructions to select "File --> Import Annotations." However, when I attempt to do that, "Import Annotations" is grayed out and not selectable. Any advice on how to proceed?

dstillman · 2024-11-26T05:58:19+00:00

It would depend on how Goodnotes saves annotations. If you link to a sample document or email it to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread, we can take a look.

llenitaap · 2024-11-26T15:59:26+00:00

I sure appreciate it! Here is a link to a sample document that I annotated in Goodnotes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18eHBhJhbj81T2BaFHkV6BI5COMatvTh1/view?usp=drivesdk

dstillman · 2024-11-27T04:45:50+00:00

Because those aren't highlights. It looks like you're just using a drawing tool, but that's not creating actual highlights associated with text, so there's nothing for Zotero to extract. Making an actual highlight works like selecting text in any computer program, not like drawing, even if you use a stylus to do it.

llenitaap · 2024-11-27T17:47:40+00:00

I see. So Zotero cannot extract them as drawings?

dstillman · 2024-11-29T10:00:50+00:00

No, there are no annotations in the file — it's completely flattened:

https://support.goodnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/8537070839183-Differences-between-Editable-and-Flattened-PDF-Formats?utm_source=chatgpt.com#differences-between-editable-and-flattened-pdf-formats-0-0

You can try exporting in their "Editable" format, but no guarantee that that would work either.

llenitaap · 2024-11-30T03:00:06+00:00

Okay. Thank you again so much for your help!