How to export PDF with annotations?

augustaugust
edited February 18, 2025
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/annotations_in_database says "You can export a copy of the PDF with annotations embedded by using File → “Export PDF…” from the library view or “Save As…” from the PDF reader. (To export the original file, drag the attachment item from the items list to your filesystem or use right-click → Show File and copy the file from there.)"

Using this option creates a file with a `Draw` annotation. But any `Text` annotation is missing. Is this a known issue?

macOS 15.3.1
Zotero 7.0.11 + 7.1-beta.14+2e9b9d407
  • martynas_b
    1. Does this issue occur with all PDF files?
    2. If you export a PDF file with multiple annotation types, are text annotations the only ones missing in the export, while other annotations are properly displayed in the same file?
  • augustaugust
    Did some additional testing:

    - text highlights do get exported
    - added scribble which also gets exported
    - added Text annotation and that also got exported

    So we may be looking at a file corruption and not a general problem.

    One example file to reproduce the issue is collections/EJ84FHK6/items/47YYBHJ7 the other files in that folder are also affected.

    Is that helpful to understand what is going wrong?
  • martynas_b
    Could you send the PDF file to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?
  • augustaugust
    mail is out
  • augustaugust
    This is not limited to the specific file. Reproduced in a new PDF with lots of Text annotations. Only a single text annotation and the scribble annotations exported. Other text annotations were all missing.
  • martynas_b
    So far, I can’t reproduce the issue.

    If you add another copy of the file you sent to your library and create a text annotation with the text ‘test,’ does it export properly? If so, certain characters in the text you enter might be triggering the issue. It would be helpful to identify the exact cause by gradually adding more text to the PDF and checking the exported file each time.
  • augustaugust
    edited February 25, 2025
    Sorry, should have done more testing and added proper repro steps to my intial report. Here we go:

    Repro steps
    - add unedited file to Zotero 7.1-beta.15+45310397e on macOS
    - adding many text annotations in various size on zotero desktop works fine, all text annotations are exported as expected, issue not reproducible on desktop
    - add text annotations on android, Zotero 1.0.0-130
    - wait for file to sync back to desktop, export from desktop, where all text annotations do show, but exported file lacks all text annotations

    Reproduced on Android 15 and second device Android 13.1.

    Any text annotation done on android, synced back to desktop and exported from desktop does not show in the exported file. All text annotations were consisting of normal alphabet letters, no special characters involved.
  • martynas_b
    Thanks for identifying the issue. It will be fixed in the next update of the Zotero beta version.
  • augustaugust
    Thank you - looking forward to test the fix.
  • augustaugust
    Resolved in 7.1-beta.18+679de040e - thanks a lot!
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