Syncing and Using Google Drive

psycoperl
Due to multiple reasons (Needing to read and work via Mobile Device (iPad); number of files; and, the size of all the files) I want to use Google Drive to hold the actual PDFs. However, I would like to also see the library information via the web. Is there a way to not have the actual PDFs uploaded to Zotero storage while still being able to see the citation/content information?
  • bwiernik
    edited January 30, 2019
    Yes, use the Zotfile plugin. See the first option listed here https://zotero.org/support/sync#alternative_syncing_solutions
  • psycoperl
    You mention the Zotfile plugin, I have that installed. However, how would I use it to accomplish this?

    Also, how can I be sure that what is in the shared folder (i.e. if I updated or annotated the file via a tablet or other program) is actually what is shown in Zotero?
  • bwiernik
    Follow the instructions under the first option listed here to set up Zotfile to work with Google Drive to sync your files https://zotero.org/support/sync#alternative_syncing_solutions

    With linked files/Zotfile, all that is stored in your Zotero database is the path to the file stored in Google Drive. When you open the file via Zotero, it opens the file in Google Drive (which is being kept in sync by the Google Drive sync engine). To be sure that your files are updated, be sure that Google Drive is working on each computer.
  • sdd53
    Works like charm ! This guide I found after visiting many websites searching for zotero with third party cloud sync
    - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325828616_Tutorial_The_Best_Reference_Manager_Setup_Zotero_ZotFile_Cloud_Storage
  • NEGU93
    It works, however, it is not working for my shared/group libraries. Anyone knows why?
  • dstillman
    Linked files aren't available in groups. They likely will be in a future version (once there's support for a per-group linked attachment base directory).
  • NEGU93
    I will like the functionality that group members doesn't necessary have the attached pdf. In that case they would be able to follow what I am reading and if they are interested they could search for the pdf themself.

    I use the group library to share what I read with my PhD director. He does not read the library very often, is just to follow my work.

    Can I ask for this feature formally? Or shall I only use the forum?
  • CMKONRAD
    But does the guide posted by sdd53 work for also viewing on the Zotero app on an iPhone? Or just multiple computers? The instructions don’t seem to address that
  • tim820
    edited 9 days ago
    @CMKONRAD the guide you mention (which now seems to be a 2024 update of a 2018 original ?) simply describes a cloud-based, "linked" PDF files setup across multiple computers, facilitated by Zotmoov. Since linked PDF files are not accessible from the Zotero mobile apps (nor in Groups or the web library), it doesn't help with PDF access in those apps. If you really want a linked file "workaround" that allows PDFs to be read/annotated in an *external* PDF reader on mobile devices, Zotmoov recently added a way to do that. It's similar to (now-obsolete) Zotfile's Send/Get From Tablet operation, which pre-dated the Zotero mobile apps. See the Zotmoov github site for instructions (although that particular functionality will be most easily understood by those who previously used Zotfile to do the same thing). It is necessarily clunky but it can be made to work.
  • CMKONRAD
    thanks for the follow up @tim820 - do you know if annotations made in Zotmoov are carried over into Zotero?
  • adamsmith
    Zotmoov doesn't create annotations. The answer you're looking for is likely a qualified yes, but you'd have to say more about what you're doing/planning to do.
  • tim820
    To be clear, if you want to use linked files to facilitate PDF access in an external PDF reader on a mobile device (because you can't use Zotero syncing/mobile apps for some reason), you can either have *all* your PDFs saved as linked files, or just some that you want to access on your mobile device from time to time (which you will move back and keep in local Zotero storage after that use). Zotmoov can facilitate either approach.

    If your linked file folder (eg Google Drive) is accessible on your mobile device, then you can load that PDF into any PDF reader there (just not into the Zotero mobile app reader, which cannot access linked files).

    Any annotations you add to the PDF with that reader will be saved to the file. Back in Zotero desktop, the annotations in that linked PDF file will be visible in the Zotero PDF reader but locked (like all PDF-embedded annotations); but they can be removed from the file and imported to the Zotero database (like any annotations added in the Zotero reader). Zotmoov can help automate that import. If you only want to move *some* PDFs into the cloud-mirrored folder to facilitate mobile access (but not keep them there as linked files), Zotmoov can also help with moving them back into local Zotero storage.
  • CMKONRAD
    Thanks for the responses @adamsmith and @tim820, but maybe there's a nuance I'm missing to reconcile your two responses - Zotmoov does or doesn't let you add annotations (e.g. highlights, comments)? @tim820 am I correct in taking your reply to mean that I could add highlights and comments in Zotmoov and automate those annotations being imported to editable annotations in Zotero to be viewed on my desktop?

    Essentially what I want is to be able to view and annotate my PDF from Zotero on my computer and my iPhone (and maybe my iPad), without having to pay for unlimited synching (since my library exceeds the free limit), and have the annotations made on any device be available & interactable when viewed on any other device. I was starting to look into webdav options for this, but it sounds like Zotmoov might be an easier solution?

Sign In or Register to comment.