Upgrade Storage[Plugin] Zotero Folder Drop Importer: Import nested folder hierarchies into collections
Hi everyone,
I have created an open-source plugin for Zotero called Zotero Folder Drop Importer (current version: 1.1.0-alpha.3).
What it does:
It allows you to import entire directory structures into Zotero collections, automatically preserving folder hierarchies as nested collections and importing all PDFs within them in a single step.
Key features:
- Preserves folder structures as nested collections
- Multiple import methods: Drag and drop folders onto Zotero, File -> Import Folder..., or right-click any collection and choose "Import Folder Here..."
- Safe deduplication based on filename and file size
- 100% offline and local: no background watchers, no network requests, no telemetry, and never modifies or deletes source files
- Multi-folder drop safeguards and progress controls with safe stop
Links:
- GitHub: https://github.com/suraj1kc/zotero-folder-drop-importer
- Release (.xpi download): https://github.com/suraj1kc/zotero-folder-drop-importer/releases/tag/v1.1.0-alpha.3
- Blog Post: https://surajkatwal.com.np/blog/building-zotero-folder-drop-importer/
Feedback, bug reports, and suggestions are very welcome!
I have created an open-source plugin for Zotero called Zotero Folder Drop Importer (current version: 1.1.0-alpha.3).
What it does:
It allows you to import entire directory structures into Zotero collections, automatically preserving folder hierarchies as nested collections and importing all PDFs within them in a single step.
Key features:
- Preserves folder structures as nested collections
- Multiple import methods: Drag and drop folders onto Zotero, File -> Import Folder..., or right-click any collection and choose "Import Folder Here..."
- Safe deduplication based on filename and file size
- 100% offline and local: no background watchers, no network requests, no telemetry, and never modifies or deletes source files
- Multi-folder drop safeguards and progress controls with safe stop
Links:
- GitHub: https://github.com/suraj1kc/zotero-folder-drop-importer
- Release (.xpi download): https://github.com/suraj1kc/zotero-folder-drop-importer/releases/tag/v1.1.0-alpha.3
- Blog Post: https://surajkatwal.com.np/blog/building-zotero-folder-drop-importer/
Feedback, bug reports, and suggestions are very welcome!
I’m really grateful to you for this development. My previous plugin no longer worked with Zotero 8–10, and I really need to be able to import entire folders into Zotero.
After a few tries, it seems to be working quite well.
So, thanks, and keep up the good work…
Have a great day, and best regards,
Thomas
That is a useful plugin. There has already been another plugin which did something like that but yours has additional features and is more convenient to use.
I just noticed two minor issues with it:
1) Once it is enabled, I cannot use drag & drop anymore for making an item in my library a child item of another item. For example: I have a PDF file that was not recognized properly during import into Zotero. Then, I create a new reference item for it with all metadata by using the integrated function in Zotero or by using the Zotero Connector plugin in my web browser. After that, if I want to drag & drop the "orphaned" PDF file in my library/collection onto the newly created reference item to which it belongs, this only works properly if I temporarily disable "Zotero Folder Drop Importer". This is what I do for now as the solution to this issue. I don't know if this can be fixed or whether this is an interference that I have to live with.
2) After disabling "Zotero Folder Drop Importer" because of the issue above, right-clicking stops working. By this, I mean that right-clicking on any item in Zotero does not show the context menu any longer. To solve this, I can either leave "Zotero Folder Drop Importer" disabled and re-start Zotero, which makes right-clicking work again, or I just re-enable "Zotero Folder Drop Importer" again. Then, context menus appear again by right-clicking.
Best regards and keep up the good work!