Unable to delete attachments in a group library

smallfrys
I'm trying to delete attachments in 2 Group Libraries, but when I right-click on a PDF for example and attempt to select "delete selected item from library", the option is grayed-out. Oddly, the option is selectable in all my items under "My Library."

I can copy all the items to "My Library" and then delete the attachments there, followed by copying the items back to the Group Library. However, I have papers whose citations used the original items under the Group Libraries. I am guessing this would wreck all those citations and force me to re-cite them, or is that not the case?

I don't care about losing the attachments locally, I just want to free up space from my Zotero storage and keep my citations intact.
  • dstillman
    1) Are you sure you have editing permissions for the groups? (You're not syncing from the account you're posting from, so I can't check.)

    2) Are you sure it's an imported PDF and not just a link to a PDF?
  • dstillman
    You would need file editing access for the group, not just regular editing access. But note that, if you're not the owner of the group, it's not counting towards your Zotero storage anyway.
  • smallfrys
    edited July 16, 2011
    1) I am the owner of the group. I used this account since the other account has my last name in it, and I didn't really want that used for my posts. I can pm it to you if you like.

    2) They're definitely full PDFs.
  • dstillman
    E-mail your syncing account name and the group name to support@zot....org, with a link to this thread.
  • dstillman
    Also the name and Date Added of the attachment item you're clicking.
  • smallfrys
    Done, thanks!
  • dstillman
    File editing is disabled for both of those groups. This currently will have the effect of preventing you from removing file attachments.

    If you want to get rid of them, turn those options back on, sync, remove the attachments, sync, and then disable the options again.
  • smallfrys
    "Any group member" is selected, under Groupname==>Settings==>Library for both groups (under "Who can add, edit, and remove items from this group's library?"). I had disabled group storage under "File Editing," but that was when I was trying to fiddle around with the settings. I have since re-enabled it, and I still can't delete the attachments. Is there somewhere else I should be looking?
  • dstillman
    Did you sync after changing the setting?
  • dstillman
    And the only setting that matters for this is the File Editing setting. You had that disabled when I checked an hour ago.
  • smallfrys
    Yep. Do I need to reboot or exit out of Firefox in between?
  • dstillman
    You shouldn't need to, but you should certainly try restarting Firefox if you haven't yet.

    If that doesn't work, disable file editing for the groups, then reenable it, and then provide a Debug ID for the next sync.
  • smallfrys
    I'm still having the issue after restarting Firefox. I did the other things and the ID is D1943543219.
  • dstillman
    That all looks fine to me. Are you by any chance trying this within Unfiled Items or a saved search within the group library? If so, just do it from the main view or a collection.
  • smallfrys
    I was doing it on a saved search after seeing advice to find attachments that way in another thread. Fixed--thanks!

    The vast majority of the storage space was being taken up by snapshots. If I disable file storage for each group, can group members still add items/citations to the Group Library? Or do I have to tell each member to change their settings to not automatically add snapshots?
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