Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
attaching_files [2019/10/30 15:38] – [File Copies and Links] dstillmanattaching_files [2021/05/15 01:22] – [Stored Files and Linked Files] dstillman
Line 5: Line 5:
 ===== Child versus Standalone Attachment Files ===== ===== Child versus Standalone Attachment Files =====
  
-Files can be added either as //standalone items//, or as //child items// to [[adding_items_to_zotero|regular Zotero bibliographic metadata items]]. It is generally always a good idea to work with files as child items. Standalone files cannot be used with many of Zotero's features, including citing, My Publications, and most types of searching, because they lack bibliographic metadata. +Files can be added either as //standalone items// or as //child items// to [[adding_items_to_zotero|regular Zotero bibliographic metadata items]]. It is generally always a good idea to work with files as child items. Standalone files cannot be used with many of Zotero's features, including citing, My Publications, and most types of searching, because they lack bibliographic metadata.
- +
-If you have standalone files in your library, you make them into child items by dragging them onto a regular Zotero item, using the [[retrieve_PDF_metadata|Retrieve PDF Metadata]] function, or right-clicking on the standalone attachment and choosing "Create Parent Item".+
  
 +If you save a PDF directly to your library, Zotero will attempt to retrieve metadata for it and create a parent item automatically. If the item can't be recognized, you'll be left with a standalone attachment. You can either add a parent item another way (e.g., via the web browser or Add Item by Identifier) and drag the standalone attachment onto it or, if all else fails, right-click on the standalone attachment, choose "Create Parent Item", and enter metadata manually (but this is rarely necessary).
 ===== Stored Files and Linked Files ===== ===== Stored Files and Linked Files =====
  
 Files can be added to your Zotero library as either stored files or linked files. Files can be added to your Zotero library as either stored files or linked files.
 +
 +==== Stored Files ====
  
 Stored files, which are the default, are stored within the [[zotero_data|Zotero data directory]], and Zotero will automatically manage them, including deleting them if you delete the attachment item in Zotero. If you use [[sync|file syncing]], Zotero will automatically sync stored files between devices and make them available in your online library on zotero.org. If you add a stored file from a file on your computer, the file is copied to the Zotero data directory, so you may wish to delete the original to avoid confusion. Stored files, which are the default, are stored within the [[zotero_data|Zotero data directory]], and Zotero will automatically manage them, including deleting them if you delete the attachment item in Zotero. If you use [[sync|file syncing]], Zotero will automatically sync stored files between devices and make them available in your online library on zotero.org. If you add a stored file from a file on your computer, the file is copied to the Zotero data directory, so you may wish to delete the original to avoid confusion.
  
-With linked files, Zotero only stores a link to the location of the original file on your computer. Linked files are not synced, nor are they deleted if the attachment item is deleted in Zotero.+When using Zotero file syncing, you can choose to download stored files only as needed, avoiding the need to download all files to every device. An upcoming version of Zotero will allow you to choose how long to keep synced files on a given computer in order to limit disk space usage, temporarily redownloading files when you need them. 
 + 
 +To use stored files outside of Zotero, you can use Zotero's search and organization abilities to quickly find the relevant items and then either drag the attachments straight from Zotero (e.g., into an email) or right-click and choose Show File to view the files in your file manager. If you prefer to find files without going through Zotero, you can also create a smart folder in your OS to show a list of all PDFs within your Zotero data directory and interact with them directly. 
 + 
 +We generally recommend using stored files for the most seamless experience. 
 + 
 +==== Linked Files ==== 
 + 
 +With linked files, Zotero only stores a link to the location of the original file on your computer. Linked files are not synced, nor are they deleted if the attachment item is deleted in Zotero. They also can't be used within a group library, as there's no guarantee that other group members would have access to the same file location. If you do choose to use linked files, the third-party [[http://zotfile.com/|ZotFile]] plugin can help with an efficient linked-file workflow.
  
-If you have linked files and you are using Zotero on multiple computers, it is a good idea to set the [[preferences/advanced#Linked_Attachment_Base_Directory|linked attachment base directory]] so that linked files can be correctly found on each computer.+If you sync linked files using an external tool (Dropbox, etc.) for use on multiple computers, it is a good idea to set the [[preferences/advanced#Linked_Attachment_Base_Directory|linked attachment base directory]] so that the files can be found by Zotero on each computer even if the containing folder is at a different location in the filesystem.
  
-If you wish to convert linked files to stored files in order to allow Zotero to manage them, you can do so from the File → Manage Attachments menu.+If you wish to convert linked files to stored files in order to allow Zotero to manage them, you can do so from the Tools → Manage Attachments menu.
 ===== Adding Files ===== ===== Adding Files =====
  
Line 36: Line 45:
 == Adding linked files == == Adding linked files ==
  
-  * By default, files dragged into Zotero are added as **copies** of the original files. To instead add **links** to the original files, hold down ''Ctrl''+''Shift'' (Windows/Linux) or ''Cmd''+''Option'' (Mac) while dropping.+  * By default, files dragged into Zotero are added as **copies** of the original files. To instead add **links** to the original files, hold down ''Ctrl''+''Shift'' (Windows/Linux) or ''Cmd''+''Option'' (Mac) while dropping. (On macOS, it may be necessary to allow the Zotero window to come to the front before letting go for the modifier key to take effect.)
  
  
attaching_files.txt · Last modified: 2024/03/05 01:05 by dstillman