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sync [2022/07/13 05:25] – [Syncing In Practice] dstillman | sync [2023/07/18 21:07] (current) – [Alternative Syncing Solutions] dstillman |
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Zotero file sync should work with any correctly functioning WebDAV server. Zotero developers cannot provide support for third-party WebDAV servers. | Zotero file sync should work with any correctly functioning WebDAV server. Zotero developers cannot provide support for third-party WebDAV servers. |
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==== Linked File Attachments ==== | |
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In your personal library, you can also sync Zotero files across computers using [[attaching_files#File_Copies_and_Links|linked files]]. Rather than attaching stored copies of files to Zotero items, you can attach links to files stored in a cloud-sync folder, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. When using linked attachments, you should set up Zotero's [[:preferences/advanced#linked_attachment_base_directory|Linked Attachment Base Directory]] feature so that Zotero can find your files on each computer, even if the path to the cloud-sync folder differs. The [[plugins#attachment_file_management|ZotFile plugin]] can make managing linked attachments easier by automatically moving attachment files to a designated folder as you import them. | |
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See [[#alternative_syncing_solutions|Alternative Syncing Solutions]] for more details. | |
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Linked files cannot currently be used in group libraries. | |
===== Syncing In Practice ===== | ===== Syncing In Practice ===== |
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If you want to use Zotero data syncing but use an external service to sync just your Zotero attachment files, you have a couple options: | If you want to use Zotero data syncing but use an external service to sync just your Zotero attachment files, you have a couple options: |
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- The easiest method is to use [[attaching_files#stored_files_and_linked_files|linked files]], rather than stored copies of files, and to store only your attachment files in the externally synced folder. The [[plugins#attachment_file_management|ZotFile plugin]] can make this simple by automatically moving attachment files to a designated folder as you import them. You should also set up Zotero's [[:preferences/advanced#linked_attachment_base_directory|Linked Attachment Base Directory]] feature to point to the same folder so that Zotero can find your files on each computer, even if the path to the cloud storage folder differs. | - The easiest method is to use [[attaching_files#stored_files_and_linked_files|linked files]], rather than stored copies of files, with only your attachment files in the externally synced folder. The [[plugins#attachment_file_management|ZotFile plugin]] can make this simple by automatically moving attachment files to a designated folder as you import them. You should also set up Zotero's [[:preferences/advanced#linked_attachment_base_directory|Linked Attachment Base Directory]] feature to point to the same folder so that Zotero can find your files on each computer, even if the path to the cloud storage folder differs. |
- Alternatively, you can use a symlink to sync only the ''storage'' directory from your Zotero data directory using the external sync service. This will sync your attachment files without touching the main Zotero SQLite database. This is an advanced technique, and if you don't fully understand how to create symlinks and how they interact with your cloud storage service, you should not use it. | - Alternatively, you can use a symlink to sync only the ''storage'' directory from your Zotero data directory using the external sync service. This will sync your attachment files without touching the main Zotero SQLite database. This is an advanced technique, and if you don't fully understand how to create symlinks and how they interact with your cloud storage service, you should not use it. This method may also interfere with Zotero's full-text indexing processes, so you may need to take manual steps to index newly added files on some devices. |