Zotero RDF import/export problems with empty collections

[dstillman]

Various problems with importing and exporting of empty collections/subcollections that should be fixed for 1.0.7 (which we need to get out ASAP because of a Fx 3.0.1 compatibility fix):

1) Create a collection with one item, a subcollection with no items, and a subsubcollection with one item. Right-click top collection, export as Zotero RDF, get error:

Error: returnItem.isAttachment is not a function
Source file: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translate.js
Line: 1947

2) Create an empty collection with a subcollection containing one item. Right-click collection, export as Zotero RDF, get error:

Error: this._itemsLeft.concat is not a function
Source file: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translate.js
Line: 1773

This one is probably new since r2998 (since before that it wasn't possible to export collections with no items) and is the least important.

3a) Create the same three levels of collections, with a single collection in each. Export as ZRDF. Import. I get either two or all three items (not sure why I'm getting inconsistent results) in the top collection, along with the item in its appropriate subcollection.

3b) Many users are reporting a problem of imported subcollections being empty, though I haven't seen it myself and don't think we have a simple test case. This may be related to 3a above. It also may have something to do with empty subcollections that contain collections with items. I can try to find a test case if the fix doesn't seem obvious.

[dstillman]

Note that there's some weird UI tree stuff after importing in 3a, but that's cosmetic only.

[simon]

(In [3028]) references #1062, Zotero RDF import/export problems with empty collections

fixed 3A here. the new behavior is to add all imported items to the top-level "Imported <DATE>" collection, but to place the top-level collection below if it has sub-collections

[simon]

(In [3029]) fixes #1062, Zotero RDF import/export problems with empty collections

not sure if 3B is fixed (feel free to re-open if it isn't), but 1, 2, and 3A should now be resolved

[dstillman]

Re: 3A, why should all imported items be added to the "Imported <DATE>" collection if all collections are represented below it? Isn't it enough for the children to go in the imported top-level collection and subcollections that are placed under it and leave the "Imported <DATE>" collection empty?

[simon]

We could do that too, although it seems like there are cases where a user might want to see/search/delete all of the items they just added to their library. Additionally, if a user imports another user's library, with the current structure, the top-level collection is analogous to the "My Library" view when a user imports an entire library.

[dstillman]

OK, that's reasonable. They could also do this with recursiveCollections, which may be a UI option on the collection eventually, but the My Library parallel makes sense.

[stakats]

3B still seems to be a problem on my end. I'll email Simon a zipped copy of my database to verify. Export as Zotero RDF and then import into a new database. Subcollections are empty.

[simon]

(In [3070]) closes #1062, Zotero RDF import/export problems with empty collections

workaround for an inconsistency in collection.toArray()