This guide will take you through the steps to install and setup syncing of files between multiple computers running Zotero.
Table Of Contents:
First install the appropriate version of Zotero for your OS.
Simply download the installer, execute it and follow the instruction. Link.
The easiest way is using the community maintained Zotero Deb Package:
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/retorquere/zotero-deb/master/install.sh | sudo bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y zoteroThe first time you open zotero a browser will open and take you to the extension download page. Install the extension for your browser. This will allow you to easily add new material to your library.
Open a browser and go to zotero.org.
Click on Login and then Register for a free account:
Fill in the form with a Username and Password and click Register.
Open Zotero and click the Sync with zotero.org button:
A pop up will appear aking you to sign in:
Then fill in the form with the username and password you created earlier:
Click again on the Sync with zotero.org button and wait for the sync to finish.
SyncThing is a continuous file synchronization program. It synchronizes files between two or more computers in real time.
To simplify usage in windows download the SyncTrayzor utility. It provides a system tray icon, autostart on boot, and a GUI app without needing to open a browser.
Go to releases, and install the latest one.
When done, open the SyncTrayzor GUI by searching for it in the windows search bar.
Follow the instructions to install via the apt package manager: apt.syncthing.net.
Then to allow autostart on backup open a terminal and run the following lines:
sudo systemctl enable syncthing@$(whoami).service
sudo systemctl start syncthing@$(whoami).serviceThis will start SyncThing whenever the computer is turned on.
To open the GUI management app open a browser and open http://127.0.0.1:8384/
Add all the computers that you want to sync your Zotero library with. Let sync computer A and B, which computer is which is irrelevant as this is a distributed syncing system.
-
Open the GUI for SyncThing in Computer A and click on
Actions > Show ID:
-
Copy the id (shown as
XXXXXX-XXXXXX-X...)
-
Open SyncThing GUI in Computer B and click
+ Add Remote Device:
-
Input the Device ID obtained from Computer A and give it a recognizable name:
-
Finally open the GUI in Computer A and accept the connection.
The previous steps will create a folder that will sync across all the devices that you add. The synced folder's location is:
- Windows -
C:\Users\<your-username>\Sync - Linux -
/home/<your-username>/Sync
Finally inside this folder create a folder named Zotfile. E.g. /home/<your-username>/Sync/Zotfile.
Zotfile is a plugin to better manage files in Zotero.
In our case we want Zotfile to put all the material's PDF's in the same folder and then sync that folder.
Go to Zotfile's release page and download the latest plugin file,
e.g. zotfile-5.1.2-fx.xpi.
Open Zotero and click on Tools > Add-Ons:
In the Add-Ons panel you can see you installed plugins and add new ones, click on the setting wheel then Install Add-on from file...:
Then select the downloaded .xpi file. Restart Zotero.
Then click on Tools > ZotFile Preferences..., this will open the ZotFile settings:
In Location of Files click Custom Location and fill the field with the path to
the folder created in the Zotfile Sync folder step.
To prevent errors with path names in different computers tell zotero to only check file paths relative to the synced folder.
In the Zotero main screen click on Edit > Preferences,
and in The Zotero Preferences menu click Advanced > Files and Folders:
Then in the Linled Attachment Base Directory click on Choose...
then again select the folder created in Zotfile Sync folder.
WARNING: Sci-Hub is a site that could be used to access copyrighted material without the proper rights. Check your specific legislation and University Code.
You can set Sci-Hub as a backup PDF search repository. If Zotero isn't able to correctly extract the pdf from the site ot will search it on Sci-Hub.
In the Zotero main screen click on Edit > Preferences,
and in The Zotero Preferences menu click Advanced > General > Config Editor:
This allows to configure more in depth settings, as such a warning might pop up.
click I acccept the risk. Don't worry we wont change anything important.
A list of config parameters will appear.
Click on the search bar and type findPDF, the following results will appear:
Click on extensions.zotero.findPDFs.resolvers.
A text box will apear with only [].
Delete it and copy and paste the following text:
{
"name":"Sci-Hub",
"method":"GET",
"url":"https://sci-hub.se/{doi}",
"mode":"html",
"selector":"#pdf",
"attribute":"src",
"automatic":true
}And that is all! Now your Zotero is setup to easily find and sync pdf attachments for all your research needs.