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Zotero Notes or Word Documents?
One of the advantages I see in Zotero is if I am on a research trip transcriptions and notes about a source/record would go directly into Zotero. Without the need to create a separate document.
Back in the day. I typically would create word documents to put transcriptions in and/or notes about a specific document. Sometimes these included parts of a webpage that where copied & pasted. The documents would be stored in the same folder with a digital image of the record if I had one. In other cases, these documents often ended up in a folder called genealogy stuff or 2016 research trip to SLC. As you can imagine they are not easily found.
As I create an entry in Zotero I am thinking I could copy and paste these documents into a note in Zotero or in the case where I have a digital image linked to the source, using the note section of the link to the image to copy and paste the document. On the surface, this seems to be the most logical way to integrate all the information together and eliminate the "piles" of documents floating around in various places on the computer.
Once the document is copied and pasted into Zotero either as a stand-alone note or a note attached to an image is there any reason to keep the separate word document? I am thinking not but wondering if I am missing something before I delete these old documents.
Ann, the Word document could be kept if there is something about the format that can't be handled in a note. You can link to it, and it will act, for all practical purposes, just like a note. If you are pasting things into the Zotero note that have images or tables or formatted text--all of that takes up space in your Zotero allotment of synced storage. If you have purchased unlimited storage, that's no problem. If you're trying to keep your storage below the free level, pasting things with formatted text and pictures into a Word document, then linking it as an external attachment, can keep you from using up your space.
I love keeping it all together from the moment I create it, as you do. If you have to sort and file after you get home--you may not remember you have it, or where you put it.
You can, by the way, link to an empty Word document, then take your notes there--just as though it's a Zotero note. It's always right there with the citation record, while also out on your hard drive.
The sorting after I get home has been the biggest challenge I face. I have 6 or 7 folders of stuff and or labeled such and such trip.
I think I am going to put the information into Zotero and delete the documents. If and when I use up all my free space I may have to purchase more space or move some items out of the notes and back into documents. Looking at the cost of adding space seems to be relatively inexpensive.
My understanding of how the storage works is when you run out of space Zotero just doesn't sync any new information but it is still in the program on the computer. I already move the sqlite files for Genome Mate from my desktop to a portable hard drive when I go on trips to use on a laptop. Moving Zotero's sqlite files wouldn't be that difficult.
Thanks, Donna.
Right, Ann. You don't have to sync to Zotero at all, and everything still resides on your own computer. And the rate they offer for UNLIMITED storage is similar to what I pay for 100 GB a year from Sugar Sync. I'm sure I'll eventually go for the unlimited package myself. And for anyone who is working with a group of people on shared files, it will probably become essential very quickly. The person who first sets it up is the one whose storage is being used. So the others have no incentive to be conservative with the attachments.
Thank you, Donna.
When you say, "You don't have to sync to Zotero." Is there somewhere in the program that you can turn off syncing?
Found it in preferences.
Yes. Go to Edit-Preferences, then to the Sync tab. You can tell it to unlink your account. You also have options, about attachments, which I had forgotten about. You can tell it not to sync those, and keep syncing the citation records. That allows you to have your sources with you when you're on the road, even if you can't get to the attachments. (Or if you are already syncing your documents to a cloud somewhere, you can get to them through your other cloud options.)
I also noticed you could choose different libraries. Do you need to create a group to have a different library? For example, if you wanted a log of all your none genealogy books.
You can create a private group that only you are allowed in, if you want it to appear in the same view. Or you can create a new Zotero login with an alternate email address. So you move from one library to the other by logging out and in.
