Zotero 2: Advanced Zotero Workshop

How to Restore

Uninstall directions for linked attachments setup:

1) Zotero>Preferences>Sync>

Under file syncing, re-select: Sync attachment files to Zotero

 

2) Zotero>Preferences>Advanced> Files and Folders

Under Base Directory:

Choose “Revert to absolute paths”. This will give you a dialog  box. Saying yes will convert them back

Clear/delete path in base directory so that it is blank:

 

 

3) Tools> Zotfile Preferences>General Settings>

Source folder for attaching new files back to blank:

 

4) Tools>Zotfile preferences> General Settings> Location of Files

Reset to:

Attach stored copy of files

Clear/delete path that is in custom location bar

 

5) Sort Zotero library by attachments.

Highlight/ Select all items with attachments:

 

 

6) Zotero>Tools> Manage Attachments

Choose “convert linked files to stored files”:

 

 

The links will turn back into PDFs:

 

 

7) Important final step!: After your attachments are successfully moved back to Zotero (the will no longer have links icons next to them) be sure to delete all of the attachments that are in your dedicated Dropbox Zotero Attachments folder, or to delete that folder in it's entirety.

This is because if you don't, and later you decide you want to go back to the linked attachments method (and transfer your attachments back to Dropbox), your files will exist in duplicate and will cause a great deal of confusion especially in regard to any annotations you may give them!

To avoid this, once your attachments are back in Zotero, erase the copies that exist in the Zotero Attachments folder. Or even better, delete that folder in Dropbox.