Zotero setup

This is a guide on how to setup zotero using cloud storage to save all the pdf documents. I am using pCloud since it works as a drive and does not take disk space. The drawback is that for this to work you need to be connected to the internet—which is 98 % of the time for me. So, if you plan using Zotero while offline most of the time this requires tweaks, or might be better to use other service.
Ok, besides cloud storage, this configuration requires the installation of third-party plugins as well (listed below).

Setup

1. check cloud storage
2. download and install Zotero
3. download and install plugin::Zotfile
4. download and install pluggin::BetterBibTex
5. go to Edit > Preferences > Advanced > Files and Folders
   1. on Linked Attachment Base Directory change the Base directory to your cloud folder
   2. on Data Directory Location leave the default
   3. go to Tools > ZotFile Preferences
   4. on Location of Files change Custom Location to your cloud folder (the same as in 5)
6. create automatic backup file
7. go to File > Export Library
   1. select the Format to be Better CSL JSON
   2. check Keep updated

configuration of plugins

To avoid conflicts beween papers (i.e. same citation key name and pdf file name) these are my tweaks to:

• Zotfile: (%F-)(%)_(%s|%j)_(%e), replace ‘()’ for ‘{}’
• BetterBibtex: Citation Key formula is auth+year

tricks

select a reference, then press ctrl/cmd+shift+c, and then paste to have the complete reference. very useful to quick share references on e-mails

Happy reading! 📑

other plugins

These are the other plugins that I have installed to help me out:

• zutilo perform batch tasks
• doimanager help manage DOI
• zotodo integration with Todoist
• night-theme self explanatory