Sonny Software

Thank you for the import feature for Zotero refs! Unfortunately, the instructions didn't work for me. It says here https://www.sonnysoftware.com/support/version-history:

Facilitated importing from Zotero Desktop
You can repeatedly import from Zotero by creating a special watch folder that notifies Bookends when it detects an export. To do this, assign a folder action item to a folder (e.g. one on the Desktop). To do this, right-click on the folder and select Services -> Folder Action Setup, then click the Run Service button when prompted. Tick the checkbox "Enable Folder Actions" and the ones next to the name of the folder and the script "Bookends - Import Zotero export.scpt". Close the window. In Zotero, select the references to export, right-click, and choose "Export Item(s)…". In the export dialog select the format "RIS", and under Translator Options check the other items you want Bookends to import (Export Notes, Export Files, Include Annotations). Export to the Zotero watch folder (do not change the name of the data folder Zotero creates, it must be "Exported References"). Zotero does not provide feedback during the export, so be patient. Once Bookends has been notified, the import will begin and a progress window will keep you informed. Bookends will import the data, move the attachments to the Bookends default attachment folder, and then move the exported data folder to the Trash. If a Bookends static group was selected, the imported references were added to it. Bookends uses the import filter "Zotero RIS.fltr", which adds "Imported from Zotero" to each imported reference's Keywords. You can modify this behavior. If the Zotero attachments are on your local HD, you will have two copies after importing into Bookends, one in the Zotero and one in the Bookends attachment folder. If you no longer want them in Zotero, delete them in the Zotero app or in the Finder.

What did work v1 (for an export that includes files)
- Create a folder named something like `Bookends - Watch folder` and assign the Folder Action as indicated
- Select the references you want to export and **Right-click** on them and choose 'Export items' (unless you want to use File>Export Library and get every reference)
- Select 'Export Files' (and other items if desired) and choose 'OK'
- Name the Zotero export **Exported Items** (not `Exported References` as indicated in the release notes)
- This exports a folder called `Exported Items` which contains `Exported Items.ris` and a subfolder `files` which contains the attachment files


What did work v2 (for an export that doesn't includes files)
- Create a folder named something like `Bookends - Watch folder` and assign the Folder Action as indicated
- Create a 2nd folder (next to `Bookends - Watch folder`, not inside) named something like `Bookends - Zotero Export` (no Folder Action)
- Create a subfolder inside `Bookends - Zotero Export` called `Exported Items`
- Select the references you want to export and **Right-click** on them and choose 'Export items' (unless you want to use File>Export Library and get every reference)
- Don't select 'Export Files' (select 'Export Notes' if desired) and choose 'OK'
- Navigate to the `Exported Items` folder and set the name of the Zotero export to **Exported Items.ris** (not `Exported References` as indicated in the release notes). This will export only `Exported Items.ris`
- Copy the entire `Exported Items` folder into `Bookends - Watch folder`

Note, this is not a synchronization. It creates new items inside Bookends. For synchronization, I have been working with the github project https://github.com/cboulanger/zotero-sync-bookends

Thanks for pointing out the "Exported References" typo (meaning, my mistake). I'll fix the instructions. The rest of V1, though, looks exactly like the instructions given, including the right-click instruction ("In Zotero, select the references to export, right-click, and choose "Export Item(s)"). Is there something else I"m missing.

As for V2 -- that looks like a lot of work for something you can do much more easily:

1. In Zotero, select the references you want to export, right click on them, and don't select Export Files.
2. Export as any file name you want (Exported Items is fine, so is anything else). It will be an .ris file.
3. Drop the .ris file on the Bookends library and the metadata will be imported (no files, of course). If you have more than one enabled import filter with RIS in the name you may be asked which to use for importing -- all will probably work, but the one we ship is RIS.fltr.

Jon
Sonny Software

Brilliant, thank you!

Hi all, I am new to Mellel & Bookends and trying to navigate the relationship bw Zotero and Bookends. For several reasons, I need to use both. So I was trying to set up the option to repeatedly import to Bookends, following the instructions by Sonny Software https://www.sonnysoftware.com/support/u ... rom-zotero

I am unable to make it work. When I to go Folder Action Set Up and hit Run it, what appears to me is a series of scripts from which to choose. I don't understand how to continue with the steps listed in the instruction.


Perhaps related: After I export (again following instructions) my library file from Zotero, I am unable to open the .ris file in Bookends. When I try to add it (import references > from file or clipboard), it's gray and cannot be selected.

thank you for your help!

Please check the folder /Username/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts/

It should contain the script Bookends - Import Zotero export.scpt.

If it's not there, you can find it in the Bookends folder (access from the Help menu), in a subfolder called "Folder Action Scripts". Move a copy of that to the folder used by the system. Now it should be available for you to select.

As for the .ris file -- make sure you have selected RIS as the import filter in that dialog. Or just drop the .ris file onto the library window, Bookends will recognize it as an RIS file.

Jon
Sonny Software

The RIS option is checked.

The file still cannot be read. This is what appears when I run the automatic import. I exported the file as RIS (for sake of exhaustiveness, I tried with different encoding. Same message).
not sure what else to do.

I suspect you are confusing two different kinds of Zotero export (it's they that have two different options, Bookends supports both). (1) Export entire library, (2) Export the selected references.

They work very differently, you can't mix the instructions for importing them. See this page

https://www.sonnysoftware.com/support/u ... other-apps

The two types of export/import are under the headings

One-time importing from Zotero

and

Repeatedly importing from Zotero

If you still have a problem, please contact tech support directly at support@sonnysoftware.com

Jon
Sonny Software

I am not confusing them. I tried both options, for sake of exhaustiveness, and neither works. Nor the single import, nor the Repeatedly one.

Then please contact support at the email I posted.

Jon
Sonny Software