Inconsistency : Update Library command

[CharlesCollin91]

Hi there,

I've been performing quite a number of tests with the plugin and still have difficulties with consistency.

I've created a folder/collection to my Zotero from which I made the BetterBibTex.Json file (options checked : Export Notes, Keep updated). I've added 10 files (pdf) to that folder, and in Obsidian execute the command Create/update literature note > Entire library, (which create10 new MDnotes) without any issue.

Now that I add another pdf to my Zotero collection, in Obsidian I execute the command Update Library so normally it gets added as another MDnote. (My settings for Update Library are set to : Create new notes when missing).

But nothing happened... (90% of the time nothing happens), but I observe, and can't find out why, sometimes it creates the MDnote normally executing that command.

So 90% of the time when adding new pdf to my Zotero collection, instead, I have to execute the command Create/update literature note > Entire library. And frankly, I don't know if its the good way to do it?? I hesitate to use it as it updates / over-writes everything (even if my settings save manual edits are set to : select selection.).

I might need a little light on this. What is the way to add new documents in Zotero and sync it into Obsidian?

So far, I found the utility of the Update Library command, for when I modify / add / substract Notes in Zotero (using : add note from annotations). its further well updated ("sync") in Obsidian (90% of the time).

Regards,
-CC

[vautrin93]

Same issue here

[stefanopagliari]

@CharlesCollin91; @vautrin93

If you select to Create/Update a note and select the entire library, the plugin will process all the entries.

If you select to Updatenthe whole library, the plugin will only process those references where the "modified date" as exported by Zotero in the json file is after the date when the this command was run the last time.

Does this explain the potential inconsistencies?

If not, I will test this further and report back

[CharlesCollin91]

Hi Stefano,
Thanks for coming back.
I'm not sure to understand exactly what you mean. I'm a bit confused.

What is exactly happening when you run the command Update library (set to 'creates new notes when missing')? The behavior I would instinctively expect is :
1- Every new .pdf I add to my collection (or the .json), would automatically be imported into Zotero.
2- If I make modifications within zotero in a pdf > then re-extract annotation > Then in Obsidian, Run the command Update library, it will re-import the new note annotations.

Also tonight for instance I try to add 2 new pdf to my zotero collection, annotate them, add note from annotation, > Then in obsidian run command Update library or even Create/update literature note > Entire library, and nothing happened ... So I don't know what is going on.

Tell me if you find something! I would love to see that incredible plugin working like a charm :) !

[stefanopagliari]

If you add a new pdf to Zotero, extract/update the note in your collection, then Create/update literature note > Entire libraryshould extract this to Obsidian (provided that the new notes have been exported into the json file). I will check on my end why this is not the case.

Update Library looks at the "modified date" field on each entry and only updates those where this date is after the last time the same command it was run. I'm not sure whether editing an annotation always changes this parameter or rather this is responsive to changes in the metadata.

[CharlesCollin91]

Thank you for that explaination, I will then keep then using Create/update literature note > Entire library. And for small modifications inside zotero to annotations, I will use Update Library

Talking about inconsistency, I experienced another wierd behavior that I took a video of to show it:
https://we.tl/t-BwVO6H3SrG (30mb video can't link it directly sorry)

As you can see, the only thing I'm doing is only deleting the files and then re-execute the command Create/update literature note > Entire library. Each time (in an interval of only few second) it import a different # of items.

I'm quite confused!
Thanks for the help,
-CC