I have Zotero installed on three workstations and one laptop. This informs many of the choices I've made when configuring Zotero.

• https://zotero-manual.github.io

Manual first-time configuration of Zotero

• Install the LibreOffice plugin
• install the Firefox connector
• install the ZotFile plugin and configure its settings (see below for details)
• go into Preferences -> Advanced -> Config editor and toggle zotfile.pdfOutline.getToc from TRUE to FALSE (important to not break sync)
• go ahead and sync.

The Zotero Connector for Firefox handles proxying nicely (just remember to enable it, for Uppsala university use %h.ezproxy.its.uu.se/%p) and makes the Firefox add-on EZProxy Redirect Foxified redundant.

Storage of PDFs when using Zotero from two or more computers (ZotFile plugin)

Zotero's storage folder for PDFs (Zotero calls them "attachments") is set in
Zotero -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Files and Folders -> Data Directory Location (on Linux, the default location is ~/Zotero).

This is a very inefficient approach when using Zotero from two or more computers, since the stored PDFs and other attachments can easily occupy tens of gigabytes which will thus occupy that space on each and every computer.
A much better solution would be to move the Zotero attachments directory to a remote filesystem that is accessible from all your computers. Zotero itself does not support this use-case, though. This is exactly the premise of the popular ZotFile plugin.
I rely on it on every day - once configured, it has worked flawlessly for me for years.

• http://zotfile.com/
• https://github.com/jlegewie/zotfile
• http://islamicate-dh.github.io/2016-05-27-set-up-zotero-between-multiple-computers/
• http://geekandgirliestuff.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-computer-fresh-zotero-install.html

Download the latest version of the ZotFile XPI, and install it in Zotero: Tools -> Add-ons Manager -> Install Add-on from File. Restart Zotero.

Make sure to uncheck the following choices under File Syncing (since ZotFile takes care of it now):

• Zotero Preferences -> Sync -> Settings -> File Syncing -> Sync attachment files in My Library
• Zotero Preferences -> Sync -> Settings -> File Syncing -> Sync attachment files in group libraries using Zotero storage

Configure your Zotero "attachments" directory with ZotFile

• In Zotero, Tools -> ZotFile Preferences -> General Settings -> Location of Files -> Custom Location and set it to the root of your PDF directory (in my case, /media/bay/taha/chepec/literature/zotero).
• Set your naming scheme for subfolders in Use subfolder defined by.
• I suggest you enable Tools -> ZotFile Preferences -> Advanced Settings -> [X] Remove special chars from filename.
• Set ZotFile to always rename new PDFs: Tools -> ZotFile Preferences -> Advanced Settings -> Automatically rename new attachments by setting it to Always rename.

In Zotero's own preferences, go to Advanced and set your Base directory to the same directory used for your ZotFile custom location.

If you already have items in your Zotero library, highlight all of them in Zotero's library, and select Manage Attachments -> Rename attachments. ZotFile should do its magic and rename and relocate your entire library to the directory you have configured.

Once you have done this on one computer, you then need to repeat it over again for you other computers. But a faster way is to simply copy the entire Zotero profile directory from your already-configured computer and overwrite the same folder on your other computer - and presto, all your settings are immediately in place. But beware that any Zotero configuration you had in place will be wiped out by such an operation. You might want to make a backup copy of your original Zotero profile directory first.

Known issues

Zotero Firefox Connector fails to import anything into Zotero

Seems something broke with v5.0.101. Downgrading to v5.0.100 has resolved the problem for now.

• https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/421625
• https://www.zotero.org/support/troubleshooting_translator_issues
• https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/connector_zotero_unavailable
• https://www.zotero.org/support/translators

Sync breaks with large notes (>250 kB)

If you have large documents with long and complex table of contents, you might observe Zotero sync errors: The note "Contents" is too long to sync. Shorten the note and sync again.
This is because ZotFile tries to extract the TOC into a Zotero note during sync, and runs into Zotero's limit of 250 kB per note. The fix is to disable TOC extraction: Preferences -> Advanced -> Config editor and toggle zotfile.pdfOutline.getToc from TRUE to FALSE.

• https://github.com/jlegewie/zotfile/issues/394
• https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/70958/the-note-is-too-long-to-sync-shorten-the-note-and-sync-again
• https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/295634#Comment_295634

Not all PDFs sync properly between your Zotero instances

It seems the issue lies in the Renaming. A number of PDFs are in fact still residing in the Zotero (not ZotFile) data directory, and those are thus not available on our second instance.

The issue is resolved by manually issuing the Rename command on that file/document.