# Zotero
url:: https://www.zotero.org
Zotero is a free open-sourced reference manager that integrates well into both Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and with a little Mdnotes magic, [[Obsidian]].
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# # Extensions
- [[Better BibTex for Zotero]]
- DOI Manager
- [[Mdnotes for Zotero|Mdnotes for Zotero]]
- Zotero Libre Office Integration *(default; don’t use)*
- Zotero Word for Mac Integration
- ZotFile
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# # Getting notes into Obsidian
*This is an incomplete workflow, but I wanted to document how I at least pull things into Obsidian.*
- [[Mdnotes for Zotero|Mdnotes]] exports directly into ![[folder.svg|13]] **01 Inbox** folder.
- From there, I scan the export data and add a couple of custom values, and ensure that I have the abstract (if available/applicable)
- Custom values includes adding keywords. This is an important part of my process, because I go through existing ![[folder.svg|13]] **40 Atomic** keywords, and think about what new topic or sub-topic notes I need to make. This is an act of reflection and connection, and in my opinion, should not be automated.
- I then move the note into its respective ![[folder.svg|13]] **50 References** folder based on item type.
- I prefer to do this manually, even though I could set up a [[Hazel|Hazel]] automation for it. (Maybe I will in the future.)
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# # Tags
- Can do manual entry (including multiple lines that turn into individual tags) or automate.
- Suggests based on tags already in the library
- Tags act as filtered views; multiple tags can be selected for further filtering
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# # Temporary problem
On macOS, as of [[2021-08-28]], the beta no longer works with Mdnotes. While I could just use a stable version, the beta version has a clipper for Safari that has been quite handy to my workflow. I’m not ready to give it up.
To counter this, [5.0.97-beta.38+f27432347 (Mac download)](https://download.zotero.org/client/beta/5.0.97-beta.38%2Bf27432347/Zotero-5.0.97-beta.38%2Bf27432347.dmg) still works.[^1] Apparently this was supposed to have been resolved, but upon testing on [[2021-09-10]], it doesn’t seem to work with Mdnotes.
I have turned off auto-updates by setting `app.update.auto` and `app.update.enabled` to `false` for the time being.[^2]
[^1]: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/91449/add-ons-broken-in-the-latest-beta-version-bbt-zutilo-etc
[^2]: https://github.com/wshanks/Zutilo/issues/203