Export and Rename PDF file

Hi Eugene,

Thank you for your question!

Citavi can already rename the PDFs in local Citavi projects with the short title of the reference.

If you are working with a cloud project, please use this add-on to export your attached files.

Kind regards,

Jana

Hi, João Mendes here,

I've been searching for this in Citavi but it isn't possible the way i see it because Citavi do not uses the metadata to rename or structure pdf files like Zotero or Mendeley does.

I like to save my files based on its type (e.g. book, article, etc). I can accomplish this in those references managers with no problem, at least in Zotero.

With the built-in add ons i can only use the "Categories" to carry out a structure that i do not want. I can't even select wich categories i want to export.

The work around its to create a "type" struture-like in groups, select and export them manually and do it every time. I do not know but i don't have the setting option along side "locations" on the "Tasks and Location Tab", only on the preview windows along side title "References" (Free Citavi v.6.3).

Citavi is great and its different because it uses a Knowledge repository that no one has implemented and it makes very easy to related reading, annotations and then writing the final outline but...

It's a mess because outside of Citavi. If the metadata is there why it isn't possible to do it? There is no sense in mixing up all files like it is the easiest way to bring some tedious to the client side.

I can create custom bibliographies groups by going on the tab "Citation" and it uses some metadata to archive this. Why there isn't a similar process to structure pdl's like that?

The organization inside Citavi is important and i like it a lot but if the same organization isn't reflected outside of Citavi, "the pain" its there because Citavi only acts as the front-end.

I saw a system variable option related to the export files path by going on File->This project. Can i use a system variable to carry out something like that?

I guess if Citavi do not uses properly the metadata to export and re-sctruture files i would be thinking on using Pandoc to relate my .bib metadata and that system variable option there to carry out that. I guess it is possible, i' do not know. Unfortunately i don't have the time to dig in on a solution.

In Zotero there are built in variables that relate the metadata to structure the files. Please consider adding a system like that or uses one similar one, the one that Citavi uses to create bibliographies but to structure files.

Mendes.

Hi João Mendes,

Thanks for your message.

As you are using Citavi 6.3, would you please install the update to the current version of Citavi (6.4 [Build 6.4.0.35])? If you don't see an automatic update notification in Citavi, you can download the Setup from https://www.citavi.com/download. Double-click the Citavi6Setup.exe file to start the installation. Your Citavi projects, license key, and settings will not be affected by the update, and it's not necessary to uninstall Citavi before installing the update.

I will come back to your points in the following:

1) PDF renamed by short title

With Citavi PDF files can only be renamed with the short title of the reference.

This short title is by default created using the last name of the author, followed by the year of publication, then a dash, and then the first few words of the title. The system, how the short title is created automatically, cannot be changed. However, this missing feature is already listed on our internal wish list for our developers.

Currently, you can only change the short title of a reference manually so that Citavi uses this new short title to rename the PDF file.

2) Add-on "Export Attachments to a Folder Tree"

The mentionded Add-on does use the category structure in your project for the folder structure. To export just the PDFs of a certain category, please create a selection of it before the export: https://www1.citavi.com/sub/manual6/en/index.html?quick_select.html

3) PDF options

It is correct that you do not see the gear icon (to rename PDF files etc.) on the "Tasks & locations" tab.

4) Organising PDF files outside Citavi

If you use a local project, all PDFs are saved in your attachments folder. There is no need to create a folder structure or certain naming scheme, as you organize, manage and search the PDFs within Citavi.

Citavi is a reference management softare, with the aim to create a publication and bibliography. A document management software might better suit your needs?

I will try to suggest some alternative ways to achive your goal:

There is the option, to create the PDF file structure manually on your computer, and then to just link the PDF files to the references in your local project.https://www1.citavi.com/sub/manual6/en/index.html?linking_a_file_to_a_reference.html

Please note that this is not possible in cloud projects. In cloud projects, all PDFs are saved in the cloud which you cannot access on your computer (it does work in a different way as you'd expect it from cloud storage services like Dropbox etc.).

Thank you very much for your time and feedback!

Kind regards,

Jana

Hi Jana,

Thank you for reply,

If it is important for some people to collaborate by exporting new pdl's with annotations or highlights made in Citavi. It is important to keep its files organized too because not everyone uses Citavi.

And it's not about using a document manager, Zotero and Mendeley are like Citavi reference managers and they understand this and how important it is to have your "back-end" organized while doing collaboration or even to keep your files organized. Citavi is only the front-end.

I guess i can use that linking system to [manually] work around, thank you for mentioned it. Unfortunately the rename system its manual too if i wanna a custom name. The option to edit the short title was introduced in CItavi v.6.4 too? I can see it in version 6.3.

It would be great to have a renaming system based on metadata fields that the user can select to rename the files.

Also why i can't open more than one pdf in full screen ? It automatically changes the one opened while trying to open another pdf in full screen. I can understand this because it introduces some consistent by not having too many opened. But is this the purpose of not allowing to open more than one in full screen?

Citavi is great, do not get me wrong, on other thinks of course, he puts some of their contestants in the corner by integrating a knowledge organization system and by having a custom way to manage the visualization panels. Its the best that Citavi has in my opinion. But consider in working on remaning and file organization because the metadata its there for Citavi to use.

Have a good day,

Mendes

Hi Mendes,

Thank you for your fast reply and your explanation about your team work on PDFs.

I am glad that linking the files is a workaround for you.

Here we show you the steps how to export your PDF annotations so that other users can see your Citavi annotations if the open the PDF file in another PDF viewer: https://www1.citavi.com/sub/manual6/en/index.html?exporting_pdf_annotations.html

The option to manually change the short title you will find here (also in earlier versions than Citavi 6.4): https://www1.citavi.com/sub/manual6/en/index.html?short_titles_citations_and_citation_keys.htm

While I can assure you that your wish to change the renaming system is on our road-map, I'm afraid I do not yet have an accurate time of arrival to communicate.

The option to organize PDFs within the attachments folder occording to e.g. document type like Mendeley does is also included in our list. I have added your vote for this feature.

You can open multiple PDFs in full screen by pressing the Shift-Key when you click the full screen button in the preview.

Thank you very much for your valuable feedback!

Wishing you a nice day,

Jana