What is Zotero?
Zotero (http://www.zotero.org/) is a Firefox extension that allows you to collect, manage, and cite your research sources within a web browser.
Zotero can only be used with Firefox 3.5 and later and Zotero 2.0 beta and later.
To use Zotero with VUE:
- Using Firefox, download and install Zotero from the Zotero site.
- After you’ve installed Zotero you have to install the VUE for Zotero plugin on top of it. VUE/Zotero Plugin
- On the bottom right corner of the browser window, click zotero. Zotero opens.
- In the Zotero Actions menu, select Start VUE. A new tab opens in Firefox with VUE running as an applet.
- If you are prompted to allow the applet access, click Run or Allow. VUE opens.
Bringing in collections from Zotero
There are two methods to bring collections into VUE. The first method adds the collection to VUE, but does not populate the map. The second method adds the collection and populates the map.
- In the Collections pane, right-click the collection and select Send to VUE. The VUE Content window opens.
The collection is now in the Datasets panel, but nothing has been added to the VUE map. - Manually add records to the map.
To add the collection and populate the map at the same time:
- In Zotero, right-click the collection and select Send to VUE and Add to Map. This will repopulate the collection in VUE, adding it directly to the map.
Records can then be clustered by fields in the dataset.
Once you’ve brought the Zotero collection into VUE you can use any of the other standard VUE dataset features.
Add a VUE map to your Zotero collection
- Save the file locally: Select File > Save and save the map locally.
- While running Zotero, select File > Upload to Zotero. The map is added to your currently selected collection.
If file syncing is set up in Zotero, this map will be available to any computer that you log onto with your Zotero account.
To open a map that is saved in Zotero:
- In Zotero, right-click the VUE map and select Open Map in VUE. The map opens in the applet.
If you need more space to work on your VUE map:
- Close Zotero. VUE takes over the screen space and continues to function.
For more screen space, you can also close your Navigation Toolbar (Address bar) on Firefox by right-clicking the Navigation Toolbar and removing the check.
To reopen Zotero
- Click the Zotero button. VUE resizes.
Annotating your Bibliomap with Zotero Notes
One you have mapped your collection in VUE, you can annotate the map with your Zotero notes.
To add notes:
- Right-click the collection and select Add notes to map. The nodes on the map have their Notes updated with the notes from Zotero.
Annotating your Bibliomap with Zotero Links
If you have already established relationships among the items in your Zotero collection or cross-collections, you can annotate your VUE map once you have mapped the collection with those relationships.
To add links (relationships):
- Right-click the collection and select Add relationships to map. The relationships or links are now represented in the VUE map.
Other notes:
- Dockwindows hide when you change tabs to something other then VUE when running as the zotero plugin, this does not happen when running as a standard applet.
- URLs in Zotero items are mapped to resources in VUE.
- Only one instance of VUE can be running at a time so if the plugin detects VUE is already running the “Start VUE” menu item changes to “Bring VUE to Front”
Videos:
Installing Zotero, starting VUE (Note hopefully Zotero 2 with be final by the time we release)
http://screencast.com/t/CZrzaSsKKQ
Adding a Collection to VUE from Zotero
http://screencast.com/t/Y5KaSwCX2X8
Saving a map to zotero
http://screencast.com/t/oK1QeRXm
Opening a map from Zotero
http://screencast.com/t/XEyKkaNhAe4F
Getting more work area for VUE
http://screencast.com/t/T52f5yQf
Annotating your Bibliomap with Zotero Notes
http://screencast.com/t/WYOvR9BkNJj1
Annotating your Bibliomap with Zotero Links
http://screencast.com/t/DVSU3ixF9x3W