The problem: 1) I need to link thousands of PDF files, many of them very large, to their EndNote citations. 2) To manage disk space, I occasionally need to move branches of the directory tree where these documents are filed from one divice (disk drive) to another. 3) EndNote does not provide a mechanism for batch-changing the paths to files that have been moved. 4) EndNote’s approach to making files “relocatable” (copying them all into a single folder) is obviously not suitable when the PDF library already occupies more than one disk drive.
I wrote a query about how to solve this problem some time ago but got no replies. (I think I posted it to the wrong group). In the mean time, a more savvy computer jocky than I (my son!) came up with a solution. It is simple and I thought I would share it incase anyone else faces a similar quandry.
The solution he suggested was to use Window’s Network sharing facility. I presume Mac has something similar.
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Select a directory branch that will never expand to exceed a single disk drive’s capacity.
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Right click on this folder, select “Sharning and Security”
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Mark the folder shared “Share on the network” and give it a share name
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In the EndNote File Attachments field, use the path "\[your computer name][share name][path to PDF[name].PDF. For example, on my system this might read [\PIL\Authors_A-C\AA\Aartsen_1988.PDF](file://pil/Authors_A-C/AA/Aartsen_1988.PDF)
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The share name “Authors_A-C” can now be moved anywhere on the computer and EndNote File Attachment link will still work.
Pat