I hav efound that there are two ways to use online Endnote and have a synced local library.
First, I can go online, enter a new reference, upload an attachment then sync with my local libary.
The second way is to open the local library, enter the new reference and then syc. Problem with this method is that I then have to go online to upload the attachments and then when I sync I have two attachment pointers in the local reference one local and one on line plus I have 2 copies of the file one local and one in C:/…Endnote/lib/pdf.
Can the process be improved so that if I have a local file attachment when I sync the file is automatically uploaded and secondly, there is only one set of files showing in “file attachment” unless the online and local files are different?
With default desktop settings, you should be able to add attachments either in the online library or in the desktop library and when you sync the same attachment will be in both.
This relies on the desktop library having the attachments stored in the library’s .data folder (relative links), not somewhere else on your system (absolute links). The setting that controls this is controlled in ‘Edit/Preferences/URLs & Links’, the tick box at the bottom of this dialogue (default is ticked).
If you have removed this tick, the desktop library will point to the original location of the PDF, rather than copy it to the .data folder and point to it there. These attachments do not get uploaded to the online library when you sync but they will remain attached in the desktop library.
Regardless of this setting, any attachments made in the online library will be added to the .data folder when you sync.
So the only way to stop the situation you describe happening is the make sure the setting is ticked. If you are concerned about EndNote desktop copying the original PDF and hence you having two on your system, delete the original one after attaching it.