[Question] Organising your PDF files

**marcel** · 11-10-2011, 11:13 AM

Organising your PDF files

How do you organise all those pdf files you've got?

I'm still looking for some good software for that.

I've read a while ago people use I-tunes with some adjustment
to do the job.

Suggestions welcome.

**keithp** · 11-10-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcel

Organising your PDF files

How do you organise all those pdf files you've got?

Great question! I am almost finished with "pre-requisite" readings of texts, and was having similar thoughts as I prepared to delve into the journal articles.

Thanks in advance to those who share their systems/apps.

Respectfully,
Keith

welcome nowhere · 11-10-2011, 02:21 PM

I use Mendeley Desktop. Pretty easy, renames files for me, uploads them for access elsewhere, and I can share journals with colleagues.

http://www.mendeley.com/

**marcel** · 11-10-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welcome nowhere

I use Mendeley Desktop. Pretty easy, renames files for me, uploads them for access elsewhere, and I can share journals with colleagues.

http://www.mendeley.com/

Is it capable of gathering text info from within these pdf files,
so that I can organise based on keywords?

In other words can it function as a search engine and organise files based on a search:

If I want all my files which are relevant let's say to the neuromatrix to be automaticaly
placed in a folder "neuromatrix"? Will this program do that job?

joebrence9 · 11-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Bookends for Mac's is pretty good. It will also cite as you write, link to pubmed and other databases, etc....

**Diane** · 11-10-2011, 03:44 PM

I have Endnote, which supposedly can create a bibliography, but I'm still far too disorganized to use it properly.

TexasOrtho · 11-10-2011, 06:43 PM

Zotero (only integrates with firefox) is similar to EndNote but in my experience a bit more user friendly. It will rename any pdf according to it's metatdata. You can specifiy which metadata is used (author-date-journal-etc). This is the best I have right now.

welcome nowhere · 11-10-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcel

Is it capable of gathering text info from within these pdf files,
so that I can organise based on keywords?

In other words can it function as a search engine and organise files based on a search:

If I want all my files which are relevant let's say to the neuromatrix to be automaticaly
placed in a folder "neuromatrix"? Will this program do that job?

yea, it will function as a search engine. you can either manually tag files for quick access, or you can just use the search feature and it will search title, author, and content for any search words.

it will not create multiple folders though. the feature is there, but is very limited right now to author, year, title, or journal. no customization as far as i know, but i havent played around with that. i found i havent needed to keep them in subfolders like i used to since the program does all the work for me as far as searching.

**Jason Silvernail** · 11-10-2011, 07:22 PM

I use EndNote for citation and writing. I haven't found another tool that does as much as it does. However, that is just citations.
I have seen and trailed a program for Mac called "Papers" that does just what Marcel is looking for. It doesn't have the citation and writing ability that EndNote does, but is better at pdf organization.

I have heard good things about Mendeley but haven't used it. I have some limited experience with Zotero and it was positive.

I will probably use Papers based on experience to date, and then EndNote for writing. Not a perfect solution but a start. My search for something that has powerful pdf management tools and citation and writing ability has me asking too much of most of what is out there currently.

**Mabo** · 11-10-2011, 10:03 PM

http://www.mendeley.com/features

There are demo's how pdf-import works

Marc

TexasOrtho · 12-10-2011, 01:10 AM

I'm going to check out mendeley. Zotero has promise but being open access, it is still pretty developmental. It's been great for writing papers, but that's a whole other ballgame to organizing pdfs.

Some developer is going to make good money on a solution to this.

**John W** · 12-10-2011, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Some developer is going to make good money on a solution to this.

It's rather surprising to me- as ubiquitous as word processing is- that no one has developed one yet.

I think the software geeks are too busy over-engineering search engines and the next version of Windows.

**bernard** · 12-10-2011, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasOrtho

Some developer is going to make good money on a solution to this.

What's your needs? is a complex question to answer.
It is quite easy to use database and queries to seek informations. I think the actual software give too large results (as here) or too poor answers relative to our asking.

If you give some degree of freedom to the search function then you'll have a lot of answers.

But a database that sorts authors, date, journal, titles, and some keywords is a very easy task.

Marc · 12-10-2011, 08:17 AM

I use Yep on my Imac, and Benubird PDF on my pc with success. They're both free and customizable.

**Diane** · 12-10-2011, 03:38 PM

Looks like Yep costs, not free..

Marc · 12-10-2011, 03:52 PM

Ho yes, sorry. But this one is. It is an older version but it runs under lion.

**Diane** · 12-10-2011, 04:05 PM

Thank you! I'm downloading it now.

**marcel** · 12-10-2011, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc

I use Yep on my Imac, and Benubird PDF on my pc with success. They're both free and customizable.

Am giving Benubird a try but seems you need to go trough more than a few manual steps before you're ready.

thomas_c · 12-10-2011, 09:36 PM

Any Linux-users around? So far I only found Referencer and it's actually made for GNOME. Is there any program specific for Xfce?
Thanks

Edit: Just found out that Mendeley is also available for Linux.

Marc · 13-10-2011, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcel

Am giving Benubird a try but seems you need to go trough more than a few manual steps before you're ready.

As usually with windows ...

but when it is set, and the right keywords are used, it works.

11-10-2011, 11:13 AM	#1
marcel SomaSimpler Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: The Netherlands, Amsterdam Posts: 275 Thanks: 22 Thanked 34 Times in 10 Posts	Organising your PDF files Organising your PDF files How do you organise all those pdf files you've got? I'm still looking for some good software for that. I've read a while ago people use I-tunes with some adjustment to do the job. Suggestions welcome. __________________ Marcel "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards". Lewis Caroll

11-10-2011, 02:21 PM	#3
welcome nowhere Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 47 Thanks: 5 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I use Mendeley Desktop. Pretty easy, renames files for me, uploads them for access elsewhere, and I can share journals with colleagues. http://www.mendeley.com/ __________________ Brett Peters, DPT

11-10-2011, 03:27 PM	#5
joebrence9 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 435 Thanks: 148 Thanked 229 Times in 104 Posts	Bookends for Mac's is pretty good. It will also cite as you write, link to pubmed and other databases, etc.... __________________ Joseph Brence, DPT "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds" - Albert Einstein Blog: www.forwardthinkingpt.com

11-10-2011, 03:44 PM	#6
Diane Human Primate Social Groomer and Neuroelastician Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Weyburn Sask. Posts: 19,664 Thanks: 1,484 Thanked 3,178 Times in 1,561 Posts	I have Endnote, which supposedly can create a bibliography, but I'm still far too disorganized to use it properly. __________________ Diane www.dermoneuromodulation.com SensibleSolutionsPhysiotherapy HumanAntiGravitySuit blog Neurotonics PT Teamblog Diane Jacobs.com (personal website) Canadian Physiotherapy Pain Science Division (Archived newsletters) Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division Facebook page @PainPhysiosCan WCPT PhysiotherapyPainNetwork on Facebook @WCPTPTPN Neuroscience and Pain Science for Manual PTs Facebook page @dfjpt SomaSimple on Facebook @somasimple "Rene Descartes was very very smart, but as it turned out, he was wrong." ~Lorimer Moseley “Comment is free, but the facts are sacred.” ~Charles Prestwich Scott, nephew of founder and editor (1872-1929) of The Guardian , in a 1921 Centenary editorial “If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you, but if you really make them think, they'll hate you." ~Don Marquis "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" ~Roland Barth "Doubt is not a pleasant mental state, but certainty is a ridiculous one."~Voltaire

11-10-2011, 06:43 PM	#7
TexasOrtho Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Huffman, TX Age: 41 Posts: 1,319 Thanks: 278 Thanked 212 Times in 82 Posts	Zotero (only integrates with firefox) is similar to EndNote but in my experience a bit more user friendly. It will rename any pdf according to it's metatdata. You can specifiy which metadata is used (author-date-journal-etc). This is the best I have right now. __________________ Rod Henderson, PT, OCS "To teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced" - Parker Palmer

11-10-2011, 07:22 PM	#9
Jason Silvernail Clinician and Researcher Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kandahar Province, Afghanistan Age: 39 Posts: 4,078 Thanks: 110 Thanked 535 Times in 181 Posts	I use EndNote for citation and writing. I haven't found another tool that does as much as it does. However, that is just citations. I have seen and trailed a program for Mac called "Papers" that does just what Marcel is looking for. It doesn't have the citation and writing ability that EndNote does, but is better at pdf organization. I have heard good things about Mendeley but haven't used it. I have some limited experience with Zotero and it was positive. I will probably use Papers based on experience to date, and then EndNote for writing. Not a perfect solution but a start. My search for something that has powerful pdf management tools and citation and writing ability has me asking too much of most of what is out there currently. __________________ Jason Silvernail DPT, DSc, FAAOMPT Board-Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Fellowship-Trained in Orthopedic Manual Therapy Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist The views expressed in this entry are those of the author alone and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the US Government.

11-10-2011, 10:03 PM	#10
Mabo SomaSimpler Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leuven Age: 58 Posts: 149 Thanks: 377 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	http://www.mendeley.com/features There are demo's how pdf-import works Marc

12-10-2011, 01:10 AM	#11
TexasOrtho Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Huffman, TX Age: 41 Posts: 1,319 Thanks: 278 Thanked 212 Times in 82 Posts	I'm going to check out mendeley. Zotero has promise but being open access, it is still pretty developmental. It's been great for writing papers, but that's a whole other ballgame to organizing pdfs. Some developer is going to make good money on a solution to this. __________________ Rod Henderson, PT, OCS "To teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced" - Parker Palmer

12-10-2011, 08:17 AM	#14
Marc Effer Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: France Normandie Age: 55 Posts: 1,808 Thanks: 42 Thanked 81 Times in 46 Posts	I use Yep on my Imac, and Benubird PDF on my pc with success. They're both free and customizable. __________________ Kay'1 "Il est plus aisé d'être sage pour les autres que de l'être pour soi-même." William Shakespeare

12-10-2011, 03:38 PM	#15
Diane Human Primate Social Groomer and Neuroelastician Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Weyburn Sask. Posts: 19,664 Thanks: 1,484 Thanked 3,178 Times in 1,561 Posts	Looks like Yep costs, not free.. __________________ Diane www.dermoneuromodulation.com SensibleSolutionsPhysiotherapy HumanAntiGravitySuit blog Neurotonics PT Teamblog Diane Jacobs.com (personal website) Canadian Physiotherapy Pain Science Division (Archived newsletters) Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division Facebook page @PainPhysiosCan WCPT PhysiotherapyPainNetwork on Facebook @WCPTPTPN Neuroscience and Pain Science for Manual PTs Facebook page @dfjpt SomaSimple on Facebook @somasimple "Rene Descartes was very very smart, but as it turned out, he was wrong." ~Lorimer Moseley “Comment is free, but the facts are sacred.” ~Charles Prestwich Scott, nephew of founder and editor (1872-1929) of The Guardian , in a 1921 Centenary editorial “If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you, but if you really make them think, they'll hate you." ~Don Marquis "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" ~Roland Barth "Doubt is not a pleasant mental state, but certainty is a ridiculous one."~Voltaire

12-10-2011, 03:52 PM	#16
Marc Effer Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: France Normandie Age: 55 Posts: 1,808 Thanks: 42 Thanked 81 Times in 46 Posts	Ho yes, sorry. But this one is. It is an older version but it runs under lion. __________________ Kay'1 "Il est plus aisé d'être sage pour les autres que de l'être pour soi-même." William Shakespeare

12-10-2011, 04:05 PM	#17
Diane Human Primate Social Groomer and Neuroelastician Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Weyburn Sask. Posts: 19,664 Thanks: 1,484 Thanked 3,178 Times in 1,561 Posts	Thank you! I'm downloading it now. __________________ Diane www.dermoneuromodulation.com SensibleSolutionsPhysiotherapy HumanAntiGravitySuit blog Neurotonics PT Teamblog Diane Jacobs.com (personal website) Canadian Physiotherapy Pain Science Division (Archived newsletters) Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division Facebook page @PainPhysiosCan WCPT PhysiotherapyPainNetwork on Facebook @WCPTPTPN Neuroscience and Pain Science for Manual PTs Facebook page @dfjpt SomaSimple on Facebook @somasimple "Rene Descartes was very very smart, but as it turned out, he was wrong." ~Lorimer Moseley “Comment is free, but the facts are sacred.” ~Charles Prestwich Scott, nephew of founder and editor (1872-1929) of The Guardian , in a 1921 Centenary editorial “If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you, but if you really make them think, they'll hate you." ~Don Marquis "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" ~Roland Barth "Doubt is not a pleasant mental state, but certainty is a ridiculous one."~Voltaire

12-10-2011, 09:36 PM	#19
thomas_c Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Germany Posts: 18 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Any Linux-users around? So far I only found Referencer and it's actually made for GNOME. Is there any program specific for Xfce? Thanks Edit: Just found out that Mendeley is also available for Linux. Last edited by thomas_c; 12-10-2011 at 09:44 PM.

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