Recently, I changed from JabRef to Endnote 7, and found that Endnote doesn’t offer an easy or straightforward way to sync its reference libraries via Dropbox. In fact, Endnote appears to discourage users from using Dropbox to sync their libraries (see here for example).
My workflow is as such: I store all articles (typically in pdf) in a Dropbox folder so that the files are synced across my desktops and laptops. I also need to sync my bibliography manager’s library file, so that when I add/remove articles (with file attachments and remarks) in the bibliography manager, the changes are applied to all terminals without extra intervention.
Step 1. Create a folder “Endnote” in Dropbox > References. (You can add the “Endnote” folder to whichever folder you use to store your references.)
Step 2. In Dropbox > References > Endnote, create three new folders: “Styles”, “Filters”, and “Connections”.
Step 3. Open Endnote 7. Go to File > New to create a new library “References” (or use any name that you like). Save this library in Dropbox > References > Endnote.
Step 4. In Endnote 7, go to Preferences > Folder Locations. Change the locations of folders for “Styles”, “Filters”, and “Connections” so that they points to the respective folders that have been created in Step 2.
Step 5. In Endnote 7, go to Preferences > URLs & Links, uncheck “Copy new file attachments to the default file attachment folder and create a relative link.”
Now your Endnote libraries should sync via Dropbox.
Thanks! This totally solved my problem. 🙂
Wonderful! Glad that it works for you too 🙂
This also works very nicely with Endnote X8.1 using OS X 10.12.6 or 10.10.5. Thanks!
That’s nice to know!
Would this work for Wndows”
I’m not using Windows, but I suppose the approach should work if the paths to Endnote and the references are specified correctly. Hope you could get it to work.
Greetings!
In X8.0.2, I’m having trouble with Step 4. When I search for the folder name, there’s not a way for me to get to DropBox as I access it from the internet. I also do not have permission to download the software as I am using this at work (US public research university). I’m just trying to make the creation of an APA reference list quicker and easy to update.
Excellent. It really helps. Thanks a lot