[Share] Copy Zotero link

[windingwind]

Description

Copy Zotero link of the selected item/PDF/note/annotation/collection.

• Support zotero://select, zotero://open-pdf, and Better Notes link zotero://note
• Support markdown/html/plain-text
• Support customization of link text

Requires Actions & Tags 1.0.0-28 or higher

Action Settings

Operation: Script
Data:

// @author windingwind, garth74
// @link https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/115
// @usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys
// @update Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:10:18 GMT (by new Date().toGMTString())

// EDIT THESE SETTINGS

/** @type {string} Name of the field to use as the link text. To use the citation key, set this to "citationKey". */
let linkTextField = "title";

/** @type {'html' | 'md' | 'plain'} What type of link to create. */
let linkType = "html";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the currently selected collection. */
let useColl = false;

/** @type {boolean} If true, use Better Notes zotero://note link when the selected item is a note. */
let useNoteLink = false;

/** @type {'select' | 'open-pdf' | 'auto'} Action of link*/
let linkAction = "auto"; // auto = open-pdf for PDFs and annotations, select for everything else

// END OF EDITABLE SETTINGS

// For efficiency, only execute once for all selected items
if (item) return;
item = items[0];
if (!item && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is empty";

if (collection) {
  linkAction = "select";
  useColl = true;
}

if (linkAction === "auto") {
  if (item.isPDFAttachment() || item.isAnnotation()) {
    linkAction = "open-pdf";
  } else {
    linkAction = "select";
  }
}

const uriParts = [];
let uriParams = "";

let targetItem = item;
if (linkAction === "open-pdf") {
  uriParts.push("zotero://open-pdf");
  if (item.isRegularItem()) {
    targetItem = (await item.getBestAttachments()).find((att) =>
      att.isPDFAttachment()
    );
  } else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
    // If the item is an annotation, we want to open the PDF at the page of the annotation
    let pageIndex = 1;
    try {
      pageIndex = JSON.parse(item.annotationPosition).pageIndex + 1;
    } catch (e) {
      Zotero.warn(e);
    }
    uriParams = `?page=${pageIndex}&annotation=${item.key}`;
  }
} else {
  uriParts.push("zotero://select");
  if (item?.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
  }
}

if (!targetItem && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is invalid";

// Get the link text using the `link_text_field` argument
let linkText;
if (collection) {
  // When `collection` is truthy, this script was triggered in the collection menu.
  // Use collection name if this is a collection link
  linkText = collection.name;
} else if (item.isAttachment()) {
  // Try to use top-level item for link text
  linkText = Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0].getField(linkTextField);
} else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
  // Add the annotation text to the link text
  linkText = `${targetItem.getField(linkTextField)}(${
    item.annotationComment || item.annotationText || "annotation"
  })`;
} else {
  // Use the item's field
  linkText = item.getField(linkTextField);
}

// Add the library or group URI part (collection must go first)
let libraryType = (collection || item).library.libraryType;
if (libraryType === "user") {
  uriParts.push("library");
} else {
  uriParts.push(
    `groups/${Zotero.Libraries.get((collection || item).libraryID).groupID}`
  );
}

// If useColl, make the link collection specific
if (useColl) {
  // see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/73893/zotero-select-for-collections
  let coll = collection || Zotero.getActiveZoteroPane().getSelectedCollection();

  // It's possible that a collection isn't selected. When that's the case,
  // this will fall back to the typical library behavior.

  // If a collection is selected, add the collections URI part
  if (!!coll) uriParts.push(`collections/${coll.key}`);
}

if (!collection) {
  // Add the item URI part
  uriParts.push(`items/${targetItem.key}`);
}

// Join the parts together
let uri = uriParts.join("/");

// Add the URI parameters
if (uriParams) {
  uri += uriParams;
}

if (useNoteLink && item?.isNote() && Zotero.BetterNotes) {
  uri = Zotero.BetterNotes.api.convert.note2link(item);
}

// Format the link and copy it to the clipboard
const clipboard = new Zotero.ActionsTags.api.utils.ClipboardHelper();
if (linkType == "html") {
  clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/unicode");
} else if (linkType == "md") {
  clipboard.addText(`[${linkText}](${uri})`, "text/unicode");
} else {
  clipboard.addText(uri, "text/unicode");
}

clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/html");

clipboard.copy();

return `[Copy Zotero Link] link ${uri} copied.`;

[pad-mac]

Firstly, thank you for your amazing plugins! Can someone implement copying the item link to show the item inside of a specific collection? Preferably automatically the one i selected the item from? I was able to construct the functioning select link using the collection-key found in the browser version, but every way i try to implement grabbing it into the script it gives the error "collection is not defined". Can someone more knowledgable help?

I just recently moved to Zotero and it is still quite disorienting to see everything i ever saved at once when i click on an item link in obsidian. I can only really function inside of collections and smaller projects.

[garth74]

What you're asking for is reasonable, but it does introduce a potential issue. If at some point you get rid of the collection, your link in Obsidian will be broken. This probably isn't a big deal, but it's worth being aware of.

The following could replace the original script @windingwind has for this discussion. It includes an option useColl, as in use collection, which will link to the item in the currently selected collection. It also removes the need to change variable names.

// Copy item link
// @author windingwind and garth74
// @link https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/115
// @usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys

if (!item) return "[Copy Item Link] item is empty";

/** @type {string} Name of the field to use as the link text. To use the citation key, set this to "citationKey". */
let linkTextField = "title";

/** @type {'html' | 'md'} What type of link to create. */
let linkType = "html";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the currently selected collection. */
let useColl = false;

/** @type {string[]} Array of URI parts */
const uriParts = ["zotero://select"];


// Add the library or group URI part
let libraryType = item.library.libraryType;
if (libraryType === "user") {
    uriParts.push("library")
} else {
    uriParts.push(`groups/${Zotero.Libraries.get(item.libraryID).groupID}`)
}


// If useColl, make the link collection specific
if (useColl) {
    // see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/73893/zotero-select-for-collections
    let coll = Zotero.getActiveZoteroPane().getSelectedCollection()
    
    // It's possible that a collection isn't selected. When that's the case,
    // this will fall back to the typical library behavior.
    
    // If a collection is selected, add the collections URI part
    if (!!coll) uriParts.push(`collections/${coll.key}`);
}

// Add the item URI part
uriParts.push(`items/${item.key}`)

// Join the parts together
let uri = uriParts.join("/");

// Get the link text using the `link_text_field` argument
let linkText = item.getField(linkTextField);

// Format the link and copy it to the clipboard
const clipboard = new Zotero.ActionsTags.api.utils.ClipboardHelper();
if (linkType == "html") {
	clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/unicode")
} else {
	clipboard.addText(`[${linkText}](${uri})`, "text/unicode")
}

clipboard.copy()

return `[Copy Item Link] item link ${uri} copied.`

[pad-mac]

that's amazing, thank you a lot, this community rocks! yes that limitation is very good to be aware of, however i plan to keep my topic and project collections as static as possible anyways i think, so for me it works! i will make great use of this

[windingwind]

Thanks! Updated to the original post.

[mjthoraval]

Is it possible to add a version number for easier tracking of the multiple changes?
Or just the date?

[windingwind]

@mjthoraval I've just added a version number. You can use https://www.diffchecker.com/text-compare/ to check diff and merge the upcoming changes to your local script.

[MengjiaHe]

Thank you for your efforts! Could someone also implement the ability to copy multiple item links when multiple items are selected?

[windingwind]

This action supports both zotero://select and zotero://open-pdf now.

[mjthoraval]

if (linkAction === "auto") {
  if (item.isPDFAttachment() && !item.isAnnotation()) {
    linkAction = "open-pdf";

Should it be this instead?

if (linkAction === "auto") {
  if (item.isPDFAttachment() || item.isAnnotation()) {
    linkAction = "open-pdf";

[windingwind]

thanks. corrected

[mjthoraval]

We want to get open-pdf links on annotations. So I understand that you still need to remove the ! in front of item.isAnnotation()?

[windingwind]

oh right. corrected

[mjthoraval]

If I drag and drop a highlight annotation from the PDF viewer to a Zotero note, I get a citations that looks like:
[highlighted text] [short citation]
The following links are available from a click on the two parts:

• [highlighted text]: Show on Page, Unlink
• [short citation]: Show Item, Edit Citation, Hide Citation

The Show on Page link obtained in this way seems to be much stronger than the annotation link: if I delete the annotation, the Show on Page link is still able to highlight the text that way annotated.
However, the annotation link abtained in this script can only go to the page where the annotation was. It cannot find the location where the annotation was.

Is it possible to get a Show on Page link to work from outside Zotero?
Is it possible to use the Show on Page link instead of the annotation link?

[mjthoraval]

It seems that this is because the format of Zotero links in an external software does not include the annotation's position:
https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/451764#Comment_451764

Is it possible to add an option to copy the Zotero link with the annotation's position?
This would be very useful to refer to some specific parts of the file without the need to keep the annotation visible in Zotero.
Eventually with a warning if the length is longer than the maximum allowed link length of 2048 characters?

[kin30528]

Thank you very much. This is great.
Do you have to open zotero before opening the item link?

[mjthoraval]

The copy collection link is not working anymore for me.
I thought that the code was working before (but I could be wrong).
So I don't understand what is happening.

When I run the exact script as above, and use it from a right-click on a collection, I get the link to an item in the collection instead of the collection link.
I also get an error:

[JavaScript Error: "TypeError: o is undefined" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/zoteroPane.js" line: 3104}]
ZoteroPane</this.onCollectionContextMenuSelect@chrome://zotero/content/zoteroPane.js:3104:9
oncommand@chrome://zotero/content/zoteroPane.xhtml:1:12

Is it a Zotero bug?

[DonnaCoxBaker]

I am having the same problem @mjtoraval reported Dec. 10. I also thought I recalled testing this successfully when the script was first written, so I'm not sure what's happened. When I right-click on a collection and choose this script, it creates a link to the first item in the collection, rather than to the collection itself. I use these links internally--to connect one item to a collection of items that relate or support it.

[garth74]

@mjthoraval and @DonnaCoxBaker, if I understand correctly, you want a link to the collection--not an item in the collection, but the collection itself. If that's correct, I think this will fix the issue. That said, I wasn't able to reproduce the TypeError mentioned here.

// @author windingwind, garth74
// @link https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/115
// @usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys
// @update Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:10:18 GMT (by new Date().toGMTString())

// EDIT THESE SETTINGS

/** @type {string} Name of the field to use as the link text. To use the citation key, set this to "citationKey". */
let linkTextField = "title";

/** @type {'html' | 'md' | 'plain'} What type of link to create. */
let linkType = "html";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the currently selected collection. */
let useColl = false;

/** @type {boolean} If true, use Better Notes zotero://note link when the selected item is a note. */
let useNoteLink = false;

/** @type {'select' | 'open-pdf' | 'auto'} Action of link*/
let linkAction = "auto"; // auto = open-pdf for PDFs and annotations, select for everything else

// END OF EDITABLE SETTINGS

// For efficiency, only execute once for all selected items
if (item) return;
item = items[0];
if (!item && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is empty";

if (collection) {
  linkAction = "select";
  useColl = true;
}

if (linkAction === "auto") {
  if (item.isPDFAttachment() || item.isAnnotation()) {
    linkAction = "open-pdf";
  } else {
    linkAction = "select";
  }
}

const uriParts = [];
let uriParams = "";

let targetItem = item;
if (linkAction === "open-pdf") {
  uriParts.push("zotero://open-pdf");
  if (item.isRegularItem()) {
    targetItem = (await item.getBestAttachments()).find((att) =>
      att.isPDFAttachment()
    );
  } else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
    // If the item is an annotation, we want to open the PDF at the page of the annotation
    let pageIndex = 1;
    try {
      pageIndex = JSON.parse(item.annotationPosition).pageIndex + 1;
    } catch (e) {
      Zotero.warn(e);
    }
    uriParams = `?page=${pageIndex}&annotation=${item.key}`;
  }
} else {
  uriParts.push("zotero://select");
  if (item?.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
  }
}

if (!targetItem && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is invalid";

// Get the link text using the `link_text_field` argument
let linkText;
if (collection) {
  // When `collection` is truthy, this script was triggered in the collection menu.
  // Use collection name if this is a collection link
  linkText = collection.name;
} else if (item.isAttachment()) {
  // Try to use top-level item for link text
  linkText = Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0].getField(linkTextField);
} else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
  // Add the annotation text to the link text
  linkText = `${targetItem.getField(linkTextField)}(${
    item.annotationComment || item.annotationText || "annotation"
  })`;
} else {
  // Use the item's field
  linkText = item.getField(linkTextField);
}

// Add the library or group URI part (collection must go first)
let libraryType = (collection || item).library.libraryType;
if (libraryType === "user") {
  uriParts.push("library");
} else {
  uriParts.push(
    `groups/${Zotero.Libraries.get((collection || item).libraryID).groupID}`
  );
}

// If useColl, make the link collection specific
if (useColl) {
  // see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/73893/zotero-select-for-collections
  let coll = collection || Zotero.getActiveZoteroPane().getSelectedCollection();

  // It's possible that a collection isn't selected. When that's the case,
  // this will fall back to the typical library behavior.

  // If a collection is selected, add the collections URI part
  if (!!coll) uriParts.push(`collections/${coll.key}`);
}

if (!collection) {
  // Add the item URI part
  uriParts.push(`items/${targetItem.key}`);
}

// Join the parts together
let uri = uriParts.join("/");

// Add the URI parameters
if (uriParams) {
  uri += uriParams;
}

if (useNoteLink && item?.isNote() && Zotero.BetterNotes) {
  uri = Zotero.BetterNotes.api.convert.note2link(item);
}

// Format the link and copy it to the clipboard
const clipboard = new Zotero.ActionsTags.api.utils.ClipboardHelper();
if (linkType == "html") {
  clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/unicode");
} else if (linkType == "md") {
  clipboard.addText(`[${linkText}](${uri})`, "text/unicode");
} else {
  clipboard.addText(uri, "text/unicode");
}

clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/html");

clipboard.copy();

return `[Copy Zotero Link] link ${uri} copied.`;

[DonnaCoxBaker]

Works perfectly! Thanks, @garth74 and @windingwind !

[windingwind]

Many thanks! I've updated it to the main post.

[mjthoraval]

Thank you very much!

[xixiheiheixixi]

Zotero7, how to set up an action implementation for actions&tags? After adding an entry to a category, it will automatically add a label with the same category name. When removing this entry, it will not be deleted

[mjthoraval]

I am not able to copy the link to a saved search collection or any special collection (My Publications, Duplicate Items, Retracted Items, Unfiled Items). Is it possible to get it to work there also?
Also to copy the link to open a Group Library or Feeds or one specific feed.

[garth74]

Of the collections you mentioned, the Zotero URI protocol handler only defines a way to handle items, collections, groups, and saved searches. So, some of them can work. I'll have some time later this week to see whether a work around is doable.

[mjthoraval]

Thank you.

[garth74]

So, bad news. I cannot figure out a workaround to get the groups and saved searches to work. The challenge is that there isn't a way to discern whether the script was triggered from the side menu (i.e., a link to the saved search or group). This can be done for collections, but collection is empty for saved searches and groups. If all you are looking for is a way to make item links specific to groups or saved searches, I can do that. However, I feel like that is adding functionality with a permanent bug.

[docsez]

I don't know why, but this isn't working for me anymore - in that it creates a link (eg zotero://open-pdf/library/items/CXTEB3BQ) but clicking just switches to Zotero (or opens it), but doesn't open a pdf or take me to an item. Is this a Zotero problem (I'm using version 7.0.0-beta.63+965149fe0)?

[kassiansun]

The latest beta build seems to break the old link format, I think Zotero should fix it, but the script could be updated to use the latest open feature (I don't whether it's more powerful or not, but it should be)

[docsez]

What's the new 'open' feature?

Seems the Zotero team are looking at the issue (I didn't see this when I posted my question on zotero forums) - https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/112275/zotero-7-beta-open-pdf-url-scheme#latest

[kassiansun]

Well I thought zotero://open will be a more powerful command, but it seems it's just the same as open-pdf, both commands alias to the same function: https://github.com/zotero/zotero/blob/main/components/zotero-protocol-handler.js#L1252. So Zotero need to either split these two commands or make open's behavior backward compatible with open-pdf

[mjthoraval]

As I understand, the new zotero://open is designed to support the new formats supported in the Reader (EPUB, Snapshot). It will be backward compatible.
This update is still work in progress, with the fix on the broken links coming soon as mentioned in the forums:

• zotero://open-pdf → zotero://open zotero/zotero#3305
• zotero://open-pdf regressions when parameters are missing zotero/zotero#3759
• Fix zotero://open/ and FileHandlers regressions zotero/zotero#3761

[996007202]

I want to ask that how we can paste a link shown as a picture?

[FeralFlora]

I adapted this script to also copy the annotation text and comment, when used on annotations. Furthermore, I added the item.annotationPageLabel to the link text so that it becomes a proper Pandoc citation. Only the citation is used as the link text. The comments and annotations are added before the link.

It's necessary to leave linkTextField as citationKey and linkType as md.

Demo: From Zotero to Obsidian

In the demo, the Obsidian plugin Pandoc Reference List is rendering the citekeys as formatted citations in my chosen citation style (APA 7th edition), and opening a tooltip with the formatted bibliography when hovering over the citekey.

Other changes

• Replaced targetItem.getField(linkTextField) with Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0].getField(linkTextField), since the former wasn't able to retrieve the citekey for annotations.
• Declared pageIndex in global scope to be able to use it as a fallback as the page number in the citation.
• Removed a misplaced clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/html"); at the end, which was overriding the previous clipboard.

The adapted script

// @author windingwind, garth74, FeralFlora
// @link https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/115
// @usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys
// @update Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:10:18 GMT (by new Date().toGMTString())

// EDIT THESE SETTINGS

/** @type {string} Name of the field to use as the link text. To use the citation key, set this to "citationKey". */
let linkTextField = "citationKey";

/** @type {'html' | 'md' | 'plain'} What type of link to create. */
let linkType = "md";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the currently selected collection. */
let useColl = false;

/** @type {boolean} If true, use Better Notes zotero://note link when the selected item is a note. */
let useNoteLink = false;

/** @type {'select' | 'open-pdf' | 'auto'} Action of link*/
let linkAction = "auto"; // auto = open-pdf for PDFs and annotations, select for everything else

// END OF EDITABLE SETTINGS

// For efficiency, only execute once for all selected items
if (item) return;
item = items[0];
if (!item && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is empty";

if (collection) {
  linkAction = "select";
  useColl = true;
}

if (linkAction === "auto") {
  if (item.isPDFAttachment() || item.isAnnotation()) {
    linkAction = "open-pdf";
  } else {
    linkAction = "select";
  }
}

const uriParts = [];
let uriParams = "";
let pageIndex;
let targetItem = item;
if (linkAction === "open-pdf") {
  uriParts.push("zotero://open-pdf");
  if (item.isRegularItem()) {
    targetItem = (await item.getBestAttachments()).find((att) =>
      att.isPDFAttachment()
    );
  } else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
    // If the item is an annotation, we want to open the PDF at the page of the annotation
    pageIndex = 1;
    try {
      pageIndex = JSON.parse(item.annotationPosition).pageIndex + 1;
    } catch (e) {
      Zotero.warn(e);
    }
    uriParams = `?page=${pageIndex}&annotation=${item.key}`;
  }
} else {
  uriParts.push("zotero://select");
  if (item?.isAnnotation()) {
    targetItem = item.parentItem;
  }
}

if (!targetItem && !collection) return "[Copy Zotero Link] item is invalid";

// Get the link text using the `link_text_field` argument
let linkText;
let annotation = "";
let comment = "";
if (collection) {
  // When `collection` is truthy, this script was triggered in the collection menu.
  // Use collection name if this is a collection link
  linkText = collection.name;
} else if (item.isAttachment()) {
  // Try to use top-level item for link text
  linkText = Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0].getField(linkTextField);
} else if (item.isAnnotation()) {
  // Format link text as Pandoc citation with citekey and pagenumber
  linkText = `@${Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0].getField(linkTextField)}${item.annotationPageLabel ? `, p. ${item.annotationPageLabel}` : `, p. ${pageIndex}`}`;
  // Define comment and annotation, if present, including trailing space - otherwise empty string.
  comment = item.annotationComment ? `**${item.annotationComment}**: ` : "";
  annotation = item.annotationText ? `${item.annotationText} ` : "";
} else {
  // Use the item's field
  linkText = item.getField(linkTextField);
}

// Add the library or group URI part (collection must go first)
let libraryType = (collection || item).library.libraryType;
if (libraryType === "user") {
  uriParts.push("library");
} else {
  uriParts.push(
    `groups/${Zotero.Libraries.get((collection || item).libraryID).groupID}`
  );
}

// If useColl, make the link collection specific
if (useColl) {
  // see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/73893/zotero-select-for-collections
  let coll = collection || Zotero.getActiveZoteroPane().getSelectedCollection();

  // It's possible that a collection isn't selected. When that's the case,
  // this will fall back to the typical library behavior.

  // If a collection is selected, add the collections URI part
  if (!!coll) uriParts.push(`collections/${coll.key}`);
}

if (!collection) {
  // Add the item URI part
  uriParts.push(`items/${targetItem.key}`);
}

// Join the parts together
let uri = uriParts.join("/");

// Add the URI parameters
if (uriParams) {
  uri += uriParams;
}

if (useNoteLink && item?.isNote() && Zotero.BetterNotes) {
  uri = Zotero.BetterNotes.api.convert.note2link(item);
}

// Format the link and copy it to the clipboard
const clipboard = new Zotero.ActionsTags.api.utils.ClipboardHelper();
if (linkType == "html") {
  clipboard.addText(`<a href="${uri}">${linkText}</a>`, "text/unicode");
} else if (linkType == "md") {
    clipboard.addText(`${comment}${annotation}[${linkText}](${uri})`, "text/unicode");
} else {
  clipboard.addText(uri, "text/unicode");
}

clipboard.copy();

return `[Copy Zotero Link] link ${uri} copied.`;

[garth74]

@FeralFlora, I made a separate script/discussion for copying annotations. The default template does (I'm pretty sure) the exact same thing you had here!

[FeralFlora]

@garth74 Thanks for letting me know, I'm going to try it out at some point.

[garth74]

Major Rewrite

Given that Zotero is making its URL protocol more powerful and adding more document types, I've rewritten the script to make it easier to extend and edit. It is a major rewrite, though, so if people can test it out to ensure it works as expected, that'd be great.

Additional feature

• Using '@citationKey' as the linkTextField value creates a link compatible with Pandoc Reference List for annotations.

A note about annotations

I added the @citationKey feature based on the additions made by @FeralFlora here. However, I have purposefully not included the part for formatting the annotation and comment. Although the functionality is valuable, my concern is that it opens the door for this script to become a catch-all for copy-and-pasting in Zotero. In essence, I think copying annotations deserves its own separate script.

New Script

// @author windingwind, garth74, FeralFlora, kassiansun 
// @link https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/115
// @usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys
// @update Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:42:21 GMT (by new Date().toGMTString())
// @note https://github.com/zotero/zotero/blob/main/components/zotero-protocol-handler.js

// Only execute once for all selected items
if (item) return;

// EDIT THESE SETTINGS

/** Name of the field to use as the link text. If '@citationKey' is used, the
 * link will be formatted using a pandoc compatible style.
 * @type {string} */
const linkTextField = "@citationKey";

/** @type {'html' | 'md' | 'plain'} What type of link to create. */
const linkType = "md";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the selected collection. */
const useColl = true;

/** @type {boolean} If true, use Better Notes zotero://note link when the selected item is a note. */
const useNoteLink = false;

/** @type {'select' | 'open-pdf' | 'auto'} Action of link */
const linkAction = "auto"; // auto = open-pdf for PDFs and annotations, select for everything else

// END OF EDITABLE SETTINGS

// ========================================================================== //
// Functions used to create a uniform object
// ========================================================================== //

async function _create_HandledObject(item, coll) {
  if (coll) {
    // When `collection` is truthy, this script has been triggered from the
    // collection menu, implying that the link should be to the collection. However,
    // `item` can still have a value, so let's just handle `collection` links
    // separately.
    return _handleCollection(coll);
  }
  if (item) {
    let path = "items";
    if (useColl) {
      let coll = Zotero.getActiveZoteroPane().getSelectedCollection();
      if (coll) path = `collections/${coll.key}/items`;
    }

    path = `${_getLibraryOrGroupPart(item)}/${path}`;
    // Is it a regular item?
    if (item.isRegularItem()) return await _handleRegularItem(item, path);
    // Is it a note?
    if (item.isNote()) return _handleNote(item, path);
    // Is it a pdf?
    if (item.isPDFAttachment()) return _handlePDF(item, path);
    // Is it an annotation?
    if (item.isAnnotation()) return _handleAnnotation(item, path);
    // Extend with new types
    throw `[Copy Zotero Link] unknown item type: ${item.itemType}`;
  }

  // How'd you get here?
  throw "[Copy Zotero Link] item is empty";
}

/*
The functions in this section return a _HandledObject to simplify all the other
functions.
*/

class _HandledObject {
  constructor({ obj, type, link, linkText }) {
    this.obj = obj;
    this.type = type;
    this.link = link;
    this.linkText = linkText;
  }
}

function _handleCollection(obj) {
  let libOrGroup = _getLibraryOrGroupPart(obj);
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "collection",
    link: `zotero://select/${libOrGroup}/collections/${obj.key}`,
    linkText: obj.name,
  });
}

async function _handleRegularItem(obj, path) {
  let action = _inferLinkAction("select");
  let pdf;
  if (action === "open-pdf") {
    pdf = (await obj.getBestAttachments()).find((att) => att.isPDFAttachment());
    if (!pdf) throw "[Copy Zotero Link] item does not have a PDF.";
  }
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "item",
    link: `zotero://${action}/${path}/${(pdf || obj).key}`,
    linkText: _getField(obj, linkTextField),
  });
}

function _handleNote(obj, path) {
  let action = _inferLinkAction("select");
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "note",
    link:
      useNoteLink && Zotero.BetterNotes // top-level
        ? Zotero.BetterNotes.api.convert.note2link(obj)
        : `zotero://${action}/${path}/${obj.key}`,
    linkText: _getField(obj, linkTextField),
  });
}

function _handlePDF(obj, path) {
  let action = _inferLinkAction("open-pdf");
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "pdf",
    link: `zotero://${action}/${path}/${obj.key}`,
    linkText: _getField(obj, linkTextField),
  });
}

function _handleAnnotation(obj, path) {
  let action = _inferLinkAction("open-pdf");
  let pageIndex = 1;
  try {
    pageIndex = JSON.parse(obj.annotationPosition).pageIndex + 1;
  } catch (e) {
    Zotero.warn(e);
  }
  let pageParam = `page=${pageIndex}`;
  if (Number.isNaN(pageIndex)) {
    pageParam = `cfi=${JSON.parse(obj.annotationPosition).pageIndex}`;
  }
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "annotation",
    link: `zotero://${action}/${path}/${obj.parentItem.key}?${pageParam}&annotation=${obj.key}`,
    linkText: _getAnnotationText(obj),
  });
}


function _getAnnotationText(item) {
  switch (linkTextField) {
    case "@citationKey":
      // pandoc compatible formatting
      let page = item.annotationPageLabel || item.pageIndex;
      return `${_getField(item, "@citationKey")}, p. ${page}`;

    default:
      return `${item.parentItem.getField(linkTextField)}(${
        item.annotationComment || item.annotationText || "annotation"
      })`;
  }
}

// ========================================================================== //
// helpers

function _inferLinkAction(fallback) {
  return linkAction === "auto" ? fallback : linkAction;
}

function _getLibraryOrGroupPart(obj) {
  if (obj.library.libraryType === "user") return "library";
  return `groups/${Zotero.Libraries.get(obj.libraryID).groupID}`;
}

function _getField(item, field) {
  if (item.isAttachment() || item.isAnnotation())
    item = Zotero.Items.getTopLevel([item])[0];
  if (field === "@citationKey") return "@" + item.getField("citationKey");
  return item.getField(field);
}

function _getFormattedLink(handledObject) {
  let rawLink = handledObject.link;
  let linkText = handledObject.linkText;

  switch (linkType) {
    case "html":
      return `<a href="${rawLink}">${linkText}</a>`;
    case "md":
      return `[${linkText}](${rawLink})`;
    case "plain":
      return rawLink;
    default:
      throw `[Copy Zotero Link] Unrecognized linkType: ${linkType}`;
  }
}

// ========================================================================== //
// Main Invocation

async function copyLink(item, coll) {
  try {
    let handledObject = await _create_HandledObject(item, coll);
    let formattedLink = _getFormattedLink(handledObject);

    const clipboard = new Zotero.ActionsTags.api.utils.ClipboardHelper();
    clipboard.addText(formattedLink, "text/unicode");
    clipboard.copy();
    return `[Copy Zotero Link] ${handledObject.link}`;
  } catch (err) {
    return err;
  }
}

return await copyLink(items[0], collection);

[mjthoraval]

This also does not work for me, even to copy a simple zotero://select link.
I get the window saying that it is copying the link:

But I do not get anything when I try to paste.

Tested in:

• Zotero 7.0.0-beta.73+398454f85 (64-bit)
• A&T 1.0.0-beta.37

[windingwind]

There’s a known issue in using clipboard with the latest zotero 7 beta (not a Zotero bug, but a platform change). The plugin needs to be rebuilt based on the latest dependencies. Please wait for the next release.

[mjthoraval]

@garth74: The results of the new script look consistent with the main script from my (limited) testing.
What are the new results to expect from this script?

Just a small problem: your script generates an error when copying the link to a snapshot:

Where the main script would only copy the select link instead of the open-pdf link, which is wrong also.

It seems that some of the zotero://open links are already working. Is it fine to move to the new links already, or is it still under development?
zotero/zotero#3305

[kassiansun]

I made a little modification to _handleAnnotation so it supports .epub files correctly:

function _handleAnnotation(obj, path) {
  let action = _inferLinkAction("open-pdf");
  let pageIndex = 1;
  try {
    pageIndex = JSON.parse(obj.annotationPosition).pageIndex + 1;
  } catch (e) {
    Zotero.warn(e);
  }
  let pageParam = `page=${pageIndex}`
  if (Number.isNaN(pageIndex)) {
	pageParam = `cfi=${JSON.parse(obj.annotationPosition).pageIndex}`
  }
  return new _HandledObject({
    obj: obj,
    type: "annotation",
    link: `zotero://${action}/${path}/${obj.parentItem.key}?${pageParam}&annotation=${obj.key}`,
    linkText: _getAnnotationText(obj),
  });
}

[garth74]

@kassiansun I just updated the script to include your changes and added you as an author.

[ulahcherubim]

There is a strange behaviour I stumbled upon. I can copy a dircet link for annotations via right click menu but when I use shortcut it just gives me the link to the PDF. Earlier this was working. My editable settings are as follows:

` // @author windingwind, garth74
// @link #115
// @Usage Select an item in the library and press the assigned shortcut keys
// @update Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:10:18 GMT (by new Date().toGMTString())

// EDIT THESE SETTINGS

/** @type {string} Name of the field to use as the link text. To use the citation key, set this to "citationKey". */
let linkTextField = "title";

/** @type {'html' | 'md' | 'plain'} What type of link to create. */
let linkType = "html";

/** @type {boolean} If true, make the link specific to the currently selected collection. */
let useColl = false;

/** @type {boolean} If true, use Better Notes zotero://note link when the selected item is a note. */
let useNoteLink = false;

/** @type {'select' | 'open-pdf' | 'auto'} Action of link*/
let linkAction = "auto"; // auto = open-pdf for PDFs and annotations, select for everything else
`

[garth74]

Thank you for being descriptive about when and how the error occurred. Thanks to you, I could narrow down where the issue is occurring. The issue is within the plugin, so I have opened an issue. Since your description helped me narrow down where this is happening, I am hopeful that it'll be an easy fix!

[garth74]

Try updating the plugin to 1.0.0-beta.37 and see if it is still acting up. It is working fine for me, but I am using the more recent version of the script.

[DonnaCoxBaker]

@windingwind. I see that there have been a lot of code changes presented in the discussion. Are we to assume the code at the top is the one to use, or should we be taking code from the discussions?

[windingwind]

Generally, I would suggest any modified version that changes how the script works (that is, not a bug fix) to be posted on a new discussion thread, to keep things clear.

I don't have time to follow and try all the scripts posted in this and many other threads, so very possibly the script in the main post is not updated. It's the one that you can use, of course, but might not be the most tuned/powerful. You can @ the author if you think a modified version can replace the original one.

[mjthoraval]

The link to an annotation copied from a collection does not work:
[ScienceDirect Full Text PDF(wrinkling transitio)](zotero://open-pdf/library/collections/EXMG7I8K/items/HI98NL77?page=1&annotation=DBM4E6EF)

Is that a bug from the script, the plugin or Zotero?

A click on the link generates the following output:
[JavaScript Error: "ReferenceError: url is not defined" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/ZoteroProtocolHandler.jsm" line: 1164}] [...] (3)(+0077459): WARNING: Items.parseLibraryKeyHash() is deprecated -- use .parseLibraryKey() instead