claude-scientific-skills/scientific-skills/pyzotero/references/search-params.md

Search & Request Parameters

Parameters can be passed directly to any Read API call, or set globally with add_parameters().

# Inline parameters (valid for one call only)
results = zot.items(q='climate change', limit=50, sort='date', direction='desc')

# Set globally (overridden by inline params on the next call)
zot.add_parameters(limit=50, sort='dateAdded')
results = zot.items()

Available Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
q	str	Quick search — titles and creator fields by default
qmode	str	'titleCreatorYear' (default) or 'everything' (full-text)
itemType	str	Filter by item type. See search syntax for operators
tag	str or list	Filter by tag(s). Multiple tags = AND logic
since	int	Return only objects modified after this library version
sort	str	Sort field (see below)
direction	str	'asc' or 'desc'
limit	int	1–100, or None
start	int	Offset into result set
format	str	Response format (see exports.md)
itemKey	str	Comma-separated item keys (up to 50)
content	str	'bib', 'html', 'citation', or export format
style	str	CSL style name (used with content='bib')
linkwrap	str	'1' to wrap URLs in <a> tags in bibliography output

Sort Fields

dateAdded, dateModified, title, creator, type, date, publisher, publicationTitle, journalAbbreviation, language, accessDate, libraryCatalog, callNumber, rights, addedBy, numItems, tags

Tag Search Syntax

# Single tag
zot.items(tag='machine learning')

# Multiple tags — AND logic (items must have all tags)
zot.items(tag=['climate', 'adaptation'])

# OR logic (items with any tag)
zot.items(tag='climate OR adaptation')

# Exclude a tag
zot.items(tag='-retracted')

Item Type Filtering

# Single type
zot.items(itemType='journalArticle')

# OR multiple types
zot.items(itemType='journalArticle || book')

# Exclude a type
zot.items(itemType='-note')

Common item types: journalArticle, book, bookSection, conferencePaper, thesis, report, dataset, preprint, note, attachment, webpage, patent, statute, case, hearing, interview, letter, manuscript, map, artwork, audioRecording, videoRecording, podcast, film, radioBroadcast, tvBroadcast, presentation, encyclopediaArticle, dictionaryEntry, forumPost, blogPost, instantMessage, email, document, computerProgram, bill, newspaperArticle, magazineArticle

Examples

# Recent journal articles matching query, sorted by date
zot.items(q='CRISPR', itemType='journalArticle', sort='date', direction='desc', limit=20)

# Items added since a known library version
zot.items(since=4000)

# Items with a specific tag, offset for pagination
zot.items(tag='to-read', limit=25, start=25)

# Full-text search
zot.items(q='gene editing', qmode='everything', limit=10)