Brilliant idea?

[snowleopard]

I have a Yanmar service manual in an A4 ring binder but it's a big clumsy thing. It occurred to me that I also have a copy in .pdf format that can be downloaded to my Kindle. Job done - but now how to read it?

There is a table of contents but it gives section codes not page numbers and the search facility doesn't work. It looks as though I'm stuck with paging through 483 pages to find the bit I want.

 

[fireball]

Can't you put bookmarks in on the Kindle ...
So page through once and put a book mark at each chapter/notable point ...

You can also add notation .... useful for noting down the tools needed or something that went wrong last time you did the job (or attempted to!)

job done init!

 

[Stemar]

I have a Yanmar service manual in an A4 ring binder but it's a big clumsy thing. It occurred to me that I also have a copy in .pdf format that can be downloaded to my Kindle. Job done - but now how to read it?

There is a table of contents but it gives section codes not page numbers and the search facility doesn't work. It looks as though I'm stuck with paging through 483 pages to find the bit I want.

Having had the same problem, I await more knowledgeable replies than mine with interest. The big need is to convert the file to a suitable text format, which would at least allow a test search for 'left handed snark seal'

Calibre works well for other kinds of file conversions, but I haven't tried to use its pdf converter.

 

[cliff]

I have a Yanmar service manual in an A4 ring binder but it's a big clumsy thing. It occurred to me that I also have a copy in .pdf format that can be downloaded to my Kindle. Job done - but now how to read it?

There is a table of contents but it gives section codes not page numbers and the search facility doesn't work. It looks as though I'm stuck with paging through 483 pages to find the bit I want.

At a guess your PDF copy is in image form, if so you need to run OCR within Acrobat to make the file searchable - easy enough if you have a full blown version of Acrobat rather than just the reader

 

[prv]

Oh, good idea. I usually have the kindle on board, and while I have a couple of key diagrams (eg the electrical system) on paper in the manuals wallet, the whole thing printed out would be inconveniently large. I have suffered before trying to get my hands on a diagram (gearbox exploded view) through the idiotic software that Yarmouth harbour office uses for its internet kiosks.

Did you send the PDF via the converter service or direct?

I'd be interested if anyone manages to produce a version that's searchable / indexable.

Pete

 

[Signed Out]

Nice idea. But careful with while dangling over a dead engine (especially if stressed during a passage when it dies), I killed my 2nd recently- both lived maybe 3 weeks! Thems is fragile.

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

At a guess your PDF copy is in image form, if so you need to run OCR within Acrobat to make the file searchable - easy enough if you have a full blown version of Acrobat rather than just the reader

Why not print it out and put it in a ring binder, then you can easily find what you want and read it anywhere? Even take the pages out one by one as needed. No need for batteries either.

 

[My_Owd_Transom]

When you email the PDF to your kindle (assuming this is what you're doing) put the email subject as CONVERT and Amazon convert it to Kindle native format rather than PDF.

I emailed a PDF across as a PDF and lost all internal functionality of the document, I then emailed the PDF across to be converted to Kindle format and the functionality/links were retained.

More info here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200493090#email

Hope this works!

Dave

 

[prv]

Thems is fragile.

Mine seems to do ok, and it gets some fairly rough treatment in trouser pockets, stuffed into over-full bags, tossed around cabins etc. Has acquired some stress cracks around the lower corners of the screen, but still works fine.

Pete

 

[Seven Spades]

Imagine if the internet came first then the telephone was invented. Everyone would be used to placing orders online; then a revolution occurred the invention of the telephone and with it you could place your order just be speaking to the someone.

 

[mjcoon]

Imagine if the internet came first then the telephone was invented. Everyone would be used to placing orders online; then a revolution occurred the invention of the telephone and with it you could place your order just be speaking to the someone.

And avoyd all those tipoes and proof-reeding, too!

Mike.

 

[snowleopard]

Did you send the PDF via the converter service or direct?

I first loaded it direct but that produced poor results - a page to a screen, too small to be readable, with a clunky magnifying window.

Then I sent it to Amazon for conversion and it came back in Landscape form with scrolling so a bit more legible but still in image form so not searchable.

Then a kind forumite offered to OCR it for me so we'll see how that turns out.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Imagine if the internet came first then the telephone was invented. Everyone would be used to placing orders online; then a revolution occurred the invention of the telephone and with it you could place your order just be speaking to the someone.

In half the time!!!

 

[Leighb]

Mine seems to do ok, and it gets some fairly rough treatment in trouser pockets, stuffed into over-full bags, tossed around cabins etc. Has acquired some stress cracks around the lower corners of the screen, but still works fine.

Pete

From what I have read on the Kindle forum, your stress cracks are quite a common fault, and if you contact Amazon you will most likely get a new Kindle as replacement.

 

[prv]

Then a kind forumite offered to OCR it for me so we'll see how that turns out.

Excellent - let us know.

Pete

 

[snowleopard]

My electronic copy was sent to me on a CD by a forumite who I think works for E P Barrus. Anyone see a reason why I shouldn't pass it on to others on here. I imagine there are quite a few who own 1/2/3GM and a Kindle.

 

[nigelmercier]

At a guess your PDF copy is in image form, if so you need to run OCR within Acrobat to make the file searchable - easy enough if you have a full blown version of Acrobat rather than just the reader

There a quite a few free PDF to Kindle applications available, this for example.

 

[Racecruiser]

Is it for the 2GM by any chance? I would very much appreciate a service manual (more useful than the downloadable owners manual from Yanmar website) for the 2GM raw water version or I think 3GM is the same but with the 3rd cylinder.

If anyone has an electronic copy - I guess a pdf should be emailable - I will be delighted to PM my email address so you can send for a contribution to the RNLI.

 

[prv]

Is it for the 2GM by any chance? I would very much appreciate a service manual

Easily downloadable from the Web - no need for emails or RNLI donations.

http://www.motoren.ath.cx/Download.php?filename=/yanmar/YanmarGM_HMWorkshopManual.pdf

What I'm hoping is that someone can convert this into a format that works well on the Kindle.

Pete

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There a quite a few free PDF to Kindle applications available, this for example.

But most won't carry out OCR functions if the pages have just been scanned as images, which is the case for most of the things people are interested in here. The one you link to doesn't, for example. And OCR is a tedious process - it is one of those things where the computer gets it more than 90% right - but you still have to carefully proof read and correct it because of those few percent it gets wrong!