Keeping track of manuals

[PrivateJoker]

A talk about manuals in another thread got me thinking. . .

This may not be the best or most complete method, but it's pretty simple and works for me, I thought maybe this might be handy info to share, though not pertinent to any networking conversation. I'm in the iOS sphere, but this might be able to be adapted easily to Android and other systems.

Between my hobbies, tools, and all the assorted stuff I have that requires periodic, yet quick, reference to OEM documentation/manuals, continually googling stuff from my phone didn't ever seem to be the easiest way to pull up a wiring diagram or some part number that I knew I had somewhere.

I also liked having the manuals as PDFs accessible from my computer/s because pulling them up on a large screen and being able to search them for words & phrases is particularly nice.

So I developed a very easy system to organize and share my manuals across devices.

1. From the desktop, I search for the manual I'm looking for (say "vizio m471i-a2 manual"), boom it's the first link that comes up. I save the file as a PDF, and then on OSX I drag that PDF right into iTunes and itunes imports the PDF and places it in "Books." (In preferences you must have "books" visible and I recommend these prefs as follow)

2. You can edit the file name and description directly in itunes. I recommend cleaning up the names to make the easily identifiable.

3. Next time you sync your iOS device, tell it to sync books to your device.

4. You can also browse and find PDF manuals from your iOS browser and it will prompt you to "add to iBooks?" if you click yes it will be added and synced to your library).

5. But I have other computers/devices that aren't iOS and I want to sync them too. . .so I created a new folder in Dropbox called "manuals," and in OSX I created a symbolic link from my itunes > media > books folder to the "manuals" folder that's already inside my dropbox folder. Now I have instant Dropbox/iOS sync and can view & search all my manuals very easily from any Mac, iOS device, PC, anything that has Dropbox on it.

6. Both OSX & Win have great PDF preview within the actual OS/file navigation, which is really nice to be able to preview and browse the internal pages of these documents without even cranking up a separate application.

It has made life a lot easier and I use it all the time.

Screenshots from iOS safari, iOS Books app, OSX preview (opening a PDF), iTunes, OSX finder list view.

 

[stevech]

For a couple of years, I copy to a .iso file all CDs and DVDs I get along with products. They're all in one folder on the NAS. I can mount the .iso and browse. I stopped keeping data CDs and DVDs, with few exceptions.

I also scan key documents and receipts and store on the NAS.

It helps me find things.

 

[PrivateJoker]

For a couple of years, I copy to a .iso file all CDs and DVDs I get along with products. They're all in one folder on the NAS. I can mount the .iso and browse. I stopped keeping data CDs and DVDs, with few exceptions.

I also scan key documents and receipts and store on the NAS.

It helps me find things.

That's not a bad idea to image the ISOs that come with stuff. . .there was a time in the recent past that I needed to break out the DVD-ROM installer that came with a MacBook to do perform recovery functions and I was SOL, it was only the disc that shipped with the machine that could do what I needed done, no other OS installer would work. . .thanks for the tip!

 

[Planes]

I use the NSA for storing manuals myself. Any time I get a new device I grab the PDF and put it into the nas manuals directory. It's also a good way to keep track of drivers that often are not on the manufacturer's site as they want to obsolete the equipment so that you will buy new. Don't have to worry about the pages getting torn or the ink fading that way.

 

[PrivateJoker]

I use the NSA for storing manuals myself.

I use the NSA for storing all my emails, phone calls, and text messages too.

 

[stevech]

If NSA were to sell cloud storage back to us, maybe that'd help with the deficit!

 

[PrivateJoker]

If NSA were to sell cloud storage back to us, maybe that'd help with the deficit!

I'm just glad to know all of my stuff is backed up to the world's pre-eminent cross platform backup service. I'm sure it's encrypted securely with a complex hash and the password is "password."

 

[sfx2000]

LOL... I can see it now - cross-check your metadata now, just log into

www.myNSA.gov

the ultimate social network and archiving site.

 

[sfx2000]

Getting back to the intent of the original poster - keeping manuals as PDF's in iBooks is great if you're an iOS user. It's an excellent tip.

An alternate approach - use Dropbox - create a folder called Manuals there, and then you've got Mac/Win/Linux/iOS/Android access to the same docs...

sfx

 

[PrivateJoker]

Getting back to the intent of the original poster - keeping manuals as PDF's in iBooks is great if you're an iOS user. It's an excellent tip.

An alternate approach - use Dropbox - create a folder called Manuals there, and then you've got Mac/Win/Linux/iOS/Android access to the same docs...

sfx

Hey I was the OP, and Dropbox is part of what I recommended! It is the underpinning that makes it work on iOS, or any desktop, or android device.

 

[sfx2000]

My bad... we got off tanget with the whole NSA thingy...

So consider my inputs a thumbs-up - it's a great idea!

sfx

 

[PrivateJoker]

My bad... we got off tanget with the whole NSA thingy...

So consider my inputs a thumbs-up - it's a great idea!

sfx

Once in awhile being kindly reminded that I derail my own threads with bad comedy or OT thoughts can't hurt either though. !

 

[Samir]

I've actually taken a similar approach for my personal and business data.

We have a file server with triple redudant drives in one location. Data is scanned on a daily basis from different locations straight to the server. I back up the data to another physical location and can work on it. So can others in management at the other locations. Everything is connected via a private WAN (VPN).

We scan everything that's not electronic, and then just store what already is. I keep electronic manuals for all our IT hardware there as well as any documentation we create for ourselves or employees. It's a single repository of data that we all have access to. Now with the cheapness of network scanners and electronic billing, the paperless office can be a reality!