Electronic Workshop Manual on Mac and iPad.

[Cuppa]

Hi Gavin,
It’s been almost a year & a half since I managed to install the manual on my Mac so it’s all a bit of a blur to me now!
I’m not sure which version/year model you are trying to install, but a couple of things i checked are
1. My file info also shows read & write permissions.
2. I dont have any file called SM_Y61.pdf. I have a folder containing what you can see in the following pic

screenshot_162.jpg

And when any of those folders in the middle column (below the Start .pdf file) are opened each one shows a list of .pdf’s like this

screenshot_163.jpg

so it seems to me that your problem is that you are trying to open SM_Y61.PDF.

I vaguely recall struggling with the same issue. I recommend trying the whole process from scratch once again, following the instructions to the letter & if this does not work to then contact ‘NissanGQ4.2’ as I suspect there may still be a glitch in the system which getting the direct link which he supplied me with made a difference to (even though it shouldn’t). Please feedback how you go, it may just save me having to repeat myself to someone else down the track.

Cuppa

[ozjeff]

Hi,
i have downloaded onto my MAC (LION Version 7.0.5) i needed to download "The Unarchiver" to unzip files, so i owned them and have not moved any files out of the unzipped folder. I downloaded PDF Reader ++to read the manual but the file opens in PDF reader and none of the links work.

When i open the "SM_Y61.PDF" file in preview i can move backwards and forward between "Service manual" and "Return to Start page" using the link buttons.
i have a problem when i select any of the service manual list buttons where an error

"The file “gi.pdf” couldn’t be opened because you don’t have permission to view it.
To view or change permissions, select the item in the Finder and choose File > Get Info."
when i open get info it states i have read, write permission??
the same error occurs with all the open and click buttons with a different file listed for some

I can manually open each file and view the pages!!
any idea on why the links do not work for me?
Gavin

You'll want to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, not Preview or alternative PDF readers, these will result in the above error of permission problems.

As per Cuppa's original post:
"Highlight the .pdf file & then go to 'File' at the top of the screen & then click 'Get info'. In the box which opens go down to 'Open with' (default is 'Preview'). Click & change to 'Adobe Reader'. (If Adobe Reader is not in the list you will need to download it from the net first - it's free)"

Alternatively, I just right click SM_Y61.PDF and tell it to open in Acrobat Reader.

[Gavshe]

Hi Cuppa & Ozjeff,
I had a play again last night, checked all the permissions etc, even deleted and reloaded the GU electronic manual from scratch as suggested. I can open each page manually so the manual is accessible but when I use the hyperlinked button I have problems. I managed to get about 30% working on the hyperlinks. I think the error is as ozjeff suggests, when I downloaded the adobe reader I did a quick app search and got something called "Adobe reader ++". Which looking again is not the correct program needed.
I will goto the adobe website and download the correct Adobe Reader and give it another go.
Will let you know how I fair,
Thanks,
Gavin

[Gavshe]

Hi Cuppa & Ozjeff,
I had a play again last night, checked all the permissions etc, even deleted and reloaded the GU electronic manual from scratch as suggested. I can open each page manually so the manual is accessible but when I use the hyperlinked button I have problems. I managed to get about 30% working on the hyperlinks. I think the error is as ozjeff suggests, when I downloaded the adobe reader I did a quick app search and got something called "Adobe reader ++". Which looking again is not the correct program needed.
I will goto the adobe website and download the correct Adobe Reader and give it another go.
Will let you know how I fair,
Thanks,
Gavin

Hi Cuppa & ozjeff,
I had a chance today to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac from the Adobe website.

Ozjeff you were right on the money, this download will not open correctly in anything but Abobe Acrobat Reader.
I had initially made the mistake of automatically looking for an app, as i would normally do for my IPad mini and found an after market reader which was the problem.

Many thanks for your help guys

Gavin

[SpecialDave]

I'm about to sus out the iPad implementation .. Stay tuned because there's a bucketload of alterntative apps that may work and it's possible am iOS upgrade has impacted the zip / unzip...

[SpecialDave]

Ok here's the latest -

Downloading and unzipping was the easy part - i used an app called "Documents" by readdle where i used the built in browser to stick the zip file address and bang it downloaded and unzipped from there. But - it does not have the links etc. I am still looking for a suitable app as it seems the goodreader app mentioned is now $. so no free option. I then used the documents program to upload the unzipped folder to my dropbox

I have tried the following apps with no success to date:

Adobe Acrobat Reader - by adobe - Opens individual pages no links working
iZip.com - iBoostUp - Just plain failed
File Managaer App - Zuhanden GmbH - Good app and links to drop box etc but no links
PDF Pro Advanced PDF Reader - Dominic Rodemer - Nope no links work
MyPocket Office Downloader and File Manager with Video - zisan Altun - still in dev and I cant link my dropbox yet so unable to fully test

I have an app called PDF forms which can link to google drive and drop box, this is always my primary app for anything pdf - again seem to be unable to get links working but still trying - Watch this space

I'll keep hunting around for a solution and we have a team of specialist including app developers at work i'll try and get hold of and find out what they recommend..

cheers

dg

[bjjgaz]

Good valuable info as i am Mac user and have no windows based machines.

[jack]

One of the good things about this forum is the fact that the factory workshop manuals are available to members once they have clocked up 25 posts.

However being a Mac laptop & an iPad user I experienced some difficulty installing the manuals on my machines so that they were searchable, & so the links in the PDF files worked. Of course it was all possible, I just had to work out how to do it, and today have managed this with help from Toddie (NissanGQ4.2) ....... Thanks mate.

So here for any other Apple tragics are the solutions I found.

Firstly the file I needed was in .rar format, which Toddie sent me a direct link to. (EDIT: See following posts - apparently the 'standaed downloads ARE in .rar format) If you have over the requisite 25 posts a polite word in his shell like will probably get you the link to this file.

On the Mac
You don't actually need the rar file for this, but I downloaded it to the Mac because I had previously only found manuals up to 2004, & the link Toddie gave me was for up to 2007' covering all the supplements for my 2006 model.
The trick on the Mac is simply to use Adobe Reader to open the downloaded file. The download is a folder full of subfolders & a single .pdf file. Highlight the .pdf file & then go to 'File' at the top of the screen & then click 'Get info'. In the box which opens go down to 'Open with' (default is 'Preview'). Click & change to 'Adobe Reader'. (If Adobe Reader is not in the list you will need to download it from the net first - it's free). Now when you open the PDF file you will be able to click on the 'Click' button to take you to the manual or supplement that you want, & then clicking on the table of contents takes you directly to where you want to be.

You need to retain all of the folders. (& keep them all in the same directory). I didn't initially understand this, thinking that I only needed the folder that covered 2006. The ’98 manual is the main GU one, & the subsequent ones are the supplements covering any changes made. Nissan have always gone about their manuals in a messy way. For my Civilian bus I need 3 separate manuals & have to constantly flick between them.


On the iPad
Things on the iPad are a little different. You can get a semi result in iBooks, or by using the Adobe Reader app, but neither of these allow the linking between the different supplements, or linking directly to chapters from the table of contents. This is a real pain as the only way to find stuff is to trawl through page after page until you find what you want, & if you are anything like me, you get distracted, & then have to go through the whole process again to find the info.

However, again thanks to Toddie & following a bit of experimentation I have now found a way to have all the links working as intended, & it is remarkably simple to achieve.



First you need an app called GoodReader for iPad (a free download from the App Store)
Second you need an app capable of unpacking .rar files. I suggest you use the same as me because I know it interacts with GoodReader. Others may, but I haven't tried them.
I used iZip, another free download from the App Store.

So get both those apps first.

Next ask Toddie nicely for the .rar file relevant to your vehicle's model.
He will PM you a link for you to click on (using your ipad of course) to download the .rar file.
Unpack the .rar file with iZip.
Once unpacked it will ask you if want to open the unpacked file with GoodReader, or something else.
Select GoodReader & hey presto it all works.

I had struggled with this on & off for months, so this was a real result. Hope it helps others too.

Others may have found other solutions, just saying this has worked for me.

Just be aware that the link to the .rar file that Toddie provided bypasses the 25 post requirement, so if you haven't made that many posts yet just don't ask, 'cos it'll rub a good bloke up the wrong way, & I'll be less than impressed - the result being that you won't get what what you need, & if I were in Toddie's shoes I might just decide not to bother for others too.

Cuppa

Ok I initially installed this without any issues years ago on my iPad using the .rar file and it worked flawlessly, thanks to Cuppas information.

I've now updated my iPad and found that GoodReader is no longer free, OK easy I thought, just purchase the new version for $7.99. Well the new version doesn't recognise the old version on the other iPad.
Easy I thought (again), just download a new version of the manual into iCloud and open with GoodReader. Well it's a .zip file but that shouldn't be an issue I thought (starting to see a bit of a trend here?).
Sure it unzips but doesn't work as it should in GoodReader, nothing links to the start page.

After several late nights (watching La Tour) and trying all sorts of different solutions I was still at this stage

Finally found my original .rar file and uploaded that to iCloud, opened in GoodReader and same result nothing links to the start page. Looks like it doesn't create the directory structure when unzipping from iCloud.

I'm a persistent prick (some who know me exchange the word persistent).

FINALLY I loaded the .rar file from the old iPad to Dropbox, imported it from there with the new version of GoodReader on the new iPad and BINGO works flawlessly.

There may be an easier solution but this works for me. I recommend anyone that wants to install on an iPad use the .rar file and not the .zip

[Cuppa]

Well done Jack, your prickness ........... oops persistence I mean, paid dividends.

[Aboody]

20 to go my freind