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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: kolla on March 01, 2010, 04:08:04 PM

Title: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: kolla on March 01, 2010, 04:08:04 PM
Anyone got the AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF?

I've been thinking of going through the frigging awfull HTML files that came on the OS3.9 CD, and do it myself, but before I begin, maybe it's already been done before?
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Matt_H on March 01, 2010, 05:01:21 PM
They're on the CD. Or maybe it's the 3.5 CD. Either way, they're barely changed from Commodore's 3.1 manuals.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: kolla on March 01, 2010, 05:10:49 PM
Not on the 3.9 CD at least, havent checked the 3.5 CD, but there are enough changes from 3.5 - let alone 3.1 - to justify a dedicated manual. In other words, you didnt answer my question - but thanks anyways :)
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Gulliver on March 01, 2010, 05:56:54 PM
@kolla
Go for it!
It would be really usefull as those html versions suck bigtime.
Please consider an Amigaguide version, so that our Amigas will happily display that in an easy manner without eating lots of resources. Unlike html and pdf that require a quite powerfull Amiga setup.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: save2600 on March 01, 2010, 06:12:13 PM
Not having manuals in paper form has got to be one of the largest reasons human beings naturally shy away from "reading the manual" as so often is the case with our beloved computers and add-ons. Reading instructions on a computer screen doesn't always cut it. When you really want to learn about something, I still prefer it in a tangible form - AWAY from a computer screen.

The idea of it being AmigaGuide compatible with buttons sounds great though!
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: x303 on March 01, 2010, 06:51:51 PM
Notice that the manuals are still copyrighted, so spreading them is not legal !
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Moto on March 01, 2010, 06:59:41 PM
Quote from: x303;545759
Notice that the manuals are still copyrighted, so spreading them is not legal !

missed a perfect opportunity for a "and wait for it in 3...2...1..."
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: kolla on March 01, 2010, 07:09:16 PM
Oo, scary. Not.

Amiga Inc. used to host third party translations of the mentioned manual on their website, those are spread around. I have hosted the mentioned manual on my own site for about 5 years without receiving any notes from the "copyright owners" (whoever they are), a quick search with google shows that I'm not alone.

On a related note, now as amiga.com is down for good, there are probably no (in your view) legal ways to obtain boingbag 1 for OS3.9, which is required for installing boingbag 2 - maybe people should worry more about that?
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: kolla on March 01, 2010, 07:16:00 PM
Quote from: save2600;545751
Not having manuals in paper form has got to be one of the largest reasons human beings naturally shy away from "reading the manual" as so often is the case with our beloved computers and add-ons. Reading instructions on a computer screen doesn't always cut it. When you really want to learn about something, I still prefer it in a tangible form - AWAY from a computer screen.


I have the "AmigaOS 3.9 Das Buch", which is quite nice, but I think it's only available in German and Italian? It goes beyond what manual on the CD though.

Quote
The idea of it being AmigaGuide compatible with buttons sounds great though!


Clearly an option, I'll see I can do.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on September 25, 2010, 03:03:40 PM
Hi there,

I have converted the manuals to pdf.

Please visit http://www.maxiwebs.co.uk/amigaos3.9-manuals/

They are PDFs of the original HTML Manual.

Hope they are of use!
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Gulliver on September 25, 2010, 04:42:06 PM
Thank you very much!

Now, could you consider doing an amigaguide version, so that low end Amigas can display those manuals?
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Methuselas on September 25, 2010, 08:25:38 PM
@Pete

And here I was about to offer...... thanks for saving me some work, Mate! ;)
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Methuselas on September 25, 2010, 08:28:12 PM
Quote from: Gulliver;581191
Thank you very much!

Now, could you consider doing an amigaguide version, so that low end Amigas can display those manuals?


If I knew the first thing about the code for amigaguide, I'd probably do it. I never did get around to learning how to use it, but it's so far my favorite reading format even now. I even use WinGuide. ;)
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Fats on September 26, 2010, 12:38:08 PM
Quote from: Gulliver;581191
Thank you very much!

Now, could you consider doing an amigaguide version, so that low end Amigas can display those manuals?


You can have a look at html datatype (http://aminet.net/package/util/dtype/html_hdtc) for viewing html on low end Amigas.

greets,
Staf.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on September 26, 2010, 05:37:13 PM
Quote from: Gulliver;581191
Thank you very much!

Now, could you consider doing an amigaguide version, so that low end Amigas can display those manuals?

I literally only got my Amiga 1200 four or so days ago and I'm still waiting on bits and pieces to get it fully working.

I haven't used AmigaGuide for about 17 years, and I didn't use it much then!

I will certainly look into an AmigaGuide version, possibly writing a script to change HTML into AmigaGuide, but I can't promise anything, I have very little free time at the moment, but one day I will look into it and if it happens I will post the results on here.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: kolla on September 26, 2010, 06:57:55 PM
Quote from: petemaxi;581181
I have converted the manuals to pdf.


Thanks alot!
Procrastination tends to dominate my Amiga activities, so I never got around to it myself :lol:
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Minuous on September 26, 2010, 08:12:59 PM
That link you gave seems to be dead...
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: scuzzb494 on September 26, 2010, 09:26:14 PM
Sorry but which manual are you talking about. If I read from my tiny booklet that came with the CD it says... ' What is in the AmigaOS3.9 box .. In the box you will find this manual and one AmigaOS 3.9 CD-ROM '

OK I am reading from the manual .. Its like six pages long and the other half is in German. It is pretty much the same for OS3.5.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on September 27, 2010, 11:26:08 AM
I am about to start converting the manuals to Amigaguide, I will let you know when they are complete and put them on my website.

I am converting them manually, so it may take a while.

I looked into writing a script to change HTML to Amigaguide, but decided against it. Converting Amigaguide to HTML wouldn't be too hard, there is a site that does this: http://www.symbolengine.com/amiguide/ but HTML to Amigaguide would take a lot of work, but maybe one day...
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Gulliver on September 27, 2010, 03:43:06 PM
I have used HTML 2 Guide, some time ago to try to accomplish the same task. It works, but requires some cleanup (the graphic images).

Maybe you could start with that program, as a base, and then continue cleaning the layout of the generated amigaguides.

Get it at:

http://aminet.net/text/hyper/HTML2Guide.lha
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on September 29, 2010, 08:09:57 PM
Quote from: Gulliver;581514
I have used HTML 2 Guide, some time ago to try to accomplish the same task. It works, but requires some cleanup (the graphic images).

Maybe you could start with that program, as a base, and then continue cleaning the layout of the generated amigaguides.

Get it at:

http://aminet.net/text/hyper/HTML2Guide.lha

Tried that, but the resulting code needed a lot of cleaning up, and the navigation messed up, so I think doing it by hand would be the quicker option.

Just to let you know, I'm half way through the AREXX manual, the others will follow in a while.

I'll post when they're done, just pop back every now and then until they're done to see the progress. It's very tedious and time consuming, that's why progress is a bit slow!
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Gulliver on September 29, 2010, 09:09:13 PM
Quote from: petemaxi;581952
Tried that, but the resulting code needed a lot of cleaning up, and the navigation messed up, so I think doing it by hand would be the quicker option.

Just to let you know, I'm half way through the AREXX manual, the others will follow in a while.

I'll post when they're done, just pop back every now and then until they're done to see the progress. It's very tedious and time consuming, that's why progress is a bit slow!


Great! Well done
Keep us updated :)
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on October 01, 2010, 12:46:38 PM
Hi

I've been converting the OS3.9 manuals from HTML to Amigaguide for a few days now, and didn't have a means of highlighting Amigaguide code in my editor, so I wrote my own for Gedit on Linux.

You can download it from: http://www.maxiwebs.co.uk/gedit-amiga/

I doubt it's perfect, but it's a start. Let me know if anyone can improve on this.

Hope this is of use!
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on November 22, 2010, 07:00:52 PM
Just to let you all know, I've converted the AREXX, hard disk and installation manuals to AmigaGuide and I'm working on the Workbench and AmigaDOS manuals.

Download from:-

http://www.maxiwebs.co.uk/amigaos3.9-manuals/

petemaxi
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: Gulliver on November 22, 2010, 11:53:47 PM
Thank you!!!
Keep them coming. :)
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on January 14, 2011, 06:22:30 PM
Just to let you know, I have redone the manuals site to make you feel more at home... Hope you like it! The address is http://amiga.maxiwebs.co.uk (http://amiga.maxiwebs.co.uk/). Please spread the word! Now I've done this, I can get back to converting the rest of the OS3.9 manuals into AmigaGuide.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: TheBilgeRat on January 14, 2011, 06:48:49 PM
Is there such a site for the 3.1 manuals as well? :D
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: petemaxi on January 14, 2011, 07:21:48 PM
Not that I'm aware of, but if you have PDFs, text files or copies of them, I'll have a go at converting them to AmigaGuide.
Title: Re: AmigaOS 3.9 manuals as PDF
Post by: amigappc on January 14, 2011, 08:43:58 PM
People, this idea with PDF manuals is fantastic, I support that absolutely...

I always wanted to get "OS3.9 Das Buch" in english PDF version, but there are no such thing, no?

It is nice to "dig" and configure OS by yourself, but those of you who want "out of the box" solution when things go wrong must try ClassicWB OS39.

That is most fantastic thing which can be prepared on Winuae, additionally configured to suit your needs (for example I added CD ROM drivers and some apps with keys) and than saved as zip archive so your Amiga can be restored in initial state in 10 minutes.

I am thrilled with that pack, I tried other packs too put this one rocks. And after that find, now I see PDF copies of user guide, now that is too good to believe!