Searchable plans

Now that Vans has put the plans on CD, has anyone had any luck applying OCR software so that they can be searched?

I am trying to find any/all references to F-863-1, and have had no luck so far.

I agree with Delta Romeo that if any of us succeeds, we shouldn't share the plans, to avoid revision issues, but if somebody does it successfully, I would love to know what software they used to do it.

I have tried 3 packages so far, with different levels of success. While some of them get the text right, it doesn't keep it intact. So a reference to an AN470, might be recognized as AN a 4, and a 70, but not in one word.

I can run Mac or Windows software, but prefer Mac. I'm hoping somebody has hit the magic combination, and might share how.

Nailed it!!!

I found a piece of software for the Mac call PDFpen.
They have a free demo version, and it costs $59.

Open the plans, Hold Command and Option keys together, and click the Edit menu, and chose OCR Document. I took about 5 minutes on my machine.

One pass and it scans it all. Now I now why I couldn't find the part. It is the wing attach bracket. Pages 35, 5 references on Page 42, and two on Page 44 (those are PDF page numbers, not Plan numbers).

I'm in hog heaven!

***Disclaimer*** I swear I'm not affiliated with PDFpen, I just stumbled on the right software right after my first post.

I have searched the instruction booklet in Adobe. I have windows 7. Haven't tried searching the plans.... I will say this, that was the best 10 bucks I ever spent! I have been through the plans enough I can find anything quick, just have to blow it up when I get there. I have all but quit using my paper plans.

I haven't tried it on the plans on the CD, but I've had good luck with Adobe Acrobat Professional (I have version 8), but I don't know the cost as I get it through work. I will say that having searchable plans was quite a nice thing during the build (I scanned the sheets and then ran them through Acrobat's OCR, and it worked great).

I made a spreadsheet of the parts list and included columns with which drawing the parts are on. It's been useful.

Dave

Chuck:

I just went and checked mine. The Drawing pages are images but can be converted with OCR to be searchable.

You may have found something that can convert them for you. I have Adobe Acrobat X Pro. Using Acrobat X Pro on my MBP I did the conversion and was able to Search or Find text plus part numbers.

Sounds like you used one of the search engines to find a product that will do the same thing. Before getting Acrobat Pro, I did the search and found several products out there that can do what you want. At the time I needed the capabilities, Adobe Acrobat X Pro was the best fit for my needs.

I also used Adobe Acrobat X Pro. It works fine. I also made scans of my part lists an hardware bag lists for my RV-3 kit so I can find the part very quickly in one of the boxes.

Peter

Perhaps I'm the one guy who "didn't get the memo," but I was not aware that plans were available on CD. Is that just for the newer models or is there a CD for my RV-7?

Iluke said:

Perhaps I'm the one guy who "didn't get the memo," but I was not aware that plans were available on CD. Is that just for the newer models or is there a CD for my RV-7?

Click to expand...

It was announced a few months ago. $10 for the plans on CD for, I believe, any model. I bought the CD for my RV-7 and it's SO nice to have it! I can zoom in on plans pages when I'm not in the workshop, and the builder manual is newer than what I have printed.

Dale-
Thanks! I just ordered the CD. I can't tell you how often I've wished I had an electronic version. Don't know how I missed that.

Copy the files and paste them to your computer. Searching and scrolling will work much faster with the files on your computer. Then put the CD away in a safe place.