nixCraft FAQ PDF Collection Now Available To All

last updated in Categories News

Update: Aug/1/2010 – Due to excessive bandwidth usage issue this is no longer available for download.

ADVERTISEMENTS

The nixCraft FAQ collection is now available to anyone who wants to browse it off-line in a PDF format. This tar ball contains 1600+ Linux, *BSD, UNIX, Perl, Bash and scripting related faqs, mini-howtos, and tutorials compiled and written by Vivek Gite.

Download link

How Do I Download And View Index Locally?

Use the wget command as follows (assuming that you are loggged in as /home/vivek/):

wget -U foo 'http://static.cyberciti.biz/nixcraft-faqs.tar?k=true' -O nixcraft-faqs.tar
mkdir nixcraft-pdfs
tar -xvf nixcraft-faqs.tar -C nixcraft-pdfs

Fire a web browser and type the following local url (change /home/vivek with your actual directory name):

file:///home/vivek/nixcraft-pdfs/index.html

The index file includes each faq title and corresponding pdf file stored in your own local directory. You can use your browsers search facility to locate faq immediately.

How Do I Index All PDF Files Locally?

  • Use Beagle which is also indexing system, designed to help you search inside your files.
  • There is an easy and built-in way to do it under Gnome desktop. Launch the Search for Files program from the Places menu.
  • Use Google Desktop Linux search application that gives you easy access to information on your computer. Desktop makes searching your own email, pdf files, music, photos, and more as easy as searching the web with Google.

The nixCraft FAQ pdf collection will be updated on weekly or monthly basis. Work is also in progress to generate only one large PDF file. Alternatively, you can download pdf version for FAQ or blog post by visiting “Download PDF version” url:

pdf-download

Add your feedback / suggestion in the comments below.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin, DevOps engineer, and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. Get the latest tutorials on SysAdmin, Linux/Unix and open source topics via RSS/XML feed or weekly email newsletter.

114 comment

  13. @ Nirmal,

    KDE4 has Strigi and Nepomuk for file indexing. See System Settings > Advanced > Desktop Search.

    @Gilang, pdf files are generated from database and each faq has unique id assigned. Same id is used for PDF file. Just turn on indexing and you will able to search all pdf files.

    HTH

  14. Thanks so much for this, Vivek! I will be putting these in my Dropbox, and reading them from my iPhone via the Dropbox app. 🙂

    In addition to Beagle and Google Desktop, I would like to mention that on OS X, the built-in Spotlight app will index these PDF files for you, and allow for content searching.

    You can also install Google Dekstop on OS X, if you prefer.

  15. Thanks for sharing this great resource! I really enjoy learning things from these postings and look forward to learning more. It’s almost like taking a class…

  17. A great marvelous work, really helpful,
    in fact it help us to improve ourselves
    Greetings from Peru

    Best Regards

  29. Thank you, Its really Great Job. I would like to join nixcraft team for such a helping part. Please give me a opportunity to joining such a divine work. … Thank you !

  30. salamo alikom
    i did post here but seems it is delete ,any way does translation allowed with your copy right ?

  32. Thanks! I find a lot of good practical use information here, and I appreciate you going the extra mile for your audience.

  34. Many Many …………thanks Mr Vivek .
    thats what i pretty much wanted and all wanted and were looking for…………………………..

  35. Thanks alot for sharing. Now I extracted all the pdfs on to a folder. Im not sure how to look for a certain doc because all pdf’s contains a numerical name rather than the title. Say for an instance I want to search the guide for implementing lvms from the lot, How can I do it? Please help

  48. It would be interesting if you could use Git (or some similar) management system for distribution of collection as it would allow easy update of local collection of files with the new/updated content from server without having to download everything again as one large .tar file. That kind of approach could be more future-proof way of distribution as it would allow people to stay up to date even when reading local copy of content. Git is aimed at source code management but can be used to for other types of content. It would also make creating and maintaining of changelogs easier.

  50. Anyone had an idea how can to install adobe flash player in my linux? I’m using a Ubuntu LiveCD in my office. I cannot install the full version of Linux because it is for company use and it was installed with Windows. So everytime I use the Internet and try to install the missing plug-ins for the Firefox browser, there was an error message saying that ‘Proxy Authentication Failed’. Our Internet system here uses proxy server and there are restrictions in downloading such as this one. How can I bypass the server so that I could download the necessary plug-ins for my browser. Is there a way to get things through.. Please advise.. Tnx!

  51. Hi! Great Idea!
    But how about improving the pdf-filenames?
    e.g. by prefixing at least the topic section it is about
    e.g. bash1.pdf

  55. @Daniel, I need to make some changes to code so that it can only generate updated pdf files. Once done I will setup a rsync server.

    @PDF guru, I will see if I can come with some ideas. Another idea is to generate html index with tags.

    @AShok1288, it is not updated everyday so do not worry. Once in month is current tar ball update policy.

    Both ideas needs some code changes on my part. I will get it done when I will have some free time but no ETA.

  58. I installed google desktop application in fedora 12.

    but it is only indexing the file system of fedora.

    i stored the pdf files in a separate NFTS partition

    but google desktop application is not indexing it though i added the location to “search these locations” under “preferences” in the application..

  59. Thank you very much!!! I always land here whenever am stuck and googling for things to get me out of the hole.

  62. I lost /dev/sd1 & /dev/sda2 in a crash system, and i can’t recover my tow partitions in Rhl E 4.6 , can u help me please?

  63. Great Work Vivek…
    This will really help to RHCE seekers.
    Also helps me to tweak my servers.

    With Regards,
    Amol

  64. I am very glad for this way to browse nixCraft. Many people, such as Google-guys, feel Internet as a permanent fact, but it is needed to live in Mexico, for instance, to realize that one just have what is stored in his computer. I am not a cavern-man. I use Internet and Google Apps, & c. But I have lacked of power supply, I have lacked of Internet (due to the Cable services and Telephone services, being major ISPs, do not provide Internet link to certain areas, or they do not promptly fix the fails of the service they provide, and for many people, including professionals, and Institutions the service is still expensive), and there are a lot of web sites and many more web pages that have passed away without warning, or cry… I can often not even rely on repositories for at least update my SO. So, I am cautious on depending of Internet: I always provide myself of copies stored locally of the things I need, and that paranoia has saved me a lot of times.
    Thus, I am very happy for I know that if I went out-home now I could always browse handily those amazing papers (while I have batteries or where to plug-in my laptop’s cord).
    And a last comment: I like the idea of a rsync server.
    Thanks, Vivek Gite!

  71. sou Brasileiro! uns dos melhores materias que já vir na internet esta aqui!

    translation
    I’m Brazilian! one of the best materials that have come on the Internet is here!

  72. Hi,

    Please make these available in a source code management repository such mercurial, git, svn, etc. I want to be able to automate pulling from your repository so I always have the latest copy. Thanks for making available this great resource. Your stuff is tops.

  73. To help this idea, i’ll always decide to come this site and check around and even click some garbage links on exit. I just wanted to tell this to the rest 🙂
    Good job man, take care.

  76. Just I configured the TATA Photon plus in my pc which is running under Ubuntu 9.10. I was able to configure the photon plus in 10 minutes. There was a typographical error in the tips
    How Do I Connect To The Internet?

    Simply type the wvdial command, enter:
    # wvdia

    it should be
    # wvdial

    Thanks a lot.

    1. @Anbalagan,

      Thanks for the heads up. I’ve updated the original FAQ and in due time changes will be reflected in PDF files too.

  81. Thankssssssssssssssss Brooooo ….. tis s life saving…
    but i dont how how to get rid of the indexing ad updating probs if i want to use tis pdfs in windows…

  82. thanks buddy…tis s lifesaving collections
    guide me in indexing and updating these bulk pdfs in windows 7

  86. @savin,

    Use Google Desktop for Windows 7. I think Windows 7 got its own indexing service too, but I’m not sure about it as I’ve only seen its login screen 😉

  88. bonjour tout le monde j’ai un probleme ke j’arrive pas à installer un noyau 2.6 voila l’erreur ki me donne: you do not appear to have the sources for the 2.6.26-1-686 kernel installed

  89. Hey Vivek ,

    Really appreciative work , that can help many more individuals who seeking their career in system admin.

    Gr8 thanks

  90. Thanks for this great collections.
    It would be small encyclopedia for cool to do’s or RnD trials or how to’s for Linux geek.

    Will be really helpful for all linux users. 🙂

  100. Hi I saw the tar ball if you can add name of chapter so that I do not open a pdf like this
    1.pdf and an HTML version of all pages would be better.

      1. That is what I am trying to tell browsing an HTML book is easier than saying click and browse each pdf I today checked 20–30 pages of your site just because there was no index.I appreciate the content but it needs to be organized.

  104. Great stuff. Hope you have it up again, soon. This site is excellent.

    Please leave a comment if you uploaded the files again so I get notified. Thanks !

      1. Excellent, I’m looking forward to it. I found some very valuable tips on this site. You do a great job.

  105. Hello, download link still broken 🙁
    I can provide mirror for this download if you want 😉

    1. I will get it up and running this week end. I’ve moved server from old IDC to a new one. The server is now hooked up but it needs some configuration.

  106. hello, i m unable to download.
    can u please check it…
    else if it s stored in another server,
    please the link..
    Nice Articles.

    Sri ! !

    Have a question? Post it on our forum!