TSB Organization, Presentation, etc

[Gary Lewis]

Guys - I need some help thinking through things as I need to have a plan that'll work before I start.

Today UPS delivered a big box with over 50 Technical Service Bulletin booklets in it. (My friend Keith Dickson, Mr FORDification, pointed them out to me - $25 - and I couldn't resist.) They cover from 1979 through most of 1983 as well as 2 or 3 random later ones. And each one of them has 3 or 4 TSB's for the light trucks.

But, after perusing them I've realized that our current way of displaying TSB's in the menu by their title isn't going to cut it. You might ask why, and I'll tell that if you go to the TSB index you'll see there are over 800 TSB's in that list, and that list was published in 1985. However, they kept coming up with TSB's for the Bullnose trucks well into the 90's, so I'm confident there are well over 1000 TSB's for our trucks.

So here's my plan. Since the TSB index which I have is not complete and is not easily edited, I've converted it to a spreadsheet - with 1050 lines. It is going to take quite a bit of cleanup, but once it is done I'll be able to add to it as and when we find additional TSB's. Further, I can create links within it to the TSB's that I post on the site.

Let me say it another way - you will no longer be able to find the individual TSB's in the menu of the website. Instead, you'll find the TSB index in the menu, and on that page there will be the index spreadsheet. In the spreadsheet just select the tab for the "category" you are looking for, scroll down to find the TSB you want, and click on it to be taken to it.

As for "catergory", Ford sorted the TSB's into these categories, so that's what I'll use for the tabs:

• Body/Windnoise/Water Leaks/Trim

• Electrical/Climate Control/Starting/Charging

• Brakes/Steering/Suspension

• Engine/Cooling System/Exhaust

• Transmission/Clutch/Driveshaft/Axle

• Driveability/Fuel/Ignition/Emissions

That way, behind the scenes I can add TSB's as and when I have the time, and they will automagically show up.

Does that make sense? Any suggestions? Help, PLEASE!

 

[Dyn Blin]

I think that makes a lot of sense. It's tough finding the "right" one even on well-indexed pay sites with all the cross-referenced key words and progressive publications in later years.

Will the spreadsheets be downloadable for text searches?

[Gary Lewis]

I think that makes a lot of sense. It's tough finding the "right" one even on well-indexed pay sites with all the cross-referenced key words and progressive publications in later years.

Will the spreadsheets be downloadable for text searches?

Yes, I think you can download the file. But I'm not 100% sure. So, please go to the TSB Index, go to the TSB Index Spreadsheet, and see? Please?

However, I'm not sure you'll need to download it. I think there are options I need to find.

Also, note the link to the 85-9-38 TSB. That's what I plan to do for all the TSB's.

And, please overlook the terrible formatting and that dog's breakfast down a ways. That is where I need to do a LOT of work. But, is this going to work?

[Steve83]

Yes, I think you can download the file. But I'm not 100% sure. So, please go to the TSB Index, go to the TSB Index Spreadsheet, and see? Please?

However, I'm not sure you'll need to download it. I think there are options I need to find.

Also, note the link to the 85-9-38 TSB. That's what I plan to do for all the TSB's.

And, please overlook the terrible formatting and that dog's breakfast down a ways. That is where I need to do a LOT of work. But, is this going to work?

I might not have understood what you meant, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be any better.

For it to really work, it needs to be searchable the way Ford intended (the same way RevBase searches them): by year, model, & system. But I assume that would be REALLY labor-intensive for you to do. And in most cases (back to 1980 F-series as of today), it would be redundant, since BBBIndustries already supplies those TSBs via that search format.

My suggestion (to minimize your repeated effort) would be to simply scan/OCR any TSB that's not available on http://www.bbbind.com/free_tsb.html right now, and copy those that are. Organize them numerically, like Ford did/does. As long as that site is available & their database is intact, your copies would just be backups. But if it ever goes down, yours would be available. And if it lists a TSB, but doesn't contain the whole document (which I've seen), yours would be available to take up that slack. But someone looking for TSBs could get the applicable numbers there, and then look for additional info here, if necessary.

That's why I keep copies on SMN, but mine are pretty random, and most of their captions link back to BBBInd.

[Gary Lewis]

I might not have understood what you meant, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be any better.

For it to really work, it needs to be searchable the way Ford intended (the same way RevBase searches them): by year, model, & system. But I assume that would be REALLY labor-intensive for you to do. And in most cases (back to 1980 F-series as of today), it would be redundant, since BBBIndustries already supplies those TSBs via that search format.

My suggestion (to minimize your repeated effort) would be to simply scan/OCR any TSB that's not available on http://www.bbbind.com/free_tsb.html right now, and copy those that are. Organize them numerically, like Ford did/does. As long as that site is available & their database is intact, your copies would just be backups. But if it ever goes down, yours would be available. And if it lists a TSB, but doesn't contain the whole document (which I've seen), yours would be available to take up that slack. But someone looking for TSBs could get the applicable numbers there, and then look for additional info here, if necessary.

That's why I keep copies on SMN, but mine are pretty random, and most of their captions link back to BBBInd.

Steve - I appreciate the input as it has caused me to think through this differently and compare my approach, as well as my TSB list, to that of BBB. Having said that, since this is such a long post and my conclusion is waaaay down there, let me state it here as well:

Bottom Line: I think the spreadsheet, which is simply a digitized version of Ford's TSB index, will be easily usable for us as it lays the TSB's out alphabetically by category the way Ford did it. And, it is easily added to when we find other TSB's. In fact, with BBB seemingly having so few TSB's for our trucks I can and will add theirs to the spreadsheet and to our database.

But now, let me tell you how I got there. First, I've used the BBB site and it isn't laid out anywhere near the way Ford did it. As said earlier, Ford used these six categories, which are the ones I'm using. But BBB's breakdown is very different than this.

• Body/Windnoise/Water Leaks/Trim

• Electrical/Climate Control/Starting/Charging

• Brakes/Steering/Suspension

• Engine/Cooling System/Exhaust

• Transmission/Clutch/Driveshaft/Axle

• Driveability/Fuel/Ignition/Emissions

Nor was Ford's listing searchable from what I can see as the TSB's were supplied to the dealerships in paper and microfiche format. But, mine will be - I think. I've told Microsoft that I want a link included for downloading, and it works for me. But I haven't heard that it works for others. Can you download it?

However, I'm not sure that it will be necessary to download it. I'm using Ford's format from their frequently-sent TSB index that shows the TSB's within each of the above categories listed alphabetically, and to which of the years it applies. In fact, what I've done is to digitize one of Ford's own indices, which allows me to add TSB's to the list as we find them, and that is important as I've not found a snapshot that has each and every TSB issued on these trucks.

Here's a grab of about half of the TSB's shown for Body/Windnoise/Water Leaks/Trim. Since that category is all that will be shown on that tab of the spreadsheet and since they are alphabetized, it is easy to scroll down and pick the one you want and then click on the link to be taken to it.

As for the BBB site, they don't have what we will have here, although I'll want to add here what little they do have. For instance, here's all I can find that they have for 1984 F150's, which I chose at random. But the spreadsheet shows over 200 TSB's for 1984 trucks, and I quit counting at 200.

Also, note the issue dates for BBB's 8 - all 1987 or later, with the exception of the recall at the bottom, which was issued in 1984.

Bottom Line: I think the spreadsheet, which is simply a digitized version of Ford's TSB index, will be easily usable for us as it lays the TSB's out alphabetically by category the way Ford did it. And, it is easily added to when we find other TSB's. In fact, with BBB seemingly having so few TSB's for our trucks I can and will add theirs to the spreadsheet and to our database.

[Ford F834]

Steve - I appreciate the input as it has caused me to think through this differently and compare my approach, as well as my TSB list, to that of BBB. Having said that, since this is such a long post and my conclusion is waaaay down there, let me state it here as well:

Bottom Line: I think the spreadsheet, which is simply a digitized version of Ford's TSB index, will be easily usable for us as it lays the TSB's out alphabetically by category the way Ford did it. And, it is easily added to when we find other TSB's. In fact, with BBB seemingly having so few TSB's for our trucks I can and will add theirs to the spreadsheet and to our database.

But now, let me tell you how I got there. First, I've used the BBB site and it isn't laid out anywhere near the way Ford did it. As said earlier, Ford used these six categories, which are the ones I'm using. But BBB's breakdown is very different than this.

• Body/Windnoise/Water Leaks/Trim

• Electrical/Climate Control/Starting/Charging

• Brakes/Steering/Suspension

• Engine/Cooling System/Exhaust

• Transmission/Clutch/Driveshaft/Axle

• Driveability/Fuel/Ignition/Emissions

Nor was Ford's listing searchable from what I can see as the TSB's were supplied to the dealerships in paper and microfiche format. But, mine will be - I think. I've told Microsoft that I want a link included for downloading, and it works for me. But I haven't heard that it works for others. Can you download it?

However, I'm not sure that it will be necessary to download it. I'm using Ford's format from their frequently-sent TSB index that shows the TSB's within each of the above categories listed alphabetically, and to which of the years it applies. In fact, what I've done is to digitize one of Ford's own indices, which allows me to add TSB's to the list as we find them, and that is important as I've not found a snapshot that has each and every TSB issued on these trucks.

Here's a grab of about half of the TSB's shown for Body/Windnoise/Water Leaks/Trim. Since that category is all that will be shown on that tab of the spreadsheet and since they are alphabetized, it is easy to scroll down and pick the one you want and then click on the link to be taken to it.

As for the BBB site, they don't have what we will have here, although I'll want to add here what little they do have. For instance, here's all I can find that they have for 1984 F150's, which I chose at random. But the spreadsheet shows over 200 TSB's for 1984 trucks, and I quit counting at 200.

Also, note the issue dates for BBB's 8 - all 1987 or later, with the exception of the recall at the bottom, which was issued in 1984.

Bottom Line: I think the spreadsheet, which is simply a digitized version of Ford's TSB index, will be easily usable for us as it lays the TSB's out alphabetically by category the way Ford did it. And, it is easily added to when we find other TSB's. In fact, with BBB seemingly having so few TSB's for our trucks I can and will add theirs to the spreadsheet and to our database.

Gary I think the biggest thing is that these need to turn up in searches. A person won’t go looking for a bulletin if they don’t know it exists, or know to even check the list of TSB’s.

[Steve83]

...Ford used these six categories, which are the ones I'm using. But BBB's breakdown is very different than this.

Ford has renamed the categories over the years, and reorganized them. My point was that there ARE categories, rather than just the numbers & titles. I missed that you were also planning to categorize them.

Nor was Ford's listing searchable from what I can see as the TSB's were supplied to the dealerships in paper and microfiche format.

Right, in the 80s. I meant now, like BBB.

Also, note the issue dates for BBB's 8 - all 1987 or later, with the exception of the recall at the bottom, which was issued in 1984.

It's very possible (even likely) that BBB doesn't have access to any books older than '87, so they might only be listing vehicles which had TSBs & FSAs issued after '87 (including many pre-'87 vehicles). I'll try to dig up the crate of publications I bought a few years ago, and start scanning them soon.

https://supermotors.net/getfile/1023668/thumbnail/booksbox.jpg

[Gary Lewis]

Gary I think the biggest thing is that these need to turn up in searches. A person won’t go looking for a bulletin if they don’t know it exists, or know to even check the list of TSB’s.

Wow, Jonathan. That's a really, really good point. I guess I missed the intent of what has been said about them being "searchable". I was thinking that once you've found the index you can search it. But it would be far better to have people be able to find the index and/or the TSB's themselves via a Google search.

And, that may change the plans as, for whatever reason, embedded documents don't appear to be found by Google, or other, crawls. I thought they were supposed t be, but they don't seem to be.

So, that begs the question of just what needs to be found in a search, and I would like everyone's input.

One option would be to just have the index searchable. The index has several key words in it, like "Shudder During Braking — Semi-Float Rear Axle". Would that be acceptable? That I could probably do fairly easily, although it would require me to put the text of the index directly on the webpage rather than in a document.

But, if that's not enough then we are into a whole 'nother ball game. To go the next step would require that I turn each TSB into text and pictures so that can be pasted onto a webpage, rendering it searchable. See the discussion below regarding OCR'ing TSB's.

I'm watching the Cowboys game and will see what I can do to turn the spreadsheet into words and a TSB into words & pictures.

I'll try to dig up the crate of publications I bought a few years ago, and start scanning them soon.

Steve - That would be great. But, a couple of things. First, I have the TSB booklets from mid-79 to mid-83, with a couple of misses. And, I have 91-6 & 7. So, if you have others and could scan them then those would be very helpful.

However, let me tell you how I'm scanning - black & white at 600 dpi into a pdf. The reason for the b&w is that it makes the yellowed pages nice and white, and it makes the file smaller. As for the dpi, I've learned that my OCR program works far, FAR better at 600 than at 300. At 600 it pretty much nails it, but at 300 I have to review lots of questionable results - on each TSB.

Depending on what I find, we may have to convert the TSB's from separate documents into words & pictures on a webpage in order to have then searchable.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Gary I think the biggest thing is that these need to turn up in searches. A person won’t go looking for a bulletin if they don’t know it exists, or know to even check the list of TSB’s.

Wow, Jonathan. That's a really, really good point. I guess I missed the intent of what has been said about them being "searchable". I was thinking that once you've found the index you can search it. But it would be far better to have people be able to find the index and/or the TSB's themselves via a Google search.

And, that may change the plans as, for whatever reason, embedded documents don't appear to be found by Google, or other, crawls. I thought they were supposed t be, but they don't seem to be.

So, that begs the question of just what needs to be found in a search, and I would like everyone's input.

One option would be to just have the index searchable. The index has several key words in it, like "Shudder During Braking — Semi-Float Rear Axle". Would that be acceptable? That I could probably do fairly easily, although it would require me to put the text of the index directly on the webpage rather than in a document.

But, if that's not enough then we are into a whole 'nother ball game. To go the next step would require that I turn each TSB into text and pictures so that can be pasted onto a webpage, rendering it searchable. See the discussion below regarding OCR'ing TSB's.

I'm watching the Cowboys game and will see what I can do to turn the spreadsheet into words and a TSB into words & pictures.

I'll try to dig up the crate of publications I bought a few years ago, and start scanning them soon.

Steve - That would be great. But, a couple of things. First, I have the TSB booklets from mid-79 to mid-83, with a couple of misses. And, I have 91-6 & 7. So, if you have others and could scan them then those would be very helpful.

However, let me tell you how I'm scanning - black & white at 600 dpi into a pdf. The reason for the b&w is that it makes the yellowed pages nice and white, and it makes the file smaller. As for the dpi, I've learned that my OCR program works far, FAR better at 600 than at 300. At 600 it pretty much nails it, but at 300 I have to review lots of questionable results - on each TSB.

Depending on what I find, we may have to convert the TSB's from separate documents into words & pictures on a webpage in order to have then searchable.

SUMMARY:

Ok, it is good news and bad news. Which do you want first?

• The good news is that I think we can get there, with "there" being where both the index and the TSB's themselves are able to be found via a Google search.

• The bad news is that it requires some work, which may be somewhat tedious for me. But, better to find out now rather than later.

DETAILS: (I'm explaining all of this mainly so I'll have a place where it is recorded so I can get back to it.)

It appears, and I say that with caution as I've only found it one place on the internet, that files embedded on a webpage will be crawled by Google if, and only if, they are available to anyone on the internet. However, to this point all of the many files I've embedded on the site are only available to people who have the link to them. So, if what I read is true, that would explain why nothing I've embedded can be found w/a Google search.

To prove that theory I've changed the security on the file for Section 2: Axles & Frames, Suspension & Steering in the 1983 Dealer Facts Book. And then I asked Google to index that page and its direct links, which includes that document. In a day or two it should have been indexed and then I ought to be able to find things in it via a Google search.

However, that file resides on my Google drive where it is easy to unlock the security. But I prefer the Microsoft OneDrive, so while Google is indexing that page I'll be searching for a way to unlock the security on my OneDrive. If I can't figure out how to do that then I'll have to move all of the embedded files which are on my OneDrive to my Google drive.

So, hope with me that Google does indeed index that file and we can find text from it via a Google search. The text for which I'm searching is "•Twin-I-Beam front suspension for Econoline andF-250/350". Yes, there should be a space between "and" and "F", but for whatever reason there isn't. Something my OCR engine messed up. But, there's no instance of that text on the internet at the moment, so if it turns up it should be us.

Meanwhile, now that it looks like this is may work, I'm back to cleaning up the index. So far I've cleaned up 230 of what will probably be 800 entries in the spreadsheet. But, there are more to add 'cause y'all been asleep! You didn't even notice that while the Bullnose era began in 1980, there's no column for '80 in the index!

[Gary Lewis]

SUMMARY:

Ok, it is good news and bad news. Which do you want first?

• The good news is that I think we can get there, with "there" being where both the index and the TSB's themselves are able to be found via a Google search.

• The bad news is that it requires some work, which may be somewhat tedious for me. But, better to find out now rather than later.

DETAILS: (I'm explaining all of this mainly so I'll have a place where it is recorded so I can get back to it.)

It appears, and I say that with caution as I've only found it one place on the internet, that files embedded on a webpage will be crawled by Google if, and only if, they are available to anyone on the internet. However, to this point all of the many files I've embedded on the site are only available to people who have the link to them. So, if what I read is true, that would explain why nothing I've embedded can be found w/a Google search.

To prove that theory I've changed the security on the file for Section 2: Axles & Frames, Suspension & Steering in the 1983 Dealer Facts Book. And then I asked Google to index that page and its direct links, which includes that document. In a day or two it should have been indexed and then I ought to be able to find things in it via a Google search.

However, that file resides on my Google drive where it is easy to unlock the security. But I prefer the Microsoft OneDrive, so while Google is indexing that page I'll be searching for a way to unlock the security on my OneDrive. If I can't figure out how to do that then I'll have to move all of the embedded files which are on my OneDrive to my Google drive.

So, hope with me that Google does indeed index that file and we can find text from it via a Google search. The text for which I'm searching is "•Twin-I-Beam front suspension for Econoline andF-250/350". Yes, there should be a space between "and" and "F", but for whatever reason there isn't. Something my OCR engine messed up. But, there's no instance of that text on the internet at the moment, so if it turns up it should be us.

Meanwhile, now that it looks like this is may work, I'm back to cleaning up the index. So far I've cleaned up 230 of what will probably be 800 entries in the spreadsheet. But, there are more to add 'cause y'all been asleep! You didn't even notice that while the Bullnose era began in 1980, there's no column for '80 in the index!

UPDATE: From what I can tell, the Google Drive is the only "cloud drive" that provides the option of "Anyone on the internet can find and view" a file. I've searched high and low on both OneDrive and Drop Box, and the best they provide is "Anyone with the link can view" the document.

Apparently Google has decided that it is not worth their while to index a document that is only available via a link. At least that's what the precious little I've been able to find on the subject suggests. And, if that's true then none of our documents on the website will be found - with the exception of Section 2: Axles & Frames, Suspension & Steering in the 1983 Dealer Facts Book, which as of last night is now available to anyone on the internet. And, Google has been asked to index it.

As for when it might be found, all I've read says it will take anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks. As of this writing it hasn't yet been found, but I'll keep checking. Meanwhile I'm cleaning up the index spreadsheet, hoping to have it ready when/if Google finds Section 2.

But, that brings me to another question for y'all: How to present the spreadsheet?

By that I mean whether to provide it in one long spreadsheet, although divided into the previously-mentioned categories, or to break it up into smaller sheets by category and placing each of those on a tab. The advantage of breaking it up is that it will load faster since you are only looking at a single tab at a time. The disadvantage is that you can only find things on that tab.

I lean to having one long spreadsheet since you can then search the whole thing in one go. But, what do you think?