wiki2touch

Apr 16

Wiki2touch This app is for all of you who need to be a walking wikipedia… which I doubt is all that many. Basically, when all goes according to plan (read on), this app gives you access to the entire wikipedia database when offline. Yep, it puts the whole thing on your iPhone! Sounds crazy right, it is! But do not get excited yet, I have not yet been successful in getting it on my iPhone…

So first off I downloaded the app from the Wiki2Touch Repo in Installer. Then launch the app and it tells me that I need to install the data base, which they have a nice instruction page for. I clicked the link (on my main pc) to start the wiki database download… woah! almost 4gb big! That took a little over an hour to download, on my cable internet. Then once it finished, my WinRAR popped up (WinRAR = WinZIP) and asked me if I wanted to extract the files, which I clicked yes… whoops. 2 hours later when it finished extracting, I realized I wasn’t suppose to do that. (I am a guy, I tend to avoid instructions…) Once I re-read the instructions I realized they have a tool for your PC that takes the file you downloaded and ‘indexes’ it for you. So I started up that tool and away it went… untill 2 hours later (yeah it was still running after 2 hours) it crashed my computer. :-\ I have a decent computer, I was running a few other apps at the time, but nothing to stress the computer, but everything froze and I had to start the process over. So I gave up. Besides, if you want this app on your iPhone and working, that means you have to give up 4 gigs of memory that could be used for songs/movies… And I don’t think the wikipedia will get me through long days at work, like listening to music does.

Since I do not need to be a walking Wikipedia, I decided I wasn’t going to waste another 2-3 hours of my life on this app. If you have got it working, please comment!

16 Responses to “wiki2touch”

Bassir says:
April 16th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Why isn’t there a native application that just gives you Wikipedia using the internet? I don’t want the whole Wikipedia locally on my phone, I just want to be able to access it using the internet; I find the web apps to be too slow over EDGE.

[Reply]
Brooke reply on April 16, 2008:
Have you tried - wikipedia.comoki.com (I know, weird url). It works really well for us.

atrophic reply on April 17, 2008:
As the name implies this app is targeted more for the iPod Touch, where you don’t get internet access wherever you go (and can have 32Gb of space storage as well)
ryn0128 says:
April 16th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Here are the steps:

1. Download the wikipedia app from here: http://collison.ie/wikipedia-iphone/Wikipedia-0.2.2.zip

2. Download the 2.3 GB dump file from here: http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/wikipedia-iphone/enwiki-20071018-iphone

3. Extract both files (the Wikipedia zip and the tar) separately.

4. SSH the Wikipedia.app into the applications folder in your iPhone. Set permissions to 775. (It’s not enough that you set just the folder. Click all files inside the folder then change to 775)

5. Change auto-lock setting of iPhone to Never

6. SSH the “wp” folder from the tar file to private>var>root on your iPhone. Again, set permissions to all files in the folder to 775 after. (Note: this takes really long, around 1 1/2 to 2 hours if you’re on a wireless G router, more than 3 hours if on a wirless B.)

7. Restart iPhone.

8. Change your auto-lock settings back to your preferred (1 minute, 2 minutes, etc.).

9. Enjoy the encyclopedia on your iPhone

[Reply]
Regi reply on April 17, 2008:
Dear,
Thank you for your info, I have used, but just a slightly correction, the correct link to download the 2.13 data is:
http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/wikipedia-iphone/enwiki-20071018-iphone.tar

KK reply on August 13, 2008:
Dear Sir,

Can I ask how can i change the permission. I don’t know this basic concept, can you answer me, Thanks in advanced!

KK
Humberto says:
April 16th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
You can try also: http://keishi.net/ipodia/

[Reply]
Crypt says:
April 16th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
hum, i’ve installed wiki2touch several times (3 or 4) and i’ve never had any problems with crashing computers or anything

it only takes up 3.2 gigs, btw

if it crashes your computer ‘cos you’re doing too much stuff just let it go overnight or something

and ryn.. that one you posted is a different (and much worse, no landscape or bookmarkings and it crashes all the time) wikipedia app

wikipedia.app =/= wiki2touch.app

though that one is 900mb less.. eh i’d still rather use wiki2touch

[Reply]
Paul says:
April 17th, 2008 at 3:00 am
It works like a charm ) i love this app

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Guy says:
April 17th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Do u have wikipedia in hebrew?

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Algor says:
April 17th, 2008 at 9:04 am
hmh its very useful!

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MrCyberdude says:
April 25th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Great app works a charm

Pros = fast, no wifi needed, info for free
Cons = makes size of iPhone’s 7GB storage seem inadequate

the latest transfertool worked better than the old one,
but not needed if you copy to the phone manually via SSH.

Thanks for this killer info app.

[Reply]
Algor says:
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
hmhm you can download the normal transver tool here http://code.google.com/p/wiki2touch/
It´s the normal transver tool for wiki2touch
And when it doesn´t work you can still use Total Commander combined with T-pot.
Then you need not to wait 3 hours or more…

[Reply]
Populos reply on September 18, 2008:
Hello Algor,
I downoalded the Total commander but i can´t open the iphone on it.
i can´t even finf it in via total commander tool.
Can you please help me, i´m about one month trying to find solution for my iphone 1.1.3. 16gb, im using my v terminal to change the permissions but still not to do it.
moe says:
October 12th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I had it for my
iPod touch and absolutely loved it, you have the knowledge of the world at your fingertips! I’ve since upgraded to a jailbroken 2.1 firmware and unfortunately this app is not compatible with it yet. Can’t wait for wiki2touch for 2.1, will definately make space for it!

[Reply]
Nicolas says:
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
hey. i’ve been trying to send the articles file (3.21 gb) to the directory but it always gives an error. i tried on total commander as well on T Pot but nothing works. + i don’t know how to change permissions. please help

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