mac OSX/isync help needed

[adrocky]

Ok. I am a new mac user and recently installed Palm Desktop and synced my contacts from my ique to the Desktop. Then I isynced Desktop with address book. All of that worked fine. I then went back into the Desktop and added new contacts in, hoping I could hot sync and my ique and Address Book would be updated. They were not however. Can someone please tell me what I need to do?

FYI, I've already changed the conduit settings in Desktop and turned off the isync conduit, but it doesn't seem to be working. In the log is still says that isync was ok.

Thanks.

[rkevwill]

Not sure if I follow you completely, but lets go over this again.

You put your palm desktop addresses into Address book. Ok so far. Then synced address book via Isync with the Ique, right? Ok, good. NOW, if you are using MissingSync (which you should) turn off the palm desktop contacts, todo, and calendar. You only use Isync if you are using the built in Mac Address book, calendar, and todos. Make a choice, use the palm desktop apps, OR, use the mac apps. You can't use both.

If you decide to use the mac apps, remove the Palm calendar, todo, and contacts conduits from the conduit folder (in your username) and place them into the disabled conduit folder. To find that, just search on "conduits" and you will see the folder they are in.

If I have confused you, which is probable, get me to the point of your confusion, and I will try to UNconfuse you.

[adrocky]

That answers that I can't do what I was trying to, which is to use palm desktop and the mac address book and calendar, etc at the same time. I think I would prefer to use the mac tools since I would like to use phonedirector as well. I like the idea of palmdesktop since it seems like is supports palm os more completely.

New questions:
1) If I just drap and drop the Palm folder in applications to trash, then I install missing sync, my palm will sync fine with address book?

or

Do I need the hot sync manager or any of the conduit crap that installed with palmdesktop?

2) Does/why/how missing sync work with isync. Does it replace either/or/both isync and palmdesktop?

3) Is there anyway to get the 30 contacts i typed into palmdesktop into address book without typing it all in again?


Thanks. I'll try removing the conduits as you suggested too.

[Last Mrk]

Which version of Missing Sync are you using?

If it's the latest, 4.0.2 (v35), you can do what you want with the Missing Sync application by turning on and off the various conduits.

If you sync while the iSync conduit is turned off and the various Palm Desktop conduits are on, what you typed into the Palm Desktop will be synced to the iQue. You can then turn off the various Palm Desktop conduits and turn on the iQue conduit to sync the information you just transferred to the iQue to your Mac Address Book and iCal application. Be careful though as doing this may delete some information already in the iQue from previous syncs.

Don't trash either the Palm Desktop or the conduit manager, I think they are needed for everything to work right.

[rkevwill]

1. Don't remove any of the palm applications. Locate the conduit folder. MacHD/Library/Application Support/Palm HotSync

Move the conduits within the conduit folder, Address, Datebook, ToDo Conduit, Over to the Disabled conduits folder. This keeps them for future use, but disabled.

Keep everything you have in there, don't throw hotsync manager or anything else away.

2. You can sync without Missing Sync, if you wish. Isync will sync with your apple address book, calendar, and todos. Always make sure you have installed the latest Isync. (oh, and remember, Isync works ONLY with the apple apps, not with the palm apps. Its kinda the conduit TO the apple apps) I use Isync with my Garmin, but not with my Treo600. With MissingSync this is easy, because it has a pop down window to choose garmin or treo, and each has their own parameters. AND you can choose to turn on and off conduits with a simple checkbox. I use another addressbook program (NUDC) for my treo.

If you desire Missing sync, read the info on Markspace.com to see what MS does. It really is a cooooooool ap for the palm/garmin. It does a lot for you. I wouldn't do without it. Its just too useable.

In answer to your question, MS works WITH Isync, to sync your mac address etc, but it does a whole lot more.

3. In answer to your 30 contacts question, YEP. Export from Palm Desktop to Vcards, then import Vcards into Address book. Make sure your labels line up. If after you import them, any labels are off, (like work, home, phone etc) Correct them in address book. Try to keep those current, it helps on the Palm itself.

Lastly, understand MissingSync modifies the palm app slightly when you install it. This is good, as it keeps YOU from having to alter it manually. Just make sure to always install MissingSync AFTER you have installed Palm desktop.

Feel free to ask anything else:)

[rkevwill]

Yep, what MRK said too :) As clarification to his and mine.....

If you have MissingSync, you can LEAVE all the conduits in, and choose your conduits via MissingSync. That way you can sync to either your palm desktop apps, OR your Mac apps. Important thing here to remember though, is it is ALWAYS safer to overwrite.

Examples.

1. If your palm is the Most current information, and you are SURE it is, have the palm overwrite the application you are syncing with.
2. If your Mac address book is the most current, choose to have your computer (with isync on and palm apps off) overwrite your palm)

etc etc. Problem with these choices is, it is SO easy to be confused as to which of the three (palm, Mac address/calendar or Palm Desktop) is the most current. That is why I make a choice as to which address/calendar/todo I am gonna use, and ONLY use that one all the time.

As an aside, and no offense meant, but you stating you are a new user, I would definitely suggest you pick one and stick with it.

I get confused too easily, and don't need the grief LOL

And most DEFINITELY listen to anything Mrk says, as he and I and several others on here (noteably Lycestra) are old hands/veterans on the garmin and Macs. We have been beaten soundly about the head and shoulders from the beginning, and have seen MOST of the problems that can pop up.

[Last Mrk]

Yes, I agree with rkevwill as I've done just that. Good thing I had all my contacts and reminders backed up to my SD card.

[rkevwill]

One clarification I should make to my above post. I said it is always safer to overwrite. What I mean is, if you are choosing a different application, meaning different address etc apps to sync to. THEN overwrite if your information is more current on your palm. (or vice versa)

If your information is current in your one App, such as Mac address, then just go ahead and sync via Isync. If you are sure all is well in both, and have changed info on one or the other, a normal sync works fine. Its just when you SWITCH apps, you should overwrite. (again, why I choose to stick to one Address etc set of applications)

[adrocky]

Thanks for all the comments and help. I didn't need to move the address book and date book conduits to the disabled folder because they were already there to begin with. I didn't have a todo conduit, so I guess my todo lists aren't getting sync. I'll have to check into that later. I don't really use it too much anyway, so no biggie.

Is there anyway to sync with Entourage. The stuff I've read recommends not to because the entourage conduit sucks.

Oh, I noticed that if I add a new contact in address book and sync, when I see the contact on my pda, it shows the email address first and the phone numbers. so in the list view of the contacts, you see a partial email address next to the person's name and not their main phone number. Is there any way to force change a default preference to make it show a phone number?

Not sure if I understand the finer details, but I think I know enough to be dangerous now.

Thanks.
G

[rkevwill]

I have no experience with entourage. Make sure when you enter the phone numbers, email addresses, etc into address book, that you have them in the right fields, and have the fields properly labeled. Sounds to me like you are entering the email addresses into the phone fields, and vice versa.