Pocket PC Syncing with Evolution in Ubuntu
Posted by admin on May 14th, 2007 
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SynCE
The purpose of the SynCE project is to provide a means of communication with a Windows Mobile, or Windows CE, device from a computer running Linux, FreeBSD or a similar operating system.
Multisync
MultiSync is a free modular program to synchronize calendars, addressbooks and other PIM data between programs on your computer and other computers, mobile devices, PDAs or cell phones. MultiSync works on any Gnome platform, such as Linux.
This is based on syncing my Dell Axim X3i with Evolution, but it should work with IPAQs and other Pocket PCs.
Connect your Pocket PC and type “dmesg” in a shell to see if the ipaq kernel module is loaded. The output might look like the following. Take note of the tty used for the connection.
usb 4-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
ipaq 4-2:1.0: PocketPC PDA converter detected
usb 4-2: PocketPC PDA converter now attached to ttyUSB02)
you can also use “cat /proc/bus/usb/devices” to check for a USB device that’s using the ipaq kernel module.
T: Bus=04 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=01 Cnt=01 Dev#= 4 Spd=12 MxCh= 0
D: Ver= 1.01 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=ff Prot=ff MxPS=16 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=413c ProdID=4002 Rev= 0.00
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr= 2mA
I: If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=ff Prot=ff Driver=ipaq
E: Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 64 Ivl=0ms
E: Ad=02(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 64 Ivl=0ms
SynCE Setup and Configuration
Install the required packages for SynCE
sudo apt-get install librra0 librra0-tools librapi2-tools libsynce0 synce-dccm synce-multisync-plugin synce-serial
synce-serial setup will be invoked by apt, follow this through using the default settings, unless you have reason to do otherwise.
/dev/ttyUSB0
local address: 192.168.131.102
remote address: 192.168.131.201
no dns entry needed
Perform the following command to tell SynCE where to look. This seems redundant.
sudo synce-serial-config ttyUSB0
Start the SynCE connection daemon by typing “dccm” in a shell. Use “dccm -p password” if your Pocket PC is password protected.
Initiate a serial connection by typing “sudo synce-serial-start” in a shell. You should be greeted with “synce-serial-start is now waiting for your device to connect”.
“synce-pstatus” shows a LOT of information about your Pocket PC, such as current mode of operation, battery charge level, memory usage as well as backup battery status. If you want to see some other synce commands, type “dpkg -L librapi2-tools”. You can use these commands to do things such as installing Pocket PC programs, etc.
Create the partnership between the Pocket PC and your computer. There are 2 slots on the device, so the INDEX can be 1 or 2.
synce-matchmaker create INDEX
You should see the following message
Partnership creation succeeded. Using partnership index INDEX.
Multisync Setup and Configuration
Install the required packages for Multisync
sudo apt-get install libmultisync-plugin-all multisync
Or, alternatively if you want to skimp on the packages
sudo apt-get install libmultisync-plugin-evolution libmultisync-plugin-backup multisync
Start Multisync by typing “multisync” in a shell. You can also do via Applications > Accessories > Multisync, but the shell gives you a lot of feedback which can be helpful the first time you use it.
Create a new synchronization pair where one of the plugins is “SynCE Plugin” and the other is “Ximian Evolution 2″, the order doesn’t matter. You may need to create a new Contact List, Task List and Calendar, so that the default ones aren’t used. I’m not sure if this is needed, but it was mentioned in the other thread.
Press the “Sync” button.
Initially, You may not have entries in Evolution so for some reason, You need to modify all of the entries on Pocket PC so that the timestamp would register each entry as a ‘change’, otherwise no entries were sync’d.
Disconnecting Your Pocket PC
Shutdown Multisync
“killall -HUP dccm” to kill the serial connection.
run “synce-serial-abort”, if the above command doesn’t work.
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May 17th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Does this work with Pocket PC 2005 devices?
May 18th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Orange SPV M600
sudo synce-serial-start
Message from syslogd@david-field at Fri May 18 14:49:47 2007 …
david-field kernel: [ 1109.149770] Oops: 0002 [1] SMP
Message from syslogd@david-field at Fri May 18 14:49:47 2007 …
david-field kernel: [ 1109.149770] Oops: 0002 [1] SMP
Message from syslogd@david-field at Fri May 18 14:49:47 2007 …
david-field kernel: [ 1109.150089] CR2: 0000000000000048
Message from syslogd@david-field at Fri May 18 14:49:47 2007 …
david-field kernel: [ 1109.150089] CR2: 0000000000000048
Run match make command and get
synce-matchmaker create 1
[synce_info_from_file:51] unable to open file: /home/david/.synce/active_connection
[rapi_context_connect:100] Failed to get connection info
[main:62] Failed to initialize RAPI
May 20th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Hi, 2 quick questions.
Does anyone know if synce-0.10.0 has been put into a package yet?
and does 0.10.0 work with device that have the
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=ef(unk. ) Sub=01 Prot=01 MxPS= 8 #Cfgs= 1
Line in there device info?
These devices have never worked with Synce.
Regards
May 29th, 2007 at 3:23 am
I did this and it worked on my Dell Axim running Pocket PC 2003 version 4.20.1081 (Build 13100). i did need to go to the Synce Website (http://synce.sourceforge.net/synce/multisync.php) in order to create replace a partnership.
good luck.
July 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I have a strange problem - everything works fine but only once for synchronization pair. Second time multisync returns: Failed to get first plugin change: Unknown error.
First plugin is Ximian. Do you have any suggestions?
January 20th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Thanks - this worked very well for me on a very new standard Ubuntu Gutsy (7.10), to synchronise a Medion MDPPC250. Note: I had not set up anything in Evolution, and at first nothing synchronised. I then found that in the Ximan Evolution 2 pair there is an ‘Options’ button that allowed me to set the ‘Personal’ file to be synchronised. MultiSync Options has a ‘Show “Resync” button’ that then lets you synchronise all entries, whether flagged as synchronised or not. The pairing works both ways for me so far.
Thanks again!
January 20th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I’ve tried this method and when I get to this step
“sudo synce-serial-config ttyUSB0″
I get an error that the port is not there. It tells me to check the config help file, and when I do it says that I need toi configure Synce with either a Serial port or an infrared port. Any help?
April 13th, 2008 at 10:12 am
hi. i have an i-mate jam (windows mobile 2003 se). i followed all the instruction but when it got to the part of making a partnership, i got this message:
dan@Ace:~$ synce-matchmaker create INDEX
[rra_matchmaker_create_partnership:380] Partnership not found and there are no empty partner slots on device.
Partnership creation failed. Maybe there is no empty partnership slot?
dan@Ace:~$
i couldn’t sync.
i’m a nube and i’m lost.
thanks
May 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
If you don’t have empty partner slots use this command ’synce-matchmaker replace INDEX’.
Note the replace command instead of create.
Good luck.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Worked nicely on hardy with my acer n35.
Thanks a lot.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:27 am
I is somewhat working for me (Hardy + Qtek Pocket PC 2003). But:
* Only one synchronization possible (Failed to get first plugin change: Unknown error.): Work around delete the pair and recreate it at each connection.
* The tasks are dupplicating themselves at each synchronization.
Regards
June 17th, 2008 at 6:46 am
After some more use, I can see that dual sync (One with a PC at work / Outlook and one with Ubuntu / Evolution at home) leads to a lot of duplicates in contacts / tasks / agenda entries and the creation of many unreadable agenda items from the PC/Outlook synchronization side. Those items are in your Pocket PC but cannot synchronize in Outlook.
I would not recommend this solution for dual-sync in this version, except for a one-time synchronization.
Regards
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:18 am
I’m having a weird problem. For everything that I try to do it tells me “unable to resolve host Crasher” which is the name of my laptop. Pretty much at every step of the process…
Here’s a copy of my terminal window so that you can see and maybe help. Thanks.
omar@Crasher:~$ sudo synce-serial-config ttyUSB0sudo: unable to resolve host Crasher
You can now run synce-serial-start to start a serial connection.
omar@Crasher:~$ dccm
omar@Crasher:~$ sudo synce-serial-start
sudo: unable to resolve host Crasher
kill: 15: No such process
synce-serial-start is now waiting for your device to connect
omar@Crasher:~$ synce-pstatus
synce-pstatus: Could not find configuration at path '(Default)'
omar@Crasher:~$ synce-matchmaker replacey INDEX 1
The purpose of this program is to manage partnerships with the currently
connected device.
Syntax:
synce-matchmaker [status|create|replace INDEX]
status Show partnership status for device
create Create partnership with device
replace Replace partnership on device
INDEX The partnership index (1 or 2)
omar@Crasher:~$ synce-matchmaker status INDEX 1
[synce_info_from_file:51] unable to open file: /home/omar/.synce/active_connection
[rapi_context_connect:100] Failed to get connection info
[main:62] Failed to initialize RAPI
omar@Crasher:~$ synce-matchmaker replace INDEX 1
[synce_info_from_file:51] unable to open file: /home/omar/.synce/active_connection
[rapi_context_connect:100] Failed to get connection info
[main:62] Failed to initialize RAPI
August 13th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
It doesn’t work for me. When I plug the PDA, it appears in my network connection and it’s not recognized as ttyUSB0 but as eth1 and blows my internet connection, I have to change it manually. I don’t know what to do, I’ve tried with two PDAs an Axim X51 and an ipaq hx2400, both with WM5. If someone have a clue please tell me. Thanks.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I work with ubuntu hardy.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:18 am
It’s work for me, Ubuntu Hardy.
when create partnership with pocket PC, only 2 partnership is permitted. I must replace existing partnership first with “synce-matchmaker replace 2″ and then create new parnetship with “synce-matchmaker create 2″.
My PPC is HP iPaq 6515.
Thanks
September 17th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I was with you all the way.
Right up till this line “Start the SynCE connection daemon by typing “dccm” in a shell”
Now i’ll happily admit to being completely computer illiterate, and please excuse my French, but, what the fu*k is a shell ???, where do i find one and how do i type anything into it ?
All i want is to not have to use that heap of junk that is M$ Outlook (after discovering it wanted to keep 75% of my emails a secret). And i thought connecting my ppc up to linux and thunderbird would be the best way to avoid using any M$ related products. But, all this sudo linux stuff is way way beyond me, why can’t it be easier to use ?
I’m using Linux Mint, and that has a software manager that automatically downloads and installs all this stuff for you, which i’ve done. But i’ll be buggered if i can find the programme anywhere on my blessed computer.
Why can’t it be simpler, please..
/end of rant, thank you.
Any advice ? anyone ?
September 18th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Don’t bother, i’ve figured out what a shell is and where to type dccm and the rest.
Not quite figured out how to get a Hotmail and a Yahoo account into Evolution yet, but i’m a working on it.