Palm Handheld Synchronization Options On My New MacBook

For those familiar with Outlook and Entourage, Entourage may be the answer, to some degree. But, I don't care for either application, and believe that the integration of Entourage into the Sync Services network is rather poorly implemented.

The basic tool you need to insure that data is properly categorized and 'colored' is the Missing Sync for Palm OS, which provides for such services, as well as memo synchronization, the synchronization of AvantGo content, iPhoto and non-AAC protected iTunes content, and so on.

Your first synchronization should normally result in the contents of your device being overwritten, but in your case, that's not possible because you need to transfer the data from your device to iCal and the Address Book during that initial event. Because of limitations to the manner in which the Sync Services framework operates, it is necessary to merge data with your device during the first event, make any changes to your contact data in the Address Book and event and task data in iCal, then completely overwrite your device with this changed data. If and when the time comes, I can explain how to do that step-by-step.

Q: Am I correct in thinking that it basically modifies iCal and Address Book to work and look like Palm Desktop?

A: No, actually it provides three conduits—one each for contacts, events and tasks—which take the place of the iSync Palm Conduit which you would typically use to synchronize your handheld to iCal and the Address Book, using iSync. In addition, the Missing Sync for Palm OS lets you synchronize media files to iPhoto and iTunes, supports the synchronization of memos (which the iSync Palm Conduit does not) and provides for AvantGo content synchronization.

A standard installation requires that your configure the Missing Sync for Palm OS and use it to overwrite the contents of your handheld organizer with those of iCal and the Address Book. As they are effectively empty and your organizer holds the records you want to transfer to them, you cannot to that.

Instead, you should skip the initial recommendation to overwrite the contents of your Palm device during the initial synchronization event, and instead simply use the Mark/Space Contacts, Events, Memos and Tasks conduit to synchronize your device, transfer the data from your handheld to iCal, the Address Book, and the Mark/Space MemoPad application. Once you have done so, you should carefully examine the transfered data in each application, make any necessary adjustments to your records, and only then should you set each conduit to overwrite the contents of your handheld once, during the next synchronization event.

When you are ready to do that, let me know and I will take you through it step by step if necessary.

The initial overwrite is a one-time procedure, intended to overcome what I would describe as a design shortcoming of the Sync Services framework. Subsequent synchronization events will occur just as intended, integrating additions, changes and deletions to your contact, event and task data made on any device prior to a given event.

You can always overwrite the contents of your device, which is explicitly supported the framework. The process is not as easy as changing a conduit setting as it is in the Palm environment, but it's not difficult.

Memo data is located in an entirely different application: Mark/Space MemoPad. You should see that all of your memo data has been been transferred from your organizer to that application by the Mark/Space Memos conduit.

Aside from the missing memos, what specifically constitutes 'incomplete?' Some data may not transfer properly due to limitations of both the Palm OS PIM applications and the Sync Services framework but, without access to your data, I have no idea specifically what these issues are. Are you missing the contents of some fields, such as addresses, electronic mail address or IM identifiers?
You should read this document to determine if mapping issues interfere with the transfer of event data, and this one to determine if they interfere with the transfer of contact data.

Wether or not the Palm Desktop is installed or not—and has data records associated with it or not—is immaterial. You should not delete it if there is every any possibility that you will later choose to revert to using iSync and the iSync Palm Conduit, because some components of the Palm Desktop are required to support them, and reinstalling the Palm Desktop can create additional issues which are simply to complex to describe here.

DO NOT delete the contact records now in your Address Book or the event or task records in iCal unless you plan to once again overwrite them during the next event, because to do so will trigger their removal during a standard synchronization event. That's not an issue with the way that the Missing Sync for Palm OS operates - it is a foundational behavior of the Sync Services framework.