Outlook tasks CAN sync to your iPhone... I have a solution!

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Level 1

8 points

Outlook tasks CAN sync to your iPhone... I have a solution!

OK.. So we all are disgusted with Apple's lack of task synchronization with Outlook. The only glimpse of this functionality is Chapura's proposed KeyTasks, which costs $10 PER YEAR, and isnt even out yet!

HOWEVER, those who do NOT want to go under contract, or do NOT WANT TO WAIT for this release, I have an excellent solution... Granted, it's only useful on Windows as far as I know, but it definitely works seemlessly.

Here's the run down.. Todo app($10), Toodledo account(free), ToodledoSync(free).

You'll need to buy the "Todo" app from the appstore, as it is the only task app that provides any kind of sync capabilities.. (It's a very well put together app as well.. very iphone friendly with direct links in the tasks to go to a website, or to call someone, etc.)

Next, set up a free account with at http://www.toodledo.com and sync the account in Todo.

Then, go here: http://www.chromadrake.com/ChromaticDragon/software/ToodledoSyncInfo.aspx for the sync software between Toodledo and Outlook. You can set the program to periodically sync Outlook and Toodledo.

In Outlook, you should also disable the security setting in "Tools--> Trust Center--> Programmatic Access" and set the option to "NEVER warn"... Without this, every time ToodledoSync tries to sync you'd get an annoying warning message that a program is trying to access your email.

Well, that's that.... and let me just say "you're welcome" in advance!

Dell M60, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Jul 27, 2008 4:39 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 27, 2008 10:15 PM in response to iamlocosucka

Thank you!!! Sincerely thank you for this post! A GREAT work around until Key Tasks is released.

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Answer 2

eddiela

Level 1

5 points

Jul 28, 2008 1:42 AM in response to iamlocosucka

iamlocosucka,

Thanks for the info, it is greatly appreciated. However, don't you think Apple not supporting this natively is a complete load? I am on a little quest to ask everyone to send feedback to Apple about the lack of support for tasks, notes, and public folders on exchange. Please send Apple feedback about these glaring omissions here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

I have sent in my feedback, you can read it here if you wish:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=7725426#7725426

Thanks

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Answer 3

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 28, 2008 2:12 AM in response to pburanosky

Glad I can help... After hours of searching around, I figured I'd have to put up a post somewhere and hope people can Google their way to this page... I know for some, task syncing is a deal breaker for getting an iPhone.

All I can say is I'm loving my 'swiss army phone' more and more every day..

As far as using this work around compared to keytasks, they claim to have "Category Support coming soon", which I think is odd to advertise being that ITS NOT EVEN RELEASED YET! Lol..

And for any doubters and non-believers, Todo is actually a very slick app. You can customize the type of checkmark or stamp for completed tasks(the "DONE" stamp is ridiculously cool looking), and the app on the springboard actually shows you the number of notifications for tasks due that day, like mail and sms notifications. It integrates with your contacts, phone, and email as well so in addition to basic tasks you can enter, you can choose to specify if the task is to Call a Contact, Email a Contact, or Visit a Website. (Worked great when I had to remind myself to call my grandfather for his birthday the other day!)

Anyways, spread the word.. OUTLOOK TASKS CAN NOW SYNC WITH THE IPHONE!!! WOOOOO!!!! Hehe...

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Answer 4

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 28, 2008 2:47 AM in response to eddiela

Honestly, if Apple supported tasks and notes through exchange only, I would be sorely disappointed. I have no need for their MobileMe service, since I can still get my emails through Outlook and the iPhone independently.

This workaround works great for anyone without the need for MobileMe or any other exchange service.

As far as public folders, I can't help you there since I don't really know much about them. So with this, I am finally at peace with my needs, and I hope anyone that stumbles upon this would be as well..

But yes, I do think that Apple not supporting this natively is a complete load. Lol.. From a business perspective, yes apple needs to realize that they are isolating a large number of people who require more functionality in the business world. Apple plays their game very smart, VERY smart, but they like to have the control over their situation so I just think it's going to take them a bit of time. All these iPhone imitators are flooding the handheld market, yet none of them, i repeat, NONE of them come close to what the iPhone has become. Just like Apple's new commercial; the only phone that can beat the iPhone, the NEW iPhone. With the price point they're at, and the mass consumer adoption, all kinds of people own iPhones and I don't feel there will ever be a point where the iPhone reaches full market saturation until there's an iPhone in every cellular customer's hand. With that said, Apple should know that the only way to grow into the modern business customer, it needs to be fully adoptable into their work environment. Regardless, I believe Apple knows what they're doing. They're playing this game all too well to let these nuisances go unnoticed. Wow... ok, enough ranting... hahaha..

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Answer 5

jeffq07

Level 1

6 points

Jul 28, 2008 11:54 AM in response to iamlocosucka

Have you had any issues with the tasks duplicating? Every time a sync occurs, the tasks will duplicate on my Iphone and on Toodledo (but not in Outlook). Also, tasks that have been completed for a long time are showing up again as active tasks. I went through and deleted them all again, but somewhere during the last couple of syncs, they re-appeared.
I will keep looking at settings and options, but if anyone knows what I might be missing, let me know.
Thanks,

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Answer 6

Jul 28, 2008 1:35 PM in response to iamlocosucka

Any idea why I'd get this error?

SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:synchronizeTasks() method called
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:synchronizeTasks() load sync records
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:synchronizeTasks() performing full synchronization
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:performFullSync() method called
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:performFullSync() retrieving all toodledo tasks
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:performFullSync() synching and retrieving toodledo folders
SyncApp.exe Information: 0 : SynchLib:synchAndRetrieveToodledoFolders() getting Toodledo Folders
SyncApp.exe Error: 0 : Error during synchronization Unable to cast COM object of type 'System.__ComObject' to interface type 'Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.TaskItem'. This operation failed because the QueryInterface call on the COM component for the interface with IID '{00063035-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}' failed due to the following error: No such interface supported (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004002 (E_NOINTERFACE)). at OutlookClientLib.OutlookProxy.GetActiveTaskCategories()
at SynchLib.SyncTool.synchAndRetrieveToodledoFolders()
at SynchLib.SyncTool.performFullSynch(SyncInfo syncinfo)
at SynchLib.SyncTool.synchronizeTasks()
at SyncApp.frmOptions.backgroundWorker1_DoWork(Object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)

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Answer 7

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2008 2:01 AM in response to jeffq07

Haven't had any duplication issues personally.. Make sure with the Toodledo Sync settings that all of the Toodledo Updates and Outlook Updates boxes are checked, so all updates and deletions work both ways between Outlook and Toodledo.

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Answer 8

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2008 2:09 AM in response to Mr Willis

I'm assuming thats an error with the Toodledo Sync. Don't know how much I can help with this one, but I googled "Unable to cast COM object of type" and came up with some issue referencing the 3.0 .NET Framework.

On that note, I tried installing this on a different laptop receiving an error that it requires 2.0 .Net framework. Installed 2.0 on it and it went through fine.

Both my computers are running XP Pro, and I noticed you're running Vista. Don't know how that changes things, but I also notice that jeffq07 is also running Vista, and I can assume he can get it to work aside from his duplication issue.

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Answer 9

Aug 20, 2008 9:40 AM in response to Mr Willis

I'm the developer of the ToodledoSyncApp tool. A few people have raised the E_NOINTERFACE issue with me and as it seems a lot of you IPhone folks are starting to use the tool I thought I had better post here.

The problem seems to be a bug in the software which I am working to fix. There is a discussion thread about this over at the Toodledo forums and I'll be posting updates there when I have any news. Hope that helps

Cheers

keef

**“I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.”**

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Answer 10

Jul 29, 2008 6:38 AM in response to Chromatic Dragon

Fair enough, it's a great solution but I don't see why we should have to buy an application that does something that the iphone should do anyway.

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Answer 11

eddiela

Level 1

5 points

Jul 29, 2008 9:56 AM in response to iamlocosucka

Could not agree with you more. Great rant! 🙂

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Answer 12

Pylon9

Level 1

0 points

Jul 29, 2008 11:59 AM in response to iamlocosucka

Thank you for this great post!

I have setup as per your instructions, and all is working OK.

One question: Am I right in thinking that I have to manually sync with Toodledo Account from the iPhone ToDo client?

I can't see anywhere to auto-sync at set periods in ToDo and it doesn't seem to update Tasks on the iPhone if I just leave it.

Cheers

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Answer 13

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2008 12:23 PM in response to Pylon9

Yea thats the one thing about it i realized too. Mail accounts can be set to be "fetched" on the iphone which is awesome. Hopefully They can add more sync control options for the Todo app. Otherwise its really not too big of a deal.

I havent had a chance to test this out yet, but I wanted to see if anyone did. Does the springboard notification bubble for the number of tasks due that day update on its own, or does that not update until the app is accessed on that day and you go back to the springboard. (Meaning if you set a task for tomorrow, and dont access Todo again, will the notification pop up on the springboard without having to go into Todo to check it). This might just be a bug, as they just added the notification bubble feature in the apps most recent update.

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Answer 14

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2008 12:25 PM in response to Chromatic Dragon

Well, let me personally say thank you for your sync tool. None of this would be possible without it.

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Answer 15

iamlocosucka Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2008 12:31 PM in response to iamlocosucka

I'm noticing that there are a growing number of task apps by the name of "To Do" or some slight variation. To clarify, you need the "Todo" app by Appigo which costs $9.99.

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