iTunes calendar sync doesn't work

When I look in the console log, during a "reload the calendar" I see the following messages:

Nov 26 14:03:26 ml2 AppleMobileSync[8591]: 8591:33034240|DeviceLinkConnection.c:_DLCheckVersionForConnect| ERROR: Connecting side determined that its DeviceLink protocol version is greater (connect: 300, accept: 100)

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 iCalExternalSync[8592]: [ICalExternalSync ]Encountered exception: -[__NSCFDictionary setObject:forKey:]: attempt to insert nil value (key: email) withStack: (

0 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101272cba iCalExternalSync + 134330

1 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101260d4a iCalExternalSync + 60746

2 iCalExternalSync 0x00000001012716ee iCalExternalSync + 128750

3 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101253094 iCalExternalSync + 4244

4 ??? 0x0000000000000005 0x0 + 5

)

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 2012-11-26 14:03:30.657 iCalExternalSync[8592:707] [ICalExternalSync ]Encountered exception: -[__NSCFDictionary setObject:forKey:]: attempt to insert nil value (key: email) withStack: (

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 0 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101272cba iCalExternalSync + 134330

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 1 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101260d4a iCalExternalSync + 60746

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 2 iCalExternalSync 0x00000001012716ee iCalExternalSync + 128750

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 3 iCalExternalSync 0x0000000101253094 iCalExternalSync + 4244

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 4 ??? 0x0000000000000005 0x0 + 5

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: )

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 iCalExternalSync[8592]: [ICalExternalSync ]NSException name:NSInvalidArgumentException reason:-[__NSCFDictionary setObject:forKey:]: attempt to insert nil value (key: email)

Nov 26 14:03:30 ml2 com.apple.syncservices.SyncServer[8562]: 2012-11-26 14:03:30.658 iCalExternalSync[8592:707] [ICalExternalSync ]NSException name:NSInvalidArgumentException reason:-[__NSCFDictionary setObject:forKey:]: attempt to insert nil value (key: email)

I don't read my exchange email on my iPhone, so why is it having this problem? Why does having this problem prevent the rest of the calendar from synching? What can I do about it??

/Randy

OK, here are some things that DON'T WORK:

Resetting SyncServices (which Apple says is dangerous) see: https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1627

This thread , which is really about going the other way (iPhone => Mac). It suggests deleting the contents of the UserName/Library/Calendars folder (after making Library visible for Lion users such as myself). That's really quite effective at resetting the iCal part of the mix. The first time you dump the trash you get a "file busy", but you can empty the trash after starting up a new (factory defaults) iCal. Then you re-make your Exchange account and refresh it.

All these things lead to where I started: Events in Outlook, matching Events in iCal, no user errors (though some console log gripes), and yet resync to iPhone leaves no calendar on the iPhone.

Sad. 😟

/Randy

Here is a semi-solution:

⚠ These steps are probably dangerous and you MUST have a backup of your calendar on a nice, safe server to even consider this course of action.

Phase I - Purge

1) Disconnect the iPhone from the computer.

2) On the iPhone, click "Calendars" and then "Edit"

3) On the iPhone, Choose each calendar in turn, scroll down to the bottom and click "Delete Calendar", and confirm. {Don't do this without a backup}

4) On the computer, Close iCal.

5) On the computer, throw the contents of UserName/Library/Calendars into the trash. {The /Library directory in your home folder is hidden to protect you from stuff that could hurt your Mac, be careful.}

6) On the computer, empty the trash. You might get an error about CalendarCache.

7) On the computer, start iCal. Without clicking in iCal, empty the trask again.

Do Not attempt to connect your iCal to the exchange server. This bit of Apple code supporting µSoft seems a little broken.

Phase II - Multi-Sharing

1) On the computer, open Outlook 2011 and click on the "Tools" tab.

2) On the computer, Click on the Sync Services Button. Check the box for Calendar and close the window.

3) On the computer, Bring the iCal window to the front (iCal was running from step 7 above).

4) Wait for the iCal calendar to populate. Clicking on the Send/Recieve button in Outlook might speed this up, or it might simply keep you busy. It takes quite a while. You can also watch the /Library/Calendars folder fill up. When Outlook hasn't said "sync pending on this folder" in a while, you are done.

Now you have an iCal with all your Exchange events on it, and some piece of µSoft software attempts to keep them in sync. This poses risks of it's own, caveat emptor. ℹ

Phase III - Link in the iPhone

1) On the computer, start up iTunes.

2) Plug the cable into the iPhone.

3) On the computer, quickly! click the x in the progress window, stopping the automatic sync.

4) On the computer, open the Info tab, scroll down to the bottom, and click on the box that says "During the next sync only, iTunes will replace ..." next to Calendar.

5) On the computer, click Apply and/or Sync.

6) Wait for the sync to complete.

Success. Now your iPhone and iCal and Outlook all agree. Yes, both programs must be running to sync your iPhone; but that was the usual practice before.

This does not fix the Apple problem, or effectively work around it. Rather it simply finds another path to the desired state.

I'm still looking for a better solution, that doesn't involve multi-program collaboration. Let me know if you find one.

/Randy