Multiple entries afte iSync

Merlin,

Although it will not explain why it happened, I just read an article in Hawk Wings that will correct the problem: iCal de-dupe: Kill iCal duplicates

;~)

Merlin,

I apologize if I do not seem to understand the scope of your problem, but the previous link which I provided also has this link: AppleScript to remove duplicate iCal events

A tip on macOSXHints links to an AppleScript that removes duplicate events from iCal.
This is particularly useful for people who sync their calendars with Palm devices, a process that often causes duplicates.

The actual macOSXHints tip tells you how to delete duplicated fields in Address Book and iCal, something that can occur in the rare case of people who use The Missing Sync application and Tiger’s Sync

;~)

There is something fundamentally wrong with that statement: you cannot simultaneously use the Palm Desktop with its standard conduits, the Missing Sync for Palm OS with its Mark/Space conduits, and iSync and the iSync Palm Conduit to synchronize with iCal and the Address Book, or with the Palm Desktop.

If you are using the Missing Sync version 5 or later, the Palm Desktop is not involved in any way in this process. And, if you first synchronized with that package but without overwriting the contents of your Palm device, that action and the mix of conduits and application you describe go a long way toward explaining the corrupted records you report.

Hi,

The Applescript mentioned is based (very closely) on my script to delete duplicates, which you can get here http://www.nhoj.co.uk .

Best wishes

John M

Merlin,

You are welcome.

Thanks for posting your solution.

Backup, backup, backup!

;~)

You're welcome. The Mark/Space documentation does state how important it is to overwrite the contents of your handheld during the first synchronization event, but it doesn't explain why.

The reasons are rather complex, but in relatively simple terms this step is required for each data type because of requirements imposed—and inherent limitations of—the Sync Services framework. A great deal takes place in the background when you introduce new Sync Services-savvy conduits and applications, including requirements that these new clients [devices, applications or servers] be registered with Sync Services and their schemas recognized. Others may have to be unregistered at the same time. And, there are inherent limitations in the framework: for example, it has no provision to allow your handheld to overwrite either iCal or the Address Book. The standard Palm conduits do provide that option, but they continue to work independently of the Sync Services framework.

If you are interested in what's going on behind the scenes, here is a link to an Apple Developer document that explains the basic structure of the framework:

http://developer.apple.com/macosx/syncservices.html

Mark/Space are aware of this duplcation problem in this process. See:
http://www.markspace.com/support/index.php?x=&mod_id=2&id=2595

John M