Q: How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

The way we see it, Baikal and OS X Server are complex solutions requiring constant monitoring and support.

The way you see it is wholy incorrect.

I haven't "monitored" the Baïkal solution since it implemented it. Still works. No intervention.

I imagine the Server is much the same.

If you can provide actual experience that contradicts my observations, please document them here.

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Baïkal uses the built in Apache, PHP plus a user installed MySQL server.

It would be great if you could speak from experience, but you obviously are not.

Baïkal can use MySQL, but it doesn't by default. It uses SQLite3 which is used extensively by OS X. The "updates" are built into OS X and do not require any sort of monitoring as the base functionality of SQL are all that is used by Baïkal. Updates to OS X are not going to "break" it unless OS X and SQLite3 break ANSI SQL 92 standards.

How many Baïkal updates have you installed? Currently the upgrade process look simple (to a web developer), but it's not something I'd want support with multiple end users 'in the field'.

Baikal/UPGRADE.md

Oh the horror. You have to actually back up your data.

Then, you have to copy a folder over to your WebServer/Documents folder, rename it, and set the permissions. What sheer terror you have wrought. Oh, yeah, did that before when I set it up.

Now I have to copy a set of database files over from the backup to the newly installed folder. You fiends.

If you are going to deal in FUD, at least make it halfway legitimate.

Barney-15E wrote:

 

It would be great if you could speak from experience, but you obviously are not.

Yes you are right I didn't install it. I took one look at Baïkal & decided that dedicating a Mac to run calendars & contact syncing was not very efficient (as is OS X server) I setup a Raspberry Pi instead. It's ~4W vs ~100W.

Barney-15E wrote:

 

Oh the horror. You have to actually back up your data.

Then, you have to copy a folder over to your WebServer/Documents folder, rename it, and set the permissions. What sheer terror you have wrought. Oh, yeah, did that before when I set it up.

Now I have to copy a set of database files over from the backup to the newly installed folder. You fiends.

 

If you are going to deal in FUD, at least make it halfway legitimate.

I was responding to James Richards. Why so defensive?

Once again, I'm just suggesting that many Mac users don't want to learn how to export data from SQL db's to be able to see the same calendars on their Mac & iOS devices.

Is Baïkal a system that you would tell your Mom, Dad, Sister or long lost uncle to use instead of explaining they would be better off on an OS X earlier release? Many use a Mac to actually do work and don't want to spend time learning the inner workings of the OS?

It's clear we are not 'normal Apple users' Barney-15E.

Also, before you editied your message, is it really appropriate to call people names?

Barney-15E wrote:

Now I have to copy a set of database files over from the backup to the newly installed folder. You fiends.

"Also, before you editied your message, is it really appropriate to call people names?"

James was apparently right. You are being incredulously defensive as I have no idea what you are talking about.

And yes, I would be happy to show my Sister and dead Mom, Dad, and lost uncle how to set up OS X Server or Baïkal server. I don't suffer from the soft bigotry of low expectations.

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Is Baïkal a system that you would tell your Mom, Dad, Sister or long lost uncle to use instead of explaining they would be better off on an OS X earlier release? Many use a Mac to actually do work and don't want to spend time learning the inner workings of the OS?

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

gumsie wrote:

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

No need for Kickstarter, Eltima have said they are hoping to release a tool to do syncing 'this winter' (mentioned here many posts back).

Subscribe for info … http://www.sync-mac.com/syncmate-plus.html

Watts are the amount of energy used to run a machine. A new Mini will run upto 85W not 100W, assuming you want to buy a new Mac to solve this problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt

gumsie wrote:

 

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Is Baïkal a system that you would tell your Mom, Dad, Sister or long lost uncle to use instead of explaining they would be better off on an OS X earlier release? Many use a Mac to actually do work and don't want to spend time learning the inner workings of the OS?

 

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

It really wouldn't be that difficult, but I don't have the knowledge to create an installer package. All you have to do is replace the current Apache config files with the edited ones, and copy the server folder into the destination. Then, nobody would have to edit anything.

Hi Barney-15E

Thanks very much for your tutorial on hosting one's own CalDAV and CardDAV servers using Baikal.

I am interested in syncing my contacts and calendars from my MacBookPro running OSX 10.9.1 to my iPod touch (2nd generation running iOS 4) without using iCloud.

I was able to do everything described in your how-to, but have had problems adding the calendars and addrerss books to my iPod. The iPod cannot verify the accounts. After adding the Calendar and Contact accounts, I get the error message that SSL cannot be used. In your tutorial, you mentioned that the CardDAV would give an error message relating to it not being able to use SSL, but not the CalDAV. Am I correct in assuming that SSL has to be turned on and the port set to 8443?

On a side note, you mention in the section titled "Create Self-signed SSL certificates" that one can trash the files in one's home folder named "server.crt, server.key, server.key.org, server.csr". I only had three of these files. server.key.org was missing.

I believe I am very close to getting it to work, if only my iPod could verify the accounts....

I really appreciate the effort you have put into creating the tutorial and would be very grateful if you could me a pointer as to why the accounts are not being verified on my iPod.

IKneadTheDough wrote:

 

I was able to do everything described in your how-to, but have had problems adding the calendars and addrerss books to my iPod. The iPod cannot verify the accounts. After adding the Calendar and Contact accounts, I get the error message that SSL cannot be used. In your tutorial, you mentioned that the CardDAV would give an error message relating to it not being able to use SSL, but not the CalDAV. Am I correct in assuming that SSL has to be turned on and the port set to 8443?

I never tried on an iPod touch, and the iOS it runs may be different than what I used to test (iOS 7). If it doesn't verify, go into Advanced setting like for the Contacts and make sure the path is set to https://<ip address>:8443/cal.php/principals/username. Make sure SSL is on.

Save that and continue if it says it can't verify until you back all the way out, saving the settings. Then, see if you can see the calendar.

On a side note, you mention in the section titled "Create Self-signed SSL certificates" that one can trash the files in one's home folder named "server.crt, server.key, server.key.org, server.csr". I only had three of these files. server.key.org was missing.

I think that might have been a leftover when I create the keys in another test. I thought it had been created with the commands I posted, but it was from something else. You can ignore that. I'll remove the reference to it.

Barney-15E wrote:

 

gumsie wrote:

 

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Is Baïkal a system that you would tell your Mom, Dad, Sister or long lost uncle to use instead of explaining they would be better off on an OS X earlier release? Many use a Mac to actually do work and don't want to spend time learning the inner workings of the OS?

 

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

It really wouldn't be that difficult, but I don't have the knowledge to create an installer package. All you have to do is replace the current Apache config files with the edited ones, and copy the server folder into the destination. Then, nobody would have to edit anything.

I ran through your suggestion earlier and thought it was really good actually. I was makng the suggestion for those who want to just double click to install, (and uninstall of course, it's much easier than having to look for backup files to return to their original locations and such like).

Drew Reece wrote:

 

gumsie wrote:

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

 

No need for Kickstarter, Eltima have said they are hoping to release a tool to do syncing 'this winter' (mentioned here many posts back).

Subscribe for info … http://www.sync-mac.com/syncmate-plus.html

 

Watts are the amount of energy used to run a machine. A new Mini will run upto 85W not 100W, assuming you want to buy a new Mac to solve this problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt

Nice solution they have there, if somewhat pricey. 4W is pretty light on resource too.

gumsie wrote:

 

Barney-15E wrote:

 

gumsie wrote:

 

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Is Baïkal a system that you would tell your Mom, Dad, Sister or long lost uncle to use instead of explaining they would be better off on an OS X earlier release? Many use a Mac to actually do work and don't want to spend time learning the inner workings of the OS?

 

 

I reckon, (hope), that sooner or later an enterprising dev will automate a solution and make a pretty package for people to interpret easily. Who knows maybe eveb a kickstarter type thing?

Pardon me also but curious. What's the 4W/100W reference about?

It really wouldn't be that difficult, but I don't have the knowledge to create an installer package. All you have to do is replace the current Apache config files with the edited ones, and copy the server folder into the destination. Then, nobody would have to edit anything.

I ran through your suggestion earlier and thought it was really good actually. I was makng the suggestion for those who want to just double click to install, (and uninstall of course, it's much easier than having to look for backup files to return to their original locations and such like).

That's what I was trying to say. I don't think it would be hard for someone to make a basic, double-click installer that replaced all the config files with the ones configured for the Baïkal server. I just don't know how to do it.

A fancier one could actually just edit the files so that if you had already set up the web server for some other purpose, it would just modify the config files. Way more complex, but possible, I think. However, if you've already configured your web server for something, you can likely do the edits for the Baïkal server.

Yes you are right I didn't install it. I took one look at Baïkal & decided that dedicating a Mac to run calendars & contact syncing was not very efficient (as is OS X server) I setup a Raspberry Pi instead. It's ~4W vs ~100W.

Who cares how much wattage it consumes. You don't have to have a live, always-on, dedicated server. It's just your Mac and it is on whenever you have it on doing work. Or, if you just need to turn it on to sync the contacts, you turn it on, allow it to sync, and shut it down.

Just more FUD.

Barney-15E wrote:

 

 

I ran through your suggestion earlier and thought it was really good actually. I was making the suggestion for those who want to just double click to install, (and uninstall of course, it's much easier than having to look for backup files to return to their original locations and such like).

That's what I was trying to say. I don't think it would be hard for someone to make a basic, double-click installer that replaced all the config files with the ones configured for the Baïkal server. I just don't know how to do it.

 

A fancier one could actually just edit the files so that if you had already set up the web server for some other purpose, it would just modify the config files. Way more complex, but possible, I think. However, if you've already configured your web server for something, you can likely do the edits for the Baïkal server.

That's a shame.I had a feeling you'd be one of those that could. My thoughts originally were that a 3rd party would do it and charge slightly less than OSX Server for their app to make it seem even more viable. Still I'll keep an eye aout and see what goes around.

The feedback people are sending about this mess (and a slew of others on Mavericks) is being received.

10.9.1 Mavericks just dropped to three stars from where I'm looking.

Apple should know they're going the wrong way lately with OS X.