This document explains how to synchronise and backup
data between a USB handheld
and a Linux computer.
Additionally, it shows how to access main applications data on the
computer as well, using a freelly available Linux Palm Desktop
application with GUI that has full
support for Datebook,Contacts, ToDos, Memos, Hide/Show private data
and Install to handheld.
What syncs to what
One of the things that kept me booting to Windows from time to time,
after having installed Linux on my laptop in a dual boot configuration,
was constantly having to hotsync my handheld with the Palm Desktop and
also add new programs, new Plucker files, and so forth.
After doing a little research on the internet, I finally managed to get
to sync my Palm with the Linux desktop. I synchronised a Sony Clie SJ20
with Palm OS 4.1 that uses a USB connector to a laptop with a USB 1.1
port, running Slackware Linux 10 kernel version 2.4.62, without
KDE or GNOME (running XFCE). However, most of the information and
software I used date back a few years, so it is reasonable to assume it
is worth trying it with older set-ups.
Before trying to sync
This requires to have X
installed of course. Preferably, the handheld should be know to work
and sync via USB. Some libraries required are normally included with
most distributions, they are mentioned below anyway. For the desktop
interface, I downloaded
J-Pilot from http://jpilot.org/
(version 0.99.7)
(For someone looking to just
sync/backup their data
quickly from the command line without any Desktop and GUI, here is a guide to Palm syncing
for serial and USB handhelds using pilot-xfer
and nothing else.)
This assumes that pilot-link
and pilot-xfer are already
installed by default. Also, one must be root for this to succeed.
1. Checking that USB is available to the Linux machine at start-up
In order to make sure that the Linux has USB available when booting,
type the dmesg command.
It should mention USB:
usb.c: registered new driver
usbdevfs usb.c: registered new driver hub uhci.c: USB Universal Host
Controller Interface driver v1.1 PCI: Enabling device 00:07.2
(0000 -> 0001) PCI: Found IRQ 9 for device
00:07.2 uhci.c: USB UHCI at I/O 0x1060,
IRQ 9 usb.c: new USB bus registered,
assigned bus number 1 hub.c: USB hub found hub.c: 2 ports detected
Here is a
more in-depth material covering this issue (it includes syncing with
FreeBSD) that I actually used when I first synchronised my
handheld, although it actually refers to another Palm desktop
application for KDE.
2. What is the name of the device the handheld connects to?
The "device" for the USB connection will be created only when hotsync
is in progress. Connect the handheld to the USB port and prepare to tap
the Hotsync button. In a terminal window type tail -f /var/log/messages and
after hitting return also tap Hotsync on the handheld.
The output will look like this:
Feb
3 03:56:56 darkstar kernel: hub.c: new USB device 00:07.2-1, assigned
address 4 Feb 3 03:56:56 darkstar
kernel: usbserial.c: Handspring Visor / Treo / Palm 4.0 / Clié
4.x converter now attached to ttyUSB1 (or usb/tts/1 for devfs)
The device created is then named dev/ttyUSBn where n is the number assigned and
usually it defaults to 1.
Knowing this, it is time to test if the transfer is working.
3. Transferring data between the handheld and the computer using pilot-xfer
Prepare for another hotsync and have this ready in a xterm window:
pilot-xfer -p /dev/ttyUSB1 -L
Press Hotsync and count to
two, then hit return to run the pilot-xfer
command. If the timing is right, you will get a list of all the files
on the handheld.
List
complete. 347 files found. Time elapsed: 0:00:15
Also try ttyUSB0, and so
forth, depending on the results from step 2.
At this point, the handheld is communicating with the Linux machine; to
synch and backup without further frills, see the link above; to get the full monty read on.
4. Installing a Linux Palm Desktop organiser
Now install the J-Pilot
package that we mentioned earlier. This is what your Linux Palm
Desktop will look like. When running the first sync, press the button
on the desktop one second before tapping hotsync on the handheld;
J-Pilot does not wait for too long before hanging up, there is a one
second window. Also note that the first sync will be long, J-Pilot does
a very slow back-up; it all comes back to normal after that. There may
be more similar applications out there, I chose this because it does
not require KDE to be installed.
Notes:
Everyone holding a root password is solely responsible for what they do
to their machine.
This page has no affiliation whatsoever with owners or makers of the
applications presented here. This reading matter does not advertise or
endorse brands presented here, this simply happens to be the set-up
that I use or like to use. Sources and resources are always quoted.
Should there be questions send to macs AT nightmail DOT ru.
This page at
http://www.macs.nightmail.ru/computers/Sync_Palm_via_USB_in_Slackware_Linux.html