Hotsynch Riddle

[Nexus7]

Due to a failed back-up from the SD card on my TT, I ended up with my Palm Desktop having more contact records than my handheld. If it were as simple as that, there would be no problem. I could just set the hotsynch for desktop overwrites the palm in order to restore synchronization. Unfortunately, there is a subset of contacts that are on the Palm but not on the desktop. Simple synchronization ends up erasing the palm contact subset on the palm that I want to preserve. How can I get back in synch?

Steve T and Alan G gave me some advice on how I could solve this with Pocket Mirror Pro if I switched to Outlook from Palm Desktop. I'd prefer not to switch. Is there anyway that I can get back into synch with Palm Desktop without using Pocket Mirrror?

[kroger]

A way to do it, would be to make a backup profile on the desktop and set (palm owerwrites desktop), then sync to this profile, and afterwards import the datebook to your normal user..

[Xoanan]

Backup your data on the desktop first.

Yes - might get confusing because there are a few 'if statements' here:


Does the palm have a user name on it? Go the home, tap on hotsync and look in the upper right corner.

If there is a name there, make note of it.


1) Compare the name on the palm to the name on the desktop.

IF THEY ARE THE SAME:
a) Rename the user on the desktop to something totally different.
b) hotsync the palm to get the palm's data onto the computer. It should prompt you to 'create' a new account -- say yes.
c) You will now have the palm data in one user, and the other data in the 2nd user on palm desktop
d) Copy and paste the "palm subset of contacts" from user1 to user2
e) You should now have all of the data in one place -- the user that you renamed in step (a)
f) Now get rid of the user you created during the sync (with the partial data) by either renaming, or delete it.
g) Rename the user with all the data, back to whatever you actually want to activally use for syncing.
h) Either change your conduits to desktop overwrites handheld, or hard reset your palm
i) Sync to get all the data back on the palm.




IF THE NAMES ARE DIFFERENT or THERE IS NO NAME ON THE PALM
a) Basically, just pickup from step (b) above.



Hope that makes sense.

X

[Xoanan]

Originally posted by kroger
A way to do it, would be to make a backup profile on the desktop and set (palm owerwrites desktop), then sync to this profile, and afterwards import the datebook to your normal user..

IF you do this be aware you might end up with duplicates.

You mentioned that the desktop has 'more' records, indicating that there are probably some records that are in both place

If you just import, those records will duplicate.


Of course, that may not be the case, the first message wasn't 100% clear on the current situation.

[Nexus7]

Xoanan and Kroger,

Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions.

Xoanan, you are right that there is significant overlap between the data set on the Palm and on the Palm Desktop. I am concerned about duplicates. Does your method avoid duplicates?
Also while your steps were pretty clear there is one that I'm not clear on andd that is:
" Copy and paste the 'palm subset of contacts' from user1 to user2".
Can you be more precise on how/where this pasting step occurs.

Your advice here is much appreciated.

[Xoanan]

Yup this method will avoid getting duplicates because you'll be doing it by hand.

To copy and paste the contact.

Go into the user that currently displays the information that's only on the handheld. (the 'subset' you mentioned)

Press and hold the control (ctrl) key on the keyboard.

Click once on each of the contacts that you need to merge into the other user.

When that is complete, they should all be highlighted. Let go of control.

Click edit from the toolbar, select 'copy'


Then switch to the user with the majority of the data.

Click edit from the toolbar, select 'paste'.

It will then copy (the selected) contacts into the new user. Note: They will be placed in whatever category you currently have selected.

Hope that's clear, if you need more help let us know.