SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

FYI, anyone looking to sync their NIT Contacts, or Pimlico Contacts, Dates, etc information needs to check out the latest syncevolution.

The app reads the EDS database and syncs it to wherever you need, ie Evolution, Google (minus contacts), et al. It uses a third party SyncML server (Scheduleworld, Funabol, etc) to accomplish the task.

You just get the app for your desktop and NIT, the configure it to log into your SyncML account (easy config file) and go to it. So far, it seems to work well, after a small NIT version hiccup, but I am sure he could use many beta testers and might even be convince to up it to Extras-Dev.

So now we have another solution other than Erminig/GPE for Sync.

Can someone please whip up a Home Applet like GPE Summary for the Pimlico / EDS stuff? I know I am begging and most people use GPE ( I do as well), but the contacts app is much better and uses EDS, and Dates/To-DO isn't bad. I just don't have the time/skill.

FYI
Pimlico is at least updating the Libs if not coming out with updated apps. I checked the repo and it has a diablo subdir with some of the libs underneath. So someone is at least maintaining the NIT stuff.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Except calendar, right? Or would one really _need_ to use GPE PIM for that purpose?

BTW there is also Evolution for Windows (version 2.22)...

Has anyone looked into Sunbird port for maemo? Or Evolution port?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

So Syncevolution does work with Diablo? Is this correct? Is it stable enough for every day use or would you recommend waiting for the final release before installing it? I loved the old version on my 770, it was so simple and useful.

As for the Pimlico stuff: Did you try using contacts with Diablo? It's basically all I'd need, I don't really keep my dates in any electronic calendar. If I'd only know that it works and I will not regret installing it now (instead of waiting for a new release that's maybe only 2 weeks away) I'd have my perfect setup...

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

I am running Diablo on my n810 and yes, syncevolution 0.8-1a works just fine.

So far I have tested it with Pimlico Contacts and Dates. It has support for memo and to-do as well, but I haven't tried that.

It takes a little futzing to get it to work with multiple calendars (I believe its a SyncML limitation more than a syncevolution one) as you have to set up two configs and mod one to point to the other calendar (its easy enough).

Given the release history of 6 months between .7 and .8-1a, you might be waiting a while for a final release, but it seems stable enough for me. It hasn't crashed yet and the new configuration handler allows you to override and input any of the parameters from the command line in case you need to do something not normal for your sync.

So far I have had no issues with it, other than taking a while to figure out how to sync multiple calendars to multiple calendars in Dates.

BTW, I still have GPE, but If the pimlico stuff is working nice then I'll probably switch because it has a nicer UI. However, it has no Home screen applet which is sort of a need for me.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Loved using Evolution a number of years ago. Great to see a Windows port and will definitely try this out.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

OK, tried it now and it really works.

Although syncevolution is poorly documented and Contacts doesn't even make the slightest effort to look like a Hildon-application, at least I got all data on the tablet now.

One question about Contacts, though: When you browse contacts or open them, there's a space on the upper right where a picture could be. In fact, it shows photos of contacts I stored with pictures. I would have expected, though, that in all other cases there's some kind of placeholder image (the usual grey head on greay background). There's not. It's a red "X" that looks very much like "error! error! error! error!" to me. Is this only here or is Contacts on Maemo not as polished as it should be?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

I am guessing the Pimlico Contacts App (to differentiate between the built-in Contacts) does not have the little default image with it. Its still pretty beta IMHO. I have the red X as well. I like their contacts app better than GPE, but alas it hasn't been updated in forever and I am afraid they have moved priority to the other platforms they show.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

OK, I just wanted to make sure there's nothing wrong with *my* installation of pimlico contacts. - Pity it's in such a bad state, it could be the ideal software.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

to bad i prefer kde pim vs evolution...

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

doesnt really matter - or better: it shouldn't matter as long as you find any way to sync your data from KDE to any server on the web (i prefer scheduleworld.com) via syncML.

syncevolution is only the part you need on the tablet and it syncs from/to the web, not directly from the evolution client on your desktop. its called syncevolution because its purpose is to provide snyc features for the evolution data server, which is used on the tablet.

so as my setup is
evolution > syncevolution (on desktop) > scheduleworld.com > syncevolution (on N800) > tablet's contacts

yours could be
KDE pim > whatever SyncML-client (on desktop) > scheduleworld.com > syncevolution (on N800) > tablet's contacts

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

ah, i missed that part. silly me :)

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Clear description, your last post. One question though: why would one trust scheduleworld.com to contain their data?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

I don't keep anything too sensitive in any online portal, including Google (or my own domain).
The way I figure it Scheduleworld is at least as secure as Google and I didn't find anything that said they weren't a decent service as far as privacy and such went.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

ah, got it working. and with dates no less. time to toss that GPE stuff out.

only issue with dates are missing alarms (no biggie) and no summary of any kind (more of a issue as even on fully zoomed in, things can become small if less the half a hour long).

to bad in a way that the pimlico people have more or less stated that they have no real interest in the tablets.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Yeah, privacy is a legitimate concern.

I just set up syncevolution on both my desktop and tablet, and everything works as advertised. Pretty happy with the setup, I must say. That is, until I discovered that the built-in Contacts db doesn't support the physical address field. So the completeness of the contact info on the tablet doesn't match that on the desktop. However, I noticed that if I edit a contact on the tablet, sync it to the server, then back on the desktop, the physical address field is retained. So that's a good thing. But I wonder, does that field live on in osso-addressbook (beyond user's reach), or is it a feature of the syncML server that knows how to track it and merge it back in the Vcard?

Ulysses

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

im guessing that the addressbook database can hold fields that the osso-addressbook interface cant handle.

and yes, privacy is a issue. but i will say less so then with google (as it likes to datamine your data whatever uses they can think off).

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

The built in Contacts app uses Evolution Data Server to store info. Thats the same backend as in Desktop Evolution so all the same fields are supported, although the built-in contacts app doesn't really have a way to access them.

Example: In Evolution I had full contact cards set up and I sync'd them to the Tablet. I figured the tablet only grabbed the fields it had available. However, due to a weird crash I had to sync back from the tablet to overwrite Evolution. Lo and Behold, All my missing information was back, not just the Tablet Contacts info.

Now as a caveat, I will tell you I had installed and uninstalled Pimlico Contacts which might have modified the Tablets EDS, but the point is EDS is EDS whether its desktop or Tablet and all the same information is available to use.

Where did you find that Pimlico/Openhand "stated that they have no real interest in the tablets?"

If thats true we need to get some erstwhile developer to basically Mimic the Pimlico stuff and start a new development project to bring that class of app up to snuff. If not I will have to go back to GPE since a Dead program isn't worth supporting. (Gener Cash's changed to use EDS, or an option in GPE to use EDS would work as a base)

EDS is there to use people! We just need someone to build something worthwhile to use it! How about just Full Evolution ported to the Tablet? It could be done. An all in one solution for the NIT - Email (That works), Contacts, Dates, et all. Easy to sync to the desktop (because evolution is evolution after all) and complete.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Wow, that blows (not to mention a gross misunderstanding of the maemo addressbook). Doesn't make much real sense, but its their product. Its a shame really, it was the smoothest UI of the crop. Guess I'll be going back to GPE for all but contacts.

So someone willing to make a port of Evolution or build something nice based on EDS? Unfortunately, I don't have the skill or I'd be all over this. I hate to think of a complete PIM backend going to wast on the NIT and users having to use up precious storage space for a different database backend. Evolution is already ported to ARM (debian Armel packages) so it would just have to be maemo'd.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Am I able to run my own 'server' for this purpose? Then I'm all set. Or, lets say my ISP runs a SSH server. I can sync the EDS data to this SSH server, and then sync from my desktop from the SSH server. Correct? I think this would be easier if export to iCal was supported?

I don't want Google or some other corporation owning sensitive data like my contacts, calendar and todo list. It is of none of their concern; and why would they provide a service like this to me, for free no less? I don't buy it.

I think Evolution is way too big & not hildonized (esp regarding UI) to run on the tablet. If you want to run this kind of application you might as well use ssh -X, NX, RDP or whatever to run it remotely. Think of it: why was Tinymail ported to maemo? And Modest? Modest supports IMAP4 so there is a consumer-quality way of syncing data.

The main thing I don't like about all the PIM solutions is that none of them integrates well with maemo.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Hmm, Let me counter a bit:

1) "Evolution is way too big and not hildonized." Check out KDE 3.58, Debian Chroot, AbiWord, and a few more I can name. Those are way bigger than Evolution and they work on the tablet. Hildonization, while nice would not be an immediate need as Evo would still be quite usable I think.

Evolution is already Gnome compliant, and Maemo/Hildon is basically gnome on the Matchbox WM so we are already covered there. EDS is already in place, so the majority of the meat is there, we just need the front-end ported (as I stated its already available for ARM processors).

As far as Modest being Ported to Maemo and being a "consumer-quality way of syncing data," have you read the forums lately? I quit using the built in E-mail altogether because it frankly blows. I was on #maemo and one guy said it took an hour to sync his IMAP data. Not to mention it just randomly quits working and is pretty unstable. Claws, while good has its own problems.


2) As far as "all the PIM solutions is that none of them integrates well with maemo" goes, an Evo port would make that argument moot. Evo would integrate into the already established maemo backend (EDS) and would give a complete Email and PIM solution that is easily syncable with already available plugins to Multi-Sync and Opensync, as well as with SyncML via syncevolution.


I am sure this is quite possible via SSH and can in fact already be done with the Multi-Sync client available for Evolution and the Tablet (I forget the name for maemo right off). I have a VPN setup now that was really simple to do and I run a SSHd, VNC server, and FTPd so I can get to my files from anywhere. I am sure a personal sync solution is possible, but I haven't done the research.

So there you go - just my 2 cents. And funny thing is I am not a real big fan of Evo on the desktop, but it would be the appropriate solution for E-Mail/PIM on the tablet IMHO.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

combatdoc, thanks for your addition! I'm glad you're positive about Evolution.

With hildonized I meant it integrates aesthetically well in Hildon, but besides that I also refer to a more vague aspect: it is easily usable on a tablet. The GNOME way is to 'not have too many options'. I think Evolution gives far too many options.

With 'integrates well', I mean things like applets (for PIM, like GPE provides), and being able to use the information of e-mail in address book together with say IM or SIP. This is how a computer should work IMO, and even more so how a device like this should function. Why more so on a device like this? Its harder to control, its more difficult to do all kind of small things to 'make it work'. Everything should be very well integrated with each other in a user-friendly way in the sense that 1) its functioning without hassle 2) it looks `peaceful'. This is more important than features... however, some things like PIM are features clearly missing.

Then there is bugs issue. You're right about Modest, it is still beta quality...

IMO Nokia should put money into the above effort. It'd make the NIT a far more usable device. Then again, the Mozilla folks cannot even get this right after so many years (they do their best though!).

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

he doesnt exactly say the maemo port is dead. he just says they're not actively taking care of it. they do accept maemo-related patches, though.

so if somebody here knows how to code, it would be great if he/she'd have a look at what needs to be done to the source to prettify it under maemo. - it's not that the apps need a complete re-write, they do work just as they are. it's only a bit of facelifting.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

well i dont see a 0.9 version out on the repo yet...

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

I just think prting Evolution would be the right effort. Evolution integrates well with itself now, just as you described above, and I am sure if it was available for the tablet Home applets and such would come along shortly. It doesn't take much to write an applet that would read into EDS (Speed contacts already exists) and display the info on the Home screen. Besides Evo is an app most of us are already familiar with, and know how powerful it can be when used (Think having full Outlook on a WindowsMobile Device).

Hildonization is important so that it melds into the device, but Evo would be quite usable even un0hildonized (to start with) because it has a Vertical "button-style" layout already. Tap Email for Email, Contacts for Contacts, etc. Yes, it would take some modifications to get it exactly right, but look at Abiword, KDE apps, et al. They are still quite usable under the Hildon interface, even unhildonized.

As far as SIP and such, the same rules apply. EDS is there for everyone to use, and reading it can't be too hard. ContactsInfo applet already does that as well. I use Phonelink in conjunction with ContactInfos and it reads EDS, or GPE and will pull the contact info straight into the app to dial out, send SMS etc.

Yes, Evo has lots of options, but the point being its already available (ARM), most of the hard work is done (incl EDS for maemo), its well integrated into itself, and is a one stop solution to a problem the NITs have - PIM/Email functionality. Put the money into developing Evo or something like it for the NIT and you'll get far more bang for your buck than developing something from scratch, and users would be far happier having the PIM/Email thing solved.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

i have mixed feelings about evolution. as an additional choice, yes. but there's no way it could replace the current system of small apps that are tightly integrated, use a commom database but expose just what is needed for the one task your up to.

the pimlico suite would be the one missing piece because it exposes all the data fields in its GUI and is modular so i neednt even install the calendar app if i dont plan to use it (let alone load it each time i want to check my mail...)

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

There is no current system of tightly integrated apps, that's the big issue. As far as Pimlico goes, they stated they had no interest in tablets, and regardless of accpting patches, its now a dead project on the Nit. No new releases for the nit means no development.

However I see your point about not loading uneeded modules, especially in a tight system. I would still like to see what Evo for maemo could bring to the table, and it would not be a start from scratch thing.

BTW, I already dumped Pimlico except for contacts. No need to support and rely on a dead app.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Actually i dont see much of a problem with the pimlico stuff: it's there, it works. the source is also there. 0.9 included fixes for a maemo-specific bug.

so, all we need is somebody to look at the sources at make a nice package for maemo. this could end up in their old repository or in extras... you know, as long as the project itself is alive (fixing bugs, adding fearures) and based so handily on maemo core technology, it really doesnt matter much if they know about maemo at all. them saying they'd at least accept patches from other contributors is even better.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

does it? that contradict the blog post i linked to earlier...

also, why is there not yet a 0.9 maemo deb available then?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

to be more precise: it's in the blog post you linked to earlier. ;)

I dont know and, again, it's completely irrelevant. Pimplico apps are known to work on maemo with no or little tweaking, so even if they abandon maemo completely at o-hand, each of us can build the package for the tablet and either send it back to o-hand or put it elsewhere.

Many of the apps we have on the tablets are not built for maemo upstream. IMHO, thats how it should work anyway. Its much better to port existing apps to maemo than to re-invent the wheel for each and every task.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

ah, that icon one? explains why personal menu have issues with the pimlico icons. dont know why i missed that. maybe i just skipped reading the bugfix list after reading the text of the announcement itself.

ok ok, so who feels like doing some work on this? or could it simply be passed on to extra's auto-build system? if the latter, could we get them to do so on a new release?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Yes well, if you extract the package details from 0.8 and bump the version a port should compile right away in SB. I haven't tried it yet.

And, I agree, its normal that applications aren't ported to maemo. That is the open source way. But nobody is stepping up either to develop a PIM for maemo.

Maybe a bounty should be created? I'd join the bounty but I'd also define what I want in a clear manner.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

Hmm, isn't that my point about porting Evolution to Maemo? And its already available for Armel. I downloaded it yesterday. I just can't install the SDK on my Desktop for some reason to try it out.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

On what platform are you trying to install the SDK?

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

There are many ways to get Diablo SDK working on your computer but it depends on some factors.

I described my way here although one could also use VMware Player for this, or andLinux, or a Debian image instead of an Ubunu image. The method should also work on Linux, and Xen is getting support for ARM as well.

One could also use this image by maemovmware project (for VMware or VirtualBox). Then you don't have to install an OS like Ubuntu or Debian first. This is Chinook though; you can upgrade this to Diablo easily, or install seperate.

Basically it shouldn't be a big problem to get Diablo SDK working but my issue is that my desktop doesn't have hardware extensions so I have mucho overhead. You can easily enable Intel VT or AMD-V in VirtualBox though.

Re: SyncEvolution .8 beta 1a
 

I am running openSuse 11. I also have VirtualBox which I run WindowsXP in.