[Thread Prev][Thread Next][Thread Index]

Re: [PilotMgr] cool new PDA software...


Eric and all,

Sorry I should have included the attached info.  I think the
instructions are there to transfer the .prc file to your Palm using
pilotmanager.  

Bill


> Does anyone have a way to initially install AvantGo via pilotmanager?  It seems 
> to be only installable from a windows machine (it's distributed as a .exe file 
> from www.avantgo.com).
> 
> -Eric
> 
> >Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 10:52:12 -0700 (MST)
> >From: Bill Norton <Bill.Norton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Subject: Re: [PilotMgr] cool new PDA software...
> >To: pilotmgr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >MIME-Version: 1.0
> >Content-MD5: mlhuSlt9z12+LLKcNOYSAA==
> >
> >
> >> From: Eric Pack <Eric.Pack@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> 
> >> Hi Bill,
> >> 
> >> Do you have this running on your Solaris system at work or on Windows?
> >> 
> >
> >I have it working at three places; my laptop, my desktop at home and my
> >Ultra 5 at Sun.   The Palm Desktop software makes this work in the Windoze
> >environment.  A program called "malsync" makes it work on the Ultra.  You'll
> >have to download that program from the pilotmanager site and install it on
> >your system.  To run it, I must use the following command:
> >
> >$HOME/.pilotmgr/malsync/malsync -p cache-brm.Central -r 8080
> >
> >
> >Note that the command is using cache-brm.Central as the proxy.  If you
> >are in a different domain, you'll need to use an appropriate proxy.
> >
> >Bill
> >
> >
> >> >Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 11:41:08 -0500
> >> >To: pilotmgr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >From: Bill.Norton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >Subject: [PilotMgr] cool new PDA software...
> >> >
> >> >Dear Folks,
> >> >
> >> >I found this great service that allows you to get
> >> >all kinds of cool content and have it delivered to
> >> >your PalmOS or Windows CE device when you sync, and
> >> >it's totally free.  It takes just a few minutes and
> >> >you can get sites like Fox Sports, Wired News,
> >> >Mapquest, The New York Times and the Weather Channel
> >> >downloaded from the web. Check it out.
> >> >
> >> >http://avantgo.com/taf/start.html?taf=211510
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >I've been using this thing for a month now
> >> >and am a very happy with it.  
> >> >
> >> >I no longer have to limit myself to the 
> >> >magazines in the doctor's office when I visit.
> >> >
> >> >Best,
> >> >Bill
> >> 
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >***********************************************************
> >*             This is a public mailing list!              *
> >* Please do not publish Sun proprietary information here! *
> >*        -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -         *
> >* MoreInfo/Unsubscribe @  http://www.moshpit.org/pilotmgr *
> >***********************************************************
> 

To install malsync, follow the instructions in README_malsync

To install the AvantGo software, follow the instructions in README_AvantGo.
You will install malsync as part of this latter process.


AVANTGO.COM AND UNIX DESKTOPS
=============================

AvantGo.com is a web capture and browsing service for handheld devices.
The setup incudes software on both your Palm device and your desktop and
an account on the AvantGo.com site.  If you have a modem (wireless or
wired) for your Palm, you technically do not need the desktop software,
though you'll probably want it anyway. 

This readme includes instructions for using a desktop Unix system to
sync your Palm V, III, IIIx, VII, or PalmPilot Professional
(collectively, "Palm device") to an AvantGo.com account.

There is currently no method for synchronizing your Windows CE device to 
AvantGo.com through a Unix desktop. 

Support: 
--------

THIS PRODUCT IS NOT OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED BY AVANTGO.  IT IS PROVIDED AS IS 
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE UNIX COMMUNITY.

For support, please use one of the following:

- The pilot-unix mailing list.  To participate in this list, send a message 
to pilot-unix-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx with the body containing (on separate 
lines) "subscribe" or "help".

- The newsgroups news://comp.sys.palmtops.pilot, news://alt.soft-sys.avantgo, 
or news://de.comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (German)

What You'll Need:
-----------------

malsync

   This is the actual synchronization executable.
   Get it from ftp://ryeham.ee.ryerson.ca/pub/PalmOS 
   Available in source or binary forms
   View the README in the source/binary directory for build instructions.

Palm OS .prc files 

   Specifically libmal.prc, MobileLink.prc, and avantgo.prc
   You will need to install these using pilot-xfer or Mac/Win Hotsync
   Included with malsync, or from http://www.avantgo.com/download/unsupported

pilot-xfer

   Unix utility to install .prc files to Palm OS devices.
   Included with the pilot-link utility.  V 0.9.3 is known to work.
   Get it from ftp://ryeham.ee.ryerson.ca/pub/PalmOS/
   Use 'make pilot-xfer' once uncompressed


Instructions:
-------------

1) Copy the built executable (malsync) to the chosen directory and 
   change it to an executable permission, e.g.:

    chmod ugo+x ./malsync

2) Determine the correct serial port to which your Palm device is connected.  
   Two common options are /dev/ttyS0 and /dev/ttyS1.  Do one of two things:

   - set the PILOTPORT environment variable to that device, e.g.

      setenv PILOTPORT /dev/ttyS1
  
   - OR, bind the /dev/pilot port to the serial device, e.g. 

      ln -s /dev/ttyS1 /dev/pilot  (root access required)

3) Determine and set the correct communication speed.  Taking no action 
   will result in 9600 baud connection.  An alternative might be:

      setenv PILOTRATE 57600

4) Transfer the .prc's to the Palm device with pilot-xfer:

      pilot-xfer -i MobileLink.prc libmal.prc avantgo.prc

When the sync is finished, click on the Applications button of the Palm 
device.  A successful pilot-xfer will result in AvantGo and Mobile Link 
icons appearing in this list.

5) Now you will need to set up your AvantGo account.  

- Go to http://avantgo.com/setup/account_only.html and select the Palm
Computing link.
- Continue through the install pages until you hit the page where you'll
enter account information.
- Enter your account information and submit the page.  Write down the
username and password you used here.

Note: The site changes periodically, so the exact URL may be different.  

5) Tap the Mobile Link icon on the Palm device.  Enter this information:

        Server:  AvantGo Server
   Server Addr:  sync.avantgo.com
          Port:  80
     User Name:  <your AvantGo.com username>
      Password:  <your AvantGo.com password>
       Enabled:  Should be checked

6) In the directory in which you've put malsync, enter

      ./malsync (use options if necessary)

This should retrieve the stated channels from AvantGo.com.  A successful 
sync will result in these channels showing on your Palm device.  


   






INTRODUCTION:

This is a bare bones utility to enable people who have Palm OS 
devices to sync to Mobile Application Link (MAL) compliant servers. 
AvantGo (www.avantgo.com) and Puma Technologies (www.pumatech.com) 
are the first two companies committing to producing servers which speak 
this protocol. This utility will allow a user to sync with multiple servers,
simultaneously or separately. The AvantGo.com service (www.avantgo.com) 
is the first such server.   

There is currently no way to set server parameters on the desktop; you 
need to use the MobileLink application on the device. 

MALSync only operates from the command line.  If you want to build it
into some Unix-based, HotSync-like GUI, more power to you. 

BINARIES:

Executables for MALSync on Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD are available at
http://www.avantgo.com/download/unsupported/ (soon available)
or http://www.etpsoft.com/malsync.html

Whether you use the pre-existing binaries or build MALSync yourselves,
you will need the Palm OS applications.  Get these from
http://www.avantgo.com/download/unsupported/ and install to your Palm 
with either HotSync (MS Windows/Mac OS) or pilot-link (unix). 
(note: this web page will be up Real Soon Now.  In the meanwhile,
the binary downloads for linux, solaris, and freeBSD each contain 
the PalmOS apps.)


COMPILING:

If you have this file, you presumably have the MAL distribution. If not
you need to get it from http://www.avantgo.com/mal/download.html. 

You also need the pilot-link distribution, which can be found at
ftp://ryeham.ee.ryerson.ca/pub/PalmOS/
Download the latest version. You need libpisock.a. You 
can either compile the whole thing and the library will be in 
libsock/.libs or you can just type "make libpisock.a" in 
the libsock directory (after running configure first).

Now you need to edit the Makefile in the mal/client/unix 
directory. Change "PILOT_LINK_DIR" to the appropriate 
directory.

It should all make and be happy. If not, send email to me or the 
mal-dev mailing list (see below).

RUNNING:

You need to set two environment variables:

PILOTRATE is the baud rate you want to use 

PILOTPORT is the port your handheld is connected to.

All this stuff is documented in the pilot link distribution.


Usage: ./malsync [OPTIONS]

  -p, --proxyaddress   Proxy address.
  -r, --proxyport      Proxy port.
  -u, --proxyname      Proxy username.
  -d, --proxypasswd    Proxy password.
  -s, --socksproxy     Socks proxy.
  -o, --socksport      Socks port.
  -q, --quiet          Be as quiet as this program can.
  -D, --daemon         Work as a daemon (disconnect from shell).


The serial port to connect to may be specified by the PILOTPORT
environment variable. If not specified it will default to 
/dev/pilot 

The baud rate to connect with may be specified by the PILOTRATE
environment variable. If not specified, it will default to 9600.
Please use caution setting it to higher values, as several types
of workstations have problems with higher rates.


SUPPORT AND BUGS:

If it looks like you downloaded your channels, but you 
don't see anything when you open the AvantGo app, open
the MobileLink app on the device and choose "Reset Connection"
from the menu and sync again.
 
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED BY AVANTGO.  IT IS 
PROVIDED AS IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE UNIX COMMUNITY.

The pilot-unix mailing list can be investigated by sending 
email to pilot-unix-requests@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx with the body 
message "help".

The mal-dev mailing list is open to all MAL programmers.  Point
your browser to http://www.avantgo.com/mal/mailinglist.html to 
subscribe.  Use this forum for bug reports, questions, support, 
and so forth. 

Bugs, comments, etc. to tom@xxxxxxxxxxx
SourceForge.net Logo