To access the PDA Devices preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices.
A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a hand-held
computer that you can use as a personal organizer. You can store appointments,
tasks, contacts, and other information on your PDA. You can also transfer
this information between your PDA and applications in the Java Desktop System.
For example, you can copy your calendar appointments from your PDA to Ximian Evolution
, and from Evolution
to your PDA.
When you transfer data between your PDA and your computer, you perform a HotSync operation. The actions that occur during a HotSync operation are controlled by conduits. A conduit is an application that manages the transfer of data between your computer and your PDA.
One of the actions that you can specify for a conduit is to merge data
between your PDA and your computer. This is called a synchronize action. For example, you might add contact information to your
PDA, then add different contact information in Evolution
.
You want to add the contact information on your PDA to Evolution
, and you want to add the contact information in Evolution
to your PDA. To do this, you must synchronize the
data between your PDA and Evolution
.
The PDA Devices
preference tool enables you
to configure a PDA to work with the Java Desktop System, and to modify PDAs
that you have already configured. You can perform the following tasks with
the PDA Devices
preference tool:
Configure a PDA.
Modify the configuration of a PDA.
Configure how PDAs can connect to your computer.
Modify how PDAs can connect to your computer.
Configure how conduits transfer data between your PDA and applications in the Java Desktop System.
A background application waits for a PDA to attempt to synchronize with your computer. This background application is called the PDA daemon. When a PDA attempts to synchronize with the computer, the PDA daemon synchronizes the data on the PDA with data on the computer.
gnome-pilot
displays the activity of
the PDA daemon. To add gnome-pilot
to a panel,
right-click on the panel, then choose Add to Panel -> Utility -> PDA Monitor. For more information about gnome-pilot
, see the gnome-pilot Applet Manual.
You can configure a PDA in one of the following ways:
Use the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant.
If you have not configured a PDA on your computer previously, the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant is displayed when you start the PDA Devices
preference tool. The Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant guides you through the configuration process for
a PDA.
Use the PDA Devices
preference
tool. If you have configured a PDA on your computer previously, the Pilot Settings dialog is displayed when you start the PDA Devices
preference tool. Use the Pilot Settings dialog to enter details for the PDA.
To configure a PDA, perform the following steps:
Connect your PDA to your computer. If your PDA has a cradle, place the PDA in the cradle.
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool. A Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant is displayed.
Click on the Forward button to begin the configuration
process.
Enter information about how the PDA connects to your computer in the Cradle Settings page. The following table describes the settings in the Cradle Settings page:
When you complete the connection information, click on the Forward button.
Enter identity information for the PDA in the Pilot Identification page. The following table describes the elements in the Pilot Identification page:
Element |
Description |
---|---|
Yes, I've used sync software with this pilot before |
Select this option if you have set the username and identifier on this PDA previously. If you configure a PDA with a computer, the username and ID are set on the PDA. |
No, I've never used sync software with this pilot before |
Select this option if you have not set the username and identifier on this PDA previously. |
User Name |
If you have not set the username and identifier on this PDA previously, type the username in this text box. |
ID |
If you have not set the username and identifier on this PDA previously, type the identifier in this text box. This identifier must be unique between different PDAs that you use. |
When you complete the identity information, click on the Forward button. An Initial Sync page is displayed.
Press the HotSync button on your PDA.
Depending on the option you selected on the Pilot Identification page, the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant
does one of the following:
If you selected the Yes, I've used sync software
with this pilot before option, the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant gets the username and identifier that is currently
registered on the PDA from the PDA.
If you selected the No, I've never used sync software
with this pilot before option, the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant sets the username and identifier on the PDA to the
values in the User Name text box and ID
text box.
When the initial synchronization is complete, click on the Forward button. A Pilot Attributes page is displayed.
Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Attributes page. The following table describes the settings in the Pilot Attributes page:
Element |
Description |
---|---|
Pilot Name |
Type a name for the PDA. This name is used to identify the PDA to you in the user interface. |
Local basedir |
Enter the directory where you want to store your PDA data. |
When you complete the name and directory information, click on the Forward button.
Click on the Apply button on the Success page to close the Gnome Pilot Settings
assistant.
Alternatively, click on the Cancel button to cancel configuration of the PDA.
Perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
In the Pilots tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, click on the Add button. A Pilot Settings dialog is displayed.
To receive the username and identifier from the PDA, click on the Get from pilot button. To assign a username and identifier to the PDA, type the username and identifier in the text boxes, then click on the Send to pilot button.
Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Name and Local basedir fields. For more information on the fields, see To Use an Assistant to Configure a PDA.
Perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
In the Pilots tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the PDA that you want to modify, then click on the Edit button. A Pilot Settings dialog is displayed.
To receive the username and identifier from the PDA, click on the Get from pilot button. To assign a username and identifier to the PDA, type the username and identifier in the text boxes, then click on the Send to pilot button.
Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Name and Local basedir fields. For more information on the fields, see To Use an Assistant to Configure a PDA.
Click OK on the Pilot Settings dialog.
Perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
In the Devices tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, click on the Add button.
Enter connection information for the PDA in the Device Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Device Settings dialog, see To Use an Assistant to Configure a PDA.
Perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
In the Devices tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the hardware settings that you want to modify, then click on the Edit button.
Enter hardware settings for the PDA in the Device Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Device Settings dialog, see To Use an Assistant to Configure a PDA.
Perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
Ensure that the PDA daemon is active and functions properly.
To do this, add the gnome-pilot
applet to a panel.
If the gnome-pilot
applet icon appears in black
and white, the PDA daemon is active.
In the Conduits tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the PDA whose conduits you want to configure from the Pilot Name drop-down list.
To enable a conduit, select the conduit from the table, then click on the Enable button.
To disable a conduit, select the conduit from the table, then click on the Disable button.
To configure a conduit, select the conduit from the table, then click on the Settings button. Enter configuration details for the conduit in the Conduit Settings dialog. The elements in the Conduit Settings dialog are described in the following table:
Click OK to close the Conduit Settings dialog.
You might want to back up the data on your PDA to your computer, to avoid data loss if you have a problem with your PDA. To back up PDA data to your computer, perform the following steps:
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices
preference
tool.
Ensure that the PDA daemon is active and functions properly.
To do this, add the gnome-pilot
applet to a panel.
If the gnome-pilot
applet icon appears in black
and white, the PDA daemon is active.
In the Conduits tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the PDA whose data you want to backup from the Pilot Name drop-down list.
Select the Backup conduit from the table, then click on the Enable button.
Enter configuration details for the Backup conduit in the Conduit Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Conduit Settings dialog, seeTo Specify How to Transfer Data Between a PDA and Applications.
Press the HotSync button on your PDA.
For information about how to restore backup data, see the gnome-pilot Applet Manual.