There is no way to install .pdb .prc files

[Sergey V. Udaltsov]

Binary package hint: gnome-pilot

Installed latest gnome-pilot (with conduits). Configured the pilot connection (to Visor Deluxe). Usual sync operation works ok (though the applet on the panel does not change the color as it used to do in earlier versions).

In the context menu for .pdb and .prc there is nothing about installing to the pilot.

Tried to use gpilot-install-file (with different options) - and in all cases I get exception:

(gpilotd-install-file:17249): gpilotd-WARNING **: gnome-pilot-client.gob:780: Caught exception: IDL:GNOME/Pilot/UnknownPilot:1.0

and nothing get installed.

The only way to get anything installed is using pilot-xfer.

[Daniel Holbach (dholbach)]

Thanks for your bug report. Which version of Ubuntu and gnome-pilot do you use?

[Sergey V. Udaltsov (sergey-udaltsov)]

The version is Edgy Eft (6.10) with whatever the latest version of gnome-pilot packages is available

[mangar (mycrapaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

confirmed using feisty gnome-pilot version 2.0.15
there's no immediate way to install prc/pdb files
(dnd to the applet is advertised to work. it doesn't).

[Alan Pope 🍺🐧🐱 🦄 (popey)]

The command line tool gpilot-install-file can be used to install files such as pdb and prc to the palm device. The device must first be configured in gpilot-control-applet (single click on the applet to start this). Once done I found I could right click a .prc and choose "Open with other application" then "Use custom command". The command gpilot-install-file was then used which popped up a dialog, waited for me to press the hotsync button, then installed the file okay.

It would indeed be nice to have a context menu (perhaps under "Send to") to do this, especially if one could click multiple files at once and then send them to the palm device.

[arty (me-arty)]

I managed to install files by dragging them to applet. It just worked.

However, it's rather difficult to discover this way of installing files. I think that applet's popup should say not 'Ready to synchronize', but 'Ready to synchronize. Drag files on this icon to install.' This will easily educate users.

[Luke Orland (orluke)]

I'm using Feisty. I got installing to work by enabling the "File" Conduit in the "gpilot Settings". Then i was able to install PRC and PDB files by dragging them to the applet.

steps to enable:

click on the gpilot-applet icon. click on "Conduits" tab. scroll down to "File", and enable it.

[Jerome S. Gotangco (jsgotangco)]

The way to do it is drag the file to the applet. It's not intuitive though.

[Fabio Ornellas (fabio-ornellas)]

There should have at least association of PRC / PDB files with gpilot-install-file program by default.

[Alex Mauer (hawke)]

Re-opening, as there should be an association between .pdb/.prc files and gpilot-install-file

[ac7ss (ac7ss)]

I have the same trouble. no file transfers. with drag and drop I get no responses. from the command line see below. I am running with a Palm Z22 on :

Linux athena 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Tue Dec 18 08:02:57 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux
with:
gpilotd-Message: gnome-pilot 2.0.15 starting...
gpilotd-Message: compiled for pilot-link version 0.12.2
gpilotd-Message: compiled with [VFS] [USB] [IrDA] [Network]
gpilotd-Message: Activating CORBA server
gpilotd-Message: bonobo_activation_active_server_register = 2

the device is listed in
/usr/share/gnome-pilot/devices.xml

Outputs:

ac7ss@athena:~/Desktop$ gpilot-install-file Z22IRUpdater.prc
gpilotd-Message: Activating object OAFIID:GNOME_Pilot_Daemon

(gpilot-install-file:6466): gpilotd-WARNING **: gnome-pilot-client.gob:780: Caught exception: IDL:GNOME/Pilot/UnknownPilot:1.0
ac7ss@athena:~/Desktop$

...

ac7ss@athena:~/.gnome2/gnome-pilot.d$ cat conduits0

[General]
conduits=gpbackup1 e_address_conduit e_calendar_conduit e_memo_conduit e_todo_conduit malconduit1 gptime1 gpmemo1 gpfile1

[gpbackup1]
sync_type=custom

[e_address_conduit]
sync_type=synchronize

[e_calendar_conduit]
sync_type=synchronize

[e_memo_conduit]
sync_type=synchronize

[e_todo_conduit]
sync_type=synchronize

[malconduit1]
sync_type=custom

[gptime1]
sync_type=custom

[gpmemo1]
sync_type=synchronize

[gpfile1]
sync_type=custom
ac7ss@athena:~/.gnome2/gnome-pilot.d$

[ac7ss (ac7ss)]

It will sync with outlook for everything else however.

[ac7ss (ac7ss)]

Not outlook, Evolution. (accessing outlook through evolution.)

[Jelle de Jong (jelledejong)]

I can confirm this, i have the save problem with xubuntu
I first enabled the file conduct and synchronizing backups went fine, I cannot install the below file.

gpilot-install-file -now Installer353_enUS.prc
gpilotd-Message: Activating object OAFIID:GNOME_Pilot_Daemon

(gpilot-install-file:18321): gpilotd-WARNING **: gnome-pilot-client.gob:780: Caught exception: IDL:GNOME/Pilot/UnknownPilot:1.0

[Fíona (ik-geloof-het-niet)]

I see that this problem was first reported dec 2006. I have tried the various options mentioned here but have had no luck installing files to my Palm zire 31 using gpilot.
I previously used kpilot which worked perfectly, so it's a major disappointment that it doesn't work with gnome.
Hopefully there will soon be a solution.

[reynaldo (rverdejo)]

Hi there Fiona. Which version of Ubuntu and gnome-pilot are you using? And please
could you elaborate on the problems you are facing? are you using gpilot-install-file?
are you just having problems with the pdb/prc install procedure or are you having
problems with plain synchronization too?

[Fíona (ik-geloof-het-niet)]

Hi Reynaldo and thank you for your reaction. I'm using ubuntu 7.10 and gnome-pilot version is 2.0.15. I am trying to install a pdb file to my palm. If I use the sync function the normal sync works but the cupdate.pdb doesn't sync.
I tried using gpilot-install-file --now cupdate.pdb and got a message window saying "Installing to MyPDA, no files to install.

[reynaldo (rverdejo)]

Fiona, sorry for reacting this late. the "Installing to MyPDA, no files to install" message is likely due to the fact you can't access that file from the location you're firing gpilot-install-file from, check what the path to your file is, cd to that directory and then try the same command. You can also include the path to your file as in: gpilot-install-file --now /path/to/cupdate.pdb . Now, if you want to try something new, look for the folder on your desktop gpilot is using to backup your palm contents and drag the cupdate.pdb file there with your mouse. The file should get sent to the device in your next sync operation. I'm not sure this is the intended way of operation but I have come to realize this sometimes work. Good luck, let me know if you get it working.

[Fíona (ik-geloof-het-niet)]

Reynaldo, thanks for reply. I've tried both of your suggestions, unfortunately nothing works.

When I tried to sync the file using the command line I got the following message;

fiona@Newone:~/Download$ gpilot-install-file --now /home/fiona/Download/cupdate.pdb

gpilotd-Message: Activating object OAFIID:GNOME_Pilot_Daemon

(gpilot-install-file:8196): gpilotd-WARNING **: gnome-pilot-client.gob:780: Caught exception: IDL:GNOME/Pilot/UnknownPilot:1.0

The backups appear to go to a folder called MYPDA which also has a folder called install. I've tried syncing after putting the file (cupdate.pdb) into install and also into the MYPDA directory, both without success.

It's a persistent problem!

Fíona

[reynaldo (rverdejo)]

Hi Fiona, I'd bet you have a problem with your pilot 'name'. See this post for an idea:

http://<email address hidden>/msg01061.html

Good luck.

[alex (temualex)]

i was having the same problem[installing apps in my palm E2],but after i located the file[/home/alex/downloads]then adding the file name[metro.prc],it all went smoothly and i was prompted to sync. its done, thanks guys!

so,i just wrote this into terminal : gpilot-install-file --now /home/alex/downloads/metro.prc, and it was done.

mine is 7.10

[Fíona (ik-geloof-het-niet)]

Reynaldo, I haven't replied for a while as I had to downgrade my 7.10 ubuntu to 6.10 (server) als the gusty gibbon caused too many problems with firefox among other applications.

I think that my problem had to do with the device settings rather than the name of the pda as you suggested.
The standard setting for the device name in the gpilot gui is MyPDA which I have not changed as I'm only syncing one pda.
I have set my palm at /dev/ttyUSB1 and therein can a problem occur.

I discovered that with my many attempts to get the thing working, the pda started out as being recognised as being at ttyUSB0 and ttyUSB1. Later it appeared on ttyUSB3, ttyUSB4.
The PDA apparently is recognise on two ttyUSB points at the same time and you pick as for as I know the last of the two (in my case ttyUSB1).
It seems to me that when the palm pda was recognised as being on ttyUSB3 and 4 that GNOME/Pilot/UnknownPilot:1.0 error message occurs.

I have written a line into /etc/udev/rules.d/10-custom.rules
as suggested in https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PalmDeviceSetup?highlight=%28palm%29

I cannot say if this solves the problem completely as I don't understand udev very much but I would suggest that others check out their device settings ( in system-preferences-palmOS devices) and where the pda actually is on startup using for example
tail -f /var/log/messages if they are having the same problem.

Another tip is to run gpilotd from the commandline, then you see what's happening and get error messages.

I can now sync with evolution calendar etc and install files to my pda.

[Alex Mauer (hawke)]

Daniel Chen, I noticed you marked this as "incomplete". What information has been requested? I don't see any...

[Alex Mauer (hawke)]

Changing from incomplete, since no information was requested.

[Neil (ubuntu-dist)]

I had the same problem as the OP on Hardy Heron. In my case it was fixed by setting the User ID on the Palm (which had been "0" when I was getting the errors). By the time I had got it working, I had set the User Name too, which may or may not be relevant. Now the User ID is set, I can drag files onto the applet, which are then installed at the next synchronize.

[Fabián Rodríguez (magicfab)]

Marking this as invalid, as there is a way to install files on PDAs via Gnome Pilot (drag & drop). I tested this on Intrepid using a Tungsten T2 and USB connection.

Adding a feature to explicitly have file dialogs and such to copy files to a Palm should be a separate bug report or a suggestion on http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com.

[allankelly (allankelly)]

I've dug an old Palm out to run a crucial app. Out of the box, Hardy connects. But how the hell to install the app? Nothing in the Help. Nothing in the menus. So, the posts here explained it for me. Many thanks to the community.

A lack of documentation constitutes a bug! This fix requires only 1 sentence in the gnome-pilot help.

Please save other users this pain, make use of the excellent developer effort and avoid the oh-so-typical Linux problem of non-documentation by adding a "drag and drop" sentence to the help!

Cheers, al. (Aged 42, UK, 4 kids, 5 Linux boxes, Linux since 1996 - in case you're wondering.)

[Diggers (worshippussy)]

It should be emphasized, that Neil has identified the bug, and it is still persistent in Ubuntu 9.10.

A user ID of 0 breaks various things. This can be remedied by setting Userid to anything greater than zero.

[czd (zwahlendesign)]

My solution:
1. Open a terminal window and type: "gpilotd-control-applet"
2. under "PDAs" -> "Add..." (or "Edit")
3. click on "Get from PDA" and the PDA button: "HocSync".
4. Change the "PDA settings" to:
  Owner: "Your Name"
  PDA ID: "1000" (not "0"!)
  Name of PDA: "MyPDAtx" (new name)
  Local folder "/home/USERNAME/MyPDAtx" (new folder)
  Charset of PDA "CP1252" (for example)
5. an then click on "Send to PDA" (important)
6. if required, click the "HocSync" button.
7. and last but not least, click on "OK" Solved!

Now I and you see this dialog http://media.cdn.ubuntu-de.org/wiki/attachments/34/28/gnome-pilot.png

The Palm TX is the second PDA with Ubuntu 10.04 and gnome-pilot applet 2.0.17