BirdieSync

OK, this is really driving me nuts. I have now installed BirdieSync on a 2nd computer and want to sync with that one instead of the one I first tried. However, every time I try to sync Events, the device simply disconnects before the first sync. There is no error message; the ActiveSync icon simply turns gray and nothing happens.

My ThunderbirdService.log logfile has the following messages:
Local 04/05/2007 15:16:23::0367 ERROR: Error while opening file for reading: C:\Documents and Settings\s008200\Application Data\Mozilla\Sunbird\\profiles.ini (GetLastError = 0)
Local 04/05/2007 15:16:23::0467 WARNING: Maybe the classical version of the application is not installed. Impossible to load profile file: C:\Documents and Settings\s008200\Application Data\Mozilla\Sunbird\\profiles.ini (GetLastError = 0)

I don't understand why it's trying to connect to Sunbird, I have double-checked that "Thunderbird" (lightning) is checked in the options. I am using TB 2.0 and BirdieSync 1.5.2.0.

I have also tried different combinations of the following, with no luck:
* Deleting and recreating Partnership in ActiveSync
* Uninstalling and re-installing BirdieSync both on PC and SmartPhone (I even make sure the BirdieSync directory is completely deleted from both devices).
* Powering SmartPhone off and on

I also see errors like this in DesktopProvider.log; don't know if that's related:
Local 04/05/2007 15:09:10::0206 ERROR: Not present (GetLastError = 2)

None of the other log files on the phone or on the PC have any error messages. I can sync my Address Book (cards), but as soon as I chose to sync Events in ActiveSync, I get this error. I have disabled all other sync types (such as Outlook). I am using ActiveSync 4.5.0.

This seems to have been a problem with the option to synchronize the ActiveSync Category to the Calendar name. When I unselected that option, it was able to synchronize to my phone. It seems that Categories are entirely unsupported on SmartPhones.

Actually the disconnection could mean there is a problem on the mobile part which stops the synchronization process. I will do some tests with categories on a smartphone.

The warning in the log is normal and generally means that Sunbird is not installed on the machine.

I did some testing with categories and a smartphone (under Windows Mobile 2003) and I found no particular problem.
Let me know if you still have the problem. If you have a very simple test case that I could try to reproduce, I would be interested in getting it.
Thanks.

Hi Birdy, thanks for looking into this but at this point everything is working correctly so I don't want to risk testing again by switching categories back on. Even if it works, at least on my Smartphone there is no way I've found to view the categories so there's not much point in enabling them.

I understand. Anyway, if there is a problem, it will very likely be mentioned again...

I also have the same problem. Dell Axim X50v with WM2003SE, syncing Events leads to a progress count, then a disconnect and the Activesync icon goes grey. I have to kill and restart Activesync before the Ax will reconnnect. I've tried the category fix, but it still happens. ToDo and Cards sync just fine.

ThunderbirdService.log contains the following:

ERROR: Error in locating beginning while extracting value: buffer = <name><![CDATA[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></name><address><![CDATA[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></address>, beginning = <originalDate class = "FileTime"> (GetLastError = 0)
Local 24/05/2007 14:15:21::0247 ERROR: Could not unserialize object (GetLastError = 0)

The same message is also in DesktopProvider.log:

ERROR: Error in locating beginning while extracting value: buffer = <name><![CDATA[[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></name><address><![CDATA[[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></address>, beginning = <originalDate class = "FileTime"> (GetLastError = 0)
Local 24/05/2007 13:51:32::0120 ERROR: Error returned by CreateObjectResponse, <Error while unserializing object> (GetLastError = 0)
Local 24/05/2007 14:15:21::0427 ERROR: Error in locating beginning while extracting value: buffer = <name><![CDATA[[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></name><address><![CDATA[[(valid email address deleted for privacy by me)]]></address>, beginning = <originalDate class = "FileTime"> (GetLastError = 0)
Local 24/05/2007 14:15:21::0508 ERROR: Error returned by CreateObjectResponse, <Error while unserializing object> (GetLastError = 0)

Hello JakeRich,

It's very likely another problem.

Is it the first time you install BirdieSync or did you do an update ? (this kind of error often occurs when mobile version doesn't match desktop version...)
Thanks.

Birdy, thanks for the quick response. It's the first install. I did one sync, which seemed to work to get the calendar information from the PDA to Thunderbird, but all subsequent syncs result in the same error.

I'm on the trial version, just downloaded yesterday, also downloaded Lightning and V2.0 of Thunderbird. Updated from 1.5 to 2.0 on T-bird, then installed Lightning and finally BirdieSync. As I said, first sync was fine, all later ones errored out. Curiously, some of the updates appear to have been applied to T-bird, some have not.

OK I succeeded in reproducing the problem. Very likely related to recurring events with attendees and modified occurrences.

So, is it fixable? Soon? I have 20 days left on the trial...no pressure.

It should be fixed in 1.5.4.1 which is now released.
Let me know if you still have problems.

Sorry, but that didn't work. I got this in the DesktopProvider.log

Local 25/05/2007 13:33:16::0670 BirdieSync: version 1.5.4.1
Local 25/05/2007 13:33:16::0730 Operating system: id 2, version 5.1, SP 2.0
Local 25/05/2007 13:33:21::0527 ERROR: Preference file on device and desktop are different (GetLastError = 0)

I had done a complete uninstall and reinstall, did it twice. Symptoms are that the sync starts, then stalls and Activesync goes grey. I have to soft reset and kill/restart the desktop AS to get them to connect again.

Maybe it's another problem... Could you send to support the file DeviceProvider.log located in \Program Files\BirdieSync on the mobile ?
Thanks.

OK, not much there:

Local 25/05/2007 14:22:30::0000 BirdieSync: version 1.5.4.1
Local 25/05/2007 14:22:30::0000 Operating system: PocketPC, version 4.21
Local 25/05/2007 14:22:51::0000 Beginning of synchronization


As soon as it starts to sync, it reports the start, then nothing, the count of synced items sticks at 0, then it reports the end of sync and AS goes grey. On the PDA the indicator for AS is constantly spinning, forcing me to reset to reconnect.

UPDATE: I installed BirdieSync on a second PC. The results are exactly the same. The logs are similar and the symptoms are the same. Sync of Events starts, then AS goes grey and it won't connect until I soft reset and kill/restart AS on the desktop.

SECOND UPDATE: The Install.log on the new machine reports errors in installation:

Local 25/05/2007 19:31:56::0562 ERROR: Error while opening file for reading: /Preferences.xml (GetLastError = 0)
Local 25/05/2007 19:31:56::0593 ERROR: Impossible to load archive file (GetLastError = 0)

Could that be the problem?