[Evolution] Hotsync problems with PDA's

[Harry Wert <hwert earthlink net>]

gpilot control issues and hotsync

After blaming Evolution for my system crashes during initiation of pda
synchronization, I owe an apology to the Evolution team. I have
discovered a method for initiating pda hotsync which no longer breaks my
system.  My system is SuSE 8.2, XD2, Evolution 1.4.4, and a HP Pavilion
computer with a Pentium 4 processor 2Ghz and 512 Mb DDR memory. XD2 was
installed with Red-carpet and auto install. 

Evolution was found through experimentation NOT to be the cause of the
keyboard freezes, failure to start hotsync, or ANY of the derivatives,
which usually resulted in keyboard lockup and total system freeze. The
only solution for this required a complete system restart to correct.
The problem was found to be gpilot itself and the timing sequences
between it and the hotsync function with my pda's - Palm ZIRE and Sony
clie SJ20.

A solution (band-aid), which has not caused ANY failures after testing
countless variations to "break it"; ie, the system, is as follows:
Obviously, your mileage may vary or not work at all.

1. First if it is not already there, ensure that gpilot is entrenched in
the lower panel of the XD2 desktop as an Icon. For other window managers
you'll have to figure it our for yourself.

2. Look at the color of the icon. Chances are it's "white". If already
"yellow" go to step 5. "Next perform a hotsync...", otherwise continue
with step 3.

3. Right click on the Icon if NOT "yellow" and select the option
"continue" or "Pause" whichever is visible. Depending on the state of
your system either one will be present but NOT both. The Icon should
turn "yellow"

4. Right click a second time and select "restart"

5. Next perform a hotsync from your pda. It should beep and go through
the normal sync routine as defined by Evolution conduit settings. The
Icon will turn "green" during the syncing operation and return to
"white" when complete.

BEFORE initiating another hotsync, repeat step 2 through 5 and it should
work perfectly every time.  If your near brain dead like me, I recommend
leaving the gpilot Icon in the "yellow" state as that way nothing will
happen if you attempt a hotsync operation without performing these
steps. This will serve as a reminder for you to do JUST step 4.

Again, my sincere apologies to the Evolution Team for blaming them for
my pda misfortunes, and thank you for a greatly improved 1.4.4 version
which seems to have fixed a myriad of problems.

I know this is a lengthy post, but perhaps others may benefit by my
unscientific solution to a problem which has been driving me near crazy
for quite some time. There has to be a better solution, but I'm more
than a little happy just to have a solution.  As a Physicist I know the
scientific method but am a less than adequate programmer.

Harry
Solid State Physicist