Automatic Synching Questions

[jader201]

First of all, MPE rocks! I just found it today, and is an awesome piece of software.

I'm mainly using this to sync my phone w/ my calendar data, so that I'm alerted of meetings when I'm away from my desk. Of course, I don't want to have to manually do this anytime I get a new meeting.

So what I'm trying to do is set up MPE to auto-sync my phone at regular intervals (i.e. every 15 minutes). To do this, I set up a Scheduled Task using the "action=sync syncitem=multi" parameters.

A few problems in doing this:

1) The sync status window pops up on top, interrupting whatever I'm working on. I couldn't find a way to suppress this, but I could've missed it. Worst case, it was be nice for this to at least default to minimized.

2) If I'm away from my desk (out of range of my bluetooth adapter), MPE hangs, requiring me to kill the task when I return and restart it. There doesn't appear to be a timeout setting (i.e. 30 seconds) for it to abort trying to sync if it can't find your phone.

Are there ways around this, or should I give up on trying to configure auto-syncing?

Also, I have some suggestions on ways to make this easier:

3) Having to schedule auto-sync through the Windows Scheduler is not ideal, though it does work just fine. Ideally, it would be great for this to be a setting in MPE so that it tried to multi-sync at a configurable interval (and it seems, on the surface at least, to be something fairly easy to implement).

4) Microsoft Outlook throws an incredibly annoying alert when MPE tries to sync w/ it: "A program is trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in outlook." I did some searching, and there seems to be ways for applications to work around this, but I could be wrong. But if there's anyway MPE could circumvent this, it would be awesome. My workaround was to download ClickYes Pro, which suppresses this message (but it's not freeware).

Here is the info you requested:

- Model of your phone: w580i
- Type of connection: Bluetooth (via serial)
- MPE-version: MPE 1.6.3
- Windows version: WinXP-SP2
- Firmware version: Not sure

Thanks again for the great product. I will definitely donate, assuming I can figure out how to get the auto-syncing working. If you need any other info, let me know.

[FJ]

1 and 3) MPE is a easy-to-use-app. Your suggestion with intervals was often wished, but i don't implement it cause its not good to make hidden actions. Later the user will wonder if data are lost (and you'll never can be sure that no data will be lost on sync). Its my opinion that the user should see if a sync is done. Its also not recommened to disable the sync-confirmation

2) It depends on your Bluetooth-Software - not on MyPhoneExplorer. MyPhoneExplorer tries just to open the virtual Port. No way to give a timeout while opening when the COM-Port-Server hangs. Maybe you can use another Bluetooth-Stack and you'll see it works.

4) ExpressClickYes is the recommened way. There is also a Freeware-Version you can use. Its not needed to run ClickYes the whole time in tray, MyPhoneExplorer will detect if it is installed and he will start and close it automatically.

[jader201]

Thanks for your responses.

1 & 3) I totally understand not making changes hidden to the user, this makes sense. However, I would be totally fine with just having the confirmation show when there are changes to be made. For example, if I set my schedule to resync every 5 minutes, most of the times this could stay hidden, as not changes are made. But in the 10 or so times throughout the day that changes *are* made, a popup confirmation would appear. So in short, I'm not saying hide the confirmation -- just the progress window as it's syncing (which most of the times is all that would be shown).

2) I'll have a look. I'm using Anycom USB 200/250 drivers. Not sure how much I can change, or even what to change. But I'll play around w/ it some.

4) From my understanding, ExpressClickYes still shows the popup, where Pro hides it. I would prefer to hide it, so I guess I just need to determine if it's worth the money just to hide it. But I may try it out. If I can't get 1 & 2 working though, I'll probably abort trying to set up auto-sync altogether, and just go back to manually doing it.

Thanks again.

[FJ]

1) Thats a possibility, maybe i will add this in the next major version

2) It depends not on the Hardware. The Software which controls the stick is important. There are more Stacks ehich are used:
- Tooshiba
- WIDCOMM
- BlueSoleil (IVT)
- native Bluetooth-Stack from Windows (since WinXP SP2)

[jader201]

1) Awesome, thanks for the consideration.

2) I'm honestly not sure. I just installed the drivers that came w/ the USB stick. Maybe it's using native WinXP stack?

[FJ]

If you access the bluetooth-settings with control-panel->Bluetooth then you are using the Windows-Stack. Mostly the company of the stick also distributes a third-party software for it. Please take a look at the german connection-FAQ. There you'll find screenshots from the MS-Stack and also from Widcomm, Bluesoleil and Toshiba

[Gast]

1) Thats a possibility, maybe i will add this in the next major version

I am a new user, just purchased my first Android phone, and this is a great application , however I really do need a regular scheduled sync function - I am surprised more don't want this, as it is the only reason I want sync, so my phone is always matching my computer.

I found this old post, and wondered if you are still considering adding the feature?

Many thanks

[radionut50]

I found this old post, and wondered if you are still considering adding the feature?

Oops - it looks like I was not logged in correctly when I posted my question above, sorry - here I am identified correctly.

I look forward to your comment
Best wishes
Alan - New Zealand

[Rolando Zappacosta]

1) Thats a possibility, maybe i will add this in the next major version

Hi, I'm a new user and I'm loving it!!! But regarding this, is this going to be implemented? Or even better, could the Outlook plugin trigger a sync whenever there is change in either of the synced things (tasks, calendar and contacts)?

Regards,
Rolando

[Rolando Zappacosta]

Bumping this up.

[FJ]

My opinion ist still the same, but you can set up a windows task to trigger a sync every xx minutes. Here are the commandline options of MyPhoneExplorer http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?p=135#135

[Rolando Zappacosta]

But can't it be implemented? I mean, I think the Outlook plugin could trigger an update each time a contact/calendar/event gets added/deleted/edited.

I've been issuing this great SW for a while and I do feel comfortable enough with its two-way sync. So, as I don't even want to be prompted for each change anymore I'd love to have it made automatically.

Could it be implemented?

BR,
Rolando

[FJ]

No, this feature will be not implemented. You can use the task planner of windows to start a sync every xxx minutes

[kofeef]

I saw a lot of requests for automatic sync at an interval and some ideas but no real solution was provided so this is what I did:

I created a small batch file to connect, sync and disconnect MyPhoneExplorer and scheduled it to run every hour.

1. After launching MyphoneExplorer for the first time and setting up MultiSync, go to folder %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\MyPhoneExplorer, it should contain a subfolder with your phone's id and IMEI. This looks something like samsung GT-I9505 [your IMEI]. Note this for the next step, I'll refer to it as <PHONE_ID>.

2. Create a .bat file anywhere and paste this into it:

start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=connect

ping -n 4 127.0.0.1 > nul

start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=sync syncitem=multi

ping -n 10 127.0.0.1 > nul

start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=disconnect

Note the ping command between each call to MyPhoneExplorer.exe, this simulates a wait of 4 and 10 seconds in my case because DOS command prompt does not wait for each call to MyPhoneExplorer.exe to end before calling the next (/WAIT did no help ), causing MyPhoneExplorer to display connection error messages, just adjust these values to fit your needs.

3. Schedule a task in windows task manager to run the batch file. The new schedule wizard minimum interval is Daily. You'll have to schedule the task to run once then go into the task's properties and edit the scheduling on the "Triggers" tab where you'll find the advanced settings letting you repeat the task every XX hours or minutes.

I used this post for command line options:
http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?p=135#135
Thank you, Mr. Deauville

Hope this helps

[mzman]

I saw a lot of requests for automatic sync at an interval and some ideas but no real solution was provided so this is what I did:

I created a small batch file to connect, sync and disconnect MyPhoneExplorer and scheduled it to run every hour.

1. After launching MyphoneExplorer for the first time and setting up MultiSync, go to folder %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\MyPhoneExplorer, it should contain a subfolder with your phone's id and IMEI. This looks something like samsung GT-I9505 [your IMEI]. Note this for the next step, I'll refer to it as <PHONE_ID>.

2. Create a .bat file anywhere and paste this into it:


start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=connect

ping -n 4 127.0.0.1 > nul

start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=sync syncitem=multi

ping -n 10 127.0.0.1 > nul

start /D "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer" /B /MIN "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyPhoneExplorer\MyPhoneExplorer.exe" id=<PHONE_ID> action=disconnect

Note the ping command between each call to MyPhoneExplorer.exe, this simulates a wait of 4 and 10 seconds in my case because DOS command prompt does not wait for each call to MyPhoneExplorer.exe to end before calling the next (/WAIT did no help ), causing MyPhoneExplorer to display connection error messages, just adjust these values to fit your needs.

3. Schedule a task in windows task manager to run the batch file. The new schedule wizard minimum interval is Daily. You'll have to schedule the task to run once then go into the task's properties and edit the scheduling on the "Triggers" tab where you'll find the advanced settings letting you repeat the task every XX hours or minutes.

I used this post for command line options:
http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?p=135#135
Thank you, Mr. Deauville

Hope this helps

Does your solution work without launching from batch file (I don't need the ping test). What version of MPE are you using?

I am having a problem with MPE and Task Scheduler as described here:

http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24092

Thanks.

[mzman]

Note to all... Version 1.8.6 will not work with Windows Task Scheduler if it is scheduled at a time when the windows session is locked. Task Scheduler will open MPE but any sync initiated with command line flags will not work. Please see the link in my previous post for details.

I downgraded to 1.8.5 and it works fine.

For now, my problem is solved. However, I'd like to be able to upgrade MPE versions in the future. Can the developer correct the behavior in future MPE versions so that they can run automatically from Task Scheduler? Thanks.