Entourage, Ical, Iphone Syncing problems - Also pop up reminders.

[donnan]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

Hi all,

Hope you can help me.

When I sync my iphone to my mac (using Entourage Calendar), it syncs from my Entourage calendar on my mac to the iphone, but NOT from the iphone created events back to the mac.

I have searched the apple support site and this one too, and have done as suggested and updated my sync settings in Entourage Preferences and also in the Itunes sync settings calendars, Selected Entourage only.

In testing these settings, I am only getting from mac created events to the iphone and not vice versa.

Would love a solution, as its defeats the purpose of being able to create events on the iphone, if you can't keep it in sync.

Finally, I am getting pop up reminders on my Mac from both Entourage Calendar and Ical..which as you can imagine is a bit annoying.

Cheers
D.

 

[Kerry]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

Hi all,

Hope you can help me.

When I sync my iphone to my mac (using Entourage Calendar), it syncs from my Entourage calendar on my mac to the iphone, but NOT from the iphone created events back to the mac.

Hi. There are a number of problems with sync services and Entourage
(see Mactopia forums top 5 issues ical sync doesn't work). What you
are reporting is one thing that happens. Check one thing. In Entourage
preferences sync services do you have more than one module turned on.
If you do, this creates tons of sync errors (speculation has to do
with the architecture of the Entourage database and when more than one
module is turned on Entourage isn't properly comm with sync services
leading to conflicts). If you do, just enable one module, in this case
calendar. If you want to sync another module turn off calendar and
turn on the module you want to sync say notes. Once done, turn notes
off, turn on calendar and let that sync back again. Make sure you're
using the combine option for sync'g and not the overwrite. Always use
overwrite of Entourage to sync services on first sync then immediately
go back in, turn off all sync'g >ok< then turn sync of one module back
on and choose combine after the OK prompt. This workaround pretty well
ensures that each module sync's 100%. The one problem with this since
it is manual is you might make a mistake and enable two modules at the
same time. At the end of the sync you may or may not find problems
like all day events being duplicated. Or you might forget to turn back
on Calendar and think Cal items aren't sync'g. Just check your sync
serv prefs. Have lots of backups also. Scan that thread I mentioned to
develop a strategy. Write Microsoft or better still call them about
the issue but don't mention your iphone (they now don't provide
support if you mention a handheld device if you can believe it). Just
talk about sync with iCal.

 

[donnan]

Thanks Kerry, I gave that a go and low and behold it worked...but a work around as you mentioned quite open to manual errors....ah the joys!!

"Make sure you're
using the combine option for sync'g and not the overwrite"

For your reply above, I do not have this option, when I followed intructions previously to check my entourage sync preferences it said that this option would come up after I pressed OK...but it didn't...not sure where to find it..do you know?

Once again..thanks..you have definitely got me on the right path!

 

[Kerry]

Thanks Kerry, I gave that a go and low and behold it worked...but a work around as you mentioned quite open to manual errors....ah the joys!!

"Make sure you're
using the combine option for sync'g and not the overwrite"

For your reply above, I do not have this option,

That's good. I have generally found the workaround to be 100%
reliable. The only problem is that you will eventually need to enable
another module for sync'g, such as contacts or notes and for reliable
sync's only one module can be enabled at a time. As you work with
this, you'll probably find certain things that need to happen for this
to always work well and since we are human its easy to forget
something or make a mistake. That's why the backups. In the beginning,
before you change the sync of a module, you might want to backup your
active data file. One of the simplest things to do is just go into to
your 2008 identities (home/documents/microsoft user data/office 2008
identities) and back the identity up by say compressing the identity
(right click/compress). This will just create a zip file and if
anything goes wrong you can unzip that file and be where you were at
before sync (close Entourage before you compress the identity).

You'll find the kind of sync option (overwrite, combine etc) will
appear when you engage a new module. So if you go into prefs/sync
services and uncheck say calendar and check Notes then OK three
options for sync turn up. The last option you chose will be chosen say
combine. Just go OK. Always use the combine except when you want to
clean out sync services with Entourage items so in this case you'd
choose overwrite however, go back, uncheck the item, OK, go back into
prefs/sync services check the item and at the sync prompt now choose
combine and use combine from hereon.

Microsoft really does need to fix this as its a lot of fussing and it
is very prone to us making a mistake as we switch between modules. The
workaround is reliable but....prone to human error.