Open Source Mobile Synchronisation

[Costa-101]

Hello,

I am starting to find a way to implement a solution for us Open Source admins to allow our users to sync their contacts and calendars from Outlook, Thunderbird and Mobile devices.

I am using Linux and the latest stable version of Zimbra.

So far, I have installed the Funambol PIM bundle.

I have managed to install a connector on a Windows XP machine with an Outlook 2003 Office installation.

Go here to get the Microsoft Outlook Connector, this gives a good feel for what is achievable.

Eventually, I hope to provide Blackberry, Palm and Mail For Exchange services to my clients. (links there for the connectors)

I am hoping this thread will just allow for us developers to add bits toward finding a documented solution.

The steps so far are as follows, assuming a current working install of zimbra:

wget http://www.funambol.com/opensource/download_form.html?file_id=funambol-6.0.bin

sh funambol-6.0.bin

select yes to start your servers.

Now visit http://localhost:8080/funambol

You can log in with:

username: admin
passwd: sa

Next.....

Start the funamboladmin application by:

/opt/Funambol/admin/bin/funamboladmin

Go to File > Login and leave the settings as they are, and click Login.

In the settings change the admin password.

Thats it for now I am afraid, I have to do some real work now.

If anyone can help to install the Zimbra connector from this download page it would be most helpful for the community I am sure.

Cheers and I hope this helps start us off

Costa

[dijichi2]

Hi Costa

Great idea, good luck with this. I would love to have Thunderbird connectivity as I have several companies that use Thunderbird as default mail client with Zimbra backend, and most of the directors invariably have blackberries. We use NE but no Thunderbird connector and the 3rd party blackberry synch is a ripoff. Mobile synch would be fun too.

[jerelabs]

I'd be more than willing to help with this effort. I have limited unix dev skills, but would be willing to help write up documentation once a solution is found.

[glitch23]

I'm also in the same boat, currently using OSS but soon switching to NE. Anyways I have setup a funambol server and dabbled in the admin a bit, I also setup a test account on http://my.funambol.com so you can test things like the Blackberry Client, Outlook and Thunderbird.

BTW the Thunderbird + Lighting + Funambol extension has been updated to support Lightning 0.5.

Get it here: SourceForge.net: Funambol Mozilla Plugin

Also try using ScheduleWorld for testing as they keep update with blackberry's and Thunderbird.

I have successfully synced Thunderbird Contacts to my.funambol.com, working on Calendars as it seems to find them, and the entries, but doesn't upload them, but I wonder if that's because they are remote calendars.

BTW the reason to use a test funambol account is because 1) it was free, and 2) Once you get it working both ways, you should only have to change the server the plugins/add-ons/clients point to.

The next step which I think is already done it syncing directly from Zimbra to Funambol Server to Client/PDA/ipod/BB/WM5. Check the forums for posts by Doud, he said he got it to work, but we'll have to wait for a solid tutorial/how-to.

[glitch23]

Current;y we are plagued with this bug in the extension.

[ 1760207 ] Async Calendar Providers don't work

Asynchronously working calendar providers (e.g. Google, WCAP) don't work,
because the current code relies on calICalendar::getItems return *after*
the results have been notified, see

<http://sync4jmozilla.cvs.sourceforge.net/sync4jmozilla/funambol-mozilla-pl
ugin/syncmlcomponent/src/c%2B%2B/CalItemsCollector.cpp?view=markup>
line 177 and following

Callers of calICalendar::getItems must expect the call to immediately
return. calIOperationListener::onOperationComplete finally signals that all
data has been retrieved (and notified via
calIOperationListener::onGetResult).

I know remote calendars work with the ScheduleWorld extension.

[Costa-101]

I spoke with Doud, pretty decent chap really.

He knows a way to get the contacts and calendar to sync with any syncml compatible device.

He said he installed Sync4j and then used the zimbra-extras trunk to install the connector.

The zimbra svn is here:

SourceForge.net Repository - [zimbra-xtras] Index of /trunk/ZimbraSync4j

[glitch23]

I was able to get my blackbery to sync only with a local Lightning Calendar + My.Funambol + Blackberry Funambol app.

Tomorrow begins using my own server for syncing.

[Costa-101]

Hi,

Congrats of course, but it would be more beneficial I feel to share the way you managed to do this so that others can share your experiences.

Those who do not have the technical ability will be more than willing to help with the mundane stuff - such as writing a wiki correctly with references etc.

Even a few links to tutorials that help install and configure each component - in order to achieve the overall goal would certainly be very much appreciated.

Where did you start from, which platform are you using, which resources did you find the most helpful?

etc, etc

Thanks, look forward to hearing from you

Costa