iPhone - iTunes - Outlook 2007

[jan.dubber]

Hey all,

I am having quite some trouble with synching between mobile and zimbra since a few days now. Time to ask for some help :-)

The problem is, that I cannot sync correctly between my Outlook 2007, Vista (connected via 5.01 Outlook Connector to my company zimbra server) and my iPhone through iTunes. I have all the relevant software installed, the iTunes AddIn is running and the iPhone set up for using Outlook as source for contacts and calendar.

• When I add an event to my iPhone calendar, it appears in Outlook 2007 (cool!)
• When I add an event in Outlook 2007, it sometimes appear in the iPhone calendar
• When I add multiple events in Outlook 2007 in addition, they never appear on the iPhone.
• But when I delete the first working event in the synced place, the original disappears also.

So in the end, I am getting a partial sync sometimes ... how great it this ;-)


Reading all the boards and posts, I didn't really find any solution. I reinstalled iTunes, added a new Zimbra profile, imported all Zimbra settings again, but nothing helped.
iTunes doesn't show any additional calenders, but I read that this is the regular case as only the main calendar gets used. On my desktop Outlook 2007 side, everything seems to be ok.

Our company Zimbra server is running 5.0.1 (at least). Actually the mobile web client works, so I am not sure whether that is 5.0.3 already? Anyhow the connector I am using is a 5.0.1 version.


Guys, I am really looking forward to all you great help. Maybe somebody else went through this before and knows the pill to take

Thanks in advance,
JD

(and please feel welcome to ask for more details if needed)

[alee]

Originally Posted by jan.dubber

Hey all,

I am having quite some trouble with synching between mobile and zimbra since a few days now. Time to ask for some help :-)

The problem is, that I cannot sync correctly between my Outlook 2007, Vista (connected via 5.01 Outlook Connector to my company zimbra server) and my iPhone through iTunes. I have all the relevant software installed, the iTunes AddIn is running and the iPhone set up for using Outlook as source for contacts and calendar.

• When I add an event to my iPhone calendar, it appears in Outlook 2007 (cool!)
• When I add an event in Outlook 2007, it sometimes appear in the iPhone calendar
• When I add multiple events in Outlook 2007 in addition, they never appear on the iPhone.
• But when I delete the first working event in the synced place, the original disappears also.

So in the end, I am getting a partial sync sometimes ... how great it this ;-)


Reading all the boards and posts, I didn't really find any solution. I reinstalled iTunes, added a new Zimbra profile, imported all Zimbra settings again, but nothing helped.
iTunes doesn't show any additional calenders, but I read that this is the regular case as only the main calendar gets used. On my desktop Outlook 2007 side, everything seems to be ok.

Our company Zimbra server is running 5.0.1 (at least). Actually the mobile web client works, so I am not sure whether that is 5.0.3 already? Anyhow the connector I am using is a 5.0.1 version.


Guys, I am really looking forward to all you great help. Maybe somebody else went through this before and knows the pill to take

Thanks in advance,
JD

(and please feel welcome to ask for more details if needed)

can you try to hunt down a list of reproducible steps and generate some logs and send them to us? i know that we've had issues with iTunes in the past.

[fchassaing]

I second that problem...
Zimbra server 5.0.2 NE
oultook connector 5.0.2
outlook 2007
Windows vista
and... an iPhone
an initial sync correctly synced everything (even though contacts got duplicated somehow)
calendar will sync appointments taken on iphone to outlook/zimbra (and will sync back coorrectly if i delete it on outlook, it will delete it from iphone)
calendar will not sync appointment taken on outlook/zimbra to iphone

[Mank]

I am experiencing the same problem.

After setting outlook to sync with zimbra using zimbra connector, the calendar appointments created on outlook do not sync to iPhone calendar.

[@dmin]

Same here, but with Outlook 2003.

NE 5.0.2
Connector 5.0.2
iTunes 7.6.1.9

[Klug]

Bug 20054 - COMPAT: Sync to iPod via iTunes fails

[Dirk]

I have the same configuration as the original poster, Outlook 2007 on Vista, but using the 5.0.2 connector.

The first sync took some work to make happen, as iTunes seemed to want to sync to the previous datastore in Outlook, but once I'd completely removed that, I got the contacts to go across. I can add a contact in either Zimbra, iPhone or Outlook, and it does end up in the right place after a sync.

I've not got calendars syncing at all yet, I need to play with this some more.

I'm a big fan of the iPhone, and of Zimbra, but I've never liked iTunes or Outlook, so it's annoying to need to use both of those to make my desktop contacts and calendars appear on my phone.

Once version 2 of the iPhone software is out, it seems we will be able to sync directly to Zimbra, cutting out the middle stages of iTunes-Outlook-Connector. I hope this works well.

Apple seem to be giving version 2 out to developers for testing, I wonder if anyone at Zimbra can get hold of one? The very first day 2.0 is available to the public, someone is going to try to set it up with Zimbra, so if it could be tested by professionals before then, it may be wise to do it.

In short (!) syncing to the iPhone seems possible, but unreliable. If you can wait a few months for the exchange compatible version of the iPhone firmware, then that would seem to be the best option.

[Klug]

Did anyone (who has an iPhone) tried the funambol way of synching it ?

Theres' an app you can install on the iPhone (that the "best" way to sync OTA) and a connector you can install in Outlook.
I've setup the app in my Outlook a couple of minutes ago and it did not crash (yet), it was able to speak with the ZDB (seems to be compatible with the ZCO) and I was able to sync it several time without a itch.

Then any SyncML capable device is suppose to sync though http://my.funambol.com.

[Dirk]

I've just have a very brief look at funambol, and I dont think I'll be looking at it any further. This seems to be a crazy way to do things. Install an app on the phone, a plugin into outlook, a connector in outlook to zimbra and then sync via a beta webpage? Nah, not my cup of tea that one.

Zimbra can speak soap. An app can be written for the iphone (either by Zimbra using the SDK or by an individual using 'other' means) and the app on the iphone should talk directly to the zimbra server. No third party services, no buying of Outlook.

I've not looked long and hard at funambol, but given the alternative possibilities, I dont see the point.

So how about it Zimbra guru's? Any chance of a native iphone app that will sync directly to the ZCS and would work on all versions including OSS ? You know it's possible

[Klug]

Originally Posted by Dirk

I've just have a very brief look at funambol, and I dont think I'll be looking at it any further. This seems to be a crazy way to do things. Install an app on the phone, a plugin into outlook, a connector in outlook to zimbra and then sync via a beta webpage? Nah, not my cup of tea that one.

Then you should also have a look at "Funambol for Zimbra" : http://www.zimbra.com/forums/zimbra-...4j-code-8.html

I don't know for the iPhone app but you can specify the server/URL you want in Outlook's funambol plugin.

So you might be able to setup your own Funambol server, get it to speak to your own Zimbra server and have your iPhone sync against your Funambol server.
You'll get Outlook to sync contacts/agenda with your Zimbra server at the same time (for OSS or NE-Standard users).

Originally Posted by Dirk

Zimbra can speak soap. An app can be written for the iphone (either by Zimbra using the SDK or by an individual using 'other' means) and the app on the iphone should talk directly to the zimbra server. No third party services, no buying of Outlook.

Wait june and you'll get this "out of the box", no additional dev needed, no tests needed, just Zimbra Mobile needed.

Originally Posted by Dirk

So how about it Zimbra guru's? Any chance of a native iphone app that will sync directly to the ZCS and would work on all versions including OSS ? You know it's possible

That's Funambol (and you'll get the same sync capabilities for all PDA/SmartPhones and Outlook at the same time).