Mac Lab Report
Palm Desktop 4.2.1
Palm Desktop software for use with Palm handheld PDAs. Includes a calendar / to do list Mac application which is quite nice to use even without a PDA. PalmDesktop261.sit: Palm Desktop 2.6.1 dtmac263NPENG.sit: Palm Desktop 2.6.3 with Note Pad, released in.
- 2005.08.17
- I have a Sony Clie VX70 from before dirt. It uses Palm 4.0 firmware and works fine with PD 4.2.1 & 10.5.6. The kids at Sony were ever anything but helpful where the Mac was concerned. But there is no doubt that PD is very finicky. If you haven't already tried, uninstall and reinstall Palm. Repair Perms in both directions. Hard reset the device.
- The Macintosh version of the Palm Desktop is now 4.2.1. It adds improved compatibility with Mac OS X Panther (10.3). It also includes an updated send to handheld droplet that allows you to send image and audio files to your palmOne handheld or expansion card.
- Palm Desktop 4.2.1revD Palm Desktop is a Date Book, To Do List, Address Book, and more! It can be used as a stand-alone application, or to view, sort, find, edit, back up, and add applications to your Palm handheld! Remember, first backup your data!! Duplicate your user folder and save it somewhere outside the Palm folder. SwitchSync Ex 5.0.
- Palm Desktop for Mac 4.2.1 is such a professional tweak tool which includes the Palm Desktop and HotSync Manager software developed specifically for the Macintosh.
According to MacAddict, the titles of my articles are deeper thanthe articles I write, so if that's the case you can stop right herebecause everything you need to know is in the title. (Now I need aT-shirt that declares I'm 'This Guy'.)
Anyway, I have an aging HandspringVisor that used to HotSync just fine with my phone, my iPod, and my.mac account. Everything was fine until Apple (in its infinite wisdom)made iSync all confusing and inconsistent by moving the iPod syncfunction from iSync to iTunes in Tiger (MacOS X 10.4.x).
Okay, so to use Palm devices in what remains of your iSyncfunctionality, you have to add the device to the iSync list of devices.This requires you to 'Enable Palm OS Syncing' in iSync. Selecting thisprompts the Mac to check to see if the iSync conduit is properlyinstalled, and if it isn't, to install it.
However, the conduit won't install unless PalmDesktop has been properly installed. And Palm Desktop won't installcompletely unless you have your device connected to the computer whenyou run the installer. So, if you're like me, you finally get PalmDesktop ready to install at the same time that you have your Palmdevice ready, and then the frickin' software won't install because ofan 'unspecified error.'
Palm Desktop 4.2 Windows 10
Try again, reboot, etc. - all the usual things you would do - andzippo.
'Unspecified Error.'
Even worse, there's nothing on any website or forum that I can find.Apple's own pages are filled (as usual) with hundreds of things Ialready know how to do like 'plug in your device.' So whatever thisproblem is, maybe I'm the only one having it.
You already read the title of this article, so you know how to makeit work.
I thought if I was the root user, maybe that would make a difference- it did once before on some older software I was trying to install. Mycomputer is issued by a school district, and they install themselves asadministrator. They also made me an administrator, but they didn't tellme the password, so I can't accidentally (or on purpose) change it. SoI either have to beg them for the password or find another way to login as root.
This is where my Web search bore fruit. It turns out that if you areclassified as an admin you (obviously) ought to be able to log in asroot - but you have to enable it before you can do it. Appleleaves it off by default to keep your Mac more secure. To turn on rootlogin, you go to Applications > Utilities > NetInfo Manager,select Security / Enable Root User, and enter a password when prompted.(Insert all the usual warnings about secure passwords and notforgetting your secure password here.)
Then you set System Preferences / Accounts to allow you to log inusing a user list. Log out, log back in, and a new option - 'Other' -will be displayed. Choose this, use your new root password with it, andvoilà, you're in. (Of course, to maintain the secure status ofyour computer, after you finish installing Palm Desktop you shouldreturn to NetInfo Manager and disable the root user login.)
I finally got Palm Desktop to install. No problem.
If you're getting a mysterious installation error, you might trylogging in as root. Most owners probably don't have this problem,because they are the primary user instead of just another user likemyself on the school's Mac. You wouldn't think an admin-level userwould have these problems, but you never know.
Maybe I'm the only one having this problem, but on the other hand,who knows how many others suffer in silence.
Update
Alan Zisman emailed me on September 3, 2005 with a new solution tothis problem:
'After you wrote your LEM article about installationproblems with Palm Desktop, I wrote you, discussing how even afterlogging on as root, I was unable to install the version of Palm Desktoprecommended for my Visor Prism.
'This morning, I discovered PalmDesktop 4.2.1 rev C,at < http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12968>
'It describes itself: 'Fixed file and folderspermission issue which could impair iSync functionality when installingPalm Desktop without administrator rights. If you encountered thisissue, install this version (Rev C) to fix it.'
'Despite some hesitation about using a version thatdidn't come with specific Visor hooks, I downloaded and installed it -the installation ran fine (without having to log on as root), and it'ssync'ing my Visor as I write.'
You may still get warning messages, but it works.
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is a longtime Mac user. He was using digital sensors on Apple II computers in the 1980's and has networked computers in his classroom since before the internet existed. In 2006 he was selected at the California Computer Using Educator's teacher of the year. His students have used NASA space probes and regularly participate in piloting new materials for NASA. He is the author of two books and numerous articles and scientific papers. He currently teaches astronomy and physics in California, where he lives with his twin sons, Jony and Ben.< And there's still a Mac G3 in his classroom which finds occasional use.
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