Microsoft SyncServices
j...@officeformac.com
Corentin Cras-Méneur
SyncServices are currently pagued with numerous issues. When it does
sync, it has a nasty tendency to duplicate events adn contacts. At this
point, I madfe the decision to turn this feature off.
Corentin
--
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joyo...@officeformac.com
But most puzzling: every time I launch Entourage, the contacts (though not calendar) data is completely wiped out (I can see # contacts counting down from 2000+ to 1 [for "me], then a few minutes later # contacts counts up to the same number.
Why is Entourage / MS Sync Services seemingly re-syncing every time? why is Entourage not able to compare its contacts database with the Apple Contacts data and only sync any modified / added records?
Corentin Cras-Méneur
> I am encountering the same issues: Microsoft Sync Services frequently
> crashes, contacts are sometimes duplicated (interestingly duplication
> not found in calendar).
I'm not seeing that with the 12.0.1 update anymore (it might come back,
but at this point, no duplication in either iCal or the Address book).
Did you update already?
Jesse David Hollington
dramatic improvement.
I had put away Entourage 2004 last year since it was dog-slow under Rosetta,
and went back to Mail/iCal. When Entourage 2008 came out I grabbed a copy
right away and started converting everything over to it. The Sync Services
situation was SO bad, however, that my Entourage 12.0.0 experience lasted
for about a day before I threw up my hands in disgust and decided to go back
to Mail/iCal until the next update.
When 12.0.1 became available, I pounced on it in hopes that it would fix
these issues, and for the most part it seems to have done so. I had a few
duplicated contacts in Entourage after my first sync, but I merely cleaned
them out manually, and it's been syncing back and forth fine ever since.
Note that there still appears to be a problem actually *applying* the 12.0.1
update for Entourage itself. Even if you've downloaded the latest version
and applied it, be sure you check your "About" screen and confirm that it's
actually showing 12.0.1, otherwise you're still at least partially running
the older (broken) version.
If you find yourself in this issue, you can fix it by following the
instructions at
http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/03/entourage_still_states_1200.html#more
Either do a full remove, reinstall, reupdate as suggested in the main
article, which is the best (although most cumbersome) solution, or look at
my comment to the post for a faster workaround to update *just* the
Entourage components that seems to have worked out just fine for me.
On 03/14/08 2:04 PM, in article
1idsmsw.1u8922a1jlejn4N%korve...@NoSpam.mvps.org, "Corentin Cras-Méneur"
David Wrubel
of all contacts via Microsfot SyncServices (Note: I deleted and reset all
contacts and events in Entourage, before updating):
In the Mac Address Book.app I ALWAYS have around 2500 contacts. Each time I
iSync with dotmac, Entourage adds all contacts again. So: 1st iSync with
Dotmac: 2500 contacts in Entourage. 2nd iSync with Dotmac: 5000 contacts in
Entourage. 3rd iSync with Dotmac: 7500 contacts in Entourage.... never the
less: Mac Address Book.app is still at the normal 2500 contacts.
I just wish that this would WORK!!
Regards,
David
On 14/03/08 19.36, in article C4003DF3.14A5D%j...@hollington.ca, "Jesse David
Jesse David Hollington
Entourage->About from the menu and confirm that the version number is 12.0.1
and not 12.0.0, since many people had problems with the original updater
applying the new version of Entourage properly.
As I mentioned below, I did have some minor duplication of one or two
contacts at first (for reasons unknown, it was limited only to specific
contacts, and in fact always has been), and that problem continued after the
v12.0.1 update was applied -- likely because Entourage wasn't actually
updated.
Since I applied the actual 12.0.1 patch properly, and confirmed that
Entourage was showing the correct version, the problem has not recurred.
On 03/15/08 7:55 AM, in article C40177CF.EDA7%d...@propaganda.dk, "David
Kerry
wrote:
I'm still seeing duplicates but only if I've got addressbook sync
turned on. If I just turn on Calendar sync (combine) and leave
addressbook turned off there aren't dups except for all day events
which are easily removed (search all day not categorized). As soon as
I turn addressbook on (combine) dups start if I modify something in
sync services but not from Entourage. If I use Entourage overwrites
addressbook it won't create dups but other problems occur if I leave
it turned on. Contacts rarely change for me so I just leave this off
and now I'm able to use Entourage. Microsoft is still trying to figure
this out even in the 12.0.1 update.
David Wrubel
10.4.11. PowerBook 12" 1.5ghz, 1.25gb ram.
Remember: this issue ONLY happens when I sync with Dotmac. If I make
changes, deletes or add new contacts in either Entourage or Address Book,
these are reflected in both applications almost instantly. And no
duplicates. ONLY duplicates with every sync with DotMac...
On 15/03/08 13.52, in article C4013EE4.14B54%j...@hollington.ca, "Jesse David
Jesse David Hollington
seeing the same problem.
I'm wondering if *resetting* your DotMac sync might solve the issue (ie,
refresh DotMac with the Address Book entries on your local Mac), since that
seems to be related to the problem....
On 03/15/08 11:39 AM, in article C401AC33.EDBE%d...@propaganda.dk, "David
David Wrubel
Entourage Syncservices, then deleted all events and contacts. Then resetted
my iSync: letting Dotmac overwrite my local mac. Tomorrow, I will reset, so
that my local mac overwrites Dotmac (the way you advised). Please note that
I have two computers that are registered with my DotMac account. I do not
use (or sync) Entourage on the other Mac. Only use Address Book.app and iCal
on the other mac. How many Macs are you syncing with Dotmac?
On 15/03/08 18.18, in article C4017D10.14B76%j...@hollington.ca, "Jesse David
Jesse David Hollington
been ON in the past week, as I've been away from home travelling on
business. I'll have to fire it up tomorrow and let it sync and see what
happens. I'll let you know...
On 03/15/08 4:16 PM, in article C401ED3E.EDEB%d...@propaganda.dk, "David
David Wrubel
I still have the same problem every time i iSync with Dotmac: Address Book
is not changed and stays fine at 2500 contacts. But ALL contacts are added
again to Entourage via Syncservices every time iSync to Dotmac: 2500, 5000,
7500 and so forth.
Maybe this has to do with the high volume of contacts that I have.
How many contacts do you have?
On 16/03/08 5.35, in article C4021BD9.14D23%j...@hollington.ca, "Jesse David
Diane Ross
Wrubel" <d...@propaganda.dk> wrote:
> I made the test today: reset of DotMac and I let my mac overwrite DotMac.
>
> I still have the same problem every time i iSync with Dotmac: Address Book
> is not changed and stays fine at 2500 contacts. But ALL contacts are added
> again to Entourage via Syncservices every time iSync to Dotmac: 2500, 5000,
> 7500 and so forth.
I would turn off sync to dot Mac on a full time basis. Just sync perhaps
once a week. Turn off sync from Entourage while you are syncing to dot Mac.
Be sure to send Feedback so that Microsoft will know this is not fixed.
Squeeky wheel....
When working in Office, you can use the łSend Feedback˛ option under the
Help menu in all of the Office applications.
>
> Maybe this has to do with the high volume of contacts that I have.
Doubt this is the cause.
--
Diane, Microsoft Mac MVP (MVPs are not Microsoft Employees)
Entourage Help Page <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
Jesse David Hollington
contacts as well... I have just under 1000, so there's a definite
difference there.
I also turned on DotMac syncing with my desktop computer over the weekend,
and still didn't get any actual duplicate contacts, so there's something
about your specific contact database, number of contacts or configuration
that seems to be causing this, as opposed to merely having DotMac sync
enabled.
What version of OS X are you using? I'm on Leopard 10.5.2, but obviously
sync services in Tiger would be a different story entirely...
On 03/16/08 9:55 AM, in article C402E559.EE31%d...@propaganda.dk, "David
Corentin Cras-Méneur
> I'm still seeing duplicates but only if I've got addressbook sync
> turned on. If I just turn on Calendar sync (combine) and leave
> addressbook turned off there aren't dups except for all day events
> which are easily removed (search all day not categorized).
I've been running Entourage with AB and iCal sync enable for a few days
now (and .Mac for that matter) and so far, no duplicate. Huge
improvement as far as I am concerned.
Corentin Cras-Méneur
> I made the test today: reset of DotMac and I let my mac overwrite DotMac.
If you unregsiter all Mac from .Mac, you should get a warning asking you
whether you want to delete all .Mac data. That's the only way you can
successfully reset .Mac storage.
Simply overwritting seems to leave some corruption on the server.
> I still have the same problem every time i iSync with Dotmac: Address Book
> is not changed and stays fine at 2500 contacts. But ALL contacts are added
> again to Entourage via Syncservices every time iSync to Dotmac: 2500, 5000,
> 7500 and so forth.
>
> Maybe this has to do with the high volume of contacts that I have.
>
> How many contacts do you have?
I don't know... I have 809 contacts and I am not seeing duplications
anymore and I am syncing:
Entourage to Exchange and SyncServices
SyncServices to .Mac and a Palm (through the Missing Sync)
David Wrubel
Which do you advise, Corentin:
A) Un-register all computers from dotmac, but LET all data stay on the
dotmac account/server?
B) Un-register all computers that are reg. with dotmac AND deleting all data
on all computers that HAVE been registered with dotmac?
C) Or just un-registering all macs from the dotmac account and THEN delete
all data on the dotmac server/account. Leaving data untouched on the macs.
All data is then deleted on the dotmac-server. Then re-registering and iSync
to transfer data again to dotmac.
I am guessing that C is the option. Looking forward to your advise!
What I am nervous about, is if the contact data itself, is corrupted. Is
there any way to verify the contact-data's integrity? As I said before: in
the Mac Address Book on both computers: looks fine and no duplicates at all!
The issue is ONLY in Entourage2008!
Regards,
David
On 17/03/08 20.34, in article
1idyalf.qiw7ihxbyyxmN%korve...@NoSpam.mvps.org, "Corentin Cras-Méneur"
Kerry
wrote:
I only find, in your scenario, dups will occur if I modify something
at the sync services level, either from my Palm or iCal. As long as I
don't enable sync'g of Addressbook or Notes, this doesn't seem to
occur. Once I enable AB and use the combine method and then modify say
a task in iCal or on the Palm, that task is dup'd with the new info
leaving the original item there with the original info. This doesn't
happen with AB not running. I've confirmed with Microsoft that the .
0.1 update fixed only a situation where the sync services engine would
stop responding, for some reason, with Entourage. From everything I've
got from them, they're still trying to resolve what is causing the dup
problem and continue to get calls on it (even after the 0.1 update).
Other strange behaviors that others are reporting are still there (but
I don't do things that way so its not an issue but would be if I did).
Corentin Cras-Méneur
> Just to be sure:
>
> Which do you advise, Corentin:
> A) Un-register all computers from dotmac, but LET all data stay on the
> dotmac account/server?
Nope, unregsiter all and make sure all data on .Mac gets wiped out.
you really dont want anything left on the Apple servers.
Then you can re-register the Mac one after the other, giving them some
time to fully sync before proceeding with the next one,
>
> B) Un-register all computers that are reg. with dotmac AND deleting all data
> on all computers that HAVE been registered with dotmac?
You don;t have to do anything on the Mac themselves. When you'll start
adding them again, you'll have the dialog asking you whether you want to
merge data or replace with .Mac or from the Mac.
> C) Or just un-registering all macs from the dotmac account and THEN delete
> all data on the dotmac server/account. Leaving data untouched on the macs.
> All data is then deleted on the dotmac-server. Then re-registering and iSync
> to transfer data again to dotmac.
>
> I am guessing that C is the option. Looking forward to your advise!
Yep, that's what I would do.
You'll then have to decide what to use as the source of all data for
.Mac. I tend to keep everything really up to data on one Mac to populate
the .Mac server data and use that to replace everything I have on the
other Mac, but that, of course, is up to you,
> What I am nervous about, is if the contact data itself, is corrupted. Is
> there any way to verify the contact-data's integrity? As I said before: in
> the Mac Address Book on both computers: looks fine and no duplicates at all!
> The issue is ONLY in Entourage2008!
Make backup of everything.
The Address book and iCal, the Entourage data, etc...
You can also decide to run the database utility to check the integrity
of the Entourage data before re-syncing.
David Wrubel
the same "duplicates" issue.
I think I have given up....!
This should just work and since the Mac Address Book and dotmac all look
correct, and only Entourage is the only app that has this "duplicate
contacts" issue, it must be an Entourage bug.
Regards, Davidw
On 18/03/08 20.13, in article
1ie04d5.ypv0vb8h15e6N%korve...@NoSpam.mvps.org, "Corentin Cras-Méneur"
Kerry
Hmmm.... I find nothing ever goes wrong with Addressbook only
Calendar. Yesterday, I had a change to make in Addressbook, which is
turned of for sync'g as it always causes my Calendar to act up and
start dups. I noticed in a post previously you aren't having this
problem so I thought I'll try once more enabling the two services
Contacts and Calendar. As soon as I did this, a change at the iCal
level, either through iCal or my Palm, either would not get reflected
in Entourage (it would appear in iCal say from the Palm) or a modified
event/task would dup (the original having the original info and the
new item having the new info but both of these would be disconnected
from iCal - a deletion in Entourage would not be reflected in iCal). I
then changed a couple of things in Addressbook and everything changed
perfectly. However since I rarely change Addressbook I turned off
contacts sync in Entourage (turned off calendar sync'g, then deleted
my Entourage calendar in iCal and turned Calendar sync back on in
Entourage, used combine and it recreated the Entourage calendar
without dup'g my all day events). Then, I made changes at the iCal and
Palm level and everything was reflected perfectly in Entourage. I've
been doing this for two or three weeks and the Calendar sync is fine.
However, it isn't if I turn on Addressbook combine or Notes at the
same time. My understanding from Microsoft is they are still trying to
figure out what is happening.