Would like to upload/download and sync files to/from Windows Mobile to/from Ubunt

I would like to upload/download and sync files to/from Windows Mobile to/from Ubuntu 14.04. I had to downgrade to this version from 16 to 14 to get a wireless USB adapter I purchased to work but when I tried to install synce-sync-engine, I got a bunch of dependency errors and messages about that "but we won't install it...". The little research pointed to this being old or obsolete. So I installed syncevolution but can't seem to see it listed on the apps on the GUI. From what I read, it seems to work with synchronzing to public servers like Google with calendars. So, I decided to download synce-sync-engine as an RPM, used alien to convert it to a .deb and then used gdebi to install it and resolve any dependencies doing it. It did install it, but to my dismapy, no literal plug and detect of the handheld PC running Windows Mobile 6.5 (I think). Online research was a bit tough, if anyone has any good links for me to read up on, I'd be much obliged!

hm. I would start over again. You gave almost no usable information. First please tell us the exact type of your phone, and wireless usb adapter, and exactly what did you try to install and how?

pan64, sorry about that. Thought I'd ask for a link or a good place to find information too. These Windows Mobile hand held devices are connected to Windows machines and AutoSync automatically detects them and uploads files to a mapped drive. I've tried to get this to work with SyncEvolution and SyncML, but can't seem to get it to work. So then I thought, maybe install ActiveSync on this Ubunut machine with wine, and it seems to have installed ok, but, when I connect the hand held device and try to have ActiveSync detect it manually, it is not seeing it.

Here is what I'm using and running:

~$ cat /proc/version
Linux version 4.4.0-111-generic (buildd@lcy01-amd64-017) (gcc version 4.8.4 (Ubuntu 4.8.4-2ubuntu1~14.04.3) ) #134~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jan 15 15:41:00 UTC 2018

(I have to use this version, or the wirless USB device will not work, that was another headache)

I ran udevadm to see if the kernel is detecting it when I connect it to the USB port on the PC:

~# udevadm monitor --udev
monitor will print the received events for:
UDEV - the event which udev sends out after rule processing

UDEV  [396.212843] add      /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.5 (usb)
UDEV  [396.224068] add      /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.5/2-1.5:1.1 (usb)
UDEV  [396.265942] add      /module/cfg80211 (module)
UDEV  [396.266389] add      /class/ieee80211 (class)
UDEV  [396.266692] add      /devices/platform/regulatory.0 (platform)
UDEV  [396.283347] add      /module/usbnet (module)
UDEV  [396.343292] add      /module/cdc_ether (module)
UDEV  [396.343317] add      /bus/usb/drivers/cdc_ether (drivers)
UDEV  [396.345908] add      /module/rndis_host (module)
UDEV  [396.346741] add      /bus/usb/drivers/rndis_host (drivers)
UDEV  [396.377857] change   /devices/platform/regulatory.0 (platform)
UDEV  [396.390841] add      /module/rndis_wlan (module)
UDEV  [401.389064] add      /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.5/2-1.5:1.0 (usb)
UDEV  [401.389674] add      /bus/usb/drivers/rndis_wlan (drivers)

Here is the syslog when I connect to the USB port on the PC:

# tail -f /var/log/syslog
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.904307] usb 2-1.6: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.998269] usb 2-1.6: New USB device found, idVendor=099e, idProduct=0305
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.998274] usb 2-1.6: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.998276] usb 2-1.6: Product: Data Collector
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.998278] usb 2-1.6: Manufacturer: Trimble Navigation Ltd
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.998280] usb 2-1.6: SerialNumber: 00000000-3034-0801-1300-b021108a0002
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.999855] rndis_host 2-1.6:1.0: RNDIS init failed, -32
Jan 31 15:51:12 clockinout2 kernel: [  940.999867] rndis_host: probe of 2-1.6:1.0 failed with error -32
Jan 31 15:51:17 clockinout2 kernel: [  946.000562] rndis_wlan 2-1.6:1.0: RNDIS init failed, -110
Jan 31 15:51:17 clockinout2 kernel: [  946.000719] rndis_wlan: probe of 2-1.6:1.0 failed with error -110
Jan 31 15:51:17 clockinout2 mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 4: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.6"
Jan 31 15:51:17 clockinout2 mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 4 was not an MTP device

Packages and apps I installed that I think got me this far:

~# dpkg --list | grep wine
ii  wine                                                  1:1.6.2-0ubuntu4                                    i386         Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer (meta-package)
ii  wine-gecko2.21:i386                                   2.21-0ubuntu1                                       i386         Microsoft Windows compatibility layer (embedded web browser)
ii  wine-mono0.0.8                                        0.0.8-0ubuntu1                                      all          Microsoft Windows compatibility layer (.NET compatibility)
ii  wine1.6                                               1:1.6.2-0ubuntu4                                    i386         Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer (Binary Emulator and Library)
ii  wine1.6-i386                                          1:1.6.2-0ubuntu4                                    i386         Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer (32-bit support)
ii  winetricks                                            0.0+20140302-0ubuntu2                               all          Microsoft Windows Compatibility Layer (winetricks)

~# dpkg --list | grep mtp
ii  libmtp-common                                         1.1.6-20-g1b9f164-1ubuntu2.1                        all          Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) common files
ii  libmtp-runtime                                        1.1.6-20-g1b9f164-1ubuntu2.1                        i386         Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) runtime tools
ii  libmtp9:i386                                          1.1.6-20-g1b9f164-1ubuntu2.1                        i386         Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) library
ii  mtp-tools                                             1.1.6-20-g1b9f164-1ubuntu2.1                        i386         Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) library tools
ii  mtpfs                                                 1.1-4.1                                             i386         FUSE filesystem for Media Transfer Protocol devices

root@clockinout2:~# ls /home/clockinout2/.wine/drive_c/"Program Files"
Common Files  Internet Explorer  Microsoft ActiveSync

(I launch this from the Applications menu on the Ubuntu Desktop)

My goal is to mimic how this works on Windows. They simply connect the hand held device and it auto mounts and auto syncs and auto transfers file to a mapped drive. If you, or anyone, can help me make ActiveSync detect the devices when connected to the USB port, I'd be much obliged!

-OR-

If there is another application built for Linux that I should use, please advise.

Thanks in advance!

More informaiton.

The hand held device is a data collector that uses SDHC. I've searched online but haven't found much information as to what linux drivers I could use to help wine/ActiveSync detect it. Any information, tips or any type of help short of me having to write a new device driver would be helpful. (I'd write one if I knew how).

first I would try to check if that USB port is reachable/usable from wine.

Thanks for the tip pan64. I got sidetracked within the same PC with other problems I'm just learning about concerning Nvidia drivers not working well with the Linux kernel, but that is another topic. Once I find an Nvidia free old PC I could load Ubuntu on, I'll continue with this project and follow up with this test to see if WINE detects the USB ports.

@hrfister:-

I'm really not surprised WINE isn't responding the way you would want it to.

After using WINE for a few years I've come to realise that any 'straight-forward' Windows program/app usually gives no problems. However, anything that wants to 'hook' into anything system-related (including the filesystem) invariably refuses to 'play ball'.

The problem seems to reside in the way that WINE translates Linux 'system' locations to 'virtual' Windows locations. Most apps do not like the WINE virtual '\Z:drive' (the emulation equivalent to Windows' '\C: drive); they expect the '\C:drive', and they're not happy being fobbed-off with something that purports to do the same job.

On top of which, the way Windows mounts & syncs is rather different to the way Linux does it.....


Mike.

Originally Posted by Mike_Walsh The problem seems to reside in the way that WINE translates Linux 'system' locations to 'virtual' Windows locations. Most apps do not like the WINE virtual '\Z:drive' (the emulation equivalent to Windows' '\C: drive); they expect the '\C:drive', and they're not happy being fobbed-off with something that purports to do the same job. On top of which, the way Windows mounts & syncs is rather different to the way Linux does it.....

I do not think it is an issue with wine, it is related only on how the programs implemented on windows. And they usually expect a local drive to use and simply cannot handle mounted (network) drives. Therefore they will not be able to use such things as z: (because they even did not expect it or assuming something different).

I think wine tries to mimic windows using the official/documented way (how windows intended to work) and cannot handle all the different approaches implemented by programmers who had no idea about that official way.

@pan64:-

Mm. Yes, I think I'd go along with that; a fairly succinct description of the pitfalls involved in using WINE. But I stand by what I said previously; the \Z:drive is not liked by the majority of Windoze progs/apps. And, as you say, they certainly don't expect it, that's for certain.


Mike.

one more comment from me:

Originally Posted by hrfister My goal is to mimic how this works on Windows. They simply connect the hand held device and it auto mounts and auto syncs and auto transfers file to a mapped drive. If you, or anyone, can help me make ActiveSync detect the devices when connected to the USB port, I'd be much obliged!

i don't think there'll be a one-app solution for this, so i'd break it down in steps:

1. i don't think you need wine.
2. find out which protocol the device wants to use for data transfer - most likely mtp, and that is available on linux, and, depending on the distro you use, already working.
3. set up automounting if it doesn't work already. probably a function of your file/desktop manager.
4. now find a software that would do the syncing you desire. frankly, i don't know if this exists, but it wouldn't be too hard to script it.

pan64, Mike Walsh, thank you for your input. It is comments like those that help me understand Linux better.

ondoho, thank you for your advice too and on your suggestions...

i don't think you need wine.

You may be right. I tried to get Sync Evolution going but there wasn't much information. The best link I found was this one for Ubuntu:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Po.../WindowsMobile
...but nothing happened when I plugged in the windows mobile hand held pc

Also, I tried these steps:
https://syncevolution.org/documentation/installation

Again, I expected some type of detection when I connected the USB cable from the hand held Win Mobile PC, but I did not see anything nor an auto mount on the desktop.

find out which protocol the device wants to use for data transfer - most likely mtp, and that is available on linux, and, depending on the distro you use, already working.

I did install mtp, but if you look at my /var/log/syslog output on my 2nd post here, the last line reads: "Jan 31 15:51:17 clockinout2 mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 4 was not an MTP device"

set up automounting if it doesn't work already. probably a function of your file/desktop manager.

As aforementioned on a previous post on this thread, I was having trouble with Nvidia and the Linux Kernel not liking each other and supposedly the cause of login loops on the Ubuntu desktop. So, what I did was find an old Dell with a different chipset, installed Ubuntu 14 on it, and I got the login loop AGAIN. So there went the access to the file/desktop manager suggestion. Note: I did create a new account with admin rights, but what's to say this won't happen to it too eventually. Besides, still no auto detect or auto mount.

now find a software that would do the syncing you desire. frankly, i don't know if this exists, but it wouldn't be too hard to script it.

I'm starting to share that thought, that it may not exist.

I'm gonna give Linux one more chance by switching to another distro. I'm going to use CENTOS 6.5. (6.5 because the wireless usb driver won't install on Linux running a Kernel with a version greater than 3.16, on another thread I mentioned that.) Once I get that going and finally overcome the login loops headaches that I now think is an Ubuntu bug, and not necessarily a Linux vs Nvidia issue, I'm going to try syncevolution by downloading it here:
http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/se...=syncevolution

RedHat tends to have good documentation, so hopefully that can help me. If I still can't get this to work, I may have to punt this to an old Win7 machine and using ActiveSync. I may not like it, but I have to get something working soon. Whatever happens, I'll update you guys.

Again, THANK YOU for your input, advice and suggestions. It is always a great learning experience for me.

SynCE is way easier to install via Arch Linux. There's even a wiki about it: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/SynCE

I've managed to install it on Arch Linux in fact.