pilot-xfer(1)pilot-xfer(1)NAMEpilot-xfer - Backup, sync, and restore databases from a Palm handheld
device.
SECTION
pilot-link: Userland Conduits
SYNOPSISpilot-xfer [-p <port>] [-e <file>] [-b] [-u] [-s] <directory>
or
pilot-xfer [-p <port>] [-r <directory>] [-l] [-L] [-P] [-f <dbname>]
[-d <dbname>] [-i <dbname>] [-m <file>] ...
Use exactly one of -brsudfimlI; mix in -aexDPv, --rom and --with-os.
DESCRIPTION
This is the swiss-army-knife of the entire pilot-link suite.
pilot-xfer allows the user to install databases contained in the stan‐
dard .prc (Palm Resource Database), .pdb (Palm Record Database), and
.pqa (Palm Query Application) formats onto a Palm, retrieve databases
from the Palm, list the databases contained in a Palm, and backup or
restore all of the databases at once, and many other powerful opera‐
tions.
OPTIONS
PILOT-XFER OPTIONS
-a, --archive <dir>
Archives files which have been removed from the Palm to <dir>
instead of just deleting (unlinking) them.
-b, --backup <dir>
Backs up the Palm into the specified directory (which will be
created if it does not already exist).
-C, --cardinfo
Show information on available cards
--delete <dbname>
Permanently delete the specified database(s) by name (without
extension). Obviously, be very careful with this one.
-D, --vfsdir=dir
Modifies -l, -i or -f to use VFS dir instead of internal storage
-e, --exclude=file
Reads a list of databases from <file> and prevents --backup,
--sync, or --update from operating on the listed database(s). A
maximum of 100 databases can be excluded. Databases should be
specified by name without the extension, as displayed with
--list, in any order.
-f, --fetch <dbname>
Fetch each specified database out of the Palm into the current
directory.
-F, --Flash
Obsolete. Replaced by --rom in v0.12.
-i, --install <file> [...]
Install each specified file into the Palm. Wildcards are valid
with this syntax and multiple files may be listed at once.
-l, --list
Note: changed behaviour in 0.12
List all the databases in the Palm, including OS-specific native
databases.
-L, --Listall
Unsupported in 0.12 - see -l
-m, --merge <file> [...]
Adds the records in each specified file into the corresponding
Palm database.
-O, --Osflash
Obsolete. Replaced by --with-os in 0.12
-P, --Purge
Purge any deleted data that hasn't been cleaned up by a sync
(this is a safe operation, and will prevent your Palm from accu‐
mulating crud if you delete records but aren't syncing with a
PIM.) The only information you can lose is archived but
un-synced records.
-r, --restore <dir>
Installs all files contained in a directory into the Palm. (Use
this to restore your Palm after a hard reset has cleared its
memory, using your backup directory as a baseline.)
--rom
Modifies -b, -u, and -s , to back up non-OS dbs from Flash ROM
-s, --sync <dir>
Backs up the Palm into the specified directory (which will be
created if it does not already exist). Any Palm databases which
have not been modified or created since the versions stored in
the specified directory will not be backed up.
NOTE: Any Palm databases which have been deleted will have their
corresponding backup file removed.
-S, --novsf
Not supported in 0.12. No replacement.
--with-os
Modifies -b, -u, and -s , to back up OS dbs from Flash ROM.
-u, --update
Backs up the Palm into the specified directory (which will be
created if it does not already exist). Any Palm databases which
have not been modified or created since the versions stored in
the specified directory will not be backed up.
-I, --Illegal
This will back up the UnsavedPreferences.pdb file from the Palm.
Normally this file is not backed up by normal means (Palm Com‐
puting recommends that you do not restore this file upon
restoration of your device using --restore.
This also modifies the behavior of --backup, --sync, and
--update.
-x, --exec=command
Execute a shell command for intermediate processing. All com‐
mands will be done, from left to right in the command-line,
before the connection to the pilot is made.
CONDUIT OPTIONS
-p, --port <port>
Use device file <port> to communicate with the Palm handheld. If
this is not specified, pilot-xfer will look for the $PILOTPORT
environment variable. If neither are found, pilot-xfer will
print the usage information.
-v, --version
Display version of pilot-xfer and exit without connecting.
-q, --quiet
Suppress 'Hit HotSync button' message
HELP OPTIONS
-h, --help
Display the help synopsis for pilot-xfer and exit without con‐
necting.
--usage
Display a brief usage message and exit without connecting.
USAGE
The program will connect to a target Palm handheld and port, prompt the
user to hit HotSync, and perform the requested options specified by the
user on the commandline.
EXAMPLES
To perform a full backup of your Palm handheld:
# using long options
pilot-xfer--port /dev/pilot --backup $HOME/pilot/Backup
# or over IrDA, using short options
pilot-xfer-p /dev/ircomm0 -b $HOME/pilot/Backup
To restore that backup to a non-standard serial port (for example, to a
xcopilot or POSE session, assuming you have xcopilot or POSE configured
properly for this operation, see the appropriate man pages for details
on configuring your emulator):
pilot-xfer-p /dev/ttyqe --restore $HOME/pilot/Backup
To fetch a file that is on your Palm handheld, such as the Palm Address
Book database:
pilot-xfer-p /dev/pilot --fetch AddressDB
AUTHORpilot-xfer written by Kenneth Albanowski. This manual page was origi‐
nally written by Kenneth Albanowski and David H. Silber. Completely
rewritten by David A. Desrosiers. Updated for 0.12 by Neil Williams
linux@codehelp.co.uk.
BUGS
KNOWN BUGS
--backup will currently truncate/corrupt pdb/prc files if communication
is interrupted during sync. Ideally, this should restore the original
file, or delete the corrupted version and restore the original version
back into place.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs at http://bugs.pilot-link.org/
COPYRIGHT
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MER‐
CHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
SEE ALSOpilot-link(7)pilot-link 0.12.0-pre4 Copyright 1996-2005 FSF pilot-xfer(1)
