How can I move my calendar from Palm Desktop over to Google Calendar, and then sync there instead?

December 2, 2008 6:55 AM

What I want to happen: Make the existing calendar entries that I have on Palm Desktop move over to Google Calendar and then be able to sync Google Calendar with a used (empty?) Palm Z22 I have. Hold my hand, please? I encourage you to assume only basic computer knowledge.

Here are the specs:
1) Palm Desktop v. 4.1.4
2) Windows XP Professional 2002 version
3) Used Palm Z22 that someone gave me. It's replacing a Zire 21 I had that broke. I have not yet tried to link it up to my Palm Desktop, because I had a bad experience where I did that and it deleted my entire calendar. I think that was because the blank PDA overwrote the content I had on the desktop software. Why it would do that, I have no idea. I just don't want it to happen again.
4) Extra super bonus--I have a macbook at home. If you can get the PDA to sync there, in addition to at work, that would rock.

This is confusing the crapola out of me. I'm not even sure where to start, and I made very little progress searching both the Palm Desktop and the Google Calendar Support pages. This previous AskMe didn't help. Googling palm desktop google calendar resulted in my thinking I might need some kind of 3rd party software to do this? This is about where I shut down from being overwhelmed with lack of understanding.

What I've done so far:
Exported my Palm calendar to my desktop. It's a .dba file. When I tried to import it into google calendar it doesn't work. The error message is Sorry, Calendar is temporarily unavailable. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, visit the Help Center. I assume that is because of this google calendar instruction: Choose the file that contains your events. Google Calendar can import event information in iCal or CSV (MS Outlook) format.I'm thinking this first step of moving my current calendar to the google one might be an inherent issue.

What I want in the long run is the ability to use my PDA to input and retrieve entries onto a calendar I can access via the internet, without having to manually enter the existing information. Can you help me? Is my goal achievable as proposed? If not, can you suggest another way for me to do what I want to do?

posted by Stewriffic to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Try this for the initial conversion

try this.

ongoing I would say sync your new pda to outlook rather than the palm app. I downloaded a sync (outlook to google) app - thought I can recall where from, but it synced on a schedule I determined. When I find it I'll post it.
posted by jeffe at 7:26 AM on December 2, 2008

As a more general comment, I have tried to set up my Palm to sync to external services several times (using Palm Desktop on the desktop, and one third-party application or another for the syncing), and every time I found the results unsatisfactory for some reason—either there was data loss or it just took a frustrating amount of time to sync, with really intrusive annoying sync software. I'm not trying again myself.

I really like the Palm Desktop software as it is simple and does the job, unlike some other personal information managers which are needlessly complicated (*cough* Outlook). But it is a dead end as far as further development goes. I reported a serious bug in the Palm Desktop software once and Palm's response was that I should use Outlook instead. I didn't want to, but it might be best for you.
posted by grouse at 7:36 AM on December 2, 2008

Ugh. So it's as bad as I thought it was, hm?
posted by Stewriffic at 9:27 AM on December 2, 2008

Just my experience from trying this several years ago. Maybe things have improved. I don't feel like trying it again myself, personally. If you have better results, let me know.
posted by grouse at 11:17 AM on December 2, 2008

OK, so if I stay with Palm Desktop, which would be OK but not great, how do I sync this "new" PDA so that it takes the info from the software instead of erasing my entire calendar like it did the last time?
posted by Stewriffic at 11:30 AM on December 2, 2008

1. Make a backup copy of your user folder within the Palm Desktop directory
2. Right-click on the HotSync Manager icon in the system notification area
3. For each conduit listed:
   1. Click on the conduit
   2. Push the Change... push button
   3. Select the Desktop overwrites handheld radio button, if it is an option
   4. Push OK
4. Done
5. Press the HotSync button on your handheld device.

posted by grouse at 11:41 AM on December 2, 2008

Thanks Grouse. I'm scared to do it anyway. I'll report back, ok?
posted by Stewriffic at 12:26 PM on December 2, 2008