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Manual Reference Pages - pilot-xfer (1)

### NAME

> pilot-xfer - Backup, sync, and restore databases from a Palm handheld device.

### CONTENTS

> Section
> Synopsis
> Description
> Options
> Usage
> Examples
> Author
> Bugs
> Copyright

### SECTION

> pilot-link: Userland Conduits

### SYNOPSIS

> pilot-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 standard .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 operations.

### 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 accumulating 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 Computing 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 commands 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 connecting.

> --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

### AUTHOR

> pilot-xfer written by Kenneth Albanowski. This manual page was originally 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 MERCHANTABILITY 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 ALSO

> pilot-link(7)

pilot-link 0.12.0-pre4 | pilot-xfer (1) | Copyright 1996-2005 FSF

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