Looking for Advice on Migrating my Palm Data

[JSPITZER56]

I have my eye on one of the new iPAQs to replace my Palm III. I understand the basics of the importing but have some data issues that I am not sure can be resolved.

I have more than 2400 contacts in my Palm and I am hoping there is a way the iPAQ can accomodate importing my data to accomplish two things.

First, how do you import to ensure that phone imports populate the correct fields?

In my case, Palm's 'phone1' field contains all sorts of office, home, email, etc. entries that coorespond to Palm's dropdown menus. Is it possible to migrate and still capture the type of phone record?

My data is all over the place and cutting /pasting line by line through 2400 contacts is an undertaking too painful for me to consider.

Second, Palm also offers contact categories ('personal', 'business' etc) which I have expanded to include 15+ ways of slicing my data. Is it possible to import in a way that preserves my categories?

Any assistance and guidance is greatly appreciated.

[dcharles18]

It's been a long time since I had to do what you're talking about, but there was a program that came free with my Casio to do just that. I cannot remember the name of it though, hopefully someone else here will.

[Jason Dunn]

You can try beaming them to your Pocket PC - Pocket PC 2002 added IR OBEX support which allows beaming directly from a Palm. You can also use Chapura Pocket Mirror to get all your Palm Desktop data into Outlook.

[Weyoun6]

I Suggest you export from Palm Desktop into a format Outlook can read.

[markcrump]

I'm going to suggest what Jason said. Start with PocketMirror by Chapura. I can't remember if the single user license is freeware, payware, or if there's a demo.

The first step is going to be to do a sync with your Palm and your current config. That way, you've got a backup of the data in Palm Desktop if you need it.

Then, make sure Outlook is configured properly for what you need it to do. If you aren't using it currently for Mail or Calendaring, all you *really* need is Outlook configured so it starts up error free. You're not going to want it popping any error messages while you are doing the first sync.

Install Pocket Mirror. You'll know it's installed correctly when you see a folder in the "folder view" in Outlook that says "Pocket Mirror" and in there is a Note with your Palm profile name.

Then do a sync to get the data into Outlook. You can then view the contacts in Contacts in Outlook to see how your fields mapped over. If there were problems, you're probably going to need to mess around with a delimited file to get them sorted out properly.

[Thinkingmandavid]

This would have all been easier if you had put your contacts to begin with in Outlook, it would simply have been a sync at that point.

[Jason Dunn]

This would have all been easier if you had put your contacts to begin with in Outlook, it would simply have been a sync at that point.

If he had done that, he wouldn't be asking the question, right? It's easier to say "You should have done this..." than to provide help. :? At any rate, he was using a Palm, and the Palm can't sync with Outlook without 3rd party tools. So why would he have put his contacts into Outlook? Don't criticize him without understanding where he's coming from please. :)

[heyday]

Here is my opinion...

I've never owned an iPaq but I LOVE my Audiovox Maestro. It was $299 and has SD and CF slots. I actualy like the form facter better than the iPaq.... not as bulky..

As far as transfering data...

I highly recomend that you go to this page http://www.pocketanywhere.com/?view=1&showMore=91 and read. It is an excellen tool for Palm to Pocket PC conversion.

I had a hard time when I switched from Palm. I had to get out of the limited "Palm" mode.

One thing if you use Notes on your Palm a lot. I think the notes feature on Pocket PC sucks big time. Many problems and it doesn't sync well to outlook.

But there is a better program that acts more like Palm Notes and does a lot more called HPC Notes Standard Edition http://www.phatware.com

Good luck.

heyday

[nagasea]

uninstall your palm desktop sync program.
then install it again.
when you install the new desktop sync choose : sync with outlook express.
then you will be okay.

next time you install the new pocket pc sync, make it sync with outlook express.

[Malacandra]

Really the only realistic way is to sync your Palm to Outlook with Pocket Mirror or something like that, then sync the PPC.

(1) Palm Categories will NOT transfer. They will simply end up as a "user field" with the name of the Palm category in the Outlook record. This is something no one told me and doesn't seem to be common knowledge, so be warned! But...

OTOH, you can have UNLIMITED Outlook categories and the Outlook Categories are CROSS-type: they are valid in Contacts, tasks, appointments, Journal entries, etc.

(2) there is NO WAY to parse the type of phone number or information that you have in "Phone 1".

(3) Most of my Contacts only have HOME information and they all transferred into the Work address.

(4) Considering all of the above, you WILL have to spend some time updating and adjusting your records to get them how you want them to be. (2400!!?? I feel sorry for you!)

(5) The search bar will find ALL text that you put in, in the whole contact, so while it will take you a while to fix all your records, you will be able to locate information quite easily.

(6) Any notes in the Palm contact are preserved just fine as notes in the Outlook contact.

(7) Some fields will be truncated. I had a Palm "Other" listing children of families. Gone in Outlook. I had to go in to each record and add a data field for "Children" (There's a gazillion optional data fields you can add to contacts)

As for the last comment about Outlook Express? I have NO idead what that guy is talking about, but I'm sure that is wrong. Express is only for MAIL.

You may be able to avoid all of this if you can export it all in .VBC (business card) format and import it into outlook that way. Palm will export to that.

There may be a lot of work involved, but in the end you will see that Outlook has so many features, it's rediculous.

I also just realized that you posted a week ago: how did you make out?

[markcrump]

uninstall your palm desktop sync program.
then install it again.
when you install the new desktop sync choose : sync with outlook express.
then you will be okay

He has a Palm III, which I don't belive shipped with an Outlook conduit. Although it's possible some of the Franklin Covey resales came with it. The Palm V I know did come with it.

[dcharles18]

Aren't there any Casio owners out there that know the name of the program that does this for you? It worked great, transferred my addresses and appoinments with no problem (I don't remember about notes though). :?: