Re: MS ActiveSync and Delphi

From: Gordon Scrim (gordonatozsoftcotcomdotau)
Date: 04/28/04 

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 09:08:28 +1000

Thanks again Mark,

It would seem that I am doing thing in a similar fashion to you with
negative keys for new records and using timestamps to tell changed records
from unchanged ones. I already have an app that uses SQL CE but currently
to get the changed data out of it I am using a WebService to send the
changes to. It's a bit messy and requires IIS running somewhere. It does
work though and is being used in production now.

What I would like to do is use a Delphi app to read the records of the SQL
CE database and look for changed records and new ones. I can then update by
main database (either SQL Server or Interbase) as required. As yet I have
not found a way to read SQL CE records via ActveSync but I will troll
through the MS newgroups looking for anything useful.

Thanks again

Gordon Scrim
OzSoft Solutions Pty Ltd

"Mark Thorogood" <mark@thorogoodsoftware.co.uk> wrote in message
news:408e18b5$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
> I don't think you'll find RAPI will be useful for database synchronisation
> as such, it will enable you to run PDA applications, test whether PDA apps
> are running, change PDA registry settings, copy and delete files to and
from
> PDA.
>
> I wanted to use SQL CE but there are various licensing issues if you wish
to
> synchronise this with MS SQL server using replication and due to a small
> budget I was not able to design an alternative solution. I do not think
the
> synchronisation mechanism between SQL CE and MS SQL Server relies on
> ActiveSync at all.
>
> What I have done in the past is use Pocket Access on the PDA (which seems
> robust enough for a 30 table database, some tables contain 3000 + records)
> and use an identical MS Access 2000 Database on the Desktop PC. I use
> DESKTOPTODEVICE API call (with various parameters) to create the PDA
> database and setup synchronisation settings for various tables. I use a
> Delphi app to synchronise changes between My desktop database application
> (uses Paradox) and the MS Access 2000 database. I then start an ActiveSync
> session, this synchronises data between PDA and MS Access 2000. My Delphi
> app then posts any record changes from the PDA (that now reside in MS
> Access 2000) to my Paradox Application. BTW I use various timestamps and
> negative integer key values to indicate changes/denote new records etc.
> Looks a bit messy but it works, client is very happy with it although as I
> said in a previous post data transfer between desktop and PDA is slow.
>
> I believe you could create your own ActiveSync mechanism to synchronise
most
> things I think there is some Microsoft documentation on how to do this but
> it looks vary time consuming.
>
> I also think there are a few ODBC drivers around but are quite expensive
and
> have limited functionality.
>
> Regards
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
> "Gordon Scrim" <gordonatozsoftcotcomdotau> wrote in message
> news:408d9c01$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
> > Thanks Mark,
> >
> > I have found RAPI.pas and will see what I can work out. I must admit
that
> I
> > was initially thinking of including our app in the list of items to be
> > syncronised when the PDA connects but I think it would be better to have
> an
> > app (Delphi of course) that talks to the database in the PDA.
> >
> > Do you know if the RAPI stuff can talk to a SQL CE database or it it
> limited
> > to pocket access databases?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Gordon Scrim
> > OzSoft Solutions Pty Ltd
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Mark Thorogood" <mark@thorogoodsoftware.co.uk> wrote in message
> > news:408d5c2f@newsgroups.borland.com...
> > > We have used Delphi and Activesync to synchronise data between a quite
> > > substantial Paradox database (could be any database) and Pocket Access
> > > Database (about 30 tables) on a PDA with a great deal of success. The
> main
> > > problem is the time it takes to synchronise (use the time to make a
cup
> of
> > > coffee :-) ).
> > >
> > > I have found the following API calls useful DEVICETODESKTOP and
> > > DESKTOPTODEVICE (use adofiltr.dll).
> > >
> > > To be able to control the PDA from a desktop computer I suggest you
look
> > > into RAPI, I found a pascal file on the net some time ago called
> RAPI.pas
> > by
> > > Scott Crossen. This has enabled me to do all sorts of useful things
from
> a
> > > Delphi App.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Mark Thorogood - MD, Thorogood Software Limited
> > >
> > >
> > > "Chris Woodruff" <cwoodruff@terralant.com> wrote in message
> > > news:408cf2a7$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
> > > > I have used SQLAnywhere and UltraLite databases to sync through the
> > > > ActiveSync. Very easy and does not even require any Delphi coding.
> But
> > > you
> > > > never mentioned what database you are using so that might not work.
> > > >
> > > > Chris Woodruff
> > > >
> > > > "Gordon Scrim" <gordonatozsoftcotcomdotau> wrote in message
> > > > news:408c726f$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
> > > > > Hi All,
> > > > >
> > > > > Has anyone worked with ActiveSync to syncronize to their PDA? I
> need
> > to
> > > > > sync a database and would rather create the code to do it in
Delphi
> if
> > > > > possible. Does anyone have any links, examples or advice?
> > > > >
> > > > > regards
> > > > >
> > > > > Gordon Scrim
> > > > > OzSoft Solutions Pty Ltd
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

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