Installing PalmDesktop and DocumentsToGo under WINE

I needed to syncronize (MS)office documents on my PalmOS device with several PCs. Some are Windows based and there is no problem using DocumentsToGo. Some are Linux based and there is (at the moment) no clone for DocumentsToGo. Besides other tricky ways (mostly using an SD card or RAMDrive with CardExport: no bluetooth or wifi on my Treo 600), the last option was to run DocumentsToGo under WINE, but the initial report was not encouraging.

But merging some experiences from the web and some trial and error, I managed to install it, with reference to:

• ubuntu 9.04;
• WINE 1.0.1;
• PalmDesktop 4.1;
• DocumentsToGo 8.0.1.

PalmDesktop is actually not working, but HotSync is (it syncs) and DocumentsToGo also (it converts and syncs). My steps were:

1. download winetricks (Wine Wiki);
2. install cabextract via synaptic (same Wine Wiki);
3. install Windows Installer 2.0 and Internet Explorer 6 via winetricks (same Wine Wiki);
4. configure WINE to behave as "Windows98" (later versions make the installer crash);
5. run the PalmDesktop installer (if it stops responding, cancel and then retry);
6. run the DocumentsToGo installer (mine gives an "Error 1904", ignore, press OK);
7. install pilot-link via synaptic;
8. add udev rules for Palm devices (Ubuntu Help);
9. add module "visor" to /etc/modules (same Ubuntu Help);
10. reboot
11. configure HotSync on the linux box to use "Network" and select the right (Palm) user under Setup->Network;
12. configure HotSync on the Palm device to sync through the network under HotSync->LANSync Prefs.

To use it:

1. be sure HotSync is running and press the sync button;
2. in a terminal, give the command:
   pilot-nredir -n -p /dev/pilot;

For a replacement of the non-working PalmDesktop, look for "Evolution" in the repositories.
You may want to install the "gnome-pilot" too. There is bug in the panel applet for ubuntu 9.04, but there is a fix for the 32bit version and one for the 64bit version.