Outlook Sync Problem

[nothingworks]

Problem : Unable to sync calendar
Contacts sync OK - "Syncing calendars with..." displayed for several minutes but doesn't do anything.

**** Ignore this method, see two posts below for the fix that I believe will work ***

I'm going to stay fairly anonymous, but I work for an operator and had access to an iPhone 3G before it was on general release. I came across the problem in regard to syncing Outlook Calendar.
We had no way of getting support from Apple and so a colleague and myself spent several hours messing around, eventually we found it to be a problem with recurring appointments.
A method has been posted on several sites suggesting exporting Outlook events to a file. I wouldn't suggest this as you loose the recurrence - but it may be a good idea to use the method as a backup.

Firstly, read and act on http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1692. This didn't make a difference to me but it does give some good advice.

The following instructions detail a method of removing recurring appointments, syncing the iphone, restoring the appointments, and ongoing syncing.
Read through and only attempt if you are confident.
It may be worthwhile deleting an unwanted/test appointment and ensuring that you can restore it from the Deleted folder before following the instructions in full.
The instructions were compiled using Outlook 2003.

a) Clear out your Outlook Deleted folder **Make sure you don't need anything in there!
b) Note your current Outlook calendar view ; Select your Calendar, menu option -View-Arrange By-Current View-a tick will be against your current preference

Change your Calendar view to recurring appointments only; View-Arrange By-Current View-Recurring Appointments.

***This is important, ensure that you change your view before proceeding***

c) *** See Update below before proceeding ***
Click an item in the window displaying the recurring events; press Ctrl-A to select ALL events (note: this should highlight all the events in the window).
Press Delete on your keyboard. Note: this will delete the selected items. Prompts may be displayed asking if responses should be sent to meeting organisers. It is suggested that these are actioned as “Deleted without sending a response” (They will be restored later).
d) Ensure all items have been deleted. Window should display “There are no items to show in this view”.
e) Attach iPhone and start iTunes. Ensure your settings are configured to Synchronise your Calendar & other options (Left column; Devices-iPhone, Info tab). Choose to Sync from the Summary tab.
f) This should result in Calendar and Home being shown in;
Left column; Devices-iPhone, Info tab Calendars- Selected calendars
(You do not need to explicitly select this item, it is just for illustration)
At this point, the iPhone should also display items (non recurring) in the calendar.
g) To restore your deleted recurring items, select the Outlook Deleted Items folder. Click on an item in the window and press Ctrl-A to select ALL events (note: this should highlight all the events in the window).
Use your mouse to click on the selected area and ‘drag’ the items to the Calendar icon shown on the left hand side of the screen.
h) Once the recurring events have been restored, you should Sync your iPhone once more.
i) Your Outlook calendar view should be changed back to your normal preference; Calendar-View-Arrange By-Current View-Day/Week/Month (as an example)

From this point, your synchronisation should work. This will occur automatically if you select “Automative sync when this iPhone is connected” from within iTunes (Summary tab).

Good luck
'Frustrated with the Big A'

[nothingworks]

Originally Posted by nothingworks

Problem : Unable to sync calendar
Contacts sync OK - "Syncing calendars with..." displayed for several minutes but doesn't do anything.

What have Apple done now!
I have installed the latest version of iPhone sofware, version 2.0.1.
I am afraid that the instructions above only partially work.
It appears that you can sync the Outlook Calendar when repeating appointments are removed, but once you restore recurring meetings, all new events are either ignored or all the calendar entries on the iPhone are wiped out.

NOTE : I have been trying to narrow down what causes this. It appears that you can restore ALL repeating appointments APART FROM Recurring Meetings. If you follow the process above, you can sort the events in the Deleted folder by 'icon'. You can then restore all events apart from the icon which has a 'person' on the left of the icon - mine is shown with black hair and a green arm with a grid behind and cyclic arrows.
Great - the most important events can't be restored if you want to Sync your calendar!

I guess the workaround is to follow the above procedure. At step c) sort by icon and ONLY SELECT and DELETE Recurring Meetings (Select first event, hold SHIFT, and select last event - these should be the only items highlighted).
Synchronise your iPhone and restore the Recurring Meetings into your Outlook calendar.
!!You will have to do this everytime you synchronise your calendar ...and you won't get the recurring meetings shown on the iPhone!!

I will 'try' and get somebody to report this back to Apple but I don't have much hope. If I get an answer, I will let you know.

**** No answer from Apple but I think I have worked out the problem, see below...

[nothingworks]

Originally Posted by nothingworks

What have Apple done now!

OK ...after a lot of playing around ...just as well I can justify this as I work in test for an operator....

I believe the problem is to do with certain types of recurring appointments not having an 'end date'. I really haven't got a clue what the icon with a person is (see above), but the problem appears to be related to that type of Recurring Meeting.
Anyway;
a) Note your current Outlook calendar view ; Select your Calendar, menu option -View-Arrange By-Current View-a tick will be against your current preference
b) Change your Calendar view to recurring appointments only; View-Arrange By-Current View-Recurring Appointments.
c) I'm not sure if Recurrence Range End is shown as default, if not, Right Click one of the column headings and select Field Chooser - Click on Recurrence Range End and drag it to the required position on the Column headings of the current view, eg drag it next to Subject or Location etc
d) Sort the view by icon ie click on the column heading showing the 'overturned page' should be the first column
e) scroll down until you see all the events that have the icon which has a 'person' on the left of the icon - mine is shown with black hair and a green arm with a grid behind and cyclic arrows (I have no idea what this signifies)
f) I am expecting that you will see some with no Recurrence Range End - if so, you should be able to edit these events by double clicking on each one in turn.
For each event, select Actions-Recurrence - this will open a dialogue box which will probably insert the Range of recurrence with No end date selected.
It should be simply a matter of selecting OK and accepting that any exceptions associated with this recurring appointment will be lost - basically, this means, if you have broken the pattern of one or more appointments, it will be lost (the main occurrence should be kept).
Select OK and save changes.
If the appointments have attendees you may be asked if they should be informed - as you are merely updating, I would suggest that they do not need to know.
g) Your Outlook calendar view should be changed back to your normal preference; Calendar-View-Arrange By-Current View-Day/Week/Month (as an example)


Once you have done this for all your events which do not have an End Date, I think you will be able to Sync as normal. I think you only need to do this for the type of event described above - ie the one with the 'person' icon.

Lets see if Apple work this out...

All the best ..as far as I know, I am the first to work it out ...you heard it here first.
Haven't even told my superiors yet