6Synchronizing a HandheldComputer with KPilotHandheld computers are in widespread use among users who need to have theirschedules, to-do lists, and notes with them everywhere they go. Often users want thesame data available on both the desktop and the portable device. This is where KPilotcomes in—it is a tool to synchronize data on a handheld with that used by the KDEapplications KAddressBook, KOrganizer, and KNotes, which are part of Kontact.The main purpose of KPilot is to allow sharing of data between the applications of ahandheld computer and their KDE counterparts. KPilot does come with its own built-in memo viewer, address viewer, and file installer, but these cannot be used outside theKPilot environment. Independent KDE applications are available for all functions exceptthe file installer.For communication between the handheld and the different desktop programs, KPilotrelies on conduits. KPilot itself is the program that oversees any data exchange betweenthe two computer devices. Using a particular function of the handheld on your desktopcomputer requires that the corresponding conduit is enabled and configured. For themost part, these conduits are designed to interact with specific KDE programs, so ingeneral they cannot be used with other desktop applications.The time synchronization conduit is special in that there is no user-visible program forit. It is activated in the background with each sync operation, but should only be enabledon computers that use a network time server to correct their own time drift.When a synchronization is started, the conduits are activated one after another to carryout the data transfer. There are two different sync methods: a HotSync operation onlysynchronizes the data for which any conduits have been enabled while a backup operationperforms a full backup of all data stored on the handheld.Synchronizing a Handheld Computer with KPilot 143
