OpenSync Framework
==================

OpenSync is a plugin-based application that basically provides a framework for
syncing groups which can have two or more members(plugins).
These members could be just about any kind of database we have a plugin like:
 - A folder filled with vcard files containing contacts, events or notes (file-sync)
 - An LDAP server having a huge list of contacts (ldap-sync)
 - An application like Mozilla Sunbird or Google Calendar managing calendars
 - A PIM (Personal Information Management) like Ximian Evolution or KDE PIM
 - A mobile phone which hosts contacts/ calendars/ notes

A special note about mobile phones:
 First see if you phone is supported on the DeviceCompatibilityList. [1]
 Generally speaking, synchronisation is implemented using what's called the
 OBEX or OBject EXchange protocol. OBEX may be implemented over USB, bluetooth, infrared and HTTP.
 For all phone synchronisation purposes, please have a look at the SyncML plugins
 syncml-obex-client, syncml-http-server, IrMC plugin, Moto plugin, and Palm plugin at the
 download page. [2]

The technical aspects of how the synchronisation is implemented can be found in this document. [3]
Each device has its own way of storing information and the purpose of OpenSync is to
extract this information and provide inconvertibility using an XML intermediate.
OpenSync without any plugins is incapable of doing any synchronisation.

You need also the vformat plugin to sync "vformat" entries (vCard 2.1/3.0, vCalendar, iCalendar  ...) ! [4]

Each plugin can be thought of an interface to a device.
Two plugins may also be interfaces to the same devices... only different in the way
they communicate with the device.
A plugin may also provide more than one way to communicate with a device.
For example, syncml-obex-client and syncml-http-server are OBEX and HTTP interfaces
to a mobile phone.
The syncml-obex-client further provides OBEX over USB and OBEX over bluetooth.
Syncronisation, as already emphasised, may be done between any two or more stores of data,
even two or more directories containing files.

Installation
============
To build OpenSync you need scons, (check for unit tests - optional) and the devel packages
of sqlite3, glib2, and libxml2. swig for python bindings (optional).
To build the python bindings additional set "enable_python=1".

svn co http://svn.opensync.org/trunk opensync
cd opensync/
scons prefix=$OPENSYNC_BUILD
scons install

Next Steps
==========
You need also vformat plugin [4], a frontend (msynctool, multisync-gui ...) and at least one plugin.


Links
=====

[1] - http://www.opensync.org/wiki/DeviceCompatibilityList
[2] - http://www.opensync.org/wiki/download
[3] - http://cryptomilch.de/~dgollub/talks/OpenSync_FOSDEM_2007.pdf
[4] - svn co http://svn.opensync.org/format-plugins/vformat