OX6:Open-Xchange Mac OXtender Installation Guide
Information and Installation of OXtender for Mac OS X (Beta Version)
OXtender for Mac OS X is beta software for testing, and should be used at your own risk.
Description
The OXtender for Mac OS X synchronizes Open-Xchange Server 6 with your Mac OS X computer. Data of the following modules will be synchronized:
- Calendar
- Contacts
- Task
In addition, it enables the InfoStore files to be accessed as Network Volume.
Note: The new OXtender for Mac OS X is currently Beta software. If you want to test it, please backup your data first.
Components
Calendar, Contacts and Tasks: Objects will be regular synchronized via SyncServices. The following folders will be synchronized
- Contacts - Private Address book and the Public Address book
- Tasks - Private Tasks
- Calendar - Private Calendar
If the user changes any data on their Mac OS X, the synchronization will be started after a 10 seconds waiting time via "Trickle-Sync".
Requirements
- Mac OS X 10.5 and up
- 26 MByte of storage space
For successfully testing with one of the Open-Xchange Server versions you need the Open-Xchange Server 6 SP4 Update 1 or higher. The Update 1 is available for all customers with a Open-Xchange Hosting Edition or Open-Xchange Server Edition Maintenance. If you are interested in testing the OXtender but do not have a respective Maintenance for the Open-Xchange Server Edition or the Open-Xchange Hosting Edition, please contact Open-Xchange for a SP4 Update 1 evaluation license: http://www.open-xchange.com/en/contactus
Download
Follow this link to download the Installation package and the Release Notes.
Installation
- After the download of the package, you can start the installation by double-clicking on the package. You will then be asked for your administrator password. On the first screen, you will see some information about the MacOXtender. Please follow the installation steps at the wizard.
- Please read carefully the license agreement for Open-Xchange.
Configuration
- After the installation of the OXtender for Mac OS X, the user will find an Open-Xchange setting "OX Connector" in the System Preferences application of your Mac.
- Please click on the OX icon. This will open the configuration dialog.
- Please enter your synchronization details at the tab "User Account". You have to enter the server address, user account and password for the Open-Xchange Server.
- On the second tab, you can change your synchronization settings for MacOXtender. Besides the setting "Slow-Sync" to compare the data on the Server and your Mac OS X, you can overwrite the data on the Server. Also, it is possible to restore the changed settings.
- The first time the OXtender runs, a pop-up will appear and ask whether Python may use the key "oxsync". Answer "yes" to that.
- The OXtender will start at once. The orange circle on the OXtender icon indicates that it is running.
Reporting of Bugs
During the Beta phase for the OXtender for Mac OS X, please report Bugs and missing features via the Open-Xchange Bugzilla. Many thanks in advance for your support to help us deliver the final version of OXtender for Mac OS X toward the end of 2008.
Further Information for Synchronization
Synchronization is a complex topic, ripe with synchronization errors and weird behavior. This survival guide tries to collect some advice for shielding the ambitious syncer from the worst effects:
- Make backups! This is important. By its very nature, a synchronization touches every entry on both systems, so whenever something goes horribly wrong a backup is your best defense. In Addressbook choose "File" -> "Export" -> "Address Book Archive" in iCal, similarly choose "File" -> "Export". Point your browser at https://[yourox]/servlet/webdav.ical, enter your credentials and save the resulting file. Point your browser at https://[yourox]/servlet/webdav.vcard, enter your credentials and save the resulting file. It will save your sound sleep and your data. Do this now!
- Make backups! This bears repeating. Backups will save your data and your sanity.
- The first time the OXtender runs, it is going to bombard you with messages about conflicts. This is just the OXtender getting settled in. If this keeps occurring though, it is a wonderful opportunity to write a bug report.
- The OXtender for Mac OS X is easily duped by roaming between wireless networks. Whenever you have the suspicion that the syncer is not syncing anymore, go to the preferences pane and unselect and reselect the "Synchronize with OX" checkbox.
- Similarly the OXtender is duped by suspend / resume on laptops.
- When you are already syncing multiple macs via mobile me, choose one of the two systems and install the OXtender for Mac OS X on only one of those devices to bridge the gap.
- When you are syncing with mobile me, make sure that you sit at the computer that consolidates the mobile me and OX data to resolve sync conflicts immediately
- Resolve Sync Conflicts immediately. Whenever a sync conflict is in a pending state the sync services will refuse all updates to the respective entries, and DELETE THEM ON THE SYSTEMS REQUESTING THE SYNCS. This will lead to you losing data. It is imperative that you resolve sync conflicts quickly. If you're also syncing with mobile me make sure you are on hand to resolve sync conflict.
- Make backups! Seriously.
- It could well be that your system winds up in a strange state. Whenever an error repeatedly shows up, first tell us about it and then choose "additional options" -> "reset sync" in the preferences pane. This helps with a surprisingly broad range of problems. In order to make the synchronization efficient, the Mac has to remember which data is already present in the OX server. This state can be corrupted by certain errors in the synchronization process, at which point it is best to delete that state and start afresh. Pressing this button in the preference pane does just that.
- Slow Syncs may create duplicates. Both a slow sync and a reset sync may duplicate certain entries if it deems they are not similar enough.
- You made those backups, right?