Creating a Plugin for New Motorola w490... [Update: Now for Leopard, too!]

[penter]

Ok, so I'm getting the New Motorola w490 and naturally i would like to synch my contacts from the computer into the phone.
The thing is that iSynch currently doesnt support this phone, so I'll have to create a plugin myself. :\

I've found a site that helps me do this, but I'm not 100% sure of what to do with, or replace on the template code that is provided. Could anyone that better understands the programming lingo take a look over it and tell me what to do, please??

Here is what http://en.isync-hilfe.de/ tells me to do:



(some of this info may seem confusing, but after a quick read through the site you will likely understand what the author means by: "3. paste the script into the other 'MetaClasses.plist' file we opened before (from our new plugin filder in the library) replacing the 6th line.")

Here is what i did:



Does this seem right? Do you think I'm missing anything?

I know this might seem a litle confusing, since you're pretty much catching the story in mid-action, but this is the basic principle:
What they are telling me to do is to replace some code is ALREADY in the computer, and just fill in with "W490".
All i want to know is if i did it right, that there is no information that doesnt have to be there (that doesnt apply to my phone) since the template is being taken from another phone's code, or that there is some information regarding my phone that i MUST put in there in order to make the plugin work correctly.
Thank you, and sorry for any confusion....


Edit: Scroll down for Rosary's instruction on how to do this on machines running Leopard! =)

[Eraserhead]

For a start a Nokia Phone isn't going to be the "most similar" to your phone.

Are you on Leopard? If you install the developers tools (if you haven't already you might have more luck with the iSync Plugin Maker (its in /Developer/Applications/Utilities).

[penter]

the "nokia phone" phone part was just an example that the website gave. the code that i chose is the one shown in the second pic. lol
i didnt have any success, btw...

[jettrue]

I figured out, and it works for me with this code in MetaClasses.plist, I copied from the V195

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<!-- provided by http://en.iSync-hilfe.de 07.2006 -->
<!-- iSync.version.2.3 -->
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>com.motorola.W490</key>
	<dict>
		<key>Identification</key>
		<dict>
			<key>com.apple.gmi+cgmm</key>
			<array>
				<string>"Motorola CE, Copyright 2000"+W490</string>
			</array>
			<key>com.apple.gmi+gmm</key>
			<array>
				<string>"Motorola CE, Copyright 2000"+W490</string>
			</array>
		</dict>
		<key>InheritsFrom</key>
		<array>
			<string>com.motorola.usb-bt.0x22B8/0x4902</string>
		</array>
		<key>Services</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>ServiceName</key>
				<string>com.apple.model</string>
				<key>ServiceProperties</key>
				<dict>
					<key>ModelName</key>
					<string>W490</string>
					<key>PhoneIcon</key>
					<string>MOTW490.tiff</string>
				</dict>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>ServiceName</key>
				<string>com.apple.synchro</string>
				<key>ServiceProperties</key>
				<dict>
					<key>stringEncoding</key>
					<string>UCS2</string>
				</dict>
			</dict>
		</array>
	</dict>
</dict>

</plist>

[penter]

WOW, so simple.
I've been grappling with this for hours. I was so close! I knew i had it all right!

IT came down to this: i did not have the "<array>" and "</array>" commands before-and-after the "cgmi+cgmm" and "gmi+gmm" lines!

oh well...

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[penter]

Originally Posted by jettrue

I figured out, and it works for me with this code in MetaClasses.plist, I copied from the V195

Actually, I'm having problems when i reconnect the phone to the computer. Are you as well?

Could you please tell me the code for the Infro.list and the Version.plist file as well?? maybe that's what's causing the problem for me...

[jettrue]

Originally Posted by penter

Actually, I'm having problems when i reconnect the phone to the computer. Are you as well?

Could you please tell me the code for the Infro.list and the Version.plist file as well?? maybe that's what's causing the problem for me...

Nope, its working great for me! I did delete the pairing from both my phone and my bluetooth on my mac, and quit isync. I put the PhonePlugins folder in my /Library, with the plugin itself renamed as "MOTW490.phoneplugin".

Then, I used the bluetooth "Setup New Device" button on my mac, and right then it saw the phone, and had a brand new selection (YAY!) "use isync to sync this device". Then i started isync, and it worked right away. I even chose "syncronize email addresses" from the more options button, and that worked as well.

Thanks for sending me in the right direction, as I was really bummed that isync didn't support it yet.

I'm also attaching the correct .tiff so that you see your own phone when you start isync. Hope you can get it working~

info.plist:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
	<string>English</string>
	<key>CFBundleExecutable</key>
	<string>PhoneModelsSync</string>
	<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
	<string>com.apple.phoneplugin.siemensS68sync</string>
	<key>CFBundleInfoDictionaryVersion</key>
	<string>6.0</string>
	<key>CFBundleName</key>
	<string>PhoneModelsSync</string>
	<key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
	<string>BNDL</string>
	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
	<string>2.3</string>
	<key>CFBundleSignature</key>
	<string>????</string>
	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
	<string>503.9</string>
	<key>IPHPhoneConduitVersion</key>
	<string>501.42</string>
</dict>
</plist>

version.plist:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>BuildVersion</key>
	<string>1</string>
	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
	<string>2.3</string>
	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
	<string>503.9</string>
	<key>ProjectName</key>
	<string>PhoneConduit</string>
	<key>SourceVersion</key>
	<string>5030900</string>
</dict>
</plist>

[fjwelte]

This worked perfectly for my W490. I did need to remove my phone from the Bluetooth device list and restart iSync, but it now Syncs great, including e-mails and faxes!

-Frank

[cgoodman]

Using the fix above I can get contacts working perfectly, but my ical syncing just errors out every time. Has anyone else gotten calendar to sync properly? If so, did you do anything different than above?

[fjwelte]

Not much luck with my iCal info... I get an error that the iCal events took up too much space, even though I only have a few and have a 2GB card in my W490.

-Frank

[Jaenius]

Originally Posted by jettrue

I figured out, and it works for me with this code in MetaClasses.plist, I copied from the V195

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<!-- provided by http://en.iSync-hilfe.de 07.2006 -->
<!-- iSync.version.2.3 -->
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>com.motorola.W490</key>
	<dict>
		<key>Identification</key>
		<dict>
			<key>com.apple.gmi+cgmm</key>
			<array>
				<string>"Motorola CE, Copyright 2000"+W490</string>
			</array>
			<key>com.apple.gmi+gmm</key>
			<array>
				<string>"Motorola CE, Copyright 2000"+W490</string>
			</array>
		</dict>
		<key>InheritsFrom</key>
		<array>
			<string>com.motorola.usb-bt.0x22B8/0x4902</string>
		</array>
		<key>Services</key>
		<array>
			<dict>
				<key>ServiceName</key>
				<string>com.apple.model</string>
				<key>ServiceProperties</key>
				<dict>
					<key>ModelName</key>
					<string>W490</string>
					<key>PhoneIcon</key>
					<string>MOTW490.tiff</string>
				</dict>
			</dict>
			<dict>
				<key>ServiceName</key>
				<string>com.apple.synchro</string>
				<key>ServiceProperties</key>
				<dict>
					<key>stringEncoding</key>
					<string>UCS2</string>
				</dict>
			</dict>
		</array>
	</dict>
</dict>

</plist>

I just wanted to say thanks. This help me out alot.

[DougRay]

I've been reading this forum and others trying to get the W490 to sync ical events, and by combining Jettrue et al.'s work with the K1 plugin that's included with iSync, I got it to work for me (YMMV, of course). I can now sync the Address Book and iCal. The only thing that doesn't seem to work is deleting an event on the phone; it doesn't delete it in iCal (but this may be a feature, not a bug . Anyway, assuming I've uploaded the attachment right, I've included the folder that needs to go in /Library/PhonePlugins. Enjoy.

Doug

[penter]

Hey guys (and possibly gals)

Thanks so much for the help!

Not only was i able to get the help i needed, but I even even learned how to make a custom icon

Its why I love MacRumors.

[macman80]

Hi, i have a Motorola w490 and am trying to sync my contacts too... i can't get the plugin to work at all. Is there a simple way of doing this? i'm not too great dealing with code etc

cheers

[penter]

hey, sorry, there's no easier way to do this.
I'll give you the code as soon as i can, as i've been super duper uber busy lately.
i can write it to you step by step

[penter]

Originally Posted by macman80

Hi, i have a Motorola w490 and am trying to sync my contacts too... i can't get the plugin to work at all. Is there a simple way of doing this? i'm not too great dealing with code etc

cheers

Sorry for never replying to you, macman80!!
I just completely forgot about this thread until i had some problems with my address book and had to re-sync my phone (i somehow modified the plugin, long story).
Anyway, I fund DougRay's post to be most helpful, for it allows not only contacts to be synched, but e-mails, and much more.

Pretty much all you have to do is to download the file he provided and place it in: Macintosh HD/Library/Phoneplugins

You may replace the .tiff picture provided with any other that may match your phone, as long as you keep the original file name.

Set up your phone via bluetooth (if applicable), or just connect it thought USB, launch iSync, click on Devices>Add Device> then selct your device.
Click on the Synch button, and you're good to go!
=)

Hope this helps

[bodeker]

Is there a way to sync contacts FROM the address book on my mac TO my phone? I used DougRay's plugin and it only syncs contacts from the phone to the address book on the computer.
Thanks.

[penter]

iSync should have the option that says "erase phone then sync," or "merge data" or other options that allow you to do something like that, or whatever you wanna do.

[Rosary]

Just a quick follow-up: I used DougRay's plugin successfully with OS 10.5.4 with the following modification.

There is no longer a Macintosh HD/Library/Phoneplugins directory. Instead, navigate to the iSync application and show package contents. You will find Contents > PlugIns > ApplePhoneConduit.syncdevice > Contents > PlugIns. This is where you will place the MOTW490.phoneplugin. Launch iSync, go to Devices > Add Device, and it will walk you through the steps, including setting the phone up as a bluetooth device.

[penter]

Thanks for the followup, Rosary!!
I don't have Leopard yet, but this will definitely help me in the future, and those who have Leopard.

[automaticprince]

Originally Posted by Rosary

Just a quick follow-up: I used DougRay's plugin successfully with OS 10.5.4 with the following modification.

There is no longer a Macintosh HD/Library/Phoneplugins directory. Instead, navigate to the iSync application and show package contents. You will find Contents > PlugIns > ApplePhoneConduit.syncdevice > Contents > PlugIns. This is where you will place the MOTW490.phoneplugin. Launch iSync, go to Devices > Add Device, and it will walk you through the steps, including setting the phone up as a bluetooth device.

First of all thank you sooooo much to everyone who contributed in this thread. It's funny how little things like iSync can do so much for you and you only realize that when you try to sync a phone that is not supported.
I got my W490 a few days ago and it never crossed my mind that it wouldn't be supported ...

Anyway, I downloaded Doug's file. I have tiger and I didn't have the Macintosh HD/Library/Phoneplugins directory either. What I did is that I created it myself, put the file I had downloaded in it and it worked PERFECTLY !!!!!

Thank you guys so much !!!

[thisisart]

So here's what I did on Tiger 10.4.11 Powerbook G4 15":

- Shut off iSync/Bluetooth connections, shut it all off, and why not?
1. remove all previous bluetooth connections under "Bluetooth Preferences"
2. Download DougRay's file: MOTW490.phoneplugin
3. Applications: ctrl+click iSync.app file, show package contents
4. Contents > PlugIns > ApplePhoneConduit.syncdevice > Contents > PlugIns.
- This is where you will place the MOTW490.phoneplugin.
5. open iSync
6. sync your device

- if the above fails, try it at a different angle. I tried the above and at first it didn't work. I started on a fresh slate and hit it off right. That's why I wrote this, because at first I didn't get it. Just a little encouragement I guess, eh?

-Art

[penter]

thanks, art.

=)

and thank you everyone else fro contributing to this thread.

[brenniebear]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the helpful hints posted here. After a few go's I managed to get my W490 to be recognized by iSync. My next question is: how do I "back up" my text messages so I can free up memory on the phone. I can't see where they've been synced, and I'd like to be sure before I delete them. I can't find a memory stick under the Macintosh HD. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[thisisart]

If you want to backup text messages, there's an application called BluePhoneElite (all one word), which downloads your text messages, and also allows you to send text messages from your computer via your bluetooth connection (standard text message rates apply). It also syncs up to your iTunes so when you pick up the phone the music pauses, and proximity features where the computer can sense when you walk in the room and activate something like the house lights (if you're smart enough to have bluetooth electrical outlets, its almost 2009 anyway, right?)