pilot-xfer  -  backup  and restore databases to and from a
       Palm Computing Device, Handspring Visor, TRGPro, or  other
       Palm Compatible Handheld PDA


SYNOPSIS

       pilot-xfer   -p [<port>]   [--exclude   file]  --backup  |
       --update | --sync directory

       or

       pilot-xfer -p [<port>] [ --restore directory  |  --list  |
       --Listall  |  --purge  |  --fetch  dbname ...   | --delete
       dbname ...  | --install file ...  |  --merge  file ...   ]
       ...

       (Note  that  some  options  are  not shown above and short
       option aliases are excluded for clarity)


DESCRIPTION

       pilot-xfer allows the user to install databases  contained
       in  the  standard  .prc  and  .pdb  formats  onto  a Palm,
       retrieve databases from the Palm, list the databases  con­
       tained  in  a  Palm,  and  backup  or  restore  all of the
       databases at once.  Once the user has executed  pilot-xfer
       the user must invoke HotSync on the target device.


TARGET DEVICE

       The  default serial device used to communicate with a Palm
       is /dev/pilot.  If the environment variable $PILOTPORT  is
       set, its value will override the default.  A serial device
       specified on the command-line will be used  regardless  of
       any $PILOTPORT setting.


OPTIONS

       Several options exist, including...

       -a dir,
              Archives  files  which  have  been removed from the
              Palm to dir instead of  just  deleting  (unlinking)
              them

       -b dir, --backup dir
              Backs  up  the  Palm  into  the specified directory
              (which will be  created  if  it  does  not  already
              exist).  This operation must be specified after any
              exclude option.

       -c --count
              Counts the files as they go by, but shunts the dis­
              playing of the "Skipping file..." messages

       -d dbname [...], --delete dbname [...]
              Delete  the  specified database(s) by name (without

              one.

       -e file, --exclude file
              Reads  a  list  of  databases  from file.  Prevents
              --backup, --sync, or --update from operating on the
              listed  database(s).  This option must be specified
              before the --backup, --sync, or --update  operation
              whose action it modifies.

       -f dbname [...], --fetch dbname [...]
              Fetch  each specified database out of the Palm into
              store into the current directory.

       -F     Modifies the  behavior  of  --backup,  --sync,  and
              --update  to  back  up  non-OS databases which have
              been stored in FlashROM

       -h, --help
              Displays a summary list of pilot-xfer's  usage  and
              exits.

       -i file [...], --install file [...]
              Install  each  specified  file into the Palm. Wild­
              cards are valid with this syntax.

       -l, --list
              List the databases in the Palm,  excluding  OS-spe­
              cific databases.

       -L, --Listall
              List  all  of  the databases on the Palm, including
              OS-specific native databases.

       -m file [...], --merge file [...]
              Adds the records in each specified  file  into  the
              corresponding Palm database.

       -O     Modifies  the  behavior  of  --backup,  --sync, and
              --update to back up OS databases which  are  stored
              in FlashROM

       -p, --purge
              Purge  any deleted data that hasn't been cleaned up
              by a sync (this is a safe operation, and will  pre­
              vent your Palm from accumulating crud if you delete
              records but aren't syncing with a  PIM.)  The  only
              information  you can lose is archived but un-synced
              records.

       -q, --quiet
              Causes pilot-xfer to be quiet and not  display  the
              "Skipping file..." messages

              Installs  all  files  contained in a directory into
              the Palm.  (Use this to restore your Palm  after  a
              hard  reset  has  cleared  its  memory,  using your
              backup directory as a baseline.)

       -s dir, --sync dir
              Backs up the  Palm  into  the  specified  directory
              (which  will  be  created  if  it  does not already
              exist). Any Palm databases which have not been mod­
              ified  or  created since the versions stored in the
              specified directory will not be backed up.

              NOTE: Any Palm databases which  have  been  deleted
              will  have their corresponding backup file removed.
              This operation must be specified after any  exclude
              option.

       -u dir, --update dir
              Backs  up  the  Palm  into  the specified directory
              (which will be  created  if  it  does  not  already
              exist). Any Palm databases which have not been mod­
              ified or created since the versions stored  in  the
              specified  directory  will  not be backed up.  This
              operation  must  be  specified  after  any  exclude
              option.

       -U     This  will  back up the UnsavedPreferences.pdb file
              from the Palm. Normally this file is not backed  up
              by normal means (Palm Computing recommends that you
              do not restore this file upon restoration  of  your
              device using --restore

              This  also modifies the behavior of --backup --sync
              and --update

       -v, --version
              Displays the version of pilot-link from which  this
              program was installed and exits.


USAGE

       The  program  will  connect  to  a target device and port,
       prompt the user to  HotSync,  and  perform  the  requested
       database options specified by the user.


EXAMPLES

       To backup a Palm:

              pilot-xfer --backup /home/pilot/Backup
       or
              pilot-xfer -p /dev/irnine -b /home/pilot/Backup

       To  restore that backup to a non-standard serial port (for

       xcopilot  or  POSE configured properly for this operation,
       see the appropriate man pages for details  on  configuring
       your emulator):

              pilot-xfer       -p       /dev/ttyqe      --restore
              /home/pilot/Backup


SEE ALSO

       pilot-link(7).


AUTHOR

       pilot-xfer written by  Kenneth  Albanowski.   This  manual
       page  was  originally  written  by  Kenneth Albanowski and
       David  H.  Silber.   Completely  rewritten  by  David   A.
       Desrosiers for pilot-link 0.9.5.


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