Palm OS Programming, 2nd Edition

When the HotSync Button Is Pressed

Let’s go through a step-by-step sequence of the events that occur when the user pops a Palm device into the cradle and pushes the HotSync button. From this sequence (started here and continued in the next chapter), you can see exactly when and how the code in your conduit interacts with the desktop, the Palm device, and the Sync Manager.

For the purposes of this example, you should assume that our sample application has been successfully installed and contains no problems. Table 14-2 contains a description on the left of what the user does or what activity is occurring; the right column indicates what’s going on programmatically in your conduit or on the desktop.

Tip

For now, we are just going to wave our hands around when we get to a description of moving data to and from the handheld. We’ll fill in these gaps in the next chapter. The whole grand system should be clear by that point.

Table 14-2. What happens when a synchronization occurs

Action (by the user or by the system)	What is happening programmatically
The user pushes the HotSync button.	The handheld sends an “Are you there” message out the serial port until the Sync Manager on the desktop notices that someone is knocking.
HotSync synchronizing starts.	The Sync Manager negotiates a baud rate with the handheld and begins communication. It reads the user ID and name from the handheld and tries to find a corresponding HotSync user. If it doesn’t find one, it prompts on the desktop for ...