2.4.2 The Windows conduit

The Windows conduit is, unlike pilot-link, entirely written for Plucker. For that it offers some parameters quite specific which we will elaborate a bit about here. Additionally it transfers the data not directly to the Palm but notifies the Hotsync Manager about a database waiting for transfer, that is the database is sent to your hand-held on your next HotSync-operation, not like on Unix when you call the conduit.

The first difference in the usage is that it is thought to be used with cache-directories. That is it assumes that you run the parser using -c. The new version supports the transfer of a complete database as well though.

All parameters are in the form -parameter=value. Note that they do not follow POSIX conventions nor the normal DOS-conventions. Use one minus sign to separate all parameters. If you specify no parameter at all you will get a short help message.

The possible parameters are:

• -dir: The path to $PLUCKERDIR
• -user: Hotsync manager needs to know for which user the database in question should be installed. (As you know the Hotsync Manager allows for multiuser environments.) Use this switch to set the username.

  NOTE: You must set this parameter. Without it no data will be transfered.

• -cache: The name of the cache-directory if you use the parser with the -c switch. The default value is Cache if you do not provide that parameter. This path is given relative to the path you provided with -dir.

• -id: Creator ID for the database. Default is Plkr. You may not want to change this value.

• -dbversion: Versions number for the database. Default is 7. You may not want to change this value.
• -dbname: Name of the database, that is the name with which the database will show up on the Palm. Default is PluckerDB. You will want to change this, and you have to change it if you want multiple databases.
• -fname: Filename for the database on your local harddisk. Default PluckerDB.pdb. You need to change this for multiple databases.
• -fix: 0x0D0A Sequences are converted to 0x0A. Normally you should not need this parameter anymore.
• -install: Install a database. This parameter is needed instead of -cache if you run the parser with the -f-switch. -user must be set, -dir must not

• -verbose: Set the verbosity Level. Default are

  0

  = Verbosity level 0 is silent except for errors (No news is good news)

  1

  = Verbosity level 1 gives progress status

  2

  = Verbosity level 2 is used for debugging

• -copyprev: Set the CopyPrevention flag for the database. You may not be able to copy such databases from one Palm to another (easily). Useful for confidential data (but do not consider it to be a sufficient security lock.)
• -backup: Set the backup flag for the database, databases without this flag will not be backed up by hotsync.
• -launchable: Set the launchable flag for the database Set this to see your database like a program in the Palm's launcher.

NOTE: The last three parameters are only useful if you run the parser with the -c parameter that is you let it write cache directories instead of whole databases. Otherwise the parser will add this flags if you tell it to do so.