Syncing Android using SyncML with Funambol Client

By Dominik On January 7, 2011 · 10 Comments · In Android

Update: Please read “Syncing Android with ownCloud” for my current setup.

I have tried to find alternatives to synchronizing with Google. The Sync-Standard should be open, standardized and usable with free software. These requirements exclude the use of MS Exchange ActiveSync because it is a proprietary protocol.

The solution is SyncML with the Funambol client for Android. I am using the newest Debug-Release.

Currently Memotoo is used as the server, but i am planning to write a simple python based server for private single users.

Possible Problems and Solutions

The first Calendar sync just stops/get canceled after a couple of minutes.
Go to Settings -> Account & sync and disable automatic sync and background data. This should help your sync to complete. Afterward you can re-enable auto sync/bg data. (Source: https://android-client.forge.funambol.org)
I am getting “Generic error” message without content!
Your server software is not compatible with this client. Use the Debug-Release with the “eGroupware-fix”.
I want to sync Tasks with Android!
Install “Astrid” from the Android Market and restart your phone. Now the button “Tasks” is available in the Funambol Sync application and syncing tasks can be done with Astrid as the frontend.
Update: It is important to use the Debug-Release, where the Description says: “… with tasks, notes …”

10 Responses to Syncing Android using SyncML with Funambol Client

Barney Stinson says:

October 6, 2011 at 13:24

As with ActiveSync

an alternative is hotmail live: email, calendar, contacts

The email application bundled in CyanogenMod handles this less ungracefully than the OTA versions served up by any [American] carrier

If you simply must have funambol then a better client is the F-droid.org build of it.

P.S. I love your AdAway. I plan to paypal you a beer soon.
Sonia Hamilton says:

October 27, 2011 at 05:50

Thanks Dominik, this is really useful – being able to sync Tasks as well as Contacts and Calendar.

Would you know of anyway to sync notes/memos? I’m using memotoo.com.
Dominik says:

October 27, 2011 at 07:40

To sync your notes you have to install OI Notepad and the newest Funambol client debug-release from their website.
Sync tasks in android with funambol. Using Astrid | manoftherambla says:

December 8, 2011 at 02:31

[...] http://dominikschuermann.de/index.php/2011/01/syncing-android-using-syncml-with-funambol-client/ [...]
Oliver says:

December 15, 2011 at 08:49

Hi Dominik,

thanks for your great infos! Helped me a lot.

It looks like that tasks in Astrid don’t work anymore. I am using funambol debug client for Android (10.0.3) and testet the last 5 or 6 versions of Astrid.

Any ideas?

Cheers, Oliver
Frank says:

January 23, 2012 at 13:50

Hi,

I’ve been using this solution for a while to sync between my Android phone and Thunderbird/Lightning on my PC.

There are two issues with my implementation.

First, task items marked as “done” within Astrid, don’t get marked as “done” within Lightning. The opposite direction works as expected.
Second, repeated calendar items such as anniversaries end up with multiple copies of the same event.

Have you experienced (or better yet overcome) these issues?

Best
-Frank
Dominik says:

January 23, 2012 at 22:22

No, I had similar problems with the tasks, but repeated calendar entries worked for me.

I am currently thinking about switching to http://code.google.com/p/kolab-android/ , which would store the calendar in IMAP folders. The disadvantages are it’s slowness and the fact that tasks are not supported right now.
Oscar says:

February 2, 2012 at 20:33

Hi,

I’m using the latest version of Astrid (3.9.2.3) and the tasks synchronization with funambol is ugly… (i.e: the first time I think the tasks in funambol, I see them in Astrid, but then I’m not able to refresh them in Astrid. The tasks deletion on the funambol server are not reported in astrid, etc, etc).
Does someone know a functional software on android to deal with funambol tasks?

Thanks.
Regards,
Oscar
Uwe says:

March 22, 2012 at 12:04

Hi,
meine Idealvostellung zur Google-Vermeidung wären lokale Android-Kalender. Soche sind bei vielen Original-ROMs dabei (z.B. bei HTC), bei CyanogenMod ist die Kalender-Applikation ohne Google-Zugang nicht nutzbar.
Vielleicht ist der Birthday-Adapter ja eine gute Basis für einen LocalCalendarProvider?

Grüße
Uwe
Dominik says:

March 26, 2012 at 21:25

Hi Uwe,
das ist eine gute Idee. Darauf bin ich bis jetzt noch nicht gekommen. Das ist so gut wie kein Aufwand für mich nachdem ich Birthday Adapter programmiert habe. Ich werde aber trotzdem erst ab dem 4.4 nach meiner letzten Prüfung dieses Semester dazu kommen.

Vielleicht komme ich dann auch mal dazu ein paar neue Android Artikel im Blog zu veröffentlichen