README.usb

	Some notes on running ColdSync with USB support

$Id$

Linux
=====

	WARNING: The support via the visor kernel driver
	is somewhat deprecated. Please read README.libusb
	for the new-and-improved way. 

	Linux natively supports USB connection at the kernel
	level. The kernel module is called visor.o and will expose
	the USB connection as a serial one (namely /dev/ttyUSBx
	or /dev/tts/usb/x if you use devfs).

	The correct way to use it with coldsync is with a
	proper listen serial block, just like this one:

	listen serial "linux-usb" {
		protocol: net;
		device: /dev/ttyUSB1;
	}

	or this one, if you use devfs:

	listen serial "linux-usb-devfs" {
		protocol: net;
		device: /dev/usb/tts/1;
		transient;
	}

	You can then select the right one with

		coldsync --listen linux-usb
	or
		coldsync --listen linux-usb-devfs

	For some Handspring Visor units, you have to use
	
		protocol: full;

	in your listen serial block.

Linux USB Hotplugging
=====================

The following two-step technique can be used with USB hotplugging
(http://linux-hotplug.sourceforge.net/?selected=usb) to get coldsync to
run on demand.

Add the following listen block to coldsync.conf:

	listen serial "hotplug" {
		device: "$(PORT)";
		protocol: net;
	}

Place the following script at /etc/hotplug/usb/visor:

	#!/bin/bash
	#
	# /etc/hotplug/usb/visor
	# launch coldsync when a PalmOS device is attached

	if [ "${ACTION}" = "add" ] && [ -f "${DEVICE}" ]
	then
		# the sync port is the second tty defined for the device, although
		# supposedly some Sony's might use the first port.
		PORT=`/bin/ls /sys/${DEVPATH}/|/bin/grep ttyUSB|/usr/bin/tail -1`
		export PORT="/dev/usb/${PORT}"

		logger "visor: running coldsync on ${PORT}"

		/bin/chmod 666 ${PORT}
		/usr/local/bin/coldsync -md -v -n hotplug -l /var/log/coldsync.log
	fi

That's it. Should just work, but you might need to twiddle with device
permissions.  Works for me with Fedora Core 2/Linux 2.6, YMMV. For Fedora
Core 3 (and probably anything with udev), "/dev/usb" no longer works. Use:

		export PORT="/dev/${PORT}"

*BSD
====

	ColdSync has native support for USB under *BSD. 

	You can use it with a listen usb block, like this
	one:

	listen usb "m505" {
	}