[wu-wei]

I have been using the BIS on board sync for gmail with no problems for a year. In the last couple of days it seems only to work in one direction: changes I make on the BB are updated very quickly on the desktop.
In the other direction, the only sync that works is the email. An email I send from the desktop is shown on the BB, but nothing else. So if I delete an email on the desktop it still shows on the BB.
And any changes or new entries I make on the PC to calendar or contacts are not shown on the BB. But calendar and contact changes made on the BB appear on the PC almost instantly.

very frustrating, any suggestions? I have a 9780, and I am in the UK

Thank you
Graham

The one-way email sync is a known issue and has been the source of many "why can't RIM get it right, I'm going to another platform" type of posts.

Changes to calendar and contacts will sync from PC input to the BlackBerry, but there is a delay. The delay is noted in Google's support docs for synchronizing. As you are experiencing, changes to calendar and contacts from BlackBerry input will show up almost instantly on Google's servers.

[estroh]

Interestingly, I started adding the country category in Blackberry Contacts and I think they are not getting jumbled. Is that possible?

[wu-wei]

Interestingly, I started adding the country category in Blackberry Contacts and I think they are not getting jumbled. Is that possible?

Really?!?! I think I shall have to try that out. I actually dropped Google Sync and went back to just BIS sync for both calendar and contacts, so I'm interested as to whether this works.

[estroh]

I am also using BIS, but contacts occasionally drops the first line of addresses. I am trying putting in country, and it doesn't seem to do it with those addresses so far.

Really?!?! I think I shall have to try that out. I actually dropped Google Sync and went back to just BIS sync for both calendar and contacts, so I'm interested as to whether this works.

[wu-wei]

I just took a closer look at a few test contacts before I get started. Oddly, all the fields are correct using web interface, but they are mashed on my device. I honestly can't remember whether this was the same problem I was seeing before...but I want addresses un-mashed in both places.

[wu-wei]

I am also using BIS, but contacts occasionally drops the first line of addresses. I am trying putting in country, and it doesn't seem to do it with those addresses so far.

Are you editing contacts on your BlackBerry, or using the web interface?

I just tried editing one on my device, and included the country field. The address type was changed from "Work" to "Other" on the web interface when it synchronized (I did not make that change on the device), and once the sync was complete, I was right back to a mashed one-line address on my BlackBerry.

[estroh]

Editing on Blackberry only. Its not mashing for me

Are you editing contacts on your BlackBerry, or using the web interface?

I just tried editing one on my device, and included the country field. The address type was changed from "Work" to "Other" on the web interface when it synchronized (I did not make that change on the device), and once the sync was complete, I was right back to a mashed one-line address on my BlackBerry.

[wu-wei]

This has been driving me a bit bonkers. I've been researching for a while now, trying to decide HOW to fix it before I get started editing a fairly large contacts database. I happened to find this very helpful post, within a very helpful thread.

[wu-wei]

After enough research and brain damage, I have decided to revert back to Outlook for contacts management.

Blame it on whichever side you want, but in my view Google blatantly disregards standards which other companies (like Microsoft and RIM) seem to understand and implement quite well.

[estroh]

I use Gmail from office and home, so I'd like updated contacts available to me. Haven't used Outlook. So far, all the contacts that i cleaned up and added Country code are straight. Maybe the algorithm for sync needs that space occupied? Will let you know in a week.

After enough research and brain damage, I have decided to revert back to Outlook for contacts management.

Blame it on whichever side you want, but in my view Google blatantly disregards standards which other companies (like Microsoft and RIM) seem to understand and implement quite well.

[estroh]

As of today, contacts that I put in the country have not lost their first line and are not jumbled.

[wu-wei]

As of today, contacts that I put in the country have not lost their first line and are not jumbled.

I am impressed (and jealous, and stumped). I'm sticking with Outlook sync for right now, but I will likely delve into Google's BIS sync again and try to get this thing sorted once and for all.

Very glad to hear your efforts have paid off and that you're avoiding the address mangle that has plagued so many of us. I'm wondering whether others are having similar successes.

[estroh]

I find it amazing myself, but it makes sense if its a critical field for something that was once a business device that international businesses use. Its a field that I wasn't filling in. At 837 contacts, I am changing contacts slowly as I get calls or access a few at a time.

I am impressed (and jealous, and stumped). I'm sticking with Outlook sync for right now, but I will likely delve into Google's BIS sync again and try to get this thing sorted once and for all.

Very glad to hear your efforts have paid off and that you're avoiding the address mangle that has plagued so many of us. I'm wondering whether others are having similar successes.

[estroh]

My Blackberry contacts look good. However, as I make edits on the Blackberry, Google contacts are developing multiples with small variations but not syncing back to my Blackberry.

[Ertank]

Hi,

I forgot how long I am using Google Sync and BIS sync. Maybe more than 2 years. Unfortunately, Google Sync will be removed from Google Mobile do not know exact date at the moment though.

Coming to sync and duplicate problems. Here is my own solution to that.

Calendar sync: USE BIS.
1) Google Sync cannot handle recurring events, and that causes duplicate calendar entries. BIS sync do not have such a problem.
2) Google Sync sync only a part of your calendar entries (1week past, 4weeks ahead. This may be changed in options, but still limited. No complete sync available for Google Sync) on the other hand, BIS sync everything.

Contacts sync: USE GOOGLE SYNC
1) The biggest problem on BIS contact sync is coming with Address fields. As that is already mentioned in above posts I will not go in details here. Google Sync do not have such problems.
2) You need to make some preperations before using Google Sync for the first time. I explained my way below.
3) Be warned that BIS sync will only sync your own Google Calendar. Not the ones you subscribed.

So, if you will start using Google Sync for contacts for the first time, or if you just did an OS upgrade on your phone, you need to do some preperations before starting to use Google Sync.

Very first time users of Google Sync: You must have a complete address book in your BlackBerry device. That is my personal starting point. Which is a must in my solution. You should manage to have all your contacts in your BlackBerry device address book. Period.

Preperations for Google Sync:
1) Make sure that you have all your contacts restored in your BB device as described above.
2) Delete all contacts from your Gmail Address Book on the internet using your computer browser. Make sure that it is completely empty your "My Contacts" group in your Gmail account. Or, you will most probably have duplicate contacts on both ends.
3) Load Google Sync, setup for contact sync only, start syncing.

Very First Time Sync: You may encounter an error during sync operation. With red letters saying last sync attempt was not successful and ended with errors. Which means sync is not setup correctly, yet.
1) Do a battery pull, and retry operation.
2) If battery pull did not solve problem. This means there is a problem in your contact's records in your device. Check Google Sync log. Hit menu button, and see log in menu items. Copy and e-mail it to yourself. Check it carefully. Go directly to the end. Read upwards to understand which contact triggered an error. Find that contact in your device, correct it, and start sync again.

I was hit with that error during my first trials. I found that there is a contact in my device which I cannot see its details. BlackBerry was not able to read details of that contact. Maybe a corrupt address book. Also, there was another contact in my device address book which had non-standart characters instead of readable letters in its name. Correcting such problems solved errors on Google Sync.

First sync will take considerable time depending on the amount of contats in your device. After that Google Sync will make its work in the background.

Once Very first time sync is completed, you will have all your contacts in your gmail account in the internet. No address format problems, nothing. Since your device have all your contacts and error free contacts. Next time, simply delete your gmail account contacts, and start sync on your device. It will do its thing.

Hint-1: You may sync your contacts with format problems in the address field, or duplicates. You may sync with such records. After sync finishes OK, you may use your computer to correct formats on your gmail account. I found it easier to have a correctly formated contacts during my first times.

Hint-2: Do not attempt tu use Gmail's remove duplicates tool. I messes your records. Puts several addresses in your contacts. Takes wrong phone numbers into wrong contacts. Use it to find out if you have a duplicate contact, and which one it is.