I am missing SmartLists on my desktop. 

Document ID: 13303
Last Reviewed: 3/1/2004 

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Problem: 
I am missing SmartLists on my desktop.

Solution:
If you have data on the handheld that never appears on the PC, this normally indicates that the handheld files are not being backed up to the PC during the HotSync.

Normally, when you perform a HotSync on the handheld, all of your files are copied from the handheld to the computer. On a typical installation, these are placed in the backup directory for your handheld.

On a Windows computer, the backup directory is normally located in c:\palm\username\backup, where "username" is the name you gave the handheld device. For example, if you name your handheld "tech" and the backup directory for this device is c:\palm\tech\backup.

The default installation of the Palm Desktop software that ships with a handheld device is set to copy all of the files from the handheld to the backup directory during HotSync. However, third party software may adjust the settings in the Palm Desktop software so that this does not happen. To check for this, you would need to open the Palm Desktop software (normally done on a Windows computer by going to Start > Programs > Palm Desktop > Palm Desktop). In the Palm Desktop software, you have a drop down menu called HotSync. If you click on this menu, and then choose "Custom", you will see a list of "Conduits" and "Actions" for each conduit.

The System conduit is the important one for SmartList To Go. If the System conduit is set to "Desktop overwrites Handheld" or "Do Nothing" then your data will not get backed up from your handheld to the desktop backup directory.

Note that users of Backup Buddy will see the System conduit renamed to "Backup Buddy" in the HotSync Manager.

To change this setting for this conduit so that files are copied from your handheld to your PC during the HotSync process, you can highlight "System" (or "Backup Buddy") and click on the button labeled "Change". Then select "Handheld overwrites Desktop" and place a check in the box that says "Set as default". Then click "OK" and then "Done".

After this, when you HotSync, your files will be backed up to the backup directory. 

If this does not happen, then the changes that you make on the handheld will never be reflected on the desktop. A Save&Install will override the default action by installing a fresh copy of the database -- the copy you just changed -- to the handheld.

If the above does not apply (i.e. the conduit was already set to "Handheld overwrites desktop"), there is a very distinct possibility that you have more than one handheld username on your PC, and are looking at the files for the wrong handheld in the desktop products.