Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Discussion of EssentialPIM for Android and synchronization
Alfhw
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Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

Hi,
I've a Samsung S7 with android 8.0 stock.
I've noticed that if I create a new contact in Android Contacts (or an app do it like whatsapp) this contact does not appear in Epim Contacts. But if I create a new contact in Epim Contacts it appears automatically also in Android Contacts.
Also if I delete a contact in Android Contacts, this contact does not get deleted in Epim Contacts. But if I delete a contact in Epim Contacts it get deleted automatically also in Android Contacts.

Is it normal that the sync is one way only?

Bye
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

If you wish the contacts to appear in EPIM Contacts after creating it with the default contacts app, please set its account to EssentialPIM.
As for the other way around - will improve that. Thanks!
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

admin wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:47 am If you wish the contacts to appear in EPIM Contacts after creating it with the default contacts app, please set its account to EssentialPIM.
Do you mean using the option in Epim Settings: "Use Epim system account" ? It's already selected but when I create a contact in default contacts app it doesn't appear in Epim Contacts.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

No, I mean selecting an account in the contacts app you create a new contact in.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

admin wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 7:20 am No, I mean selecting an account in the contacts app you create a new contact in.

In the default contact app there isn't any essentialpim account when I create a new contact:

20191016_151714.jpg
Translation:

Save contact in
- Phone
- Sim Card
- Google
- Samsung account
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

This seems like a limitation of the Samsung contacts app - it doesn't show any other accounts except for its own and Google ones. Will check this on our devices. Thanks.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

Hi,
have you found the problem? I did some research and I found that in the Samsung UI if you open the app Contacts (the one with orange icon) then tap on the 3 dots in the upper right, tap "Manage Contacts" you will see:
Screenshot_20191027-220714_Contacts.jpg
now tap on the last line which says "Default Storage Location" and you will get:


Screenshot_20191027-220754_Contacts.jpg
The last line says: "Add Account". If you tap on it you will get:


Screenshot_20191027-220830_Settings.jpg
EssentialPIM is an available choice. However if you tap on it nothing happens. Could this be the problem?
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

Once enabled, I assume it should now appear as a choice for saving newly created contacts into?
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

admin wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:29 am Once enabled, I assume it should now appear as a choice for saving newly created contacts into?
I assume too. I don't know if the blue dot on the right means it's enabled. I only know that at the moment Essentialpim doesn't appear as a choice for saving newly created contacts.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

I see you're also using WhatsApp and there's the blue dot near it. Will you be able to see its account when creating a new contact or only the ones seen on your first screenshot are still available?
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

No, I don't see a WhatsApp account when I create a new contact. However I think there is a problem with Whatsapp too because when I tap on Whatsapp in that screen it says "Whatsapp account has already been added" but it's not. While when I tap on Essentiapim nothing happens.
As the Samsung UI says "Add account" it means to me that it's possible to add a new account somehow.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

It seems there's some limitations in place in the default contacts app which will not allow you to add contacts into other than hard-coded accounts.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

I did some research and maybe it's related to Samsung Knox. Seems that Knox allow IT admin do modify some operations with contact. https://docs.samsungknox.com/dev/knox-s ... %20storage
At the document bottom there is an image where default storage locations are changed. Seems that this API (allowLocalContactStorage) does'n t allow to preset other storage alternatives but if you go to Samsung Electronics Knox SDK API reference :
https://docs.samsungknox.com/devref/kno ... ageAllowed()
and search "contact" in the search field you will find several API related to Knox and contacts.

I suppose it's possible to add another account somehow. If not why there is the "Add account" button in the last line? (See previous image "Aggiungi account").
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by admin »

You can of course add another Google account for instance and it will be shown in the list. Hence the "Aggiungi account" option.
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Re: Epim Contacts and Android Contacts: sync problem?

Post by Alfhw »

Yes, you are right, it's possible to add another Google account. So maybe the problem is related to Samsung's roms (knox?).
I hope you can find a workaround somehow.
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