2 Macs, 1 iPod, no iCal sync: what's the secret?

[osxpounder]

I recently acquired an iPod and a MBP. Great, I thought, I'll use the iPod to keep my iCal calendars synchronized. The docs say it'll do it ...

... but it doesn't. Here's what I'm doing:

I add an appt or To Do on my desktop Mac, then mount the iPod. Go to iTunes, iPod Options, Sync Calendars. I've tried syncing them all, and I've tried just checking the ones I care about [leaving the holiday cals unchecked, for example].

Click OK. In iTunes, right-click on iPod, choose "Update". It says it's updating. Unmount iPod.

Mount iPod on MacBook. Go to iTunes, right-click iPod, choose Options [because there is no Update on the menu yet -- I don't let the iPod automatically update playlists, of course, so that might be why].

In Options, go to Calendars, choose to sync [I've tried 'em all, or just the ones I care about], click OK.

Right-click on iPod, choose "Update". It says it's updating.

Open iCal on MacBook. Same stinking, out-of-date calendar. Nothing I entered on the other computer is showing up, and vice-versa: on the desktop Mac, its calendar is not getting the appts. I added on the MacBook.

What am I doing wrong? If you don't see anything wrong, what do you recommend? Is this a case for AppleCare?

[regulus6633]

I don't think you can do what you want. As far as I know you can't sync from the ipod to a computer, only from the computer to the ipod. When you mention "the docs say it'll do it" I think you're confused. Although I've been wrong before...

If you want to use the ipod to sync your calendars there is a way. First, enable disk use on the ipod in iTunes. Your ical calendars are stored on your computer at ~/Library/Application Support/iCal. You can copy that folder to your ipod, then mount the ipod on the second computer and copy the files to it, replacing the ical files on the second computer.

But if both computers are on the same network, you can just skip the ipod stuff and do the process over the network.

[osxpounder]

Thanks. Well, dang, I guess you're right. Since I'll be manually saving and reloading calendars somehow, which would you recommend of these: use the "Backup iCal Database", on the File menu, or choose an individual calendar and export it? Is there some drawback I'm not seeing to using the backup instead?

[regulus6633]

Actually I never knew that option was there. I just tried it out. I first used "backup database", then created a new user account and used "revert to database backup", and it recreated my calendars perfectly in the new user account... so do whatever is easier. It seems to me that your way is easier.

It does overwrite the entire calendar with the backup, but I think that's what you want. Anyway, it seems your problem is solved so good luck.