Using Synchronization Manager from a Program

To enable your application to work with the Sychronization Manager you must implement a COM object to handle synchronization notifications that you receive from SyncMgr. Your application's handler performs the synchronization for the items that you handle. Included in your handler, you must implement the ISyncMgrSynchronize interface. Also, you must provide an enumerator object and ISyncMgrEnumItems for any separate items that your application can synchronize.

SyncMgr implements ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback and ISyncMgrSynchronizeInvoke.

The SyncMgr calls methods in your ISyncMgrSynchronize to get information on the items that your application handles and information on the handler that you provide for synchronizing these items.

At runtime, the synchronization process follows these steps:

1. SyncMgr notifies your application that it is time for synchronization to occur for one of the items that your application handles by calling your ISyncMgrSynchronize::Initialize method.
2. SyncMgr calls ISyncMgrSynchronize::EnumSyncMgrItems to obtain the ISyncMgrEnumItems interface for the items handled by your application.
3. SyncMgr calls ISyncMgrSynchronize::SetProgressCallback to provide your handler with the interface pointer for the ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback interface. Your handler uses this interface to call back to the SyncMgr during synchronization.
4. SyncMgr then calls your ISyncMgrSynchronize::PrepareForSync method to give your handler a chance to display any user interface element that is necessary before synchronization begins. For example, an e-mail application may display a user logon dialog.
5. Your handler calls ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback::EnableModeless before and after displaying any user interface elements. Your handler calls ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback::PrepareForSyncCompleted when you are done.
6. SyncMgr calls your ISyncMgrSynchronize::Synchronize method to start the synchronization.

During the synchronization process, SyncMgr continues to call methods in your ISyncMgrSynchronize interface. It can send your handler errors, progress, and notifications. It can also enumerate through the items that your application handles or allow your application to show properties for the items.

Your handler calls methods in ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback to determine if an item should be skipped, to log errors, and to post progress information during the synchronization process.

For further information, see the related reference pages for the interfaces involved.

When the synchronization is completed, your handler calls ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback::SynchronizeCompleted.