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This page intend to describe how Apple iPhone are supported in Debian (DebianSqueeze).

Note:

  1. Apple doesn't support Linux for iPhone, and there seems to be very very few alternative to Apple tools.
  2. The current author (FranklinPiat) has little experience with iPhone, this page is an early draft.

This page is still an early draft, some information contained in this page may be inaccurate or even wrong.

(Obviously, contribution to this page are welcome).

Title 1

Sub title

Programs

Tools

Tools and programs useful to iPhone users in debian

Orphan:

Syncing/copy music to iPhone/iPod Touch on Debian Sid/Squeeze with Rhythmbox

1. Prepare the iPhone

Add at least one song with iTunes using Windows, what creates the database of iPhone/iPod Touch that is required for the rest.

2. Install packages

On Debian Squeeze

Install the following packages :

aptitude install rhythmbox-plugins libimobiledevice-utils ifuse libplist-utils python-plist gvfs-backends gvfs-bin gvfs-fuse

3. Configuration

Edit the file /etc/fuse.conf : Change the line "#user_allow_other" at the end of the file, by "user_allow_other". Or add "user_allow_other" if the line doesn't exist.

Add the users who will have access to the iPhone to the group fuse using gnome's Menu System > Administration > Users and Groups (or a command like adduser franklin fuse).

Restart the session.

Connect the iPhone. It will be asked to open it : cancel.

The iPhone appears on the desktop, with its name ("iPhone of someone"). It's mounted in the directory of the user someone to this address: /home/someone/.gvfs /iPhone of someone/

Now it's necessary to create the file SysInfoExtended in iPod/iPhone so that applications as Rhythmbox can use it. In a terminal :

  1. Create directory Device into iPhone :

    mkdir -p "/home/someone/.gvfs/iPhone of someone/iTunes_Control/Device"

    b. Obtain the serial number of the iPhone :

    lsusb -v | grep -i iSerial
    The command returns several lines, and one of them like :
    iSerial                 3 fb9961044533cd317cb6f2bce3424c2771ae16d6
    In this example the serial number is : fb9961044533cd317cb6f2bce3424c2771ae16d6

    c. Create file SysInfoExtended in Device directory with the command line ipod-read-sysinfo-extended (supplied by libgpod4) :

    ipod-read-sysinfo-extended fb9961044533cd317cb6f2bce3424c2771ae16d6 /home/john/.gvfs/john's iPhone/
    Replace of course the serial number and the mount point by the good ones.

    This operation fails with Squeeze version of libgop4 (0.7.2-2+b1), we have the following message : Couldn't read xml sysinfo from _SERIAL_

Restart the session again.

Launch Rhythmbox (Applications → Sound and Video → Rhythmbox). The iPhone/iPod Should be on the left part. Slide/put files as with iTunes.

We can now use Rhytmbox on any computer to copy/past music and without having to crush the playlist, contrary to iTunes.


CategoryPhone