• BlackBerry® Desktop Software 2.1 to 4.2
• BlackBerry® Device Software 4.2
• IBM® Lotus Notes®
• Microsoft® Outlook®
• Microsoft® Outlook® Express
• Windows® 2000 and XP
• Sage Software ACT!®

When synchronizing organizer data (such as contacts, calendar entries, tasks, and memos) between the BlackBerry smartphone and the computer, the following error message appears:

Unable to write or update application data.

Summary of Causes

This issue could be caused by one of the following:

1. A contact in Microsoft Outlook, Sage Software ACT!, Lotus Notes, or IBM® Lotus Organizer® does not contain information in one or more fields.
2. The BlackBerry smartphone does not have enough memory to synchronize organizer data.
3. The BlackBerry smartphone user′s organizer database contains invalid information.
4. The Lotus Notes address book database has a custom template that is incompatible with the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager.
5. The error "Uncaught exception Java.lang.no pointer exception is displayed while in the BlackBerry smartphone Address Book.
6. The BlackBerry smartphone is failing to synchronize to any organizer application including calendar, memo list, or task list.
7. The BlackBerry smartphone Address Book contains a blank contact.

Complete the appropriate resolution for the cause.

Note: An effective first response when the error is received is to perform a hard reset on the BlackBerry smartphone. For instructions, see KB02141.

Cause 1

A contact in Microsoft Outlook, Sage Software ACT!, Lotus Notes, or Lotus Organizer does not contain information in any of the following fields:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Company Name

Resolution 1

BlackBerry Desktop Software 4.2.1 or later will recognize the records that do not have information populated in any of the First Name, Last Name, and Company Name fields. Upgrade to BlackBerry Desktop Software 4.2.1 to complete the synchronization. Review the contacts in Microsoft Outlook, Sage Software ACT!, Lotus Notes, or Lotus Organizer to add data to either the First Name, Last Name, and Company Name fields. This will ensure that they are included in future synchonizations. For more information on this issue, see KB11366.

Cause 2

The BlackBerry smartphone does not have enough free memory to synchronize organizer data with the computer.

Resolution 2

To increase the amount of available memory on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps.

Note: Back up the data on the BlackBerry smartphone with the Backup and Restore tool in BlackBerry Desktop Manager before proceeding. For instructions see, KB11625.

Use BlackBerry Desktop Manager to reduce the range of days on the Calendar

Reducing the calendar date range restricts the number of appointments or events reconciled with the BlackBerry smartphone. Any of the following can be reconciled:

• All items
• Future items only
• Items that fall between a range of days

Reducing the range of days will create more available storage space on the BlackBerry smartphone. For instructions, see KB05347.

Use Application Loader to remove unwanted applications from the BlackBerry smartphone

For instructions, see KB10376.

Cause 3

The BlackBerry smartphone user′s organizer database, such as Microsoft Outlook, Sage Software ACT!, Lotus Notes, or Lotus Organizer, contains invalid information.

Note: Confirm that the contact entry is not affected by the issue listed in Cause 1 before proceeding.

Resolution 3

Turn on Advanced Logging to identify the record containing the invalid information and delete the invalid information.

1. Turn on Advanced Logging. For instructions, see KB01451.
2. Once the record containing the invalid information is identified, locate and delete the entry on the computer.

Cause 4

The Lotus Notes address book database has a custom template that is incompatible with BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

Resolution 4

Apply the standard template to the BlackBerry smartphone user′s Lotus Notes address book.

Note: Once the standard template is applied, confirm that the BlackBerry smartphone user can synchronize contacts. This issue should be submitted to the BlackBerry smartphone user′s IT department as this may cause the same issue on other BlackBerry smartphones if a custom template is widely used in the environment.

Cause 5

The error Uncaught exception Java.lang . no pointer exception is displayed while in the BlackBerry smartphone Address Book.

Symptoms

1. Refer to KB04317 if the error message in the Address Book is the following:

   address updated externally. Changes will be lost, viewer closed

2. Tif.log indicates a corrupt contact entry in Microsoft Outlook. After the contact has been deleted from Microsoft Outlook and the BlackBerry smartphone has been synchronized again, the contact is still on the BlackBerry smartphone.
3. Creating a new contact in the BlackBerry smartphone will generate the following error message:

Uncaught exception Java.lang . no pointer exception

Resolution 5

1. Back up the BlackBerry smartphone before synchronizing. For instructions, see KB11625.
2. Clear the Address Book database.
3. 1. Open Backup and Restore and click Advanced.
   2. Select the Address Book database, then click Clear.
4. Perform a hard reset on the BlackBerry smartphone. For instructions, see KB02141.

5. Synchronize the BlackBerry smartphone with Microsoft Outlook. See KB05313, Task 3, second option.

Cause 6

The BlackBerry smartphone is failing to synchronize to any organizer application including calendar, memo list, and tasks.

Symptoms

Creating a new entry for any organizer application will generate an error and the entry will not be created on the BlackBerry smartphone.

Resolution 6

Perform a hard reset on the BlackBerry smartphone, for instructions see KB02141.

Cause 7

The BlackBerry smartphone Address Book contains a blank contact.

Resolution 7

Check the top of the Address Book names list for <No Name> if the list is sorted in alphabetical order. Delete any entries with <No Name> in the name field.

If the previous resolutions do not correct the issue, delete and restore the data and applications on the BlackBerry smartphone.

To delete the data and applications on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

1. Back up the data on the BlackBerry smartphone using Backup and Restore. For instructions, see KB11625.
2. Delete all the data and applications on the BlackBerry smartphone. For instructions, see KB02318.

To restore BlackBerry smartphone applications, complete the following step:

1. Reinstall BlackBerry Device Software using Application Loader. For instructions, see KB11320.

To restore BlackBerry smartphone data, complete the following steps:

1. In BlackBerry Desktop Manager, double-click Backup and Restore.
2. Click Restore and select the backup file you created before you deleted the data on the BlackBerry smartphone.
3. Click Open. The data on the BlackBerry smartphone is restored.