[Discuss] Calendar application advice

[Murray Strome]

----- Original Message -----

From: "brendan" <brendan at ming.org> 
To: discuss at vlug.org 
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 9:33:07 AM 
Subject: Re: [Discuss] Calendar application advice 

instead of storing files on dropbox, you might consider running a small 
CalDAV server. CalDAV clients connect to the caldav server to 
synchronize, but typically cache all content. 

IOS devices have CalDAV syncing built in. Android devices can add caldav 
syncing with either a free connector or a $2.99 connector (both from the 
google play store). OS X i believe also has CalDAV syncing built in. The 
sunbird client (and thunderbird integration) from mozilla works great 
for windows and linux machines. AgenDAV works as a fairly solid web client. 

sabre/dav is a solid and easy to set up server (http://sabre.io/). the 
stock installation would require a web server, php, and mysql. i've 
written an alternate sabre/dav implementation that replaces mysql with 
filesystem storage - you are welcome to it if you don't like running 
databases (though it would require a bit of extra code to do handle the 
type of authentication system you'd choose to use). 

you could also just use google, as they provide caldav access to the 
data (to which all the normal bits of caldav clients would apply - 
they'd cache all the content and sync changes from google). 

most caldav clients would save your password, so you wouldn't be 
prompted for your password each time you started them up. 

On 15-03-27 08:08 AM, Murray Strome wrote: 
> I would like some suggestions for a calendar application that I could 
> access from all of our computers and mobile devices, make modifications 
> from any of them, and can be viewed and modified when there is no 
> internet connection. 
> We have LINUX, MS Windows, Android (tablet & phone), Mac OS (iMac and 
> iPad mini). 
> I think that what I want is something which would use a common file 
> which could be in something like Dropbox so it would be available when 
> not connected, but then automatically synchronized with all the devices 
> whenever they were connected. 
> I think that Dropbox is the best place to store the file (perhaps an 
> iCal file would be a good candidate for the format), but what 
> application could make use of it from all the devices/operating systems? 
> Any suggestions? 
> Thanks. 
> Murray 
> PS I have looked at Google Calendar and Yahoo! Calendar. They are OK as 
> web based applications but as far as I can tell, they don't keep copies 
> locally. Also, they require login, and it gets complicated when you want 
> a single calendar for multiple users with different passwords. I cannot 
> remember if the LINUX jPilot uses exactly the same format for its 
> storage as the Palm Desktop on Windows and MacOS, of if there is a 
> version for Android tablets/phones and Mac products. That would be a 
> possible candidate but the files structure is pretty complicated and 
> tends to be quite bloated. 
> From the presentation at the last BB&C General Meeting, it would appear 
> that Outlook might be a candidate, except that I have not figured out 
> how to make it work in LINUX. Furthermore, I would much prefer an Open 
> Source application. 
> 
> 
> 
Thanks, John and Brendan. 
Using ownCloud has the same problem as regular Google Calendar: when I am away on a trip, my ownCloud server is not turned and in any case it is not accessible outside my home LAN. 
Unless I misunderstand it, having my own CalDev server would present the same problem when the computer on which it is installed is not turned on, or not connected to the internet. 


I did find something interesting which I am beginning to try called Rainlender: 
http://www.rainlendar.net/cms/index.php 
It is available for all platforms, and this article tells how to use Dropbox to sync the Calendar across all of my computers/devices: 
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/32393/sync-your-rainlendar-calendars-for-free-with-dropbox/ 
The appearance (at first glance) does not appear to be as nice as things like Google Calendar, iCalendar or some of the others but it would appear to meet my essential requirements: work on all platforms, sync all of them when connected and be fully available (except for changes someone else in the meantime) when not connecte to the internet. 
Has anyone tried it yet? 
Murray 


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