Demystifying iCal
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:08 pm
iCal is just an ordinary text file in a well known standard format. One site exports to the file and stores it on the exporting server. Another site reads (imports) that file and then uses the contents to update its own calendar.
So, any problems are either with the exporting site writing an incorrect file or with an importing site misreading the file.
If you are exporting an iCal to multiple destinations and it's working on all but one of them, then it's almost certainly the fault of the reading (importing) site.
Now, when I say fault, it could also be that one side is interpreting the standard differently from the other, however, when you're exporting to multiple sites that do work, I'd say that the majority wins.
HINT:
As I said above, it's just an ordinary text file. One that most humans can read. IF you take the long URL that you are given and simply paste it into the address bar of your browser, you'll be able to open and view it or download it to your hard drive, then view it in WordPad. Try not to use NotePad as it may sometimes not wrap neatly onto separate lines (very technical....) or try using Word even. It should be mostly obvious.
As an example, here are two bookings. I've added spaces in the file for clarification and comments appear after "<---". They are not usually there.
Hope this helps demystify iCal a bit.
So, any problems are either with the exporting site writing an incorrect file or with an importing site misreading the file.
If you are exporting an iCal to multiple destinations and it's working on all but one of them, then it's almost certainly the fault of the reading (importing) site.
Now, when I say fault, it could also be that one side is interpreting the standard differently from the other, however, when you're exporting to multiple sites that do work, I'd say that the majority wins.
HINT:
As I said above, it's just an ordinary text file. One that most humans can read. IF you take the long URL that you are given and simply paste it into the address bar of your browser, you'll be able to open and view it or download it to your hard drive, then view it in WordPad. Try not to use NotePad as it may sometimes not wrap neatly onto separate lines (very technical....) or try using Word even. It should be mostly obvious.
As an example, here are two bookings. I've added spaces in the file for clarification and comments appear after "<---". They are not usually there.
Code: Select all
BEGIN:VEVENT <--------------start of booking
UID:31235213821138 < -----unique number for this booking
DTSTAMP:20170627T211501Z < ----- when ical written
SUMMARY:e-richard < ------ name of guest
DTSTART:20170607T220000Z <------arrives on 7th June 2017
DTEND:20170621T223000Z <------departs on 21st June 2017
END:VEVENT <--------------end of booking
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:31235214071155
DTSTAMP:20170627T211501Z
SUMMARY:Michael Mouse
DTSTART:20170622T140000Z <------arrives on 22nd June 2017
DTEND:20170629T110000Z <------departs on 28th June 2017
END:VEVENT