[OpenSync] #462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar

[OpenSync]

#462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  cstender  |       Owner:  abauer
     Type:  defect    |      Status:  new  
 Priority:  normal    |   Milestone:  0.30  
Component:  OpenSync  |     Version:        
 Severity:  normal    |    Keywords:        
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
 We need workarounds for cellphones which use the vcalendar standard.
 Sadly, there is no spec or rfc which describe how to implement all-day-
 events in vcalendar. We figured out that e.g. Sony Ericsson use
 YYYYMMDDT000000Z - YYYYMMDDT235900Z for this kind of events. We need to
 know how other vendors do it with there cellphones and than use
 capabilities to workaround it.

--
Ticket URL: <http://www.opensync.org/ticket/462>
OpenSync <http://www.opensync.org>
A Synchronization Framework
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[Graham Cobb-4]

On Thursday 15 March 2007 12:00, OpenSync wrote:
>- We need workarounds for cellphones which use the vcalendar standard.
> Sadly, there is no spec or rfc which describe how to implement all-day-
> events in vcalendar. We figured out that e.g. Sony Ericsson use
>  YYYYMMDDT000000Z - YYYYMMDDT235900Z for this kind of events. We need to
>  know how other vendors do it with there cellphones and than use
>  capabilities to workaround it.

Not a phone, but here is how OWA Sync handles this problem:

Outlook has a flag to mark an all day event but it sets the end time to 24
hours (or some multiple) after the start time.  In my Outlook sync code I
take one second off the end time if it is an all day event before writing out
the vcalendar file.  This results in events which look a little bit like the
Sony Ericsson example above but with three (possibly important) differences:

1) The start and end times are typically midnight in the local timezone (of
the user who entered the event) not Zulu time.  Note that this means that
when viewed in a different timezone the event does not look like an all day
event but an event which crosses midnight.  You can see this effect in
Outlook if you view your normal calendar in a different timezone.  Or if you
look at free/busy data.

2) The end time I use is 235959 (not 235900).

3) The end time may be one or more days later if the event is a multi-day
all-day event.

Note that I do not think it should be necessary to take off the final second:
an event which starts at 00:00:00 and goes to 00:00:00 of the next day should
be looked at as an all day event.  We do not mark a one hour event as ending
at n:59:59! However, I found that every device I used to display the event
(kdepim and gpe, not sure if I checked my phone) would treat it as a two-day
event in that case.

Graham

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[Christopher Stender-3]

Hi,

On Thursday 15 March 2007 14:31, Graham Cobb wrote:

> On Thursday 15 March 2007 12:00, OpenSync wrote:
> >- We need workarounds for cellphones which use the vcalendar
> > standard. Sadly, there is no spec or rfc which describe how to
> > implement all-day- events in vcalendar. We figured out that e.g.
> > Sony Ericsson use YYYYMMDDT000000Z - YYYYMMDDT235900Z for this kind
> > of events. We need to know how other vendors do it with there
> > cellphones and than use capabilities to workaround it.
>
> Not a phone, but here is how OWA Sync handles this problem:
>
> Outlook has a flag to mark an all day event but it sets the end time
> to 24 hours (or some multiple) after the start time.  In my Outlook
> sync code I take one second off the end time if it is an all day
> event before writing out the vcalendar file.  This results in events
> which look a little bit like the Sony Ericsson example above but with
> three (possibly important) differences:
>
> 1) The start and end times are typically midnight in the local
> timezone (of the user who entered the event) not Zulu time.  Note
> that this means that when viewed in a different timezone the event
> does not look like an all day event but an event which crosses
> midnight.  You can see this effect in Outlook if you view your normal
> calendar in a different timezone.  Or if you look at free/busy data.

I used local time for my patch, too.

> 2) The end time I use is 235959 (not 235900).

Well, that's the reason why we need capabilties. SE can't handle 235959,
but maybe Siemens phones can only handle 235900. :-(

> 3) The end time may be one or more days later if the event is a
> multi-day all-day event.
>
> Note that I do not think it should be necessary to take off the final
> second: an event which starts at 00:00:00 and goes to 00:00:00 of the
> next day should be looked at as an all day event.  We do not mark a
> one hour event as ending at n:59:59! However, I found that every
> device I used to display the event (kdepim and gpe, not sure if I
> checked my phone) would treat it as a two-day event in that case.

Yes, you're right. That was also my first idea and I tested it with some
Sony Ericsson cellphones and they all show me a two-day event. Another
reason why I don't like this workaround is because we need to compare
VALUE=DATE;YYYYMMDD with YYYYMMDDT235900. I have to write another patch
which detect all day eventsand convert the timestamp back to and
datestamp. Anyway, I see now other solution right now.

Best regards

Christopher

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[OpenSync]

#462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  cstender  |        Owner:  cstender
     Type:  defect    |       Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal    |    Milestone:  0.30    
Component:  OpenSync  |      Version:  0.31    
 Severity:  normal    |   Resolution:          
 Keywords:            |  
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
Changes (by cstender):

  * version:  => 0.31
  * status:  new => assigned
  * owner:  abauer => cstender

--
Ticket URL: <http://www.opensync.org/ticket/462>
OpenSync <http://www.opensync.org>
A Synchronization Framework
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[OpenSync]

#462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  cstender  |        Owner:  cstender
     Type:  defect    |       Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal    |    Milestone:          
Component:  OpenSync  |      Version:  0.31    
 Severity:  normal    |   Resolution:          
 Keywords:            |  
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
Changes (by cstender):

  * milestone:  0.30 =>

--
Ticket URL: <http://www.opensync.org/ticket/462>
OpenSync <http://www.opensync.org>
A Synchronization Framework
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[Chris Frey-2]

On Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 01:31:25PM +0000, Graham Cobb wrote:
> Outlook has a flag to mark an all day event but it sets the end time to 24

What do people consider an "all day event"?  Is it something like
an anniversary, which is really the "day" and not the time spent?

If so, then RFC2445 does mention how to handle this, in section 6,
Recommended Practices, item #2.

- Chris


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[Christopher Stender-3]

On Saturday 09 June 2007 00:55, Chris Frey wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 01:31:25PM +0000, Graham Cobb wrote:
> > Outlook has a flag to mark an all day event but it sets the end
> > time to 24
>
> What do people consider an "all day event"?  Is it something like
> an anniversary, which is really the "day" and not the time spent?
>
> If so, then RFC2445 does mention how to handle this, in section 6,
> Recommended Practices, item #2.

The problem is not icalendar. As you wrote, RFC2445 mention how to
handle this. The problem is vcalendar which makes no suggestions how to
handle an "all day event". Sadly, most vendors use a different style to
create and interpret such kind of events.

Best regards,

Christopher


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[John August]

OpenSync wrote:

#462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar
 We need workarounds for cellphones which use the vcalendar standard.
 Sadly, there is no spec or rfc which describe how to implement all-day-
 events in vcalendar. We figured out that e.g. Sony Ericsson use
 YYYYMMDDT000000Z - YYYYMMDDT235900Z for this kind of events. We need to
 know how other vendors do it with there cellphones and than use
 capabilities to workaround it.

I'm using a Nokia 6120c. Exports of anniversary come out as start and end entries of 12am, but when you try to put something into the phone with that, you get a range event rather than a one day (anniversary) event. I'm using version 0 5 2 (I think ) of libsync-obex-client . Has there been any progress on this one, or is this a new issue ?

Thanks,

John August.

[John August]

OpenSync wrote:

#462: add workarounds for all-day-events in vcalendar
 We need workarounds for cellphones which use the vcalendar standard.
 Sadly, there is no spec or rfc which describe how to implement all-day-
 events in vcalendar. We figured out that e.g. Sony Ericsson use
 YYYYMMDDT000000Z - YYYYMMDDT235900Z for this kind of events. We need to
 know how other vendors do it with there cellphones and than use
 capabilities to workaround it.

I'm using a Nokia 6120c. Exports of anniversary come out as start and end
entries of 12am, but when you try to put something into the phone with that,
you get a range event rather than a one day (anniversary) event. I'm using
version 0 5 2 (I think ) of libsync-obex-client . Has there been any
progress on this one, or is this a new issue ?

Thanks,

John August.