Re: [RFC] ox-icalendar: Unscheduled tasks & repeating tasks

[Jack Kamm <jackkamm@gmail.com>]

Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@posteo.net> writes:

>> So technically, a standalone DEADLINE + repeater isn't allowed -- a
>> repeating task must always have a start date.
>
> May we then use org-deadline-warning-days/timestamp warntime spec as DTSTART?
> VALARM component is not fitting for warning days anyway.
>
>> But still, maybe we should stick to the requirement, and only export
>> repeater on SCHEDULED. That would simplify the implementation. The
>> downside is that repeating deadlines won't show up in iCalendar, which
>> seems undesirable.
>
> Agree. We should better stick to the spec.

I took a closer look into how other programs handle RRULE, DTSTART, DUE.

I tried the following CalDav servers:

Nextcloud, radicale

And the following clients:

Tasks.org, Thunderbird, Evolution. (I did not use Nextcloud client
because it doesn't support repeating tasks, even though the Nextcloud
server does).

Thunderbird and Evolution clients do not allow creating repeating tasks
without start date -- if you try to do so, they will force you to
specify one.

Tasks.org client does allow repeating tasks with only a deadline (no
start date).  Nextcloud and radicale servers happily accept the
repeating deadline from Tasks.org without start date. When I download
the ICS file from the server, the VTODO contains RRULE and DUE, but not
DTSTART. When I validate the ICS file with icalendar.org [1], it accepts
the ICS as valid, even though it seemingly violates the spec by missing
DTSTART.

So, it seems there is some inconsistency about this in the iCalendar
ecosystem.

I have not yet reached a firm conclusion on the best solution, but am
leaning towards your suggestion to use org-deadline-warning-days for
DTSTART in this case. I'll try to have a more concrete, updated patch on
this ready in a couple weeks or so.


[1] https://icalendar.org/validator.html