From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Ian Barton <lists@manor-farm.org>
Subject: Re: Status google calendar sync
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:43:56 +0000
Message-ID: <4D39555C.8050902@manor-farm.org>
References: <4D3945ED.9060605@gmail.com>
Reply-To: lists@manor-farm.org
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Return-path: <emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org>
Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=40816 helo=eggs.gnu.org)
	by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1PgDXS-0005cT-Eq
	for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:44:17 -0500
Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71)
	(envelope-from <lists@manor-farm.org>) id 1PgDXR-0002H8-7U
	for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:44:14 -0500
Received: from mail.ian-barton.com ([109.74.196.44]:57003
	helo=li40-130.members.linode.com)
	by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71)
	(envelope-from <lists@manor-farm.org>) id 1PgDXR-0002EN-37
	for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:44:13 -0500
Received: from localhost (mail.wilkesley.org [127.0.0.1])
	by li40-130.members.linode.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 29FCEA06F
	for <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:43:58 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from li40-130.members.linode.com ([127.0.0.1])
	by localhost (mail.manor-farm.org [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024)
	with ESMTP id 2Jd9TdzLSPEm for <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>;
	Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:43:58 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from [192.168.0.133] (unknown [217.146.125.41])
	(Authenticated sender: ian@manor-farm.org)
	by li40-130.members.linode.com (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id B3864A068
	for <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>; Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:43:57 +0000 (UTC)
In-Reply-To: <4D3945ED.9060605@gmail.com>
List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." <emacs-orgmode.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode>,
	<mailto:emacs-orgmode-request@gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode>
List-Post: <mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:emacs-orgmode-request@gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode>,
	<mailto:emacs-orgmode-request@gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org
Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org
To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org

>
> I know some people managed to get a kind of sync running between
> org-mode and google calendar. I would really like to know how this works
> out for them and maybe create a stimulus to write something (I would
> play the beta-tester) on worg.
>
> Ideally, I want to have a no-brainer. I create a new appointment in
> org-mode and a keypress away it should be synced with the google
> calendar. Alternatively, an automatic sync every hour or so would be nice.
>
> On the other side, I wish I could add an appointment on my mobile phone
> and it ends up automatically with the next sync as an appointment in a
> special heading in the org-file (like org-remember, does). From this
> point, I could move it to other locations if I feel so.
>
> I would love to hear how far people got with an approach like describe
> above.
>
Hi Torsten,

I have been playing around with this for a while. I use a Nokia phone, 
but the principle is the same. I have experimented with both syncing 
from my org files to Google and syncing from Google to org.

I don't attempt bi-directional sync, so one side of the sync operation 
is always considered the "master". Initially I tried creating an org 
file from Google calendar by using the python bindings that Google 
provides. This worked pretty well - basically the org file is re-created 
each time I synced with Google.

However, almost without exception, I will be at my computer when I want 
to create an appointment. So, for me it makes sense to create my 
appointments in org and export them to Google. At the moment I have a 
cron job that exports my appointments as an ics file on my server and 
Google reads this. Luckily, I don't have complicated appointments. They 
tend to be single events, or weekly recurrences which org handles OK.

The one useful thing I am missing at the moment is the ability to set 
reminders in Google Calendar. I find these very useful as Google will 
send me an SMS message. In fact I often create appointments, which are 
really just reminders! I am planning to implement this  by creating 
reminders as org Properties and then using them to create the Google 
reminder.

Since I am still on page one of the "Complete Idiots Guide to elisp", I 
plan to do this in Python, which has some nice libraries for creating 
ics files.

Ian.