Use webcal:// for Outlook 2007 iCalendar compatability

[slicertool@…]

I know when using iCalendar files with Outlook 2007, if they're linked via a normal ​http:// link, they'll be opened as a static file with no knowledge of its online counterpart. However, if opened via the webcal:// link, it will be recognized by Outlook as something that it can sync with and keep tabs on.

I'm not sure how widespread webcal:// use is in other iCalendar compatible applications, but I thought I'd toss it out there.

[Emmanuel Blot]

webcal:// indicates a protocol, not a data format. AFAIR, webcal is an extension of webdav which in turn is an extension of http.

I don't know what Outlook and M$ have once again messed up with iCal files, but producing a webcal:// means a URL to a webcal-enabled server, which is not supported by Trac (and won't).

Leaving the ticket open as there may be an alternative to better support Outlook 2007, but I'd say the webcal thing is a wontfix.

[slicertool@…]

Connecting to a link via the webcal:// prefix against a Trac iCalendar works perfectly fine with Outlook and is opened and updated appropriately.

Let the congregation please turn with us to the book of Wikipedia. Chapter Webcal.

​http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webcal

The Webcal protocol prefix is used to trigger an external protocol handler which is passed the URL of the .ics file rather than being passed the downloaded contents of the file, in much the same way feed: is sometimes used to trigger external RSS readers. The idea is that with this protocol prefix the target file should be subscribed to rather than imported into the calendar application as would happen with a simple download.

Also, Apple was the one that came up with webcal://. When in doubt, blame Steve Jobs.

[slicertool@…]

In addition, there is ​this article that explains the reasoning behind using webcal:// vs http:// much as people use rss:// or atom:// as those aren't actually protocols and are just ways to reference something should opened with the appropriate software to subscribe instead of download a static copy.

[Christian Boos]

Maybe you could provide a more detailed example of what you want to achieve? Is it simply to create alias for e.g. ​http://trac.edgewall.org/roadmap?format=ics so that Outlook will recognize webcal://trac.edgewall.org/roadmap?format=ics as an iCal file?

If so, you could perhaps use an InterWiki link (look for the tsvn: sample).

[Christian Boos]

Hum, ok, now why is the above webcal://… recognized as an external link?

[Christian Boos]

Ok, simply because of the '//' part immediately after the link protocol.

Well, apparently that's not enough for me to be able to open Outlook, but I can't either with a plain roadmap.ics file, so there are probably other interoperability issues going on.

[slicertool@…]

From what I have found out, the Apple program "iCal" was what actually started using this type of link. Since then, ​there is a list of applications that FireFox tests the webcal:// usage with. However, it is essentially Outlook 2003 & 2007, Windows Calendar (Vista Only), Mozilla Lightning & Sunbird (all platforms), Entourage, iCal.app, KOrganizer suite and Evolution.

What I'd like to accomplish is at the bottom of the Roadmap have both the download link for iCalendar as it is now and a secondary webcal://trac.edgewall.org/roadmap?format=ics link which would let whatever 3rd party application on the user's computer to be able to open the .ics file directly to integrate with their calendar.

[sid]

Changing to correct ticket type.

[marcandre.lureau@…]

that would be awesome, +1

[osimons]

I'd like this as well. I'll put it on my to-do.

[Remy Blank]

Simon, feel free to reassign the milestone if you intend to do it sooner.

[Hamish Lawson]

Replying to eblot:

webcal:// indicates a protocol, not a data format. AFAIR, webcal is an extension of webdav which in turn is an extension of http.

You're thinking of CalDAV.

[Christian Boos]

Milestone 2.0 deleted

[Thijs Triemstra <lists@…>]

Replying to slicertool@…:

From what I have found out, the Apple program "iCal" was what actually started using this type of link.

In that case it would make sense to completely replace the http link for the .ics file with a webcal:// one since it would continue to work in iCal, but then also in outlook etc?