ical format

[0sv]

Hi!

I'm using fet for my university proyect and I must use Ical format as output.

I would like to know if someone is working on this task or even whether to put the idea to do so.

Thanks.

[Volker Dirr]

Hi

as far as i know nobody is working on that.

Some time ago there was already an iCal format output in FET. (just get FET 4.2.8 version. For example here: DELETED, because it is old. NEW one: http://www.timetabling.de/download/old/ ).
i never used that, because i haven't an Apple system.
i don't know why Liviu removed it. Maybe because the structure changed a little bit with FET 5.0.0.

like you maybe know, i upgraded the xhtml output file during that time. If i remember correct, then the internal structure of the variables didn't change much at that time. Liviu changed only the structure of the variables of the "rooms". Maybe that was the only reason why Liviu removed it.
So i think it will be an easy task to code that if you know the ical format.
Just do it like in timetableexport.cpp (that is the xhtml output). Maybe that task can be done in very short time if you just get the old fet 4.2.8 source and convert it to the new 5.x.x.

So please wait a few days until Liviu return. So he can tell you why he removed ical and what to care about.

[Liviu Lalescu]

I'm back.

Yes, you can see the old ical export in FET-4.2.8. I removed it in FET-5 because I thought nobody used that.

I think you can write an ical export easily, by following the code from timetableexport.cpp.

Please let me know if you have any problems and I'll answer.

[0sv]

Hi
I was busy in the last weeks but I'm working on iCalc format.

Using the timetableexport I make some iCal calendars, but I was trying to separate each teacher from the other teachers (and the same thing for students and rooms)

When you make a new calendar, and view the timetable, you can select one teacher and then you only see the timetable corresponding to that teacher.

It could be possible to use that table to export to an iCal format? adding some button there to export?

How this table is generated?

Thanks.

[Liviu Lalescu]

Hi
I was busy in the last weeks but I'm working on iCalc format.

Using the timetableexport I make some iCal calendars, but I was trying to separate each teacher from the other teachers (and the same thing for students and rooms)

When you make a new calendar, and view the timetable, you can select one teacher and then you only see the timetable corresponding to that teacher.

It could be possible to use that table to export to an iCal format? adding some button there to export?

How this table is generated?

Thanks.

Method 1: you could save in multiple files the calendar for each teacher (using what you worked so far, from timetableexport.cpp).

Method 2: you can add a button in timetable view form and export the timetable of current teacher in iCal format.

Which one do you prefer? I would prefer 1.

Adding a button is easy if you worked a bit with Qt. You will need old Qt-3.3.x to open the timetableviewteachersform_template.ui, add a button and make a slot for it and then write the C++ code (no more Qt). I could try to do that for you, if you cannot do it.

Qt-3.3.x is not available freely for Windows (Qt-4 is).

[0sv]

Surely I select the Method1, save each teacher/group/room is more simple than programing a new button, and in this way i don't have problems if the interface changes.

Don't worry about Qt-3.3x I'm a linux user, and i know c++ programming

Thanks for your fast response.

[Corfiot]

Maybe it would be best to get some XSL(T) to run on the actual XML output? This way no modification of FET would be necessary.

[jvo]

Could you please tell me how can I convert a fet file to the
ical format or how can I generate ical format files as FET output.

Many thanks
jvo

[Volker Dirr]

i don't know if osv finished his work. i never saw results from him. so let's hope he will answer.

i saw my previous link doesn't work anymore.
use this one if you want to use the old ical source:
http://www.timetabling.de/download/old/

[jvo]

Thank you for your answer.

I am trying to re-introduce the Export to iCalendar functionality from fet-4.2.8 into the new fet-5.12.2 version, but I'm experiencing some dificulties.

For instance, in file timetableexporticalstudentsform.h
it is included timetableexporticalstudentsform_template.h that I cannot find in the fet-4.2.8 distribution.

Am I missing something?

Many thanks

[Liviu Lalescu]

Thank you for your answer.

I am trying to re-introduce the Export to iCalendar functionality from fet-4.2.8 into the new fet-5.12.2 version, but I'm experiencing some dificulties.

For instance, in file timetableexporticalstudentsform.h
it is included timetableexporticalstudentsform_template.h that I cannot find in the fet-4.2.8 distribution.

Am I missing something?

Many thanks

timetableexporticalstudentsform_template.h is automatically generated by qmake from timetableexporticalstudentsform_template.ui. You also might want to convert this timetableexporticalstudentsform_template.ui from Qt 3 to Qt 4.

The task you are trying to do might be too difficult. I advise you to do a separate module, using the xml timetables obtained with FET.

The reasons why I removed the iCal export from FET was that I thought nobody used this format. Also, the iCal export in FET 4 was not perfect, you may want firstly to use FET 4 on a simple file to see how this export works.

[jvo]

Thank you for your advise that I will follow as I do not have any experience with qt and I need those ical files ASAP.

ical files are becoming more and more useful. At my instituition we are just getting started to use FET and we would like to import the generated tables to google calendar and to mobile devices.

Please consider the re-introduction of Export to iCalender functionality into FET again, as a standard issue.

Again, many thanks
jvo from Algarve, Portugal

[Volker Dirr]

you don't need to know (much) qt to code that.
but i saw ical fromat changed a bit in september 2009 (compare http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5545 )
the "old" format was from novermber 1998 (comapre http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2445 )

i didn't read the full description yet.
i want to finish my suggested activity planning form first. maybe i will have a look at that after i am finished with that work. (i am not sure, maybe i will try to code direct printing from fet first. i am not sure.)

[Volker Dirr]

i read the new documentation the last days. i think i know how to do it, but it will take much time to code.

the old code (from fet 4.2. is not very usefull.
the internal code must changed a bit, because the internal data structure changed a bit.
that isn't to much work, i guess 1 day.

but the interface must changed much. the old version is useless, because the time between 2 periods is always the same, but nearly no school has it that way.
so there is a new form/dialog needed where a user can add start- and endtime of each period.

there is also a start date and end date needed to do a good export. this is also critical, because it is normaly only possible with a 7 days week. of cause we can add pseudo days if you have only a 6, 5, 4 ... days week.
but how to export if you enter more then 7 days. that is critical in the export.
also a list of exceptions is usefull (for example moveable feast, holiday, ...)

so i guess coding only export to weeks with max 7 days will take around one week. don't forget coder must also check interface/export on windows, linux. check memory corruption with valgrind. check import with outlook, kalender, ...
as i learnd while coding the last years, you can nearly always double the expected time, because of bugs that take sometimes a long time to solve.

i think there is enough time during my spring holiday to code it, but i know no teacher will use this feature at my school. i am sure max a few kids will use it. so this suggestion has no advantage to me or my school. there are more important (private) things to do.

[nh]

Hi

I am interested by timetable import and export solutions from/to the ical format.

Corfiot have you worked on an export solution via xsl? Volker Dirr have you progressed in your project?

Up to my knowledge there is no timetable import solution, right ? In particular from ical. The idea is to work on pre-built calendar by locking then some activities with time and place constraints.

/Nicolas