language-agnosticicalendarrfc2445rfc5545

ICalendar and event updates not working in Outlook


I'm generating ICalendar (.ics) files.

Using the UID and SEQUENCE fields I can update existing events in Google Calendar and in Windows Calendar BUT NOT in MS Outlook 2007 - it just creates a second event

How do I get them to work for Outlook ?

Thanks

Tom


Solution

  • I've continued to do some testing and have now managed to get Outlook to update and cancel events based on the .cs file.

    Outlook in fact seems to respond to the rules defined in RFC 2446

    In summary you have to specify

    METHOD:REQUEST and ORGANIZER:xxxxxxxx

    in addition to UID: and SEQUENCE:

    For a cancellation you have to specify METHOD:CANCEL

    Request/Update Example

    BEGIN:VCALENDAR
    VERSION:2.0
    PRODID:-//SYFADIS//PORTAIL FORMATION//FR
    METHOD:REQUEST
    BEGIN:VEVENT
    UID:TS_229377_MS_262145@syfadis.com
    SEQUENCE:5
    DTSTAMP:20081106T154911Z
    ORGANIZER:catalog@syfadis.com
    DTSTART:20081113T164907
    DTEND:20081115T170000
    SUMMARY:TestTraining
    STATUS:CONFIRMED
    END:VEVENT
    END:VCALENDAR
    

    Cancel Example;

    BEGIN:VCALENDAR
    VERSION:2.0
    PRODID:-//SYFADIS//PORTAIL FORMATION//FR
    METHOD:CANCEL
    BEGIN:VEVENT
    UID:TS_229377_MS_262145@syfadis.com
    SEQUENCE:7
    DTSTAMP:20081106T154916Z
    ORGANIZER:catalog@syfadis.com
    DTSTART:20081113T164907
    SUMMARY:TestTraining
    STATUS:CANCELLED
    END:VEVENT
    END:VCALENDAR