SYNOPSIS

  iqa [options] ['message']
      --to-email   'you@yourdomain.com'
      --to-ics     'path/to/local/ics'
      --smtp-host  'mail.yourisp.com'
      --no-reply   Don't send back a confirmation reply.
                   (Only applies when messages come in via e-mail)

USAGE

Process short natural, SMS-style descriptions of events and get them into the standard iCalendar format (aka "ICS" files).

Example of Quick-Add Event Expression

 Tomorrow at noon. Lunch with Bob

The format currently must be a date description followed by a period ("."), followed the event summary. See DateTime::Format::Natural for the kind of dates descriptions it can understand.

From a cell phone, Quick-Add an event by email (SMS)

In an email file, like .qmail-yourname-cal:

 iqa --to-email 'you@yourdomain.com' --smtp-host 'mail.yourisp.com'

Now send a text message to this address in the style above. It will receive the message, convert the message to a date and summary and forward on a new message to your regular email address with ICS data. A number of systems will allow you to just click on the resulting message to add it your calendar, where you can possibly add it later. You will be sent back a short confirmation message, showing how the date and time were translated.

There is also a --no-reply if you don't want a confirmation reply.

From a console, Quick-Add an event to a local calendar

    qae 'Tomorrow at noon. Lunch with Bob'

For this example, You need to create a shell alias that makes a shortcut with the standard options you would use. For example, this might go in .profile file:

 # qae = "Quick Add Event"
 # Here the default location of the Evolution groupware calander is used
 alias qae='iqa --to-ics ~/.evolution/calendar/local/system/calendar.ics';

From a console, Quick-Add an event by email (SMS)

 qar 'Tomorrow at noon. Lunch with Bob'

You are at your work computer but want to quickly add an event to a desktop calendar accessible only from another computer. Use this tool to generate an iCal event e-mail to yourself, which you can just click on to accept when you get home.

 # qar = "Quick Add Remote"
 alias qar='iqa --to-email 'you@yourdomain.com' --smtp-host 'mail.yourisp.com'

Compatibility with desktop calendar software.

It may not be safe to inject an event into an ICS file that another program is currently using. For example, if you inject an event an ICS file that evolution is managing while it is running. Also, these changes might not show up right away in the running program, either.

Evolution

With Evolution, a safer option is to use the --to-email option, and open the message in Evolution. It will recognize it as a special kind of event message, and offer to add it to your calendar.

You can save an extra step in the work flow by having the email automatically deleted after you add it your calendar. Look under Edit: Preferences: Mail: Calendar and Tasks and check the box for "Delete message after acting".

TODO

 * Find out if it's possible to cause Evolution to reload the ICS file, so the
   event appears.

 * Support end times (example: 1pm - 3pm )

 * Support alarms (examples:  +1d, +15m )

 * Make it easier to install the script and all the dependencies.

 * Support for other languages besides English (Needs volunteers!)

 * Gracefully handle the case when we are emailed a date description we don't
   understand. I think we should reply with a "sorry" message, but right now
   we just bomb out.

STATUS

This software is currently considered alpha. What's here should generally work, but is subject to change. Note all the TODO items above.

AUTHOR

Mark Stosberg mark@summersault.com

LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2007, Mark Stosberg mark@summersault.com. All rights reserved.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See perldoc perlartistic.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE ''AS IS'' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

cpanm ICal::QuickAdd

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install ICal::QuickAdd