Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

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marklang
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Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

I just started using Lighting along with Thunderbird, which I have used for many years. I am syncing with Google calendar on my main email so I can also sync on my Android phone. I get events fine. However, when I go to create a new calendar from the web, I am only given options (using the Provider plugin) to sync my main calendar (events), holidays, and something called "contacts." Google has no calendar named "contacts," but it does have reminders, which are also on the Android application. Is there a way to get the reminders to sync into Lightning? Does anyone know what the "contacts" calendar is?

These are probably dumb questions, but I could not find any explanations anywhere. Thanks for any help.
Mark Lang
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DanRaisch
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by DanRaisch »

Moving to Calendar forum.
marklang
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

Thanks, Dan, I missed that there was a calendar forum.

Another question, perhaps a misunderstanding. I thought that the sync was supposed to be two way. When I added my Google calendar using the Provider plugin, all the Google calendar items transferred to Lightning. However, none of the items already in my Lightning calendar transferred back to Google. Also, when I create a new event in Lightning, I can specify it to be in my Google calendar, and it appears in Google and in Lightning. However, if I set it to be in the Home (Lightning) calendar, it appears only locally. ls there a way to truly get full bi-directional syncing? Thanks.
Mark Lang
mgagnonlv
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by mgagnonlv »

Calendars available with Provider for Google Calendar

When you subscribe to a Google calendar with Lightning, the provider will display all the calendars that are attached to your Gmail account and available, whether they are visible or not.

To see what I mean :
– Visit https://calendar.google.com
– Click on the cog wheel at the top and select "Parameters"
In the left panel, at about 1/2 point, you will see a list of all your calendars, both those you created and the default ones.
By default, you will have Calendar (I'll call it "My Google Calendar" to be clear) and Holidays which are ticked, and "Contacts" which is not ticked, therefore not visible on Google calendar. You will also have "Family", with a crossed eye (which means it is not visible on Google Calendar but also not listed in the Provider and Android phone.

You already guessed the use of "My Google calendar" and "Holidays".
"Contacts" basically displays anniversaries of people in your Google Contacts list. On the web, it also displays alarms you have set up with Google Notes Keep, but you can't get these alarms on Lightning nor in your Android calendar.
As for "Family", it should display family events... but I have no idea how to configure that function (and I don't need it).


Synching events

Yes it works both ways.
You have to make sure that all events are created in your "My Google Calendar".
The default calendar you had in Lightning is purely local and, quite frankly, you might as well delete it to avoid any future error.

How to do that safely? It depends whether you have a lot of events or just a few of them. Obviously future events are more important than past ones.

– With few (future) events in the local calendar:
Simply select each event; double-click to open it and change the calendar to "My Google Calendar". They will now be part of your online calendar and will be synched.

– With many (future) events in the local calendar:
Export the local calendar in an .ics file.
Then import that file in "My Google Calendar" (or create a new Google calendar for them if you prefer to keep them separate).
Remove duplicates if any.

TIP. To avoid future errors, either delete the local calendar or click on its property and make it "read only". That way, you will still be able to see past appointments but you will be forced to create new events in "My Google Calendar".


You want more than one Google Calendar?

It is possible to have more than one Google Calendar.
– First create new calendars on the web at https://calendar.google.com
– Then go to Thunderbird/Lightning, select "New Calendar" –> Google, then subscribe to the new calendars you have created.
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
marklang
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

Thanks so much for the information. I had already concluded that one must create events in Lightning in the Google calendar for them to sync in both places. That does work fine. Fortunately, I had very few events in my local calendar to worry about.

My Google calendar on the website also has one for "reminders." It is listed in the lefthand column with the regular Google calendar, birthdays, tasks, and holidays. The reminder also appears in my Android phone calendar app. However, when I go to create a new calendar in Lightning, that does not appear as a option. It appears that Lightning uses the term "reminder" to refer to sounds that are provided to notify of an upcoming event when set. Perhaps that is why it does not recognize the Google reminder calendar. I wanted the ability to remind myself to do something on a given day when there is no specific time or event related. I guess I will just have to create an event at an odd time to get it to show up. If there is a way to get the Google reminders, I would be interested. I guess I could create a task instead. However, on my Android phone the Google calendar app does not do that. One must go to the email app instead.

Again, thanks for the explanations.
Mark Lang
marklang
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

Followup. The provider does not seem to be presenting my Google calendars. It gives me an option for Contacts, but I have no such calendar showing (even unchecked) on the Google website. When I browse for new calendars to create, I do not find one there, either. However, I do have a Reminders calendar listed on the Google website, but provider does not present that option.
Mark Lang
mgagnonlv
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by mgagnonlv »

Sorry but I can't be of any more help. I don't have a "Reminders" calendar on Google. I don't know if there is a linguistic difference (My interface is in French) or if Google has different versions in different parts of the worlds (it has happened).
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
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WaltS48
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by WaltS48 »

marklang wrote:Followup. The provider does not seem to be presenting my Google calendars. It gives me an option for Contacts, but I have no such calendar showing (even unchecked) on the Google website. When I browse for new calendars to create, I do not find one there, either. However, I do have a Reminders calendar listed on the Google website, but provider does not present that option.
Here is what's listed in my Google calendar on the web.

My personal calendar (using my name)
Birthdays
Reminders
Tasks

The only ones I can subscribe to with the provider in Lightning is my personal named calendar and Tasks. I also added US Holidays, and some local sports teams which appear in Thunderbird's calendar.

If I need a reminder for an event I have scheduled in my Google calendar, I use it's reminder when creating the event. I think the default is 30 minutes before.

I reckon a user could create an event or task as a reminder. Some of my events are reminders to pay a bill.
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marklang
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

WaltS48,
You are seeing just what I am seeing. I wanted to use the reminder to create a note on my calendar to take care of something that day which does not have a specific time or event associated with it. However, I can get by creating an event with a time, and just remembering what it is when I look at it. Getting the timed message or ping (what Lightning calls a reminder) does not matter to me for those needs. I just want something I will see on the calendar to remind me to do whatever it is. While Google has such a feature, it appears that the Mozilla provider plugin does not recognize it for some reason. Again, this may be because Lightning does not have a way to create such a "reminder."
Mark Lang
posfan12
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by posfan12 »

Thanks for this thread since I noticed the same issue. Should a bug report be filed? Should the report be directed at TB/Lightning or the "provider" plugin? Hopefully it gets resolved at some point in the future.
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WaltS48
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by WaltS48 »

Wouldn't those be Tasks and you could use that Calendar for taking care of something you want to take care of that day.

As for not being able to set a time for a reminder. Well it is a calendar and needs a time and date set for everything.

I use Events for tasks myself.
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posfan12
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by posfan12 »

Gmail is tied into my school, so I need Reminders to work properly in both apps, not just one.
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tanstaafl
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by tanstaafl »

Just to be clear, are we talking about the "provider for google calendar" add-on at https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/th ... src=search ?

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... DppSeEGmvk has two users complaining the syncing of events using it only works one way (entries made in google calendar appear in Lightning but not vice versa)
marklang
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by marklang »

Yes, we are talking about Provider for Google Calendar. The issues discussed in the Google forum you mention is probably a configuration issue. When you create an entry in Thunderbird, you must make sure it goes into the Google calendar you have synced. By default it goes into the local Thunderbird calendar only and does not sync.
Mark Lang
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WaltS48
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Re: Sync with Google calendar "reminders"

Post by WaltS48 »

marklang wrote:Yes, we are talking about Provider for Google Calendar. The issues discussed in the Google forum you mention is probably a configuration issue. When you create an entry in Thunderbird, you must make sure it goes into the Google calendar you have synced. By default it goes into the local Thunderbird calendar only and does not sync.
So when you are creating the Event/Task, you start by selecting the calendar you want from the Calendar List on the left side of the Calendar tab, or select it from the Calendar drop down in the creation dialog and it defaults back to another calendar?

Do you have write permissions for the Google calendar you want to use? No lock icon next to the calendar in the list indicating it is a Read only calendar.

I can't select a Read only calendar from the drop down in the creation dialog. If I do select one from the list it defaults back to my writable Gmail calendar when I go to create the event.
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