Vista/Win7 - please note:

    There is no repair functionality in Office 2000/XP/2003 for ActiveX anymore.
    Only a new installation can help, and you must select the "full installation".
    (This problem can be caused by an update from Office 2000 to 2003).

Short introduction into the way iCal4OL is syncing

Order Code - upgrading or changing your PC - How to receive a new Liberation Code

To liberate the full version (there is no way to liberate the trial), you need a liberation code which relates to your PC hardware.

To compute the liberation code, I need a (new) order code, which was generated on your PC hardware!
You can generate the order code in the trial or in the full version (only if not yet liberated).

If you did not order iCal4OL from inside the Trial, email the order code. If you upgraded/changed your hardware, confirm the de-installation on the old PC, and email the new order code, generated on the new PC. The replacement is free of charge.

step by step
Start iCal4OL - then on the splash window click [Order Software (Generate order Code)], enter your name, click [Generate order code], copy it to the clipboard and paste it into an email...
To buy a licence from the Trial you can directly click on [Open order page in your browser], and then use the [Paypal] button (the order code will automatically be included in the PayPal form). See order page for more info..

Privacy Policy (Order Code):
The order code includes following computer data: Entered Name, MAC-Address, Computername and Harddisk Serial.
All customer data is treated as strictly confidential and is secured in an encrypted PGP-Disk.

How to use an Exchange Public Calendar Folder or in addition opened *.pst files

Go to tab "Options" and activate "[X] Extended Scan for Exchange Public Calendar Folders"
There is a reason for this separate option: Scanning a big company folder structure takes time (at iCal4OL startup)..

To circument a scan at startup, use "Start now (otherwise at next program start)?" for scanning directly the folder structure and mark the desired Public Folder afterwards with the button [EntryID] - which will show up on tab "1. How"..

Choose first your (public) calendar and then click on [EntryID]!
The folder EntryID will be written into the configuration file (.ini) and the option "Extended Scan for Exchange Public Calendar Folders" will be deactivated again.

Please note: If you want to sync with a Public Task or Contact Folder, too - do NOT deactivate this option!

Attention: To save the Sync Fields in a Public Exchange Folder, you must be the OWNER of this folder (admin rights are not enough).
From 2.9.3 onwards, an option is available to save the sync fields in an external DB..

In addition there is an option on tab "Options / Exchange.." called [X] Monitor deleted events in Exchange Public Folder. This option will prevent the re-import of exchange events, if they have been deleted already (deleted events are not move to "Deleted Items" Folder). A file "EntryID".UID under C:\documents and settings\<profile>\Appdata\iCal4OL\ will be created with all UID's, which get exported/uploaded (from now on)..
For Upload to Google/CalDAV-Store, this option will take care to delete events on the server, which have been already deleted in OL public folder, too!
Another workaround: Modify the subject of an event from e.g. "meeting" to "meeting <deleted>". Events with text "deleted" in subject are treated as deleted by iCal4OL, so they get deleted on the server, too...

If an Exchange folder was not created as "Calendar" (see LOG after scan) you can manually add it in the configuration file:
For this, click [EntryID] for another calendar, and then modify the configuration file (e.g. Default.ini). You can use Notepad.exe (Editor) or do this on tab "Configurations" with [Show .ini].. You must reload the .ini file after the changes!

[Option]
:
:
DKalender=Name of a Public Folder              => any name possible
DEntryId=Folder.EntryID + "@" + Folder.StoreID => take it from LOG.exe (of scan above)

How to sync with multiple Configurations e.g. Google Calendars

There are many possibilities...

1. (here the basics)
- With button [Configuration save as..] on tab "Run" you can save a configuration under a different name (*.ini).
   C:\documents and settings\<userprofile>\Appdata\iCal4OL\Default.ini is the default name.
- With button [Load Configuration] e.g. on tab [What] you can load a configuration file.
- New: Right click on tab "Run" on a configuration file to see a context menu. - On tab [Configuration] you can duplicate configuration files (or load them).
- On tab [Run] you can select additional configurations to run, too (chaining).

2.
A different possibility is to use the button [Scheduled Tasks] on tab [Run].
Here you can make copies of iCal4OL.exe e.g. as iCal4OL2.exe in the same folder (e.g. C:\Program Files\iCal4OL\), if you have administrator rights. A link under RUN - All Programs - iCal4OL - will be added automatically for you, too.
This is not possible under VISTA - you need to make manually a copy - as administrator - in the same folder!
So every iCal4OLx.exe will have it's own Default.ini in its own appdata path like
C:\documents and settings\<userprofile>\Appdata\iCal4OL2\Default.ini

For a "Scheduled Task", I suggest to use the Default.ini (standard configuration file). This is very handy to maintain the configuration directly!

3.
There are many command line options for iCal4OL.exe, e.g. to load a specific configuration file.
See the documentation about "run options".
If another configuration file as Default.ini is loaded, you will always be asked to overwrite it - OR save it as Default.ini

Please note for "Incremental Sync", if you are running a sync by clicking on [Start Synchronization] (manually):
In this case the configuration file will not be saved automatically, if the corresponding option on tab "Options" is not activated (The field "Date & Time Last Run" will be set, but not saved yet)!
Use the icon-button "Save & Exit" for saving, or if you don't want to exit the program use the button [Save Configuration].
On exit the program will ask, if you want to save the configuration file, if you hav'nt done it already.

How to regularly access an iCal feed every 2 hour and auto-update Outlook eg. from Google Calendar

With "Scheduled Tasks"
see Tab [Start].. more here

Tasktray Autostart
see Tab [Start]..
Click on your time intervall to start it. Click again in Tasktray to stop it. While running click to see progress, click MINIMIZE windows to send it back to Tasktray.
You must click and test your time interval (will become bold) before activating "At next start?".

How to correct wrong American VTIMEZONE information for a ICS file/feed (New Daylight Savings Time 2007)

Import:
Some of ICS files/feed out there have wrong timezone definitions in the VTIMEZONE section!
For Win XP/2000 this Patch was probably installed on your machine by Windows Updates. This could result in one hour offset between 3/11/2007 and 4/1/2007 for all events (because of the wrong timezone definitions)!

In this case, you must use the option Ignore VTIMEZONE details and resolve by TZID.txt (read doc!) - or under "Enhanced Import Option" the Manual Timezone Difference!
Example for America/New_York:

Manual Timezone Difference:  UTC= -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10
                             TZID= +0000

(Otherwise iCal4OL is using the Windows-API, which could result in 1 hour shifting)

Export:
If you export a ICS file, it will depend on the other application (patched for 2007?!) what you have to do! Test it...

For Webcalendar 1.0.5 you have to use UTC and probably
Manual Timezone-Difference: -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10 

For other Outlook Calendar always use UTC!

For other applications not patched with the New Daylight Savings Time rules:

Your TIMEZONE (Who).......: America/New_York -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10
Manual Timezone-Difference: -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10   2007: 2SU;3 1SU;11
or
Your TIMEZONE (Who).......: America/New_York -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10 2007: 2SU;3 1SU;11
Manual Timezone-Difference: -0500 -0400 1SU;4 -1SU;10   

Google Calendar Synchronization - what is to consider?

Make sure your system time is set correctly by clicking on button [Test]!
If your system clock is off by more than 40 seconds, it would result in unnecessary sync of identical events.

LastModificationTime of recurring events (and occurrence exceptions)
If a single occurrence get modified, the LastModificationTime of the "Main Outlook Event" will be changed, too - but never in Google! To prevent any sync problem, iCal4OL will upload a just downloaded recurring event again to Google... Do not wonder... it's by design!

Deleted (Cancelled) Events

Alternative Method to delete events:
Never delete events manually (*2).. add only text DELETED in the Subject, e.g. "meeting deleted".
Those events will be imported normally into Outlook. But when exporting/uploading "STATUS:CANCELLED" will be added - and the event gets deleted in Google.
After Export you need to clean up those Outlook events (with text "Deleted" in the Subject): Sync again ;-) or use the function in Tab "Maintenance".

(*2) Please note: Always delete single occurrence of a recurring event directly (in Outlook and GCAL). You should not use text "deleted" here (=>EXDATE!)

Problems with special characters (UTF-8 Format)

Export: ics-files are always encoded in UTF-8

• Never modify ics-files in Notepad.exe - the encoding can get corrupted!
• Are the special characters in Outlook correct? Correct them first manually..
• For WebDAV Upload (PUT to a web address), the encoding is done indireclty by WinHTTP.dll. I know only of Kronolith-Horde, which may have a problem with this. In this case switch on tab [Options / HTTP DLL] to "use WinInet.dll instead of WinHTTP.dll" and turn of the Export encoding, too.

If you still have problems with special characters, send me an Email with the ics file.

Does iCal4OL support Google Calendar Invitations / Attendees?

Yes - see also DOC! This options is deactivated by default (under Enhanced Options - Upload, see Do not send invitations to (new) guests).

iCal4OL supports two different configuration, see on tab "Options":
(*1) [X] Use Outlook Scheduling Tab for Attendees (otherwise in "Body" or "Link:")
(*2) If this option is not active, linked contacts from field "Contacts:" will be interpreted as attendees!
Status of invitations are shown/downloaded in descriptions of the event (OL tab "Status" can't be activated. This is only for sending invitations by Outlook).

• Invitations (if option active) are send with status "invited" (waiting for answer).
• If Do not send invitations to guests is activated, new attendees will be uploaded with status "accepted"
  
• If a specific contact has a Google Calendar Account, his preferences (options) are used - if he wants to receive invitations.
  For "Non Google Calendar Users" invitations are also send, and can then be accepted per web interface.
• The invitation status will be shown in the event description, and is also updated during Upload
• If event gets modified, all attendees will get notified automatically, and status stays "as it was before".
• An event can be locked - so no invitations are send:
  for NEVER again: above line "==> " in description enter "@@i" or "no inivitation".
  for NOT NEXT TIME: below line "==> " in description - best at the end - enter "@@i" or "no inivitation".
   
• Single attendees can be "removed" without sending an event notification:
  Change "Participant: xy <xy@test.com> Invited" to "Participant: xy <xy@test.com> delete"... When uploading the "Links" will be deleted in Outlook and Google.
• Status info gets updated in Body of Outlook Event while uploading an event, too.
• Version > 2.3.2: @@r or @@reset in Body resets (deletes) all attendees and add contacts/attendees again as "invited" - only added guests in Google get lost.
  (*1= using Outlook Scheduling Tab for Attendees will set Outlook stati again..)
• The owner (=organizer =>you!) of this Google Calendars never gets "invited" (always "accepted" by design).
• When importing events into Outlook, use the option "Add attendees to Contact folder and link them with event".
  Check this option when using (1).

Outlook Run-time error like: '-2147457259 (80004005)' method '~' of object '~' failed

Well - first restart your machine.... Several possibilities for this...

The COM-Object (outlook.exe) of MS Outlook XP (2002) SP2 has a bug (update to SP3!):
- Outlook XP start, iCal4OL start, iCal4OL close, Outlook XP close.... is OK!
- iCal4OL start, Outlook XP start, Outlook XP close, iCal4OL close.... is OK!
- Outlook XP start, iCal4OL start, Outlook XP close, iCal4OL close.... will result in an error in iCal4OL.exe!
Update to SP3!

OL2007 without SP had a severe bug! Ctrl-Drag&Drop duplicated the EntryID, which should be unique.. Only possibility to correct this, is to delete all affected events! Do not use Drag&Drop for duplication of events, anymore! Update to latest SP!

FIX it by doing an Export, then [Show LOG].. check for the last event written into the Log!
The next main event (ascending date/time) is corrupt (but not a further occurrence of a repeating event).
Delete this event and try exporting again.

Find single defective appointments:
- Activate toolbar "Advanced"
- Select the category view and sort it by "Begin" (Starttime)
- Defective appointments often have no start date, ie. those are at the top
- Delete them and remove them from the "Deleted Items" Folder, too. Then re-add...

Perhaps you want to try this:
- Export all events (Calendars) into a "personal folder file (*.pst)".
- Then delete all events (extended search, mark all with ctrl-a and delete
- empty "Deleted Items" folder (deleted objects)
- Import again the exported "personal folder file (*.pst)"
- use ScanPst.exe (is on your harddisk - google yourself for help) to correct other problems with Outlook.pst
- Download the latest Office ServicePack (+Patches) from Microsoft!

ActiveX-Problems => Re-Install Office 2000/XP(2002)/2003:
- Something was gone wrong during last installation
- Mostly an Update from Office 2000 to XP(2002),2003 may be the cause
Repeat the installation, use "full installation"!
May be - you have to deinstall Office first - see here.

ActiveX-Problems => Outlook 2007:
START-Run: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Outlook.exe /regserver (not available in every version)

A very helpful idea is: rename olmapi32.dll to olmapi32.old, the run Office SETUP - REPAIR.
This corrects many issues with unstable Outlook!

When subscribing to a Remote Calendar not all old events are deleted

Possibilities to subscribe a remote calendar are documented in the forum, see here.

For deleting the old events, the case sensitive name of the file/feed is used, e.g.
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/ccc@gutentag.ch/private-ab5559e25bdd6ac2677ffbdda2217bbd/basic.ics
(see userdefined field ImportICS)

If already one character is different (@<>%40), or the "Magic Cookie" of Google Calendar was reset, then it's also a "different" feed - and old events are not found (for deletion).

To delete old (duplicate) events, use "Maintenance"-Tools...

• Maintenance: "Delete all events from this Import file, inside Calendar stated below"
  Select the "old" name of the ics feed....
• Maintenance: "Delete duplicate events (if Start+Subject+Body text identical)"
• Remove events definitely from the "Deleted Items" folder (Deleted objects)

How can I synchronize with Sunbird/Lightning?

iCal4OL has now a CalDAV/WebDAV Server implemented - you can subscribe, publish or connect by caldav to your Outlook Calendar - see here!

Sunbird has a "dumb limitation" for import (menu file-import):
No new versions of already existing events are getting imported! They are always ignored!

A veritable sync will only work, if you first export an ICS file with iCal4OL. Then use in Sunbird menu - file - open file!
After working in Sunbird, close Sunbird and import the file with iCal4OL back into Outlook! Export again the changes from Outlook (overwrite this ICS file). Now open Sunbird again - everything is now up-to-date!

Use:
[X] Import ICAL file/feed - sync against existing events +
[X] Export ICAL file/feed (*.ics)

Because in Sunbird deleted events are not in the import file, you must use on tab "Options / Import":
[X] eGW/WebDAV: Mark events not anymore in Import with <Deleted> during Export/Upload
[X] eGW/WebDAV: Remove events, which are marked with <Deleted> after Export/Upload
   [X] Do it separately after Import (only, if you don't export immediatly - but you should export immediatly!)

(Using "Subscribing as Remote Calendar" is not optimal - it would delete "previous imported events" from the same source - so modifications in Outlook of those events would get lost)

Is WEBDAV (e.g. icalx.com), http://, https:// and ftp:// supported?

WEBDAV is supported from version 2.2.6 on (with Basic Realm and Digest Authentication)!

Import

• http://icalx.com/private/username/test.ics
  => use button [Login+Password Cedentials]

• http://icalx.com/private/username/test.ics?Login=username&Pw=password
• http://username:password@icalx.com/private/username/test.ics
• http://icalx.com/public/username/test.ics
• http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/mymail@gmail.com/private-ab2349e25bdd7ab4577ffbdda94223bbd/basic.ics

Export

Important: Not all server can deal correctly with UTF8 encoding (e.g. Kronolith-Horde). If special characters are shonw incorrectly, go on tab "Option / Export Filter" and deactivate the "UTF-8 encoding" and activate "Use Wininet.dll instead of WinHTTP.dll".

• http://icalx.com/private/username/test.ics
  => use button [Login+Password Cedentials]
• http://username:password@icalx.com/private/username/test.ics
• ftp://username:password@myftpsite.com/path/test.ics
• https://username:password@webdavsite.com/path/test.ics

For http://icalx.com use options:

• Export Recurrence-Exceptions as well
• VTIMEZONE as rule
• Sunbird compatibility..

How can I add another Language to iCal4OL?

The sub folder "\Sprachen" is containing the language files (e.g. C:\Programs\iCal4OL\Sprachen).
Just make a copy of e.g. "English.txt" to "Français.txt" - and translate the content with a text editor like notepad.exe

How to configure a Proxy in iCal4OL

Best Way:
iCal4OL is using WinHTTP.dll, which can be configured in WinXP with the command line tool "Proxycfg.exe -u" for using the proxy configuration of the Internet Explorer.
iCal4OL can be configured to use WinInet.dll instead of WinHttp.dll (does use IE proxy settings). You'll find this on tab "Options / HTTP DLL".

START - Run: Proxycfg.exe -u
(Proxycfg.exe -d will switch to DIRECT ACCESS, and may help with an invalid proxy configuration in IE)

Under Vista you must use NETSH:
START - All Programs - Accessories - right click "Command prompt" - run as administrator, then:
NETSH
winhttp import proxy source=ie
exit

For Google Sync, activate on tab "Google" Use HTTPS (SSL) for Google (security / proxy problems despite proxycfg.exe), too.
"Older" proxies need this (they generate a different SessionID for HTTPS and HTTP, even if its the same server)...

Manual Proxy Configuration:
See tab "Options"... but I recommend the use of "Proxycfg.exe -u" instead!
Manual Proxy Configuration will also activate on tab "Google" Use HTTPS (SSL) for Google (security / proxy problems despite proxycfg.exe) automatically!

Note for FTP-Export: ftp://user:password@host/path/file.ics is done by WinInet.dll and therefore uses the IE proxy settings.

HTTP Feeds, Google Sync does not work (time out)- Firewall Problems

iCal4OL is using the so called WinHTTP interface. This DLL can/may be blocked by a firewall.
Please try the (alternative) interface WinINET, which is implemented, too. You'll find this option on tab "Options / HTTP DLL"!
Otherwise you have to re-config your firewall e.g. grant access to the internet for iCal4OL..

Google-Error Failed to import events: Unable to process your iCal/CSV file. The file is not properly formatted

This is/was a Google Bug ... The syntax of the ics file is correct! Just try again ... mostly it works the 2nd time.
Consider to use the export option "Split export file ( *_nnnn.ics)" - eg. 200 events...

Google has a maximum limit for uploading events per day: 5000 events...

How can I force iCal4OL to export all events again?

Reset all export options (to default)!

• check "Select Period from-to": <=== Rule...
• check "Date and Time last run" or for export "only with modificationdate >=": <=== gets updated automatically after a Sync
• if you used under Enhanced Options "Only Modified, New Events.." together with "Mark items like they were imported by previous ICAL Import/Subscription", you have to switch to "only with modificationdate >=". There is no way to do this again, because events have been changed.

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How to circumvent the security warning from outlook (Version < 2.2.1)

From Version 2.2.1 on, there is no security warning from Outlook anymore - or something went wrong during installation!

- Restart PC and Install again
- Please make sure OUTLOOK is not running.
   Check Task Manager - Process List, too!
- if it's still not working, do a manual registration of following ActiveX component:
   WinXP (as administrator): START - Run - regsvr32 c:\Windows\System32\RDOiCal4OL.dll
   VISTA (as administrator): START - All Programs - Accessories - Command Prompt with right mouse click "as administrator"
   Enter the blue text above..

If nothing helps - let me know - and "[X] Deactivate RDO/Redemption" on tab "Options / RDO/Misc.".
(RDO/Redemption is not running on Windows Server, if "Exchange Server" is installed..)
If deactivated, please install Express ClickYes Freeware.
iCal4OL recognizes this utility. In Tasktray you have to configure this tool to "start suspended"..

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Old COM-Addin Version (not supported any more!): Manual Installation and Deinstallation, Visual Style (XP-Theme)

Manual Installation for a different User or other Outlook version than 2003 (run setup first)

• Outlook 2003 different user: Start C:\Programs\iCal4OL Addin\iCal4Addin.reg for adding Registry Entries (close Outlook first)
  
  or:
  First "clean out" Outlook - but do not uninstall iCal4OL. Read manuel deinstallation for this!
  
• START-Run: regsvr32 "C:\Programs\iCal4OL Addin\iCal4Addin.dll" (or run InitAddin.bat/InitAddinFull.bat)
• End Outlook - then start Taskmanager (ctrl-alt-del) and end all process(es) of outlook.exe if still there. Restart Outlook.
• On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Other tab, click Advanced Options. In the Advanced Options dialog box, click COM Add-Ins..
  Outlook 2007 has a special "trust center" (menu tools) for Add-Ins management...
• Add C:\Programs\iCal4OL Addin\iCal4Addin.dll
• Exit Outlook, wait 10 seconds, restart Outlook, a new commandbar icon should appear...

Manuel Deinstallation

• On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Other tab, click Advanced Options. In the Advanced Options dialog box, click COM Add-Ins..
• Delete Add-In "iCal4Outlook"
• Delete Commandbar "iCal4Addin" (right mouse on commandbars, delete "iCal4Addin"...)
• Run C:\Programs\iCal4OL Addin\UninstAddin.bat (unregistering: regsvr32 /u iCal4Addin.dll)

(Uninstall program or remove folder "C:\Programs\iCal4OL Addin")

Nicer Visual Style (XP-Theme rendering)

• Click right on Outlook.exe.manifest and "save as" in the Folder of Office 2003.
  The path is "normally" C:\Programs\Microsoft Office\Office11 (Outlook.exe is in there!)
• Now the XP-Style is active when you restart Outlook - without any warranties, there may be side effects with other Add-ins ;-)

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See also Documentation and Support for general introduction and information.