iCal Sync : Support CalDAV Calendars [See "Replacing Calendar Sync" thread.]
 

I've just started using OmniFocus, and so far I have found it to be absolutely wonderful!

One thing that would be really helpful would be the ability to sync to any read/write calendar in iCal instead of only the local ones.

I realize that this is complicated by the fact that only the local calendars likely have sync interfaces. Luckily, CalDAV is (relatively) straightforward to implement... The basic ability to associate a context with a specific CalDAV calendar would be extraordinarily helpful, because then I could easily set up a shared context with my fiancee.

T'would be great if the whole omnifocus database could be stored via CalDAV, but something in my gut tells me that even if that were possible that iCal would likely butcher it.

I strongly second this notion. I should have made sure before purchase but not being a techie, calDAV issues didn't even cross my mind. I use iCal with google calendar calDAV intergration and those calendars don't show up as sync options within OmniFocus. I rely on google calendar for calendaring needs, and iCal without it just isn't useful.

Is sync support for calDAV calendars on iCal in the development horizon?

CalDAV calendars aren't supported on 10.4 - since OmniFocus 1 needs to maintain compatibility with that version of the OS, they aren't supported in current versions.

This is one of the things on our to-do list, but I can't quote you a specific timeframe when they might be supported.

If this means that OmniFocus doesn't work for your purposes, you should contact our sales folks: we have a 30-day no-questions-asked refund policy. Sorry!

Hi,

one more vote for caldav syncing. I have more than one product (e.g. Officetime) which are able to sync locally or to a iCAL CALDAV sync'ed calendar.

Couldn't you use the same technique?

Thanks a lot in advance

Henri

+1
 

This would be a great feature, with gmail's CalDAV now enabled nicely for iCal.

I also second this. CalDAV sync from desktop [I]and[/I] iphone apps would make OF perfect!
If CalDAV is only supported in 10.5, then can we not just have the codepath that deals with it enabled when running under 10.5? Folks with 10.4 would still sync to local iCals and everyone would be happy :)

Supporting CalDAV is one of those features that I need.

I have my "real" calendars as CalDAV so I can see them from anywhere, even if I don't have my MacBook or iPhone with me.

Looking forward to seeing this in the near future.

Cheers,
Jon

Brian from Omni wrote his reply nearly 11 months ago. Perhaps he can update us with what plans, if any, OmniFocus is making for supporting CalDAV calendars?

The underlying issue was that 10.5 added support for CalDAV calendars, but didn't add support for accessing them through the standard SyncServices API. This issue is being fixed by Apple, so no change to OmniFocus will be necessary.

Any ETA on a fix for this?
 

Hi Omnifolks,

Thanks for the great products. :)

With Snow Leopard now out, do you have any more info on when it may be possible to sync with these non-local iCal calendars?

This would help fill in some much needed functionality for my clients with multiple OmniFocus users within their teams. We want to see more support for the Delegate part of Do, Defer, Delegate!

Thanks!
Dinah

I'm kind of dismayed at the responses I see when searching for CalDAV search. It's been requested for a while, but the responses have been "Tiger doesn't support CalDAV", "Apple didn't add iCal support to Sync Services, so we can't do anything about it," or "Apple will be fixing SyncServices soon, so we don't have to do anything about it."

CalDAV is a standard. These responses to a popular user request come across as passing the buck or saying "It's not *my* fault it doesn't work."

It's not important whether Apple messed up, or whose fault it is. What is important is that the customers of the product have been requesting a feature. And a feature that employs a public standard, at that. You don't need to wait until Apple implements it in the SyncServices API, you need to provide a method to sync with a CalDAV source, independent of what SyncServices is doing.

If you provide, for instance, a method to sync using CalDAV, people who never use iCal but use tools such as Zimbra or Google Calendar as their calendar client can take advantage of this program.

In that mode, it doesn't even matter what Mac OS 10.4 supports for iCal.

I'm just saying, instead of passing the blame as to why it doesn't work or isn't supported, you could have said "We're going to try to get this implemented as soon as possible. Instead, you've missed an opportunity to make a lot of users happy.

I bought this program last year, but stopped using it. And I forgot why I stopped using it, until just now when I was setting it up -- none of my calendars are local to my machine. So I can't in any way use this with my calendars. And that's a shame.

On the other hand, they've got numerous requests for features that [b]wouldn't[/b] involve duplicating code that someone else should write (and then removing the duplicate code when it does eventually happen) and which have widespread support for addition to the program. They can't do everything, so choices have to be made. Proposals that involve writing a lot of code which will be thrown away later probably aren't as attractive, all else being equal.

You can't accurately assess the amount of support there is for a new feature from looking at the forum postings, because forum postings don't go into the development database, only requests sent via Help->Send Feedback or email to <appname>@omnigroup.com (or by phone, I suppose). I've never heard anything to suggest that CalDAV support is near the top of the most frequently requested list.

You're right, of course.

I just find the feedback on this particular topic frustrating. I *want* to use this software (hell, I bought it), but I can't.

I'm pretty sure Ken, et al want you to be able to use it, too!

Aren't there any tools out there that will sync between an iCal calendar and a CalDAV one? It seems like that would allow you to move forward, pointing OF at a local iCal calendar, and the intermediary could shuffle things back and forth to the Google Calendar (or whatever you were using).

another second for this functionality... actually 3 seconds
 

We just moved to google apps and the calendar as our corporate server. Within my workgroup we have 3 o-focus users (thanks to my evangelizing the app, and now we are all stuck... any feedback on when this problem will be resolved... it is getting pretty old.

I would also like to see the caldav calendar sync option, it would make the app a lot more useful for my purposes.

CalDAV and Android sync
 

The beauty of an OF <=> iCal/CalDAV sync is that it would resolve another issue being discussed in other Omni Group forums -- syncing with the Android.

Since the iCal can automatically sync with Google Calendar and Google Calendar automatically syncs to the Android... the whole process would be fairly painless.

As a new Android user (The iPhone is not available in my area.), this would be a terrific bonus.

I thought there was a general consensus that you can't use the words "iCal", "sync" and "painless" in the same sentence :)

Let me add my request for this. I want two things:

1) I want to be able to update the Notifications calendar on my iPhone from the desktop app *and* the iPhone app.

2) I want this to be an option via CalDAV.

I second needing to support CalDAV. I didn't even know that's what it was called until this thread but I would much rather have my OF syncing to my Google Calendar that I have synced in iCal.

Are there any plans to update OmniFocus in order to support CalDAV syncing?

Here is my current setup @ work and I would like to utilize OF for this workflow:

. macmini running 10.6.4 Server
. CalDAV configured
. I created individual calDAV calendars for my Teammates
. Their respective calendars are password protected and they have loaded them into their local iCal
. I push my Tasks to them (currently had to switch to Things since OF does not support CalDAV)
. They use Anxiety to review their tasks
. If they need to comment or add notes, they do so in iCal via the ToDo Panel
. When a task is complete they check it off in Anxiety
. I review our progress
. At the beginning of each week I review my InBox and begin the delegation process
. I Print to .PDF an overview of our week schedule and submit this to my PM's and Director and my Team.

We all stay on task and get work done efficiently.

So, I feel a little bummed that I can't use OF. I wish I had known about the lack of CalDAV support before setting up the machine with it.
-note: we were using BusyCal and OF before switching to CalDAV. The goal was to remove an additional layer of annoyance from our toolbox (why have 2 calendars ya know)

Thanks,
-policarpo

For what it is worth, I am testing this setup now with BusySync instead of BusyCAL.

Man, there's just too much hoops to jump thru when you are trying to do Shared Tasks and Delegation in a group setting via a managed and local GTD db.:eek:

I will test it in the office.

Basically it allows you to publish local iCal to the LAN. I'll see if it works, so I can get back to OF and using GTD the way that I want to.

I really don't want to use Things...if I can help it. It is beautiful to look @, but man, some of their interactions are just quirky (like not being able to see notes from multiple Tasks at once). Yikes. :)

Wish me luck. ;)

OF on Mac, iPhone and iPad
 

I second this. I want to sync calendars by my own CalDAV on my Mac, iPhone and iPad. Thanks

Is it expected a sync with MobileMe CalDav?
 

So far my project manager and task was Contactizer Pro.

Now that Apple has the switch to MobileMe Calendar CalDAV protocol, not borne by Contactizer, calendars related to my tasks and my projects are no longer synchronized with my iPhone from MobileMe.

Since yesterday I test Omnifocus as task manager and projects to effectively replace Contactizer.
Unfortunately, Omnifocus seem to work with CalDAV and so with the new MobileMe calendar.

Does the iPhone version of OmniFocus and iPad could effectively solve this problem by synchronizing with OmniFocus for Mac?

Omnifocus does not support CalDAV on any platforms. You can only sync to local calendars.

me too!

Yes, please! Please support CalDAV, because of the new MobileMe CalDAV calendars! We can't sync OmniFocus to our calendars anymore, because we've switched completely over to CalDAV!

Forget about 10.4 compatibility with OmniFocus -- nobody uses 10.4 anymore.

I second this request, please.
Thanks,
drking

+1 --> the Forcast pane should include full calendar integration, and I want a quick and dirty Today pane!

See [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=18570"]this thread[/URL] for more info (and the chance to give feedback!) on how we'll handle this in the future.