This document explains how to keep an updated copy of MEdTech's lecture schedule on your computer and mobile device (smart phone, iPod, etc.) - even when you are not connected to the Internet. And if you wish, the events from a MEdTech calendar can be displayed with other events from your personal calendar.
Technical Background Since September 2005, MEdTech Central has used a calendar file format called iCalendar (.ics), which is an open standard supported by an increasing number of calendar applications. For example, Apple's iCal (Mac), Microsoft Outlook 2007 (Windows) and Google Calendar can all subscribe to an .ics calendar and receive updates automatically on a configurable basis.
Mac users currently have an advantage and a superior calendaring application.
Apple's iCal, which comes bundled with the Mac OS X operating system, was one of the first to very efficiently read and subscribe to iCalendar files. You can use Apple's iCal application to subscribe to a MEdTech calendar, then use Apple's iSync application to synchronize this information with your portable device (e.g. Palm & PocketPC PDAs, certain cell phones, and iPods).
If you are using a Windows system, you can subscribe and sync to iCalendar files is using
Microsoft Outlook 2007. Unfortunately the ability to sync devices with iCalendar files is not supported Microsoft Outlook 2003 or earlier versions. Microsoft Outlook 2003 does not support subscriptions, only importing, and the distinction between importing and subscribing is very important. Importing means that the calendar will be loaded into Outlook 2003 once containing the schedule as it was at the time of download. When you import an iCalendar file you will not receive any updates made to that calendar file on the remote server.
For this reason, the MEdTech Unit strongly advises against using Microsoft Outlook 2003 or earlier to import an iCalendar file. Both Mac and Windows users can use
Google Calendar which is a web-based calendar application that can subscribe to iCalendar files. One of the benefits of using Google Calendar is that it can be accessed from any computer with a web browser.
Available Calendars Lecture Schedules from MEdTech (updated hourly)
Social Events from qMed (updated hourly)
Detailed Application-specific Instructions
Apple iCal - Mac:
- From within iCal, choose "Subscribe" from the "Calendar" menu at the top of your screen.
- Enter the full URL (listed above) to the desired iCalendar file in the "Subscribe to:" box and click "Subscribe".
- iCal will then download the calendar and bring you to a screen which allows you to give a title to that calendar. Check the "Refresh:" checkbox and select "every day" which will instruct iCal to check for updates to the calendar on a daily basis.
- That's it. Your new calendar will appear, and you can choose to show or hide it by selecting or deselecting the calendar's title in the "Calendars" screen.
- To synchronize this calendar to your portable device, make sure that your portable device is supported by Apple, open the iSync application, add the device to iSync, and press the "Sync" button.
Microsoft Outlook 2007 - Windows:
- In Outlook 2007 Go to the Tools menu and click on Account Settings.
- Click on New from the Internet Calendar and enter the full URL (listed above) to the desired iCalendar file.
- Click Add.
- Type the name of the calendar as you want it to appear in Outlook in the Folder Name box and then click OK.
Google Calendar – Any computer with a web browser:
- Go to http://www.google.com/calendar and sign in. If you do not have a Google Account create one using the link provided at the bottom of the page.
- Click on “Manage Calendars” located at the bottom of the menu on the left.
- Under Calendar Settings > Calendar click on the “Add Calendar” in the Other Calendars section.
- Under “Add Other Calendars” click on the “Public Calendar Address” tab and enter the URL of the iCalendar file. For example, you would add the URL http://meds.queensu.ca/courses/calendars/2010.ics to add the Class of 2010 calendar.
- The new calendar will now appear and is accesible from the My Calendars menu located on the left hand side of the screen.
Conclusion The iCalendar file format is the replacement for the old vCalendar file format used by PalmOS and others, and while not necessarily a new format it's adoption by major vendors has been regrettably slow, albeit immanent. For this reason we will be continually evolving this document to provide you with the most up to date information possible on both Mac and Windows platforms.
If you notice any discrepancies between these instructions and the applications mentioned or have more information regarding suitable applications, please feel free to contact Matt Simpson <
matt.simpson@queensu.ca> of the MEdTech Unit at Queen's University.
