Frequently asked questions about iCalMaker:
I have found a bug...
Well, sorry about that! Ever care was taken to squash bugs but as with any complicated and large project some slip through. The program has been extensively tested. Please send your bug report to iCalMaker_buemail@mmisoftware.co.uk, with full details of your machine and what happened, and we will attempt to squash the little so-and-so as soon as possible.
Will there be a 'universal binary' version of iCalMaker
Yes! You are using it!
What happened to my location/alarm/attendee/status information that was set in iCal - can I edit them?
Some of the event/appointment settings that can be edited in iCal can not be accessed in iCalMaker. However, the settings are captured/preserved and can be exported back to iCal or saved back to iCal files.
What date formats are supported by iCalMaker?
iCalMaker uses the date format as set in your International control panel. If you use yyyy/dd/mm, dd/mm/yy or mm/dd/yy etc. iCalMaker will use that format.
What is iCalMaker?
iCalMaker is a text based appointment creation tool for use with iCal or to create appointment files.
Using iCalMaker it is possible:
Appointments can be single, or repeating (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) with exclusion dates, and also as 'requests' which can be sent via e-mail.
Once the data has been imported, or created, it can be edited as required.
Data can be exported from iCalMaker:
Some suggested uses can be found here.
I keep getting error/warning messages. What do they mean?
Error messages mainly occur when importing entries from either iCal or from iCal files. Additional information on this type of error can be found on this help page.
Another common error message/warning is seen when iCal entries are exported to a vCal file (i.e. the type of file that can be imported in to Palm Desktop). This message occurs as not all the features available in the iCal file format (which uses version 2 of the vcal format) are available in the vCal (Palm, effectively vcal version 1) file format.
Why should I buy iCalMaker?
Good question! Well, you don't have to. However, if you want to import, export, or edit more than 5 entries you need a licence.
Why can I only display/edit/create 5 entries?
You need to purchase a licence key to be able to display/edit/create more than 5 entries at a time. (Other than entries imported from iCal (ics) files or directly from iCal)
Why does iCal quit and restart during some exports?
This is due to a limitation of Applescript control of iCal. At present it is not possible to create appointments in iCal, using Applescript, if there are exclusion dates or invitees associated with the appointment. To overcome this limitation iCal writes directly to the iCal calendar file, however, to make this possible, and also so the event appears in iCal, iCal can not be running. (And out of politeness if iCal was running when iCalMaker shut it down, iCalMaker restarts iCal!)
What is the minimum system configuration I will need?
iCalMaker will run on Mac OS X 10.3 or greater. In general, if your machine meets the requirements to run Mac OS X, and is running 10.3 or greater, it should be able to run iCalMaker. In addition, it is advised that you have iCal 1.5 or greater, and Mail 1.3 or greater.
Why do I have to use Mac OS X 10.3, or greater?
iCalMaker uses some system calls that are only available in Mac OS X 10.3 or greater.
My school/company/mother/dentist/doctor etc. uses this really weird date and time format. How can I get iCalmaker to 'best guess' the details?
At present all date and time formats are preset in the program (this may change). We have tried to include as many of the types we could think of (see here) but there are bound to be some we have not seen. If you have a really weird format please send it to a_really_weird_formaemail@mmisoftware.co.uk.
How was iCalMaker developed?
iCalMaker was developed on a PowerBook and an iMac, and extensively tested on an iBook (old 'clamshell' type), a '12 in Al PB', a PowerBook (Bronze keyboard), a 12 inch iBook, and several different versions of the iMac. Development was carried out using the development tools (Project Builder and Interface Builder) and tested with MallocDebug and ObjectAlloc.
The first 'universal binary' build was on a 15 inch MacBook Pro.
Why was Cocoa used?
It is the future of the Mac! It also allows access to all the new features which are part of Mac OS X.
Will there be a Mac OS 9 version of iCalMaker?
No! iCalMaker was developed for Mac OS X. There are no plans to port it to Mac OS 9.
Will there be a Windows version of iCalMaker?
No!
If you have any further questions please e-mail: faemail@mmisoftware.co.uk