Article updated on 27 August, 2009

This article describes how to use iCal in order to manage your own Calendar folders and others.

Supported email/calendar clients are as follows:

• Mozilla Thunderbird/Lightning
• Mozilla Sunbird
• Apple iCal
• Outlook 2003 (as 'Internet Free/Busy' functionality)
• Korganizer

The WebMail HTTP Service will add an extension to provide ics/ifb-based access to users calendars and tasks. Thus, by using a specific URL, an external client can retrieve and save calendar information. Additionally, free/busy information is available at a different URL.

In order to use this feature you must first enable:
 Enable Calendar (ICS) access through iCal/HTTP
and
 Enable Free/Busy (IFB) access through iCal/HTTP
options, via Webadmin -> Services -> Webmail.

1. Accessing the own calendar

General URL form: /ical/main.ics
 
Example:
 Domain name: example.org
 Webmail address: http://webmail.example.org
 URL to access the default calendar and tasks folders:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/main.ics
 
or for HTTPS access if such a listener is available:
    https://webmail.example.org/ical/main.ics

2.  Accessing an own specific calendar

General URL form: /ical/folder/<path_to_folder>.ics

Example:
 Domain name: example.org
 Webmail address: http://webmail.example.org
 Name of the new folder of type calendar defined under "Inbox" : CustomCalendar1
 Name of the new folder of type calendar defined under the root folder (/): CustomCalendar2
 
  URL to access CustomCalendar1:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/folder/Inbox/CustomCalendar1.ics
  URL to access CustomCalendar2:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/folder/CustomCalendar2.ics

for HTTPS based access rephrase the protocol definition from http to https:
Example: https://webmail.example.org/ical/folder/CustomCalendar2.ics


3. Accessing another user's calendar

General URL form: /ical/~<username>/main.ics

Example:
 Domain name: example.org
 Webmail address: http://webmail.example.org
 The other user: user@example.org
NOTE: user@example.org must define at least "Viewer" permissions in order for you to access the folders.
 
  URL to access the default calendar and tasks folder of user@example.test:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/~user/main.ics

NOTE: Username may be specified fully qualified or not fully qualified, in which case the default domain is used.
If secure listener support is available for the WebMail configuration, you can make use of https for the URL links

4. Accessing a specific calendar of tasks folder of a specified user

General URL form: /ical/~<username>/folder/<path_to_folder>.ics

Example:
 Domain name: example.org
 Webmail address: http://webmail.example.org
 The other user: user@example.org
 Name of the specific folder of type calendar defined under the folder "Inbox" of user user@example.test : CustomCalendar1
 Name of the new folder of type calendar defined under the root folder (/) of user user@example.org: CustomCalendar2
NOTE: user@example.org must define at least "Viewer" permissions in order for you to access the folders.
 
  URL to access CustomCalendar1:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/~user/folder/Inbox/CustomCalendar1.ics
  URL to access CustomCalendar2:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/~user/folder/CustomCalendar2.ics

NOTE: Username may be specified fully qualified or not fully qualified, in which case the default domain is used.

5. Free/Busy access

General URL form: /ical/~<username>/freebusy.ifb

Example:
 Domain name: example.org
 Webmail address: http://webmail.example.org
  The other user: username@example.org
NOTE: The authenticated user must have the 'view free/busy' permission on the mailbox of the user specified by <username>

  URL to access the Free/Busy status:
    http://webmail.example.org/ical/~username/freebusy.ifb

NOTE: Username may be specified fully qualified or not fully qualified, in which case the default domain is used.


For Internet Free/Busy (IFB) functionality in Outlook 2003 you need to use URL-based authentication with your account, in order to retrieve IFB status shared with you.
For a particular case, Internet Free-Busy Address of one specific contact, the following link should be used:

    http://your_account:your_password@webmail.example.org/ical/~username/freebusy.ifb

For a general IFB search location, the following HTTP link should be used via Outlook -> Tools -> Options -> Calendar Options -> Free/Busy Options -> Search location:

    http://your_account:your_password@webmail.example.org/ical/~%NAME%/freebusy.ifb

Releases: Mail Server 7.1.X
OS: Linux, Windows, MAC