CSV is a general format used by most applications as a default. It is generally used as a last resort as it can not hold event repeat structures or other complex information.
Thyme can also import iCalendar files. This calendar format is quickly becoming the standard for calendar applications, but we won't bore you with technical mumbo-jumbo. The important thing is you can download calendars from around the internet that include your favorite TV show schedule or favorite band's tour dates! Sites such as iCal Share and iCal World offer a vast library of calendars for topics ranging from sports team schedules and holidays to "today in history."
For our example we'll download a calendar from iCal Share called Eclipse Calendar.
Click on the Download calendar link and save the resulting file to your computer.
Select the calendar you wish to import to from the calendar picker located in the nav bar.
You may wish to create a new calendar to import your events into. Next, click on the sync link located at the footer.
At the Sync screen, under the Import section, you may select options for this sync operation.
If the calendar you are importing to has multiple categories, you will be presented with an Import To Category option. Using this, you may easily categorize all of the incoming events. You may wish to create a new category to import these events into before importing the file.
The Locale option allows you to select timezone and dst settings. Autodetect will try to detect which locale settings the events have. Most iCalendar files contain embedded timezone information, so this option usually works well. None specifies that imported events will have no timezone information. Anyone viewing the event will see it as occuring at the same time no matter which timezone they are in. Force allows you to force a timezone setting for all of the imported events.
The If Duplicates Are Found option allows you to dictate the Sync operation's behaviour if an imported event matches an event that is already found in Thyme. The Ignore Duplicates setting will try to detect which event is newer, and ignore the incoming event if the one in the target calendar is more recent. Most iCalendar events contain version or last-modified information, so this option usually works well. The Overwrite existing event setting will overwrite the event in Thyme with any matching imported event. The Create new event setting will create new events from each imported event regardless of whether or not a match is found.
The If Duplicates Are Found setting is subject to a calendar's permissions and event security. If the strict event security option is enabled on the calendar, overwriting existing events owned by another user follows the same rules as editing events owned by another user. In the case that the sync operation tries to overwrite or update an event that you do not have permission to edit, it will simply skip over that event and the sync will continue.
Calendar administrators, super users, and the calendar owner will also be presented with a Full Sync option. This option will allow you to perform a full sync operation, where the calendar will match the imported file exactly. If an event exists in the target calendar that does not exist in the import file, the event will be removed from the calendar.
This may seem like a lot to swallow but, options, left to their default settings, are usually fine.
So now the fun part!
Click on the Browse button (text of this button may differ based in your web browser software), and select the iCalendar file we had downloaded. Click on the Import button to import the events into Thyme.
 | The resulting events have been imported into the calendar and can be manipulated, syndicated, published, etc.. just as any other events. |
