Data::ICal(3)

NAME
Data::ICal - Generates iCalendar (RFC 2445) calendar files

SYNOPSIS
    use Data::ICal;

    my $calendar = Data::ICal->new();

    my $vtodo = Data::ICal::Entry::Todo->new();
    $vtodo->add_properties(
        # ... see Data::ICal::Entry::Todo documentation
    );

    # ... or
    $calendar = Data::ICal->new(filename => 'foo.ics'); # parse existing file
    $calendar = Data::ICal->new(data => 'BEGIN:VCALENDAR...'); # parse from scalar
    $calendar->add_entry($vtodo);
    print $calendar->as_string;

DESCRIPTION
A Data::ICal object represents a "VCALENDAR" object as defined in the iCalendar protocol (RFC 2445, MIME type "text/calendar"), as implemented in many popular calendaring programs such as Apple's iCal.

Each Data::ICal object is a collection of "entries", which are objects of a subclass of Data::ICal::Entry. The types of entries defined by iCalendar (which refers to them as "components") include events, to-do items, journal entries, free/busy time indicators, and time zone descriptors; in addition, events and to-do items can contain alarm entries. (Currently, Data::ICal only implements to-do items and events.)

Data::ICal is a subclass of Data::ICal::Entry; see its manpage for more methods applicable to Data::ICal.

METHODS

  new [ data => $data, ] [ filename => $file ], [ vcal10 => $bool ]
Creates a new Data::ICal object.

If it is given a filename or data argument is passed, then this parses the content of the file or string into the object. If the "vcal10" flag is passed, parses it according to vCalendar 1.0, not iCalendar 2.0; this in particular impacts the parsing of continuation lines in quoted-printable sections.

If a filename or data argument is not passed, this just sets its "VERSION" and "PRODID" properties to "2.0" (or "1.0" if the "vcal10" flag is passed) and the value of the "product_id" method respectively.

Returns a false value upon failure to open or parse the file or data; this false value is a Class::ReturnValue object and can be queried as to its "error_message".

  parse [ data => $data, ] [ filename => $file, ]
Parse a ".ics" file or string containing one, and populate $self with its contents.

Should only be called once on a given object, and will be automatically called by "new" if you provide arguments to "new".

Returns $self on success. Returns a false value upon failure to open or parse the file or data; this false value is a Class::ReturnValue object and can be queried as to its "error_message".

  ical_entry_type
Returns "VCALENDAR", its iCalendar entry name.

  product_id
Returns the product ID used in the calendar's "PRODID" property; you may wish to override this in a subclass for your own application.

  mandatory_unique_properties
According to the iCalendar standard, the following properties must be specified exactly one time for a calendar:

      prodid version

  optional_unique_properties
According to the iCalendar standard, the following properties may be specified at most one time for a calendar:

      calscale method

DEPENDENCIES
Data::ICal requires Class::Accessor, Text::vFile::asData, MIME::QuotedPrint, and Class::ReturnValue.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
Data::ICal does not support time zone daylight or standard entries, so time zone components are basically useless.

While Data::ICal tries to check which properties are required and repeatable, this only works in simple cases; it does not check for properties that must either both exist or both not exist, or for mutually exclusive properties.

Data::ICal does not check to see if property parameter names are known in general or allowed on the particular property.

Data::ICal does not check to see if nested entries are nested properly (alarms in todos and events only, everything else in calendars only).

The only property encoding supported by Data::ICal is quoted printable.

There is no Data::ICal::Entry::Alarm base class.

Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-data-ical@rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at <http://rt.cpan.org>.

AUTHOR
Jesse Vincent "<jesse@bestpractical.com>" with David Glasser, Simon Wistow, and Alex Vandiver

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2005 - 2009, Best Practical Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See perlartistic.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
BECAUSE THIS SOFTWARE IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE AS PERMITTED BY THE ABOVE LICENCE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER SOFTWARE), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.