Calendar Server Help
This document will help you to use the school's calendar server. In addition to this, there is extensive documentation available on-line.
Accessing the calendar server
Note: - the calender server is only accessible to staff/PhD students.
In order to use the calendar server, you must first register to use it - registration is done online via SupportWeb
Once you have registered, you should point your web browser at the calendar server - https://calendar.cs.bham.ac.uk (note: https). - If you get an error about the SSL certificate, this is because we are using a self signed key. You should follow the instructions on how to add the School's signing key to your browser.
The calendar should be available via the web both on and off campus, and, as with the WebMail service, access to the Calendar Service is only available via SSL (https). This ensures that your passwords and data are encrypted.
Changing your Password / Forgotten Passwords
When you first register for the Calendar Service, you will be emailed an initial password. You should change this password which can be done on-line via SupportWeb.
If you have forgotten your password, you can request that your password be reset. This is also done online via SupportWeb. To reset you password, you will need to enter your username, you will then be emailed an authentication code which you will need to enter into the form before a new password will be emailed to you.
Using the calendar for the first time
When you first login to calendar server after registering, a calendar will be created automatically for you. You will also be automatically be subscribed to the school calendar which will appear in the drop down list of "subscribed" calendars (when you first login, you will need to logout and back in again for this to appear).
Sharing your calendar with others
By default, the appointments on your calendar are private - other users can only invite you to meetings and see if you are busy are free. You may wish to allow specific users (or everyone) to be able to read your calendar - this means they can see the titles of your appointments. (Don't worry, you can still add private, or confidential appointments - see below).
To share your calendar, click the "Calendars" tab. A list of calendars you are subscribed to will be shown including your own calendar - Edit the properties of your calendar. A pop up window will appear. Select the "Permissions" tab. Here you can add users who can see your calendar or edit it.
The calendar server documentation has more information about user permissions.
Adding other people's calendars
The calendar system allows you to add other people's calendars so that you can quickly check availability of colleagues. This is also useful if you have been assigned Modify permissions of someone's calendar as it allows to you schedule appointments on their calendar.
To add another person's calendar, select the "Calendars" tab. Now chose the "subscribe" button. You will now be able to search for a calendar and subscribe to it. Once subscribed, the calendar will appear in the drop down list of calendars.
Creating private appointments
When creating an appointment, you have the choice of "Privacy" options. A Public Event can be seen by all people who have Read access to your calendar (note the default it that people do not have read access). Time and Date only means that people with Read access can see that you have an appointment, but not the content of it. This would be useful if you were meeting with a student but didn't want other people to see who but should be able to see that you have a meeting so do not try to book something else then. Finally, a Private event cannot be seen by anyone, for example, you may wish to remind yourself of you wedding anniversary.
Appointment Reminders
By default, the calendar server sends an email to remind you of an appointment 15 minutes before it occurs. This can be disabled for all appointments (in Options -> Settings) or on a per appointment basis.
When adding an appointment, select the "Reminders" tab. You will then be able to say if you want reminding of the appointment, and how far in advance. As well as your own email address, you can add other addresses who will also be reminded (this might be useful if you are meeting someone external or a student who does not have access to the calendar service).
Calendar Service API
The calendar server has a documented API which allows you to access calendar server data from within your own applications. (This may be useful is you are Linux user and want to synchronise a PDA). The documentation is available from Sun Online Documentation, specifically the section on WCAP details accessing the calendar server data using and HTTP connection.
Mozilla Sunbird / Lightning
It is possible to use the Calendar Server with the stand-alone Mozilla Sunbird application or with the Lightening plug-in for Thunderbird.
A detailed document on using the Thunderbird Lightning plug-in is available.