[needs-packaging] GCALDaemon

Bug #305446 reported by Dan Quade
32
This bug affects 5 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Ubuntu
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Bug Description

GCALDaemon is an OS-independent Java program that offers two-way synchronization between Google Calendar and various iCalendar compatible calendar applications. GCALDaemon is primarily designed as a calendar synchronizer but it can also be used as a Gmail notifier, Address Book importer, Gmail terminal and RSS feed converter.

URL: http://gcaldaemon.sourceforge.net/index.html
License: Apache License Version 2.0
Notes: An example of an excellent GCALDaemon deb package with usage instructions: http://blog.philippheckel.com/2008/09/30/gcaldaemon-deb-package-for-ubuntu-kubuntu/

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Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

I suppose I could help something since I wrote the blog entry mentioned above.
I'm gonna upload something as soon as I find the time. Probably not before January though if that's alright ...

Any suggestions are welcome.

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Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

Hey everyone,

I uploaded the script that generates my deb-package (see above). Unfortunately I don't know how regular Ubuntu packages have to look like so any help would be nice.

Regards,
Philipp

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Luka Renko (lure) wrote :

I will look into this and see if we can make proper package for Jaunty (in order to get it included before FF).

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Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

Hm, ... I suppose it didn't make it in the distribution this time. Maybe you could find some time after the stressful release-time :-)

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Luka Renko (lure) wrote :

Packaging this java beast was too much for my skills with Java packages. Leaving this task to somebody else...

Changed in ubuntu:
assignee: Luka Renko (lure) → nobody
Revision history for this message
Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

If there is some kind of tutorial or manual page that explains how to create ubuntu-packages for the distro (esp. regarding guidelines etc.), i could do it ...

I mean, my small script (cmp. above) already creates a package that works for everybody. So the only thing that has to be done is adjust the package to the ubuntu restrictions/guidelines ...

Any suggestions?

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alienheartbeat (reckless-symmetry) wrote :

Let me add a few comments in support of packaging this for Ubuntu..
I had originally used CalDav to sync to my Google Calendars, but changed to GCALDaemon.

1. GCALDaemon allows creation of a real, accessible offline copy of your calendar (ics format),
       versus the alternative for accessing Google calendars, CalDav, which does not.
        Caldav provides only a 'cache' which works less well.

2. This offline copy can also be easily backed up,
       whereas if you are using CalDav, you have to separately wget the google .ics files to back them up.

2. Philipp Heckel's particular packaging of it adds 2 advantages to the original GCALDaemon:
      i. Configuration is kept in the home dir, where it belongs
           (the original keeps it in /usr/local/sbin, no obvious way to move it)
     ii. A script is provided to easily stop the daemon, not provided in the original.

Revision history for this message
Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

I have a couple of questions to all of you who are interested in GCALDaemon:

a) GCALDaemon isn't actively developed anymore. Given this fact, is there any chance for it to get in the repos? If not, this 'bug' should be closed, right?

b) The .deb-package of the initial post (cmp. link above) works like a charm and only has to be adjusted for the Ubuntu repos. I have no experience in packaging software ... Is there anyone who could do that? It shouldn't be too hard since all of the work is done already. All you need to do is put it in your standardized Ubuntu deb-whatever format, right?

Revision history for this message
Philipp C. Heckel (binwiederhier) wrote :

Additional comment to b)

Here's the code I already produced:
http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~binwiederhier/+junk/gcaldaemon/files/head:/

The file create-package.sh creates a .deb-file from the original ZIP file from the website. It's certainly not the standard Ubuntu-way, but it works ... All I'm saying is that the basis is already there guys... :-)

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