Finally - the new iCalFix 0.6 is ready. What’s new?

It works with 10.4.9. I’ve never had so many people come to my blog as on the day 10.4.9 was released. Sorry I couldn’t get it out earlier.
It now comes as a package installer. No more hunting for directories because I misspelt the instructions… If you installed previous versions by hand, PLEASE make sure that you remove them before you run the installer the first time. I.e. look in /Library/InputManagers and ~/Library/InputManagers if there is an iCalFix, and if yes, remove it.

Then, just open the disk image, double click the package, and you’re all set!
It finally has support for different times for all-day alarms. While most alarms are set to occur shortly before the appointment, this is not something you want for an all-day alarm. iCal thinks that those must start at midnight, so “10 minutes before” becomes 10 minutes to midnight. No more!
There’s a nifty icon for the preference pane. Several people donated their time to create icon, and Kevin O’Shea created the final one. I love it!
FIX: Sounds can now be in all types supported by OSX, not only AIFF
FIX: The annoying SIMBL-related error message does not show up any more.

As always, I appreciate any kind of support. Many of you have already donated - it’s great to know you like my work! If you haven’t yet, I certainly would appreciate it. Or, if you need a web hosting provider, sign up with dreamhosts - my provider - and use the promotion code ‘GROBY’ (without the quotes). You’ll receive a $50 discount off your hosting costs, and I’ll get a referral bonus.

Related: The Making of iCalFix - a look behind the scenes
Making a better iCal - the original release.

Tags: iCalFix, iCal, productivity, OSX, plugin

Commentary

iMac Pr0n wrote on 15. Mar 2007
Thanx for the quick response. I sent $10 your way (under my real name).
mayaahh wrote on 15. Mar 2007
you rock
Stephen wrote on 15. Mar 2007
First of all. This program rocks, when I have a few more gold coins in my coffers, I send some your way. Secondly, I like a standard 15 hour ahead of time reminder, but I don’t want that to go off between times x and x. (I sync with my phone, and it has a vibrating alarm). Could you make a feature that will “move” the alarm to morning if looks like its going to go off at night. For example, I have a 4pm appointment, 15 hours earlier would be 1am. Could you make it so that the alarm knows to just bump it up to 9 am?

Ok, that might be have been the most confusing thing I have ever written.
Sherri wrote on 15. Mar 2007
I have been looking for something like this since I switched to the Mac a couple of years ago. It was about the only thing (along with a right mouse button on my ibook) that I missed about Windows. I wish I had found it sooner! I wouldn’t have missed a couple of appointments that I forgot to set the alarm for. My donation is already on its way. THANK YOU!
meeyauw wrote on 16. Mar 2007
I’m in tears!

It failed to mount because of “broken pipe”!
Nick wrote on 17. Mar 2007
This program is SO helpful … you are THE BEST!

I’ll donate for sure!

Nick
G wrote on 18. Mar 2007
Thanks so much for this - I only reaslised how much I relied on it when it was gone.
Robert Blum wrote on 18. Mar 2007
I’m glad you liked it, G. To you and everybody else out there who’s giving me all this great feedback: Thanks, guys! You really make it fun for me!
Mark Johnson wrote on 18. Mar 2007
Great stuff Robert and thanks for the fast turn around on the update! US$5 is flying your way via PayPal!
Robert Blum wrote on 18. Mar 2007
Thanks for the donation, Mark! I appreciate it. It’s always good to see iCalFix is actually useful to people - makes me want to work on it some more
Jamie wrote on 18. Mar 2007
Love your work, Donation done. May have missed something, loaded v6 and each new all day event still has 11.50pm default alarm the day before, regardless of the setting in preferences under teh flash new icon icalfix. Am I missing something? Thanks.
Robert Blum wrote on 19. Mar 2007
Hi Jamie!

Thanks for the donation - especially in light of the fact it doesn’t quite do what you want

If you create an all-day event by clicking on the checkbox in the event properties, it will use the all-day alarm. However, if you create it by double clicking in the top bar of the calendar view, it doesn’t do it. I didn’t know you could do that, so I didn’t intercept it. I’m currently looking into the issue and will have a fixed version ready by the end of the week.

My apologies for missing this…
Chris wrote on 19. Mar 2007
Thank you for this update. Your software is GREAT! Why does Mac not include this in iCal? I will never understand this.
Robert Blum wrote on 19. Mar 2007
Hi Chris!

Great to see you like it. While it is indeed hard to understand why Apple neglects iCal, it was a great opportunity for me to build a useful tool in my spare time. And learn a lot about iCal

They do plan a completely revamped iCal for Leopard - but since I don’t have the developer preview, I’ve got no idea if I will be obsolete with Leopard….
Nick David wrote on 19. Mar 2007
I’ve been checking this site every day since the Mac update. Thanks so much for creating this!
Erdem wrote on 20. Mar 2007
Hi and Thanks…

Also, how about adding one more thing to your software if it is possible. The repeat options in de reminder window are bugging me a lot. Don’t you think they require more options like “remind me in x hours”.

Thanks again.. for the Fix..
nick wrote on 21. Mar 2007
thanks for this!

I would really like it if I could set different default alarms for my different calendars. For example, I want events in my deadlines calendar to warn me a week in advance, but I want events in my daily schedule to buzz me 15 minutes before just to make sure I don’t miss them.
Stuart Colville wrote on 22. Mar 2007
Thanks Robert. icalfix is an essential!
nassoit wrote on 22. Mar 2007
You should consider adding a link to this post on the original iCal Fix post http://www.robertblum.com/articles/2005/12/21/making-a-better-ical. That’s the page that comes up first through Google searches for “ical fix”. It took a little time for me to find out if there was even a new release.

Thanks for the great software!
Pat Collins wrote on 22. Mar 2007
This plug-in kicks some serious butt. Consider the donation I just made ($20) as incentive to add a new feature: whenever you create a new event, have a key command be able to toggle the event as “All Day”.

So many times I’ve been adding events in my calendar purely with my keyboard, when I’ve wanted this feature. Every time I have to go to my mouse and click the “all day” setting. A key command would be ideal.
Jeff wrote on 23. Mar 2007
Thanks dude. Nice work. I’ll be posting it on my new site, bestofosx.com when it launches, hopefully in the next few weeks.
fitzage wrote on 24. Mar 2007
I love this app, but I’m missing one key ingredient still. I need the ability to send an email instead of playing a sound. This would give me SMS notification capability instead of having to plugin my phone to sync all the time.
Robert Blum wrote on 24. Mar 2007
fitzage, nick, erdem:

All really cool ideas. I added them on the wishlist for future feature development.
fitzage wrote on 24. Mar 2007
Excellent. Thanks.
Bill D. wrote on 25. Mar 2007
Great and needed add-on. PayPal on its way.
Schaefner wrote on 26. Mar 2007
I must say its a nice plugin.

But i don’t understand the name “iCalFix”. It’s not very self explaining. It could be a fix for many things in iCal. Why not “Default Alarm” or something else with more of a clue to what it’s doing

Best regards Schaefner
Sam Beaven wrote on 28. Mar 2007
Hi Robert, that’s a fantastic little app. Just a little feature request: any chance you could make the alarms a bit more variable, instead of always the defeat open a reminder window? Email alarms would be handy, especially since I use this how-to for Growl notifications.

Cheers all round, though!
Craig wrote on 30. Mar 2007
Hey Robert- How do I set a “default” alarm setting. i.e. when I set an alarm I want it to be 15 mintues before each event. Right now it’s defaulting at 1 day before. Thanks. Craig
Craig wrote on 30. Mar 2007
OOPS!!! Found it. I should have crawled around first! You rock! Craig
Administrator wrote on 30. Mar 2007
Glad you found it, Craig.

For those of you looking for the info, it’s hiding right in the preferences.
Ed wrote on 03. Apr 2007
I installed the latest update but still get this error message when I open iCal: This version of iCal is not supported by iCalfix. Your version of iCalFix seems out of date. Please update to the newest version.

I’m running iCal v 2.0.5 and iCal v0.6.

I did forget to remove v0.5 when I first installed v.06, I have since removed the file and reinstalled but to no avail.

Any other suggestions?
Jorge wrote on 11. Apr 2007
Same problem here
Jim Kelly wrote on 11. Apr 2007
Groby -

I’m in the same boat as Ed and Jorge. And I need my iCalFix! [tapping arm in “smack-addict” gesture]

Seriously, man, great software… but is there a way around the error message?
Jim Kelly wrote on 11. Apr 2007
Problem solved. Follow Groby’s directions exactly: “If you installed previous versions by hand, PLEASE make sure that you remove them before you run the installer the first time. I.e. look in /Library/InputManagers and ~/Library/InputManagers if there is an iCalFix, and if yes, remove it.

In other words, make sure you get those versions out of both directories.

Money on the way.
Jim Kelly wrote on 11. Apr 2007
One more note - I also had to get rid of the InputManager folders themselves (not just their iCalFix contents) before double-clicking on the package (which created new ones). Otherwise, iCalFix wouldn’t show up in my iCal preferences, and new items did not get automatic alarms.

Back to writing about mitochondria and hepatitis A…
peter wrote on 07. May 2007
totally messed up my all day appointments — they have changed to PST (I’m EST) and take up 2 days now… how the heck do i uninstall and undo what’s been done? uuggghhh
Marc wrote on 01. Jun 2007
Love it! But like so many, I really want it to do automatic email alarms instead. Can we please, please do that? Thanks.
Nathalie wrote on 06. Jun 2007
Ouch. Downloaded version 0.6 and even though i never installed a previous version, this one bugged my Ical which now first seems to launch but then quits. How can I uninstal Icalfix and get a working Ical without reinstalling the OS (I am on a trip without my system disks) ? I tried to trash the IcalFix folder (the one in the InputManagers folder) but couldn’t and got an error message -60008.

Nathalie (Ibook dual USB, OS 10.3.5, Ical 1.5.2)
Greg wrote on 12. Jul 2007
Hi Robert -

Excellent fix

Here’s a suggestion for version 0.7 -

Make iCalFix work when you import a Calendar/.ics file… It would hopefully assign the default Alarm settings to imported events; I am presently exporting an .ics file From FileMaker 9 and double-clicking it to import it into a Calendar, but iCalFix does not create an alarm for the events I import.

Thanks!

Greg
Justin wrote on 16. Jul 2007
Great program, but I need it to send me an email instead of a message. How do I uninstall this??
fns wrote on 25. Aug 2007
Hi,

Is there any news with the all-day alarm issue: “If you create an all-day event by clicking on the checkbox in the event properties, it will use the all-day alarm. However, if you create it by double clicking in the top bar of the calendar view, it doesn’t do it. I didn’t know you could do that, so I didn’t intercept it. I’m currently looking into the issue and will have a fixed version ready by the end of the week.”
JKR wrote on 19. Sep 2007
Nice app! One thing that bugs the heck out of me with ical is that if you click on the “repeat alarm 1 hour before event starts” it resets the alarm to be one hour before the current alarm starts. This is a known bug (see support.apple.com for example) that nothing has been done about. Is there any way for iCalFix to access this and fix this exceptionally annoying problem?!? (I don’t know at what point apple “introduced” this beautiful feature, but I do know that this functionality actually used to work in earlier iCals.)

Cheers, Jan
JulianH wrote on 06. Oct 2007
Thanks for writing this useful software. One suggestion - could there be a different default alarm sound for the regular and daily events?
Pat Niemeyer wrote on 06. Oct 2007
Here is a suggestion for something that seems very obvious but I’ve never seen done in a calendar app before: Period sensitive repeating alarms. The idea is that the farther off the event, the longer before I’d like some additional warnings to prepare for it. e.g to pick an extreme example - if I schedule an event 2 years from now I’d like at least 4 or 5 reminders - 1 year before, 1 month before, 1 week before, 1 day before, and maybe an hour before if it’s not an all day thing. Same thing with shorter term… just round to the nearest unit of time.

Doesn’t that sound like it would cover 90% of the alarms that you schedule?

thanks, Pat Niemeyer
Jon wrote on 08. Oct 2007
This is what I’ve been looking for - thanks for that.

Another odd omission from iCal I’d like to see fixed - the options for repeating events are limited to daily, weekly, monthly etc. Many of my repeating reminders are meant for weekdays only, or weekends only. The only current way of doing this is to set a separate one for each day required, which is cumbersome. Even my phone allows me to set alarms for any combination of days of the week. Any chance of adding this capability?

Will send a donation as soon as my Paypal account receives more funds!
Bob wrote on 16. Oct 2007
Handy utility, thanks.

One issue though - if you create a meeting by dragging a contact from Address Book the iCalFix default alarm doesn’t apply. Be great if it could.
Fayid wrote on 25. Nov 2007
It’s a nice simple plugin with one drawback. I prefer to drag my tasks from the Todo List into my planner, to plan my daily/weekly schedule, time wise. I noticed that the plugin only creates an alarm if I click and drag on the planner itself to create a new event. it does not create an alarm, if I drag a task into the planner.
Ric Barline wrote on 03. Dec 2007
Hmmm …. this version does not seem to function in Leopard. After installation there is no new System Preference item as expected. However, it does sort of work, as I get a new option in iCal preferences to add a default alarm, however, the only type of alarm it offers is Message with Sound X minutes before.
maxi wrote on 30. Jan 2008
It´s don´t working with leopard?
Robert Blum wrote on 02. Feb 2008
No, iCalFix does not work with Leopard - iCal in Leopard already has the built-in capability of automatically setting alarms.
nosatisfaction wrote on 07. Apr 2008
But even the new built-in capability in iCal in Leopard is still lacking. It still does not allow you to have automatic default alarms for subscribed calendars such as birthdays from Address Book.
Robert Blum wrote on 08. Apr 2008
@nosatisfaction: Yes, I’m aware of that. However, there are several reasons why iCalFix “as-is” is hard to continue on Leopard. I am looking into alternatives, but no promises…
Red Byer wrote on 14. May 2008
Rob, like @nosatisfaction, I too am hunting for a fix for iCal in 10.5. I was hoping to hack some sort of Python script out in Leopard that just trolled through the ics files to find the ALL DAY && Midnight alarms. Unfortunately, /Library/Application Support/iCal has rearranged it’s life a little and the Birthday calendar is just some sort of script or compressed file (and not in ICS format) anyway. Looks like one has to approach the task from the Objective-C side (i’m sure you are aware of this) and build a plugin (far beyond my capabilities) that is always active. Darn– my friggin iPhone wakes me up “randomly” at midnight now and then to tell me that it will be somebody’s birthday in 5 days.