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#LyX 1.1 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
\lyxformat 2.16
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\paperpackage a4
\use_geometry 0
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\paragraph_separation indent
\defskip medskip
\quotes_language english
\quotes_times 2
\papercolumns 1
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\paperpagestyle default
\layout Title
Using Libical
\layout Author
Eric Busboom (eric@softwarestudio.org)
\layout Date
January 2001
\layout Standard
\begin_inset LatexCommand \tableofcontents{}
\end_inset
\layout Section
Introduction
\layout Standard
Libical is an Open Source implementation of the iCalendar protocols and
protocol data units.
The iCalendar specification describes how calendar clients can communicate
with calendar servers so users can store their calendar data and arrange
meetings with other users.
\layout Standard
Libical implements RFC2445, RFC2446 and some of RFC2447 and the CAP draft.
\layout Standard
This documentation assumes that you are familiar with the iCalendar standards
RFC2445 and RFC2446.
these specifications are online on the CALSCH webpage at:
\layout LyX-Code
http://www.imc.org/ietf-calendar/
\layout Subsection
The libical project
\layout Standard
This code is under active development.
If you would like to contribute to the project, you can contact me, Eric
Busboom, at eric@softwarestudio.org.
The project has a webpage at
\layout LyX-Code
http://softwarestudio.org/libical/index.html
\layout Standard
and a mailing list that you can join by sending the following mail:
\layout LyX-Code
To: minimalist@softwarestudio.org
\layout LyX-Code
Subject: subscribe libical
\layout Subsection
License
\layout Standard
The code and datafiles in this distribution are licensed under the Mozilla
Public License.
See http://www.mozilla.org/NPL/MPL-1.0.html for a copy of the license.
Alternately, you may use libical under the terms of the GNU Library General
Public License.
See http://www.fsf.org/copyleft/lesser.html for a copy of the LGPL.
\layout Standard
This dual license ensures that the library can be incorporated into both
proprietary code and GPL'd programs, and will benefit from improvements
made by programmers in both realms.
I will only accept changes into my version of the library if they are similarly
dual-licensed.
\layout Subsection
Example Code
\layout Standard
A lot of the documentation for this library is in the form of example code.
These examples are in the
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
examples
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
directory of the distribution.
Also look in
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
src/test
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
for additional annotated examples.
\layout Section
Building and Installing the Library
\layout Standard
Libical uses autoconf to generate makefiles.
It should built with no adjustments on Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris under
gcc.
Some version have been successfully been build on MacOS, Solaris, UnixWare,
And Tru64 UNIX without gcc, but you may run into problems with a particular
later version.
\layout Standard
For a more complete guide to building the library, see the README file in
the distribution.
\layout Standard
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
make install
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
will install the libraries and header files for three modules: libical,
libicalss.
and libicalvcal.
If you build shared objects, then these files will be installed:
\layout Itemize
ical.h
\layout Itemize
libical.a
\layout Itemize
libical.so
\layout Itemize
icalss.h
\layout Itemize
libicalss.a
\layout Itemize
libicalss.so
\layout Itemize
icalvcal.h
\layout Itemize
libicalvcal.a
\layout Itemize
libicalvcal.so
\layout Standard
The header files ical.h and icalss.h are combined header files, generated
by concatenating together all of the header files in src/libical and src/libica
lss respectively.
\layout Section
Structure
\layout Standard
The iCal calendar model is based on four types of objects: components, propertie
s, values and parameters.
\layout Standard
Properties are the fundamental unit of information in iCal, and they work
a bit like a hash entry, with a constant key and a variable value.
Properties may also have modifiers, called parameters.
In the iCal content line
\layout LyX-Code
ORGANIZER;ROLE=CHAIR:MAILTO:mrbig@host.com
\layout Standard
The property name is
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
ORGANIZER,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
the value of the property is
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
mrbig@host.com
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
and the
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
ROLE
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
parameter specifies that Mr Big is the chair of the meetings associated
with this property.
\layout Standard
Components are groups of properties that represent the core objects of a
calendar system, such as events or timezones.
Components are delimited by
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
BEGIN
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
and
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
END
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
tags.
\layout Standard
\added_space_bottom 0.3cm
When a component is sent across a network, if it is un-encrypted, it will
look something like:
\layout LyX-Code
BEGIN:VCALENDAR
\layout LyX-Code
METHOD:REQUEST
\layout LyX-Code
PRODID: -//hacksw/handcal//NONSGML v1.0//EN
\layout LyX-Code
BEGIN:VEVENT
\layout LyX-Code
DTSTAMP:19980309T231000Z
\layout LyX-Code
UID:guid-1.host1.com
\layout LyX-Code
ORGANIZER;ROLE=CHAIR:MAILTO:mrbig@host.com
\layout LyX-Code
ATTENDEE;RSVP=TRUE;ROLE=REQ-PARTICIPANT;CUTYPE=GROUP:
\layout LyX-Code
MAILTO:employee-A@host.com
\layout LyX-Code
DESCRIPTION:Project XYZ Review Meeting
\layout LyX-Code
CATEGORIES:MEETING
\layout LyX-Code
CLASS:PUBLIC
\layout LyX-Code
CREATED:19980309T130000Z
\layout LyX-Code
SUMMARY:XYZ Project Review
\layout LyX-Code
DTSTART;TZID=US-Eastern:19980312T083000
\layout LyX-Code
DTEND;TZID=US-Eastern:19980312T093000
\layout LyX-Code
LOCATION:1CP Conference Room 4350
\layout LyX-Code
END:VEVENT
\layout LyX-Code
END:VCALENDAR
\layout Standard
Note that components can be nested; this example has both a VCALENDAR and
a VEVENT component, one nested inside the other.
\layout Standard
The main goal of Libical is to offer a structured, type-safe to create,
access and manipulate components and their properties, values and parameters.
\layout Subsection
Core iCal classes
\layout Standard
Libical is an object-based, data-oriented library.
There are no real-objects, but the way the routines are named and organized
results in the same sort of encapsulations and abstraction that are major
features of Object-Orieted languages.
Nearly all of the routines in the library are associated with an opaque
data types and perform some operation on that data type.
For instnace, a Property is declared as:
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty *prop;
\layout Standard
Icalproperty is typedef'd to void, so the only way to manipulate it is through
the accessor routines, all of which have a form similar to:
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalproperty_as_ical_string(icalproperty* prop);
\layout Standard
That is, the name of the 'class' is the first word in the routine name,
and the first parameter is a pointer to the 'object.'
\layout Standard
Although the library does not actually have classes, we will use those terms
since the behavior of these associations of data and routines is very similar
to a class.
\layout Subsubsection
Properties
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty *prop;
\layout Standard
Properties are represented with the icalproperty class and its many
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
derived
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
classes with on
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
derived
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
class per property type in RFC2445.
Again, there is no actual inheritance relations, but there are clusters
of routines that make this term useful.
A property is a container for a single value and a set of parameters.
\layout Subsubsection
Components
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent *comp;
\layout Standard
In libical, components are represented with the icalcomponent class.
Icalcomponent is a container for a set of other components and properties.
\layout Subsubsection
Values
\layout LyX-Code
icalvalue *value;
\layout Standard
Values are represented in a similar way to properties; a base class and
many
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
derived
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
classes.
A value is essentially a abstract handle on a single fundamental type,
a structure or a union.
You probably will never use a value directly, since for most operations
you can get to its data through the property that holds it.
\layout Subsubsection
Parameters
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter *param;
\layout Standard
Parameters are represetned in a similar way to properties, except that they
contain only one value
\layout Subsection
Other elements of libical
\layout Standard
In addition to the core iCal classes, libical has many other types, structures,
classes that aid in creating and using iCal components.
\layout Subsubsection
Enumerations and types
\layout Standard
Libical is strongly typed, so every component, property, parameter, and
value type has an enumeration, and some have an associated structure or
union.
\layout Subsubsection
The parser
\layout Standard
The libical parser offers a variety of ways to convert RFC2445 text into
a libical iinsteral component structure.
the parser can parse blocks of text as a string, or it can parse lin-by-line.
\layout Subsubsection
Error objects
\layout Standard
Libical has a substantial error reporting system for both programming errors
and component usage errors.
\layout Subsubsection
Memory Management
\layout Standard
Since many of libicals interfaces return strings, the library has its own
memory management system to elimiate the need to free every string returned
from the libraru.
\layout Subsubsection
Storage classes
\layout Standard
The library also offers several classes to store components to flies, memory
or databases.
\layout Section
Differences From RFCs
\layout Standard
Libical has been designed to follow the standards as closely as possible,
so that the key objects in the standards are also key objects in the library.
However, there are a few areas where the specifications are (arguably)
irregular, and following them exactly would result in an unfriendly interface.
These deviations make libical easier to use by maintaining a self-similar
interface.
\layout Subsection
Pseudo Components
\layout Standard
Libical defines components for groups of properties that look and act like
components, but are not defined as components in the specification.
XDAYLIGHT and XSTANDARD are notable examples.
These pseudo components group properties within the VTIMEZONE components.
For instanace, the timezone properties associated with daylight savings
time starts with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
and ends with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
END:DAYLIGHT, just like other components, but is not defined as a component
in RFC2445.
( See RFC2445, page 61 ) In Libical,this grouping is represented by the
XDAYLIGHT component.
Standard iCAL components all start with the letter
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
V,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
while pseudo components start with
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
X.
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\layout Standard
There are also pseudo components that are conceptually derived classes of
VALARM.
RFC2446 defines what properties may be included in each component, and
for VALARM, the set of properties it may have depends on the value of the
ACTION property.
\layout Standard
For instance, if a VALARM component has an ACTION property with the value
of
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
AUDIO,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
the component must also have an
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
ATTACH
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
property.
However, if the ACTION value is
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
DISPLAY,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
the component must have a DESCRIPTION property.
\layout Standard
To handle these various, complex restrictions, libical has pseudo components
for each type of alarm: XAUDIOALARM, XDISPLAYALARM, XEMAILALARM and XPROCEDUREA
LARM.
\layout Subsection
Combined Values
\layout Standard
Many values can take more than one type.
TRIGGER, for instance, can have a value type of with DURATION or of DATE-TIME.
These multiple types make it difficult to create routines to return the
value associated with a property.
\layout Standard
It is natural to have interfaces that would return the value of a property,
but it is cumbersome for a single routine to return multiple types.
So, in libical, properties that can have multiple types are given a single
type that is the union of their RFC2445 types.
For instance, in libical, the value of the TRIGGER property resolves to
struct icaltriggertype.
This type is a union of a DURATION and a DATE-TIME.
\layout Subsection
Multi-Valued Properties
\layout Standard
Some properties, such as CATEGORIES have only one value type, but each CATEGORIE
S property can have multiple value instances.
This also results in a cumbersome interface -- CATEGORIES accessors would
have to return a list while all other accessors returned a single value.
In libical, all properties have a single value, and multi-valued properties
are broken down into multiple single valued properties during parsing.
That is, an input line like,
\layout LyX-Code
CATEGORIES: work, home
\layout Standard
becomes in libical's internal representation
\layout LyX-Code
CATEGORIES: work
\layout LyX-Code
CATEGORIES: home
\layout Standard
Oddly, RFC2445 allows some multi-valued properties ( like FREEBUSY ) to
exist as both a multi-values property and as multiple single value properties,
while others ( like CATEGORIES ) can only exist as single multi-valued
properties.
This makes the internal representation for CATEGORIES illegal.
However when you convert a component to a string, the library will collect
all of the CATEGORIES properties into one.
\layout Section
Using libical
\layout Subsection
Creating Components
\layout Standard
There are three ways to create components in Libical:
\layout Itemize
Create individual components, properties and parameters and assemble them
into structures
\layout Itemize
Build complete components with nested vaargs calls
\layout Itemize
Parse bits of text
\layout Itemize
Parse entire files
\layout Subsubsection
Constructor Interfaces
\layout Standard
Using constructor interfaces, you create each of the objects separately
and then assemble them in to components:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent *event;
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty *prop;
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter *param;
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype atime;
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
event = icalcomponent_new(ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
prop = icalproperty_new_dtstamp(atime);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_add_property(event, prop);
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
prop = icalproperty_new_uid(''guid-1.host1.com'') );
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_add_property(event,prop);
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
prop=icalproperty_new_organizer(''mrbig@host.com'');
\layout LyX-Code
param = icalparameter_new_role(ICAL_ROLE_CHAIR)
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_add_parameter(prop, param);
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_add_property(event,prop);
\layout Standard
Notice that libical uses a semi-object-oriented style of interface.
Most things you work with are objects, that are instantiated with a constructor
that has
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
new
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
in the name.
Also note that, other than the object reference, most structure data is
passed in to libical routines by value.
Libical has some complex but very regular memory handling rules.
These are detailed in section
\begin_inset LatexCommand \ref{sec:memory}
\end_inset
.
\layout Standard
If any of the constructors fail, they will return 0.
If you try to insert 0 into a property or component, or use a zero-valued
object reference, libical will either silently ignore the error or will
abort with an error message.
This behavior is controlled by a compile time flag (ICAL_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL),
and will abort by default.
\layout Subsubsection
vaargs Constructors
\layout Standard
There is another way to create complex components, which is arguably more
elegant, if you are not horrified by varargs.
The varargs constructor interface allows you to create intricate components
in a single block of code.
Here is the previous examples in the vaargs style.
\layout LyX-Code
calendar =
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_vanew(
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VCALENDAR_COMPONENT,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_new_version(''2.0''),
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_new_prodid(
\layout LyX-Code
''-//RDU Software//NONSGML HandCal//EN''),
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_vanew(
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_new_dtstamp(atime),
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_new_uid(''guid-1.host1.com''),
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_vanew_organizer(
\layout LyX-Code
''mrbig@host.com''),
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_new_role(ICAL_ROLE_CHAIR),
\layout LyX-Code
0
\layout LyX-Code
),
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_vanew_attendee(
\layout LyX-Code
''employee-A@host.com'',
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_new_role(
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_ROLE_REQPARTICIPANT),
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_new_rsvp(1),
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_new_cutype(ICAL_CUTYPE_GROUP),
\layout LyX-Code
0
\layout LyX-Code
),
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_new_location(
\layout LyX-Code
"1CP Conference Room 4350"),
\layout LyX-Code
0
\layout LyX-Code
),
\layout LyX-Code
0
\layout LyX-Code
);
\layout Standard
This form is similar to the constructor form , except that the constructors
have
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
vanew
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
instead of
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
new
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
in the name.
The arguments are similar too, except that the component constructor can
have a list of properties, and the property constructor can have a list
of parameters.
Be sure to terminate every list with a '0', or your code will crash, if
you are lucky.
\layout Subsubsection
Parsing Text
\layout Standard
Several routines are available for generating objects from text.
For properties, use:
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* p;
\layout LyX-Code
p = icalproperty_new_from_string("DTSTART:19970101T120000Z
\backslash
n");
\layout Standard
For parameters, use:
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter *param
\layout LyX-Code
param = icalparameter_new_from_string("PARTSTAT=ACCEPTED");
\layout Standard
The final way to create components will probably be the most common; you
can create components from RFC2445 compliant text.
If you have the string in memory, use
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcomponent_new_from_string(char* str);
\layout Standard
If the string contains only one component, the routine will return the component
in libical form.
If the string contains multiple components, the multiple components will
be returned as the children of an ICAL_XROOT_COMPONENT component.
This routine is identical to ( and actually uses ) icalparser_parse_string(char
* str).
\layout Standard
Parsing a whole string may seem wasteful if you want to pull a large component
off of the network or from a file; you may prefer to parse the component
line by line.
This is possible too by using:
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser* icalparser_new();
\layout LyX-Code
void icalparser_free(icalparser* parser);
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser_get_line(parser,read_stream);
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser_add_line(parser,line);
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser_set_gen_data(parser,stream)
\layout Standard
These routines will construct a parser object to which you can add lines
of input and retrieve any components that the parser creates from the input.
These routines work by specifing an adaptor routine to get string data
from a source.
For an example:
\layout LyX-Code
char* read_stream(char *s, size_t size, void *d)
\layout LyX-Code
{
\layout LyX-Code
char *c = fgets(s,size, (FILE*)d);
\layout LyX-Code
return c;
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout LyX-Code
main() {
\layout LyX-Code
char* line;
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent *c;
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser *parser = icalparser_new();
\layout LyX-Code
FILE* stream = fopen(argv[1],"r");
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser_set_gen_data(parser,stream);
\layout LyX-Code
do{
\layout LyX-Code
line = icalparser_get_line(parser,read_stream);
\layout LyX-Code
c = icalparser_add_line(parser,line);
\layout LyX-Code
if (c != 0){
\layout LyX-Code
printf("%s",icalcomponent_as_ical_string(c));
\layout LyX-Code
icalparser_claim(parser);
\layout LyX-Code
printf("
\backslash
n---------------
\backslash
n");
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_free(c);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout LyX-Code
} while ( line != 0);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout Standard
The parser object parameterizes the routine used to get input lines with
icalparser_set_gen_data() and
\emph on
\emph default
icalparser_get_line().
In this example, the routine read_stream() will fetch the next line from
a stream, with the stream passed in as the void* parameter d.
The parser calls read_stream() from icalparser_get_line(), but it also
needs to know what stream to use.
This is set by the call to icalparser_set_gen_data().
By using a different routine for read_stream or passing in different data
with icalparser_set_gen_data, you can connect to any data source.
\layout Standard
Using the same mechanism, other implementations could read from memory buffers,
sockets or other interfaces.
\layout Standard
Since the example code is a very common way to use the parser, there is
a convenience routine;
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalparser_parse(icalparser *parser,
\layout LyX-Code
char* (*line_gen_func)(char *s, size_t size, void* d))
\layout Standard
To use this routine, you still must construct the parser object and pass
in a reference to a line reading routine.
If the parser can create a single component from the input, it will return
a pointer to the newly constructed component.
If the parser can construct multiple components from the input, it will
return a reference to an XROOT component ( of type ICAL_XROOT_COMPONENT.)
This XROOT component will hold all of the components constructed from the
input as children.
\layout Subsection
Accessing Components
\layout Standard
Given a reference to a component, you probably will want to access the propertie
s, parameters and values inside.
Libical interfaces let you find sub-components, add and remove sub-components,
and do the same three operations on properties.
\layout Subsubsection
Finding Components
\layout Standard
To find a sub-component of a component, use:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcomponent_get_first_component(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_kind kind);
\layout Standard
This routine will return a reference to the first component of the type
'kind.' The key kind values, listed in icalenums.h are:
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VTODO_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VJOURNAL_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VCALENDAR_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VFREEBUSY_COMPONENT
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_VALARM_COMPONENT
\layout Standard
These are only the most common components; there are many more listed in
icalenums.h.
\layout Standard
As you might guess, if there is more than one subcomponent of the type you
have chosen, this routine will return only the first.
to get at the others, you need to iterate through the component.
\layout Subsubsection
Iterating Through Components
\layout Standard
Iteration requires a second routine to get the next subcomponent after the
first:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcomponent_get_next_component(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_kind kind);
\layout Standard
With the 'first' and 'next' routines, you can create a for loop to iterate
through all of a components subcomponents
\layout LyX-Code
for(c = icalcomponent_get_first_component(comp,ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
c != 0;
\layout LyX-Code
c = icalcomponent_get_next_component(comp,ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT))
\layout LyX-Code
{
\layout LyX-Code
do_something(c);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout Standard
This code bit wil iterate through all of the subcomponents in 'comp' but
you can select a specific type of component by changing ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT
to another component type.
\layout Subsubsection
Using Component Iterators
\layout Standard
The iteration model in the previous section requires the component to keep
the state of the iteration.
So, you could not use this model to perform a sorting operations, since
you'd need two iterators and there is only space for one.
If you ever call icalcomponent_get_first_component() when an iteration
is in progress, the pointer will be reset to the beginning.
\layout Standard
To solve this problem, there are also external iterators for components.
The routines associated with these external iterators are:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcompiter icalcomponent_begin_component(icalcomponent* component, icalcompone
nt_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcompiter icalcomponent_end_component(icalcomponent* component, icalcomponent
_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcompiter_next(icalcompiter* i);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcompiter_prior(icalcompiter* i);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalcompiter_deref(icalcompiter* i);
\layout Standard
The _begin_() and _end_() routines return a new iterator that points to
the beginning and ending of the list of subcomponent for the given component,
and the kind argument works like the kind argument for internal iterators.
\layout Standard
After creating an iterators, use _next_() and _prior_() to step forward
and backward through the list and get the component that the iterator points
to, and use _deref() to return the component that the iterator points to
without moving the iterator.
All routines will return 0 when they move to point off the end of the list.
\layout Standard
Here is an example of a loop using these routines:
\layout LyX-Code
for(
\layout LyX-Code
i = icalcomponent_begin_component(impl->cluster,ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcompiter_deref(&i)!= 0;
\layout LyX-Code
icalcompiter_next(&i)
\layout LyX-Code
) {
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent *this = icalcompiter_deref(&i);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout Subsubsection
Removing Components
\layout Standard
Removing an element from a list while iterating through the list with the
internal iterators can cause problems, since you will probably be removing
the element that the internal iterator points to.
The _remove() routine will keep the iterator valid by moving it to the
next component, but in a normal loop, this will result in two advances
per iteration, and you will remove only every other component.
To avoid the problem, you will need to step the iterator ahead of the
element you are going to remove, like this:
\layout LyX-Code
for(c = icalcomponent_get_first_component(parent_comp,ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
c != 0;
\layout LyX-Code
c = next
\layout LyX-Code
{
\layout LyX-Code
next = icalcomponent_get_next_component(parent_comp,ICAL_ANY_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_remove_component(parent_comp,c);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout Standard
Another way to remove components is to rely on the side effect of icalcomponent_
remove_component: if component iterator in the parent component is pointing
to the child that will be removed, it will move the iterator to the component
after the child.
The following code will exploit this behavior:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_get_first_component(parent_comp,ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
while((c=icalcomponent_get_current_component(c)) != 0 ){
\layout LyX-Code
if(icalcomponent_isa(c) == ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT){
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_remove_component(parent_comp,inner);
\layout LyX-Code
} else {
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent_get_next_component(parent_comp,ICAL_VEVENT_COMPONENT);
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout LyX-Code
}
\layout Subsubsection
Working with properties and parameters
\layout Standard
Finding, iterating and removing properties works the same as it does for
components, using the property-specific or parameter-specific interfaces:
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* icalcomponent_get_first_property(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* icalcomponent_get_next_property(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
void icalcomponent_add_property(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* property);
\layout LyX-Code
void icalcomponent_remove_property(
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* component,
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* property);
\layout Standard
For parameters:
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter* icalproperty_get_first_parameter(
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* prop,
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter* icalproperty_get_next_parameter(
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* prop,
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_add_parameter(
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* prop,
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter* parameter);
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_remove_parameter(
\layout LyX-Code
icalproperty* prop,
\layout LyX-Code
icalparameter_kind kind);
\layout Standard
Note that since there should be only one parameter of each type in a property,
you will rarely need to use icalparameter_get_nect_paameter.
\layout Subsubsection
Working with values
\layout Standard
Values are typically part of a property, although they can exist on their
own.
You can manipulate them either as part of the property or independently.
\layout Standard
The most common way to work with values to is to manipulate them from they
properties that contain them.
This involves fewer routine calls and intermediate variables than working
with them independently, and it is type-safe.
\layout Standard
For each property, there are a _get_ and a _set_ routine that access the
internal value.
For instanace, for the UID property, the routines are:
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_set_uid(icalproperty* prop, const char* v)
\layout LyX-Code
const char* icalproperty_get_uid(icalproperty* prop)
\layout Standard
For multi-valued properties, like ATTACH, the value type is usually a struct
or union that holds both possible types.
\layout Standard
If you want to work with the underlying value object, you can get and set
it with:
\layout LyX-Code
icalvalue* icalproperty_get_value (icalproperty* prop)
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_set_value(icalproperty* prop, icalvalue* value);
\layout Standard
Icalproperty_get_value() will return a reference that you can manipulate
with other icalvalue routines.
Most of the time, you will have to know what the type of the value is.
For instance, if you know that the value is a DATETIME type, you can manipulate
it with:
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icalvalue_get_datetime(icalvalue* value);
\layout LyX-Code
void icalvalue_set_datetime(icalvalue* value, struct icaltimetype v);
\layout Standard
When working with an extension property or value (and X-PROPERTY or a property
that has the parameter VALUE=x-name ) the value type is always a string.
To get and set the value, use:
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_set_x(icalproperty* prop, char* v);
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalproperty_get_x(icalproperty* prop);
\layout Standard
All X properties have the type of ICAL_X_PROPERTY, so you will need these
routines to get and set the name of the property:
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalproperty_get_x_name(icalproperty* prop)
\layout LyX-Code
void icalproperty_set_x_name(icalproperty* prop, char* name);
\layout Subsubsection
Checking Component Validity
\layout Standard
RFC 2446 defines rules for what properties must exist in a component to
be used for transferring scheduling data.
Most of these rules relate to the existence of properties relative to the
METHOD property, which declares what operation a remote receiver should
use to process a component.
For instance, if the METHOD is REQUEST and the component is a VEVENT, the
sender is probably asking the receiver to join in a meeting.
In this case, RFC2446 says that the component must specify a start time
(DTSTART) and list the receiver as an attendee (ATTENDEE).
\layout Standard
Libical can check these restrictions with the routine:
\layout LyX-Code
int icalrestriction_check(icalcomponent* comp);
\layout Standard
This routine returns 0 if the component does not pass RFC2446 restrictions,
or if the component is malformed.
The component you pass in
\emph on
must
\emph default
be a VCALENDAR, with one or more children, like the examples in RFC2446.
\layout Standard
When this routine runs, it will insert new properties into the component
to indicate any errors it finds.
See section 6.5.3, X-LIC-ERROR for more information about these error properties.
\layout Subsubsection
Converting Components to Text
\layout Standard
To create an RFC2445 compliant text representation of an object, use one
of the *_as_ical_string() routines:
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalcomponent_as_ical_string (icalcomponent* component)
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalproperty_as_ical_string (icalproperty* property)
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalparameter_as_ical_string (icalparameter* parameter)
\layout LyX-Code
char* icalvalue_as_ical_string (icalvalue* value)
\layout Standard
In most cases, you will only use icalcomponent_as_ical_string (), since
it will cascade and convert all of the parameters, properties and values
that are attached to the root component.
\layout Standard
Icalproperty_as_ical_string() will terminate each line with the RFC2445
specified line terminator
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
\backslash
\backslash
n
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
However, if you compile with the symbol ICAL_UNIX_NEWLINE undefined, (
it is defined by default) it will terminate lines with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
\backslash
\backslash
n
\backslash
\backslash
r
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\layout Standard
Remember that the string returned by these routines is owned by the library,
and will eventually be re-written.
You should copy it if you want to preserve it.
\layout Subsection
Time
\layout Subsubsection
Time structure
\layout Standard
LIbical defines it's own time structure for storing all dates and times.
It would have been nice to re-use the C library's
\emph on
struct tm,
\emph default
but that structure does not differentiate between dates and times, and between
local time and UTC.
The libical structure is:
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype {
\layout LyX-Code
int year;
\layout LyX-Code
int month;
\layout LyX-Code
int day;
\layout LyX-Code
int hour;
\layout LyX-Code
int minute;
\layout LyX-Code
int second;
\layout LyX-Code
int is_utc; /* 1-> time is in UTC timezone */
\layout LyX-Code
int is_date; /* 1 -> interpret this as date.
*/ };
\layout Standard
The year, month, day, hour, minute and second fields hold the broken-out
time values.
The is_utc field distinguishes between times in UTC and a local time zone.
The is_date field indicates if the time should be interpreted only as a
date.
If it is a date, the hour, minute and second fields are assumed to be zero,
regardless of their actual vaules.
\layout Subsubsection
Creating time structures
\layout Standard
There are several ways to create a new icaltimetype structure:
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_from_string(const char* str);
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_from_timet(time_t v, int is_date);
\layout LyX-Code
\layout Standard
Icaltime_from_string takes any RFC2445 compliant time string:
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype tt = icaltime_from_string("19970101T103000");
\layout Standard
Icaltime_from_timet takes a timet value, representing seconds past the POSIX
epoch, and a flag to indicate if the time is a date.
Dates have an identical structure to a time, but the time portion ( hours,
minuts and seconds ) is always 00:00:00.
Dates act differently in sorting an comparision, and they have a different
string representation in RFC2445.
\layout Subsubsection
Time manipulating routines
\layout Standard
The null time value is used to indicate that the data in the structure is
not a valid time.
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_null_time(void);
\layout LyX-Code
int icaltime_is_null_time(struct icaltimetype t);
\layout Standard
It is sensible for the broken-out time fields to contain values that are
not permitted in an ISO compliant time string.
For instance, the seconds field can hold values greater than 59, and the
hours field can hold values larger than 24.
The excessive values will be rolled over into the next larger field when
the structure is normalized.
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_normalize(struct icaltimetype t);
\layout Standard
Normalizing allows you to do arithmetic operations on time values.
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype tt = icaltime_from_string(
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
19970101T103000
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
);
\layout LyX-Code
tt.days +=3
\layout LyX-Code
tt.second += 70;
\layout LyX-Code
tt = icaltime_normalize(tt);
\layout Standard
There are several routines to get the day of the week or month, etc, from
a time structure.
\layout LyX-Code
short icaltime_day_of_year(struct icaltimetype t);
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_from_day_of_year(short doy, short year);
\layout LyX-Code
short icaltime_day_of_week(struct icaltimetype t);
\layout LyX-Code
short icaltime_start_doy_of_week(struct icaltimetype t);
\layout LyX-Code
short icaltime_week_number(short day_of_month, short month, short year);
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_from_week_number(short week_number, short year);
\layout LyX-Code
short icaltime_days_in_month(short month,short year);
\layout Standard
Two routines convert time structures to and from the number of seconds since
the POSIX epoch.
The is_date field indicates whether or not the hour, minute and second
fields should be used in the conversion.
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_from_timet(time_t v, int is_date);
\layout LyX-Code
time_t icaltime_as_timet(struct icaltimetype);
\layout Standard
The compare routine works exactly like strcmp, but on time structures.
\layout LyX-Code
int icaltime_compare(struct icaltimetype a,struct icaltimetype b);
\layout Standard
The following routines convert between UTC and a named timezone.
The tzid field must be a timezone name from the Olsen database, such as
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
America/Los_Angeles.
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\layout Standard
The utc_offset routine returns the offset of the named time zone from UTC,
in seconds.
\layout Standard
The tt parameter in the following routines indicates the date on which the
conversion should be made.
The tt parameter is necessary because timezones have many different rules
for when daylight savings time is used, and these rules can change over
time.
So, for a single timezone one year may have daylight savings time on March
15, but for other years March 15 may be standard time, and some years may
have standard time all year.
\layout LyX-Code
int icaltime_utc_offset(struct icaltimetype tt, char* tzid);
\layout LyX-Code
int icaltime_local_utc_offset();
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_as_utc(struct icaltimetype tt,char* tzid);
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_as_zone(struct icaltimetype tt,char* tzid);
\layout LyX-Code
struct icaltimetype icaltime_as_local(struct icaltimetype tt);
\layout Subsection
Storing Objects
\layout Standard
The libical distribution includes a separate library, libicalss, that allows
you to store iCal component data to disk in a variety of ways.
This library also includes code to implement the CSTP protocol of CAP and
has some routines for deciphering incomming messages.
\layout Standard
The file storage routines are organized in an inheritance heirarchy that
is rooted in icalset, with the derived class icalfileset and icaldirset.
Icalfileset stores components to a file, while icaldirset stores components
to multiple files, one per month based on DTSTAMP.
Other storages classess, for storage to a heap or a mysql database are
planned for the future.
\layout Standard
All of the icalset derived classes have the same interface:
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
icaldirset* icaldirset_new(const char* path);
\layout LyX-Code
void icaldirset_free(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
const char* icaldirset_path(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
void icaldirset_mark(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icaldirset_commit(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icaldirset_add_component(icaldirset* store, icalcomponent*
comp);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icaldirset_remove_component(icaldirset* store, icalcomponent*
comp);
\layout LyX-Code
int icaldirset_count_components(icaldirset* store, icalcomponent_kind kind);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icaldirset_select(icaldirset* store, icalcomponent* gauge);
\layout LyX-Code
void icaldirset_clear(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icaldirset_fetch(icaldirset* store, const char* uid);
\layout LyX-Code
int icaldirset_has_uid(icaldirset* store, const char* uid);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icaldirset_fetch_match(icaldirset* set, icalcomponent *c);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icaldirset_modify(icaldirset* store, icalcomponent *oldc,
icalcomponent *newc);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icaldirset_get_current_component(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icaldirset_get_first_component(icaldirset* store);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icaldirset_get_next_component(icaldirset* store);
\layout Subsubsection
Creating a new set
\layout Standard
You can create a new set from either the base class or the direved class.
From the base class use one of:
\layout LyX-Code
icalset* icalset_new_file(const char* path);
\layout LyX-Code
icalset* icalset_new_dir(const char* path);
\layout LyX-Code
icalset* icalset_new_heap(void);
\layout LyX-Code
icalset* icalset_new_mysql(const char* path);
\layout Standard
You can also create a new set based on the derived class, For instance,
with icalfileset:
\layout LyX-Code
icalfileset* icalfileset_new(const char* path);
\layout LyX-Code
icalfileset* icalfileset_new_open(const char* path, int flags, mode_t mode);
\layout Standard
Icaset_new_file is identical to icalfileset_new.
BOth routines will open an existing file for readinga and writing, or create
a new file if it does not exist.
Icalfilset_new_open takes the same arguments as the open() system routine
and behaves in the same way.
\layout Standard
The icalset and icalfilset objects are somewhat interchangable -- you can
use an icalfileset* as an argument to any of the icalset routines.
\layout Standard
The following examples will all use icalfileset routines; using the other
icalset derived classess will be similar.
\layout Subsubsection
Adding, Finding and Removing Components
\layout Standard
To add components to a set, use:
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icalfileset_add_component(icalfileset* cluster, icalcomponent*
child);
\layout Standard
The fileset keeps an inmemory copy of the components, and this set must
be written back to the file ocassionally.
There are two routines to manage this:
\layout LyX-Code
void icalfileset_mark(icalfileset* cluster);
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icalfileset_commit(icalfileset* cluster);
\layout Standard
Icalfileset_mark indicates that the in-memory components have changed.
Calling the _add_component routine will call _mark automatically, but you
may need to call it yourself if you have made a change to an existing component.
The _commit routine writes the data base to disk, but only if it is marked.
The _commit routine is called automatically when the icalfileset is freed.
\layout Standard
To iterate through the components in a set, use:
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalfileset_get_first_component(icalfileset* cluster);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalfileset_get_next_component(icalfileset* cluster);
\layout LyX-Code
icalcomponent* icalfileset_get_current_component (icalfileset* cluster);
\layout Standard
These routines work like the corresponding routines from icalcomponent,
except that their output is filtered through a gauge.
A gauge is a test for the properties within a components; only components
that pass the test are returned.
A gauge can be constructed from a MINSQL string with:
\layout LyX-Code
icalgauge* icalgauge_new_from_sql(char* sql);
\layout Standard
Then, you can add the gauge to the set with :
\layout LyX-Code
icalerrorenum icalfileset_select(icalfileset* store, icalgauge* gauge);
\layout Standard
Here is an example that puts all of these routines together:
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
void test_fileset()
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
{
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalfileset *fs;
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalcomponent *c;
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
int i;
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
char *path = "test_fileset.ics";
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalgauge *g = icalgauge_new_from_sql(
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
"SELECT * FROM VEVENT WHERE DTSTART > '20000103T120000Z' AND DTSTART
<= '20000106T120000Z'");
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
fs = icalfileset_new(path);
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
for (i = 0; i!= 10; i++){
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
c = make_component(i);
\latex default
/* Make a new component where DTSTART has month of i */
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalfileset_add_component(fs,c);
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
}
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalfileset_commit(fs);
\latex default
/* Write to disk */
\layout LyX-Code
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalfileset_select(fs,g);
\latex default
/* Set the gauge to filter components */
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
for (c = icalfileset_get_first_component(fs);
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
c != 0;
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
c = icalfileset_get_next_component(fs)){
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
struct icaltimetype t = icalcomponent_get_dtstart(c);
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
printf("%s
\backslash
n",icaltime_as_ctime(t));
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
}
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
icalfileset_free(fs);
\layout LyX-Code
\latex no_latex
}
\layout Subsubsection
Other routines
\layout Standard
There are several other routines in the icalset interface, but they not
fully implemented yet.
\layout Subsection
\begin_inset LatexCommand \label{sec:memory}
\end_inset
Memory Management
\layout Standard
Libical relies heavily on dynamic allocation for both the core objects and
for the strings used to hold values.
Some of this memory the library caller owns and must free, and some of
the memory is managed by the library.
Here is a summary of the memory rules.
\layout Description
1) If the function name has "new" in it, the caller gets control of the
memory.
( such as icalcomponent_new(), or icalproperty_new_clone() )
\layout Description
2) If you got the memory from a routine with new in it, you must call the
corresponding *_free routine to free the memory.
( Use icalcomponent_free() to free objects created with icalcomponent_new())
\layout Description
3) If the function name has "add" in it, the caller is transferring control
of the memory to the routine.
( icalproperty_add_parameter() )
\layout Description
4) If the function name has "remove" in it, the caller passes in a pointer
to an object and after the call returns, the caller owns the object.
So, before you call icalcomponent_remove_property(comp,foo), you do not
own "foo" and after the call returns, you do.
\layout Description
5) If the routine returns a string, libical owns the memory and will put
it on a ring buffer to reclaim later.
For example, icalcomponent_as_ical_string().
You'd better strdup() it if you want to keep it, and you don't have to
delete it.
\layout Subsection
Error Handling
\layout Standard
Libical has several error handling mechanisms for the various types of programmi
ng, semantic and syntactic errors you may encounter.
\layout Subsubsection
Return values
\layout Standard
Many library routines signal errors through their return values.
All routines that return a pointer, such as icalcomponent_new(), will return
0 ( zero ) on a fatal error.
Some routines will return a value of enum icalerrorenum.
\layout Subsubsection
icalerrno
\layout Standard
Most routines will set the global error value icalerrno on errors.
This variable is an enumeration; permissible values can be found in libical/ica
lerror.h.
If the routine returns an enum icalerrorenum, then the return value will
be the same as icalerrno.
You can use icalerror_strerror() to get a string that describes the error.
The enumerations are:
\layout Standard
\added_space_top 0.3cm \added_space_bottom 0.3cm \align center \LyXTable
multicol5
12 2 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -1
1 1 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 1 0 0
2 1 0 "" ""
2 1 1 "" ""
0 8 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 8 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
\newline
\newline
ICAL_BADARG_ERROR
\newline
One of the argument to a routine was bad.
Typically for a null pointer.
\newline
ICAL_NEWFAILED_ERROR
\newline
A new() or malloc() failed
\newline
ICAL_MALFORMEDDATA_ERROR
\newline
An input string was not in the correct format
\newline
ICAL_PARSE_ERROR
\newline
the parser failed to parse an incomming component
\newline
ICAL_INTERNAL_ERROR
\newline
Largely equivalent to an assert; it indicates a bug in the libical code
\newline
ICAL_FILE_ERROR
\newline
A file operation failed.
Check errno for more detai
\newline
ICAL_ALLOCATION_ERROR
\newline
\newline
ICAL_NO_ERROR
\newline
No error has occured
\newline
ICAL_TIMEDOUT_ERROR
\newline
Failed to acquire a lock on a file, or the CSTP protocol timed out.
\newline
ICAL_MULTIPLEINCLUSION_ERROR
\newline
\newline
ICAL_UNKNOWN_ERROR
\newline
\layout Subsubsection
X-LIC-ERROR and X-LIC-INVALID-COMPONENT
\layout Standard
The library handles semantic and syntactic errors in components by inserting
errors properties into the components.
If the parser cannot parse incoming text ( a syntactic error ) or if the
icalrestriction_check() routine indicates that the component does not meet
the requirements of RFC2446 ( a semantic error) the library will insert
properties of the type X-LIC-ERROR to describe the error.
Here is an example of the error property:
\layout LyX-Code
X-LIC-ERROR;X-LIC-ERRORTYPE=INVALID_ITIP :Failed iTIP restrictions for property
DTSTART.
\layout LyX-Code
Expected 1 instances of the property and got 0
\layout Standard
This error resulted from a call to icalrestriction_check(), which discovered
that the component does not have a DTSTART property, as required by RFC2445.
\layout Standard
There are a few routines to manipulate error properties:
\layout Standard
\LyXTable
multicol5
10 2 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -1
1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0
0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 0
0 1 1 0
2 1 1 "" ""
2 1 1 "3in" ""
0 2 1 1 0 0 0 "" ""
0 8 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 1 0 1 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 1 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 1 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 1 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 1 1 0 1 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 1 1 0 1 "" ""
0 2 1 0 0 0 0 "" ""
0 2 1 1 0 0 1 "" ""
Routine
\newline
Purpose
\newline
void icalrestriction_check()
\newline
Check a component against RFC2446 and insert
\newline
\newline
error properties to indicate non compliance
\newline
int icalcomponent_count_errors()
\newline
Return the number of error properties
\newline
\newline
in a component
\newline
void icalcomponent_strip_errors()
\newline
Remove all error properties in as
\newline
\newline
component
\newline
void icalcomponent_convert_errors()
\newline
Convert some error properties into
\newline
\newline
REQUESTS-STATUS proprties to indicate the inability to
\newline
\newline
process the component as an iTIP request.
\layout Standard
The types of errors are listed in icalerror.h.
They are:
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_COMPONENTPARSEERROR
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_PARAMETERVALUEPARSEERROR
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_PARAMETERNAMEPARSEERROR
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_PROPERTYPARSEERROR
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_VALUEPARSEERROR
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_UNKVCALPROP
\layout LyX-Code
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_INVALIDITIP
\layout Standard
The libical parser will generate the error that end in PARSEERROR when it
encounters garbage in the input steam.
ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_INVALIDITIP is inserted by icalrestriction_check(),
and ICAL_XLICERRORTYPE_UNKVCALPROP is generated by icalvcal_convert() when
it encounters a vCal property that it cannot convert or does not know about.
\layout Standard
Icalcomponent_convert_errors() converts some of the error properties in
a component into REQUEST-STATUS properties that indicate a failure.
As of libical version0.18, this routine only convert *PARSEERROR errors
and it always generates a 3.x ( failure ) code.
This makes it more of a good idea than a really useful bit of code.
\layout Subsubsection
ICAL_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL and icalerror_errors_are_fatal
\layout Standard
If the global variable icalerror_errors_are_fatal is set to 1, then any
error condition will cause the program to abort.
The abort occurs in icalerror_set_errno(), and is done with an assert(0)
if NDEBUG is undefined, and with icalerror_crash_here if NDEBUG is defined.
The default value of icalerror_errors_are_fatal is 1 when ICAL_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL
is defined, and 0 otherwise.
Since ICAL_ERRORS_ARE_FATAL is defined by default, icalerror_errors_are_fatal
is also defined by default.
\layout Subsection
Naming Standard
\layout Standard
Structures that you access with the
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
struct
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
keyword, such as
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
struct icaltimetype
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
are things that you are allowed to see inside and poke at.
\layout Standard
Structures that you access though a typedef, such as
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
icalcomponent
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
are things where all of the data is hidden.
\layout Standard
Component names that start with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
V
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
are part of RFC 2445 or another iCal standard.
Component names that start with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
X
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
are also part of the spec, but they are not actually components in the
spec.
However, they look and act like components, so they are components in libical.
Names that start with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
XLIC
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
or
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
X-LIC
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
are not part of any iCal spec.
They are used internally by libical.
\layout Standard
Enums that identify a component, property, value or parameter end with
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
_COMPONENT,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
_PROPERTY,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
_VALUE,
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
or
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
_PARAMETER
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
s
\layout Standard
Enums that identify a parameter value have the name of the parameter as
the second word.
For instance: ICAL_ROLE_REQPARTICIPANT or ICAL_PARTSTAT_ACCEPTED.
\layout Standard
The enums for the parts of a recurarance rule and request statuses are irregular.
\layout Section
Hacks and Bugs
\layout Standard
There are a lot of hacks in the library -- bits of code that I am not proud
of and should probably be changed.
These are marked with the comment string
\begin_inset Quotes eld
\end_inset
HACK.
\begin_inset Quotes erd
\end_inset
\the_end
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