Sunbird and Lightning Calendars: Difference between revisions

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''- A powerful standalone standards based calendar client''
'''[http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning/index.html Lightning]''' is an add-on extending [http://www.mozillamessaging.com/thunderbird/ Thunderbird] or [http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ Seamonkey] to integrate standards-based calendaring.  Lightning provides for managing calendar data, subscribing to iCalendar feeds (RFC5545), interacting with calendaring services, chiefly CalDAV (RFC4791), and receiving and sending iTIP/iMIP email invitations (RFC5546/RFC2447).


SunBird development has not yet reached enough momentum to require nightly builds, but preview builds are made available periodically, and nightly builds will most likely be available some time in the future.
'''[http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbird/index.html Sunbird]''' was a standalone, standards-based calendaring application for managing calendar data, subscribing to iCalendar feeds (RFC5545), and interacting with calendaring services, chiefly CalDAV, built with many of the same components as Lightning (and without email integration). It is no longer supported or developed - ''The Calendar Project has [http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/calendar/2010/04/sunbird_10_beta1_now_available.html stopped] Sunbird development to focus on Lightning, so Lightning is currently a safer choice for new users.''  And time zone information is no longer updated.
The mozilla.org SunBird page is the place to check for status updates, and .xpi files used to install and integrate SunBird with either FireFox or ThunderBird.


If you don't want SunBird to integrate with FireFox or ThunderBird, you also have the option of downloading a Standalone version of SunBird.  http://seb.mozdev.org/sunbird/ has an installer for a August, 2003 STANDALONE version of SunBird.  
Stable releases of Lightning can be downloaded from the project's web site.  See [[Download_sites_-_Sunbird_Lightning_Calendar|download sites]]. If you experience slowness or instability you should [[Sunbird_and_Lightning_Calendars#Issue_Details|file a bug report]].


Developers interested in the project can follow progress on mozilla's usenet server at news://news.mozilla.org/netscape.public.mozilla.calendar or chat at irc://irc.mozilla.org/calendar
* Make backups periodically: crashes may corrupt calendar data.  Local calendar data is located in the user Profile folder ([[Profile folder - Thunderbird|Thunderbird]], [[Profile folder - SeaMonkey|SeaMonkey]], [[Profile folder|Sunbird]]):
** in the preferences file (''profileDir''<code>/prefs.js</code>) and
** in the local-calendar database (''profileDir''<code>/calendar-data/local.sqlite</code>).


Lightning and Sunbird are based on a rewrite of Calendar Extension, which is no longer in active development.  Development was originally started at OEOne corporation (Canada, now named Axentra), and later for periods a few developers were supported by Oracle (US), Sun Microsystems (Germany, later aquired by Oracle), and by Mozilla Messaging, as well as by volunteers and donations from around the world.


: '''Top 10 most recent issues:'''
===Community===
: 1)
: 2)
: 3)
: ... See [[Sunbird : Issues | all of the known issues]].


: '''Top 10 most accessed questions:'''
To follow the progress of Lightning and Sunbird, see the [http://blog.mozilla.com/calendar Calendar Weblog].
: 1)
: 2)
: 3)
: ... See [[Sunbird : FAQs | all of the FAQ entries]].


: '''Top 10 Most Useful Tips and tricks:'''
You can discuss Lightning and Sunbird in mozillaZine's [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=46 Calendar] forum.
: 1)
 
: 2)
Lightning is also discussed in the
: 3)
:''mozilla.support.calendar'' newsgroup/email-list
: ... See [[Sunbird : Tips | all of the Tips and Tricks ]].
([http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.support.calendar archive],
[http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.support.calendar/feeds feeds],
[https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/support-calendar email],
[news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.support.calendar newsgroup]
for newsreader such as Thunderbird or Seamonkey).
 
(Unmonitored newsgroup archives:
[http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.feedback/search?q=(Sunbird+OR+Lightning+OR+Calendar)&scoring=d mozilla.feedback],
[http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.feedback.thunderbird/search?q=(Sunbird+OR+Lightning+OR+Calendar)&scoring=d mozilla.feedback.thunderbird],
old [http://groups.google.com/group/netscape.public.mozilla.calendar netscape.p.m.calendar].)
 
===For Testers and Developers===
 
Nightly builds for testing are available.  For nightly Lightning builds, see its [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning/download.html#nightly download page].
 
Developers interested in the project can follow progress and contribute
to the
:''mozilla.dev.apps.calendar'' newsgroup/email-list
([http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.calendar archive],
[http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.calendar/feeds feeds],
[https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-apps-calendar email],
[news://news.mozilla.org/mozilla.dev.apps.calendar newsgroup]
for newsgroup client such as Thunderbird)
 
Or chat at:
:[irc://irc.mozilla.org/calendar]
 
Manual UI tests are recorded at [http://litmus.mozilla.org/ Litmus] (product Calendar).  Some [http://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/file/7f0ab878abe7/calendar/test tests]
have been automated.  Some UI tests are automated in JavaScript using [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Mozmill_Tests MozMill].
 
Results of testing capatibility with various CalDAV servers are recorded at
:[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Calendar:QA_CalDAV_Support]
 
To compile from sources, see Sunbird and Lightning [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Simple_Sunbird_build build instructions].
 
===Issues===
 
* See "Release Notes" on the download page for  [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning/download.html Lightning].
* See [[:Category:Issues - Calendar| known issues]].
* The [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/bugs.html bug page] on the project website has links that list open bugs in the bug database.
 
<blockquote>
====Issue Details====
 
When discussing or reporting issues, be sure to note
* any Error Console messages associated with the issue (Tools &rArr; Error Console)
* the Build Id (Help &rArr; About, copy last paragraph with all version numbers)
* the Operating System version (and window manager version if relevant)
* the Calendar Provider, if relevant (local SQLite storage, local ics file, remote CalDAV, remote GDATA, remote WebDAV/ics, remote WCAP, or name and version of add-on calendar provider)
* the Calendar Server and version number, if relevant.
</blockquote>
 
===Indexes===
* [[:Category:Calendar]] indexes local pages covering the Calendar project, including both Sunbird and Lightning.
* [[FAQs_index_-_Sunbird_Lightning_Calendar | FAQ index]] covers frequently answered questions.
* [[:Category:Tips - Calendar]] covers tips and hints for customizations.
* [[Add-ons_Index_-_Sunbird_Lightning_Calendar | Add-ons Index]]: indexes add-on extensions, including unpublished ones.
* [[Wishes_Index_-_Sunbird_Lightning_Calendar | Wish Index]]: indexes enhancement discussions with Bugzilla links.
 
[[Category:Calendar|*]][[Category:Sunbird]]

Latest revision as of 02:48, 22 October 2014

Lightning is an add-on extending Thunderbird or Seamonkey to integrate standards-based calendaring. Lightning provides for managing calendar data, subscribing to iCalendar feeds (RFC5545), interacting with calendaring services, chiefly CalDAV (RFC4791), and receiving and sending iTIP/iMIP email invitations (RFC5546/RFC2447).

Sunbird was a standalone, standards-based calendaring application for managing calendar data, subscribing to iCalendar feeds (RFC5545), and interacting with calendaring services, chiefly CalDAV, built with many of the same components as Lightning (and without email integration). It is no longer supported or developed - The Calendar Project has stopped Sunbird development to focus on Lightning, so Lightning is currently a safer choice for new users. And time zone information is no longer updated.

Stable releases of Lightning can be downloaded from the project's web site. See download sites. If you experience slowness or instability you should file a bug report.

  • Make backups periodically: crashes may corrupt calendar data. Local calendar data is located in the user Profile folder (Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Sunbird):
    • in the preferences file (profileDir/prefs.js) and
    • in the local-calendar database (profileDir/calendar-data/local.sqlite).

Lightning and Sunbird are based on a rewrite of Calendar Extension, which is no longer in active development. Development was originally started at OEOne corporation (Canada, now named Axentra), and later for periods a few developers were supported by Oracle (US), Sun Microsystems (Germany, later aquired by Oracle), and by Mozilla Messaging, as well as by volunteers and donations from around the world.

Community

To follow the progress of Lightning and Sunbird, see the Calendar Weblog.

You can discuss Lightning and Sunbird in mozillaZine's Calendar forum.

Lightning is also discussed in the

mozilla.support.calendar newsgroup/email-list

(archive, feeds, email, newsgroup for newsreader such as Thunderbird or Seamonkey).

(Unmonitored newsgroup archives: mozilla.feedback, mozilla.feedback.thunderbird, old netscape.p.m.calendar.)

For Testers and Developers

Nightly builds for testing are available. For nightly Lightning builds, see its download page.

Developers interested in the project can follow progress and contribute to the

mozilla.dev.apps.calendar newsgroup/email-list

(archive, feeds, email, newsgroup for newsgroup client such as Thunderbird).

Or chat at:

[1]

Manual UI tests are recorded at Litmus (product Calendar). Some tests have been automated. Some UI tests are automated in JavaScript using MozMill.

Results of testing capatibility with various CalDAV servers are recorded at

[2]

To compile from sources, see Sunbird and Lightning build instructions.

Issues

  • See "Release Notes" on the download page for Lightning.
  • See known issues.
  • The bug page on the project website has links that list open bugs in the bug database.

Issue Details

When discussing or reporting issues, be sure to note

  • any Error Console messages associated with the issue (Tools ⇒ Error Console)
  • the Build Id (Help ⇒ About, copy last paragraph with all version numbers)
  • the Operating System version (and window manager version if relevant)
  • the Calendar Provider, if relevant (local SQLite storage, local ics file, remote CalDAV, remote GDATA, remote WebDAV/ics, remote WCAP, or name and version of add-on calendar provider)
  • the Calendar Server and version number, if relevant.

Indexes