Thread

Im wondering how hard is it to build native calendar with ExpressionEngine?
And is there somewhere a hidden stuff, that could make iCal-files from entries too?

I have Solspace Calendar (and its awesome) but if there is a way to do calendars without add-ons, I would rather not use any.

Have you built calendar using channels, and channel:form ?
- If so, does that take much to get it acting like a “real calendar”?

Im thankful if you share your ideas, and perhaps with some example tips.

(Im trying to drop all addons that arent “have-to-be” on my site).

Thank You

Your description is probably way too vague to give a good answer.

Yes, it’s easy to handle events in EE.
Calendar (I’m guessing you mean frontend output by this?) ranges from a simple table to AJAX driven modules with modal windows and stuff. So you’ll have to define what a “real calendar” is for you.

Thanks for the answer.
What I only need is the common stuff like:
- location
- time frame (if event is multi day long) / setting status to closed automatic when event is no longer available.
- details, website info etc.
- Organisation who is behind the event
- Possible fee’s if any.
- Event flyer(ad) if there is one to put.

And categories to allow user filter events by them. (education, meetups etc).

Those should be easy to do just with custom fields, just like adding common channel entry.
But then comes the hard part for me cos im not a coder, im a end user, always been that 😊

I wish/want to have a possibility for people to add the event to their iCal or similar.
And show under the event details “what other is going on right now” (if any that is open and multi day long).

So basic stuff is very ease, but I really dont know how an earth I could make possible to let user add the event to their iCal. And how to show the info about “occurrences” that are “open” right the moment user is looking at the calendar.

Thanks

If you have already purchased Solspace Calendar at this point you are basically just reinventing the wheel, especially if you want to export to iCal. It is definitely possible to code your own calendar, but you will need a solid understanding of another programming language like javascript or PHP. And it will require a significant amount of work to get your proprietary calendar to behave at the same performance level. Is there a reason why you would prefer to do away with add-ons rather than using Solspace Calendar?

Reason is that ‘Im using Publisher. But I have dropped my idea of uninstalling Calendar, and might uninstall Publisher due to search-related issues with it. Search becomes more important to my site than translations made easy way.