Lotus Notes Repeating Events Again w/Google Calendar

[lexhair]

I just moved from CL for Google to CLE since CLE now supports Lotus Notes. I have a standing meeting I'm invited to on Lotus Notes over a couple of months. When the meeting is first set up, CLE syncs it to my Google Calendar without a problem. However, if one or more of the instances is changed, on the next CLE sync, the new meeting instance is shown but the old, previously scheduled meeting remains. Here's the kicker...the previously scheduled meeting is only shown on devices which use Google Sync and Google Calendar's 'exchange server'. On devices which use CalDAV (the calendar on the iPad), the previously scheduled meeting disappears (properly).

I'm guessing when the meeting is first transferred to the Google as a repeating meeting, it's set up per the Microsoft Exchange repeating meeting specs by CLE. However, changes to specific instances are transferred by CLE as single, new meetings and CLE does not modify the original repeating meeting on the Exchange server to consider this instance change.

The reason I bring this up is because Android devices do not support CalDAV but use the Google Sync (Exchange) push service. So until I can set up a calendar via CalDAV on an Android device, the CLE sync via Google won't deal with these changed instances on standing meetings. I'm not sure how it would work if I synced via USB to an Android phone.

[clcto]

Hello lexhair!

By CLE I assume you mean CompanionLink Express. This is the same program as CompanionLink for Google, and we moved Lotus Notes there recently. The abbreviation we use is CLX.

Lotus Notes has an internal format for repeat events, and particularly Custom recurring events.

Google is mostly CalDAV compliant.

Exchange is it's own format.

Android has a unique system of it's own. Recurring events are neither fully Exchange or CalDAV compliant.

When you move an event from Lotus to Google, via ActiveSync to Android, you are going to move through four different systems for notating recurring events. No wonder things get mixed up.

For CompanionLink to Google (CLG and CLX) we work hardest to make the recurring event "look" the same as in Lotus Notes. What we are aiming for is Google looks right, not any phone or anything else. In some cases, Recurrings, Custom Recurrings and Exceptions are displayed but cannot be edited.

For CompanionLink USB (CLG and CLX) CompanionLink has an application called DejaDesktop on the Droid. This app is able to better display the patterns found in Lotus Notes. In addition, we put what we can directly in the Droid Calendar.

We are always working hard to depict the events right. Particularly for Lotus Notes which has it's own non-standard way of notating events. I hope this explanation helps you define what will work best for you. I'm happy to check out any particular sequence, to see if we can better notate according to the many standards such that a particular event appears correctly on the most platforms.

I should clarify that this whole discussion impacts only recurring events, and in particular exceptions to a recurring sequence. Thankfully, single events and simple recurring patterns can be moved in a standard way among all these platforms.

Wayland Bruns, CTO
CompanionLink Software, Inc.

[lexhair]

Thanks, Wayland. So what's my best CompanionLink choice when I move to an android phone given the requirement for Lotus Notes and the funky changes to repeating meetings? I can't have ghost mtgs on any of my calendars. CLX via google or CLX via USB?

[clcto]

I'd definitely recommend CompanionLink USB going to DejaOffice. That way we have Lotus Notes on one side, and CompanionLink Sync and DejaOffice (by CompanionLink) on the other side.

DejaOffice is still a work in progress. But I'm working hard with the team to insure it is the premier solution for Lotus Notes on the Android platform. If you find any issues, email me directly at wayland@companionlink.com and we'll get them taken care of right away.

Wayland Bruns, CTO
CompanionLink Software, Inc.

[lexhair]

I'd definitely recommend CompanionLink USB going to DejaOffice. That way we have Lotus Notes on one side, and CompanionLink Sync and DejaOffice (by CompanionLink) on the other side.

DejaOffice is still a work in progress. But I'm working hard with the team to insure it is the premier solution for Lotus Notes on the Android platform. If you find any issues, email me directly at wayland@companionlink.com and we'll get them taken care of right away.

Wayland Bruns, CTO
CompanionLink Software, Inc.

OK. Do I need to buy another license?