NAME

       Data::ICal - Generates iCalendar (RFC 2445) calendar files

SYNOPSIS

           use Data::ICal;

           my $calendar = Data::ICal->new();

           my $vtodo = Data::ICal::Entry::Todo->new();
           $vtodo->add_properties(
               # ... see Data::ICal::Entry::Todo documentation
           );

           # ... or
           $calendar = Data::ICal->new(filename => 'foo.ics'); # parse existing file
           $calendar = Data::ICal->new(data => 'BEGIN:VCALENDAR...'); # parse from scalar
           $calendar->add_entry($vtodo);
           print $calendar->as_string;

DESCRIPTION

       A Data::ICal object represents a "VCALENDAR" object as defined in the iCalendar protocol
       (RFC 2445, MIME type "text/calendar"), as implemented in many popular calendaring programs
       such as Apple's iCal.

       Each Data::ICal object is a collection of "entries", which are objects of a subclass of
       Data::ICal::Entry.  The types of entries defined by iCalendar (which refers to them as
       "components") include events, to-do items, journal entries, free/busy time indicators, and
       time zone descriptors; in addition, events and to-do items can contain alarm entries.
       (Currently, Data::ICal only implements to-do items and events.)

       Data::ICal is a subclass of Data::ICal::Entry; see its manpage for more methods applicable
       to Data::ICal.

METHODS

   new [ data => $data, ] [ filename => $file ], [ calname => $string ], [ vcal10 => $bool ], [
       rfc_strict => $bool ], [ auto_uid => $bool ]
       Creates a new Data::ICal object.

       If it is given a filename or data argument is passed, then this parses the content of the
       file or string into the object.  If the "vcal10" flag is passed, parses it according to
       vCalendar 1.0, not iCalendar 2.0; this in particular impacts the parsing of continuation
       lines in quoted-printable sections.

       If a calname is passed, sets x-wr-calname to the given string.  Although not specified in
       RFC2445, most calendar software respects x-wr-calname as the displayed name of the
       calendar.

       If the "rfc_strict" flag is set to true, will require Data::ICal to include UIDs, as per
       RFC2445:

           4.8.4.7 Unique Identifier
           ... The property MUST be specified in the "VEVENT", "VTODO",
           "VJOURNAL" or "VFREEBUSY" calendar components"

       If the "auto_uid" flag is set to true, will automatically generate a default UID for each
       type which requires it, based on the RFC-suggested algorithm.  Explicitly-set UID
       attributes will override this auto-generated value.

       If a filename or data argument is not passed, this just sets the object's "VERSION" and
       "PRODID" properties to "2.0" (or "1.0" if the "vcal10" flag is passed) and the value of
       the "product_id" method respectively.

       Returns a false value upon failure to open or parse the file or data; this false value is
       a Class::ReturnValue object and can be queried as to its "error_message".

   parse [ data => $data, ] [ filename => $file, ]
       Parse a ".ics" file or string containing one, and populate $self with its contents.

       Should only be called once on a given object, and will be automatically called by "new" if
       you provide arguments to "new".

       Returns $self on success.  Returns a false value upon failure to open or parse the file or
       data; this false value is a Class::ReturnValue object and can be queried as to its
       "error_message".

   ical_entry_type
       Returns "VCALENDAR", its iCalendar entry name.

   product_id
       Returns the product ID used in the calendar's "PRODID" property; you may wish to override
       this in a subclass for your own application.

   mandatory_unique_properties
       According to the iCalendar standard, the following properties must be specified exactly
       one time for a calendar:

             prodid version

   optional_unique_properties
       According to the iCalendar standard, the following properties may be specified at most one
       time for a calendar:

             calscale method

DEPENDENCIES

       Data::ICal requires Class::Accessor, Text::vFile::asData, MIME::QuotedPrint, and
       Class::ReturnValue.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

       Data::ICal does not support time zone daylight or standard entries, so time zone
       components are basically useless.

       While Data::ICal tries to check which properties are required and repeatable, this only
       works in simple cases; it does not check for properties that must either both exist or
       both not exist, or for mutually exclusive properties.

       Data::ICal does not check to see if property parameter names are known in general or
       allowed on the particular property.

       Data::ICal does not check to see if nested entries are nested properly (alarms in todos
       and events only, everything else in calendars only).

       The only property encoding supported by Data::ICal is quoted printable.

       Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-data-ical@rt.cpan.org", or through the
       web interface at <http://rt.cpan.org>.

AUTHOR

       Best Practical Solutions, LLC <modules@bestpractical.com>

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (c) 2005 - 2015, Best Practical Solutions, LLC.  All rights reserved.

       This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same
       terms as Perl itself. See perlartistic.