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# Getting started with Calendar <index></index>

This chapter describes how to use . It is designed to be helpful for new users, so it does not contain much detail. It has links to other chapters in the help, where you can find more detailed information.

## Basic concepts <index></index>

This section describes the basic concepts of .

### How stores calendars <index></index>

Your program can contain one or more separate calendars:

You can choose which calendars you work with, and you can choose to work with more than one calendar simultaneously.

### Calendar entries <index></index>

Each calendar contains entries at certain days and times:

My Calendar

displays entries in different ways, depending on how you choose to view the calendar.

Each entry contains further information:

Entry
Title: | A meeting
Location: | Conference Room 1
Start date: | November 1, 2004
Start time: | 9:00 a.m.
All day: | Yes
etc. |

### Types of Calendar entry <index></index>

There are two types of entry: event and task. An event represents something that will happen whether you take action or not. A task represents something that will only happen if you take action.

### Sharing calendars <index></index>

To share information with other people, you use servers. A server is a program that usually runs on a separate computer. You can use the Internet or some other kind of network to send information to and from the server.

To make one of your calendars available to other people, you can publish it by copying it to a server: The server allows other people to use information in the calendar.

You can also use a calendar that someone else provided on a server:

You can share a calendar with other people by exchanging information with the server in both directions:

## The window <index></index>

The window is divided into eight areas. Each area has a different purpose. This section describes all the areas briefly, and tells you where to find more information about them.

The exact appearance of the window differs depending on the version you are using, your operating system platform, and any theme that you use.

### The bars at the top of the window <index></index>

At the top of the window, the title bar contains the title of the application: .

Underneath the title bar, (or at the top of the screen on a Macintosh), the menu bar is where you can choose actions to control . These actions are described throughout this help. For a complete list, see: Appendix: Menu reference.

Underneath the menu bar, the icons in the tool bar give you quick access to actions that you most often use. For a complete list, see: Appendix: Toolbar reference.

### The four main panes <index></index>

The main area of the window has four panes, with splitters between them.

The upper left pane contains a date picker and the list of calendars in your application. This pane is sometimes hidden. If it is hidden, use your mouse to find the splitter at the top of the tasks pane and drag it down to reveal the top-left pane.

The lower left pane is your task list. Use it to work with tasks.

The upper right pane is your events list. Use it to work with events. If it is hidden, use your mouse to find the splitter at the top of the main view and drag it down to reveal the events pane

The lower right pane is 's main view. It displays calendar entries by date and time to give you a visual summary.

### Using pane spliters <index></index>

Splitters are borders that you can grab with your mouse and move around. You can use the splitters between the four main panes to adjust them to your preferred sizes.

If you make a pane too small, hides it completely. To see a pane that has been hidden this way, use your mouse to find the splitter and drag it until the pane becomes visible. You might also have to drag the edge of the window to make it bigger.

### The status bar <index></index>

Along the bottom of the window there is a status bar. Look here for information messages when is working.

## Getting started <index></index>

You can start using as soon as you install it, but if you plan to use seriously, take some time to set it up to work the way you prefer.

## Setting options <index></index>

To set options in Sunbird, choose Tools - Options.... To set options in other Calendar versions, choose Edit - Preferences.... In the options window, set the options that you prefer.

The options mentioned in this chapter are the basic options that you might want to set when you first start to use . For more detailed information about all the options, see Preferences and options.

### General options <index></index>

On the General page, specify how you prefer to display calendar entries:

- Choose a date format.
- Choose default lengths for events and snoozed alarms.
- Edit the list of categories.

### Alarm options <index></index>

On the Alarms page, specify how you prefer to provide alarms.

### View options <index></index>

On the Views page, specify how you prefer to display information in views.

## Performing common tasks <index></index>

September 24, 2004

Copyright © 2004 Contributors to the Mozilla Calendar Project.

alarm
  An indication that the current date and time match (or will soon match) a date and time in a calendar entry. The indication is usually something that interrupts your work so that you can take action—for example, a sound.
calendar
  A container for calendar entries, organizing them in a time sequence. A calendar in your computer performs the functions of a diary, schedule or timetable in the real world.

  In , you can work with many separate calendars.

  calendar entry, date picker. Mozilla Calendar

calendar entry
  An item stored in a calendar.

  In , each entry is either an event or a task.

context menu
date picker
  A table showing the dates in a month arranged by week, so that you can pick a date.

  You can also use a date picker as a visual check on past and present dates. Used in this way, a date picker in your computer is like a calendar in the real world.

  calendar

DAV
  WebDAV
entry
  calendar entry
event
  A calendar entry that represents something that will happen whether you take action or not. For example, meetings and birthdays are events.

  task

exception
  A date when a calendar entry cannot recur, even though it is due to recur on that date.

  recurrence

Firefox
  The Mozilla web browser.
FTP
  Abbreviation of File Transfer Protocol. A protocol that provides a way to transfer files between computers. You can use FTP to transfer calendar files.
Gecko
  Software that is incorporated into and other Mozilla programs and enables them to run.
HTTP
  Abbreviation of HyperText Transfer Protocol. A protocol that provides a way to transfer web pages and other data between computers.. You can use HTTP to transfer calendar files.
iCal
  A file name extension used by Macintosh operating systems to identify files that conform to the iCalendar standard.
iCalendar
  The Internet Calendar specification described in RFC 2445 and related documents.
ICS
  A file name extension used to identify files that conform to the iCalendar standard.
ISO
  Abbreviation of International Standards Organization.
JavaScript
  A computer programming language. It is one of the technologies used to create .
journal entry
  A type of calendar entry defined by the iCalendar standard, but not supported by .
local
  Something that is stored on the computer you are using. The opposite of remote.
menu bar
  A bar of choices that you see at the top of the window, underneath the title bar. Or on Macintosh operating systems, the bar of choices that you see at the top of the screen.

  Each choice represents an action that can perform. For descriptions of all the actions, see the Menu Reference section of this Help.

MozCal
  Abbreviation of Mozilla Calendar.
Mozilla
  The name of an organization that develops open source software, including .

  Mozilla

Mozilla Calendar
  A general name for the application program that you are now using or reading about. It is sometimes abbreviated to MozCal.

  Mozilla Calendar is implemented as a stand-alone application program named Sunbird. It is also implemented as extensions to other programs—for example: Thunderbird and Firefox.

open source
  Software developed by a community of people who make it freely available.

  Open Source Initiative, Mozilla

picker
  A device in the user interface that allows you to pick a value from a graphical display instead of typing the value.

  date picker, time picker

protocol
  A standard for communication between computers. In , protocols are used to transfer calendar files.
publish
  To make a calendar on your computer available for use by other computers.
recurrence
  A mechanism that makes a single calendar entry refer to more than one date and time in a calendar.
remote
  Something that is not stored on the computer you are using. The opposite of local.
RFC
  Abbreviation of Request For Comments. A technical document that describes how things work on the Internet—for example, a technical standard.
splitter
  A moveable border between panes in a window. You can use your maous to grab a splitter and drag it, changing the size of the panes.
status bar
  A bar that you see at the bottom of the window. It sometimes contains information about the current status of —for example, a message about something that has just happened or failed to happen.
subscribe
  To register your inerest in something so that you get regular updates. For example, you can subscriibe to a remote calendar file so that you see any changes that other people make to it.
Sunbird
  The name of the stand-alone application program that implements Mozilla Calendar.
task
  A calendar entry that represents some action by you. For example, writing a report and visiting a client are tasks.

  event

Thunderbird
  The Mozilla mail client.
time picker
  A table showing the hours in a day and the minutes in an hour. You can use it to pick a time.
timezone
  A geographical region where clocks all show the same local time.
toolbar
  A bar at the top of the window. It contains the title . and some icons proved by the operating system.
toolbar
  A bar that you see near the top of the window. It contains buttons that perform actions.
URL
  Abbreviation of Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a resource that might be local or remote. For example, web pages and calendar files are resources.
view
  A visual display of data that changes as the data changes. provides various views of calendar events—for example, by day and by week.
WEBCAL
  Abbreviation of Web Calendar. A protocol that provides a way to transfer calendars between computers.
WebDAV
  Abbreviation of Web Distribution And Versioning. A protocol that provides a way to transfer files between computers. Sometimes abbreviated further to DAV. You can use WebDAV to transfer calendar files.
zone
  timezone