IDT File Description

IDT File Description

This page contains a description of iCal IDT files and a few examples.

IDT Include Files

IDT include file are simple text files that contain a date and some text. iCal will will read the date and place the text for that date onto your calendar. iCal will do this if:

You have a properly formated IDT file.
You have placed this file into the iCal installation folder.
You have selected to us the IDT file from the Administration General Settings calendar page.

Properly Formated IDT file

IDT files are text files that end with a .idt extension. These files conform to the old Window INI format. Here is a very simply idt file.

[iCal Add-In]
Description=Friends Birthdays
[Dates]
01/01/1999   Beth's Birthday
02/04/1999   Tim's Birthday
10/31/1999   Mary's Birthday
12/22/1999   Davids' Birthday

This is the simplest and most common way to create the idt file. The Description is what you will see Administration General Settings calendar page. The date must have the format MM/DD/YYYY. The dates must be in chronological order. There can be any number of spaces or tabs before the start of the calendar text.

You can use keyword assignment for the text. The moon phase idt that ships with iCal demonstates this.

[iCal Add-In]
Description=Moon Phases

[Key]
NM=New Moon
FQ=First Quarter
FM=Full Moon
LQ=Last Quarter
11/08/1999   NM
11/16/1999   FQ
11/23/1999   FM
11/29/1999   LQ

Finally you should note that the text can be html. Here is an example that would include graphical moon images onto the calendar.

[iCal Add-In]
Description=Graphical Moon Phases
[Dates]
01/05/2000   <img src="/fullmoon.gif">Full
01/13/2000   <img src="/q3moon.gif">Q3
01/20/2000   <img src="/newmoon.gif">New
01/27/2000   <img src="/q1moon.gif">Q1


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