What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?

In article , owl wrote:
In alt.os.linux Arlen G. Holder wrote:
*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*
1. Do you have a program that creates a printable calendar? (this is best)

pcal (unix and windows) works fine if you need that sort of thing.
https://imgur.com/R9jWK4a


pcalendar looks like it might be more useful for Arlen.

They could probably use it.

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In alt.os.linux Kenny McCormack wrote:
In article , owl wrote:
In alt.os.linux Arlen G. Holder wrote:
*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*
1. Do you have a program that creates a printable calendar? (this is best)

pcal (unix and windows) works fine if you need that sort of thing.
https://imgur.com/R9jWK4a


pcalendar looks like it might be more useful for Arlen.

They could probably use it.


I could have used that back in the day. My wife use to have severe
pms and I had to use moon phase to guess when to take shelter.

In article , owl wrote:
In alt.os.linux Kenny McCormack wrote:
In article , owl wrote:
In alt.os.linux Arlen G. Holder wrote:
*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*
1. Do you have a program that creates a printable calendar? (this is best)

pcal (unix and windows) works fine if you need that sort of thing.
https://imgur.com/R9jWK4a


pcalendar looks like it might be more useful for Arlen.

They could probably use it.


I could have used that back in the day. My wife use to have severe
pms and I had to use moon phase to guess when to take shelter.


Indeed.

Proving there's a technological solution for everything...

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- Rick C Hodgin -

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 10:53:16 -0400, G Ross wrote:

Arlen G. Holder wrote:

*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*

Calendar Creator 12. Not really expensive and easily set up. Makes
calendars in many formats. Will keep up with birthdays (will print
"John Jones 42nd birthday" this year and next year print "John Jones
43rd birthday" if you desire. Also keeps up with anniversaries, etc.
Been using earlier version for years

Me too (if it's from AMS). Same version. But it's off topic in
the groups the OP posted to.
OT up to get out of this thread.
[]'s
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We have a new policy - Google 2012

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:01:12 +0200, Michael Logies wrote:

Buy a weekly calendar for a year and write into...

This thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

I apologize for not being extremely clear in the OP this question is about
an ELECTRONIC calendar format that can be emailed to everyone in your
family where they can then print that calendar on their home printers.

Instead of responding individually to those who "thought" this was about a
single paper calendar, I openly apologize for not making it clearer in the
OP that the intent is for an ELECTRONIC format calendar that can be created
once, containing all the birth dates and anniversaires of the family and
then it can be sent to scores of family members around the country.

I repeat for those who mistakenly assumed this was about a single paper
calendar - this thread is NOT about a single paper calendar.

I repeat ... this thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

This thread is of general use to anyone with an extended family who would
want a method to create a SINGLE ELECTRONIC CALENDAR that can be emailed to
all members of the family scattered about the country - who can then PRINT
that family calendar on their home printers (generally B&W 8.5x11" format).

I apologize if some of the respondents mistakenly assumed this question was
NOT about an ELECTRONIC FORMAT calendar.

I note that the answer we come up with would be of general use to MANY
(many) people around the world - so it's a worthwhile question to resolve.

I repeat ... this thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 08:55:09 -0400, Keith Nuttle wrote:

I use Thunderbird with the Lightning addon. I works similar to MS
office. My wife and I exchange invitation to our events so both our
calender's are the same. It can also share events with MS Office.

When I want a hard copy of the calendar, I make the calendar full page,
full screen, do a screen print, and print it from an image processing
program.

Hi Keith Nuttle,

Thanks for both (a) understanding the question, & for (b) sharing on topic
technical value that everyone can benefit from in this Usenet potluck.

I'm reading the purposefully helpful responses, where I note you're the
first person to understand the question, which is asking for an electronic
format family calendar which can then be mailed to all family members
scattered across the country - where they can print the results (generally
on 8.5x11-inch printers).

The goal is to add all the family members' birthdates and anniversaries,
once into the electronic calendar, since those dates almost never change.

As you seem to be aware, there are really only a couple of freeware
no-login non-Internet calendar solutions that work on Windows which also
work with our mobile devices - where those programs were covered in detail
in the past by us.
o Has anyone here ever set up a CalDAV server on Windows for use with Android CalDAV clients?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/9-8Wkq5otVA/LVJtqd-6CAAJ
o Do you know of a free LOCAL Calendar on Windows that imports/exports iCal & that has a TIME ZONE capability?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/8fLvIp_zB7k/0CrgNuVHCAAJ
o Do you know of a free Calendar on Windows that imports/exports iCal & has its own Time Zone setting?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/pnKhExHvJLo/U29IxD9KCAAJ
etc.

The main non-Internet-storage Windows calendar free solutions are,
o Thunderbird with Lightening
o Rainlendar

The approach I tried in the other thread is too much work, but the approach
you're suggesting, I had already thought about, which also is too much work
in that it would likely have too much junk to be deleted that isn't
appropriate to send to ALL family members across the country.

However, the method you suggested should work if I maintain a SEPARATE
calendar, just for family events (e.g., birthdays and anniversaries),
which, luckily, don't change all that often over time - even for scores of
family members scattered about the country.

I was hoping someone out there had found a better method than the one I
came up with for an electronic calendar FORMAT (such as a great MS Office
template, for example), but I do think that the solution you came up with
is likely the best if no useful MS Office template is to be found.

I will likely attempt your approach using Rainlendar, since I eschew
Thunderbird (for a variety of reasons), but I do agree that the approach
methodology is the same with either Rainlendar or with Thunderbird.

1. Manage a SEPARATE family birthday/anniversary database
2. Spit _that_ database out into a COMMON "printable calendar format"
3. Mail that common printable calendar format to other family members
4. Each family member can print that file using their 8.5x11 printer

My approach currently is essentially the same, EXCEPT, that I'm using the
common printable calendar format as the editing format, which, as it turns
out, is an editing nightmare.
o Windows Tutorial to annotate & print family calendar at home on 8.5x11 paper (please improve for all to benefit)
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/RA3bLfsgtFg/h86eO3l8CQAJ

Hence, I think, if nobody has a good MS Office Calendar Template, then I
think I'll use the approach you suggested - only using Rainlendar instead
to create that separate family calendar database.

Thanks for both (a) understanding the question, and (b) sharing on topic
technical value that everyone can benefit from in the Usenet potluck.

On 7/22/2019 5:27 PM, Arlen G. Holder wrote:
l the family members' birthdates and anniversaries,
once into the electronic calendar, since tho
In your original post you said you wanted a printable calendar. You
can do that using Thunderbird and Print Screen.

If you use Irfanview and I assume others, you can email the calendar
directly from Irfanview with out printing it.

--
Judge your ancestors by how well they met their standards not yours.
They did not know your standards, so could not try to meet them.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 08:41:30 -0700, Mike Easter wrote:

AGH is a very wordy reckless crossposter, but there are some small
redeeming 'qualities' among the negatives.

- many people use more than one system
- usenet groups are otherwise very inactive compared to the past
- reckless crossposting does bring some 'life'/activity into the groups
- linux users may have need for some kind of calendar print

The negatives a

- AGH does a terrible job of creating a new topic subject
- he didn't do a good job of creating a target goal in the first place
- the technic/ strategy/ for his calendar approach is terrible

Mike is right, as usual.

I apologize for not clearly formulating the question, and for posting to
the Linux newsgroup, where, to my credit, ALL my solutions work on ALL
platforms, or I don't propose them, namely:
o They (almost) always work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Android & iOS

Nonetheless, all my responses have been _only_ to the Windows 10 ng, where,
I must note with more than a bit of chagrin, that ng is horribly archived
so all the effort we expend in finding a solution will be poorly leveraged
to the rest of the home users on all five platforms, including Windows.
https://alt.comp.os.windows-10.narkive.com/laSXXKCD/what-method-do-you-use-to-create-your-printable-personal-family-calendar

Bear in mind that a FAMILY calendar, even one that contains information for
scores of households around the country, is a universal need that is easily
maintained in spreadsheet format.

The good news is that the NEED is almost universal, which is to find a
method for all five platforms to manage a separate single electronic file
for the purpose of being a FAMILY calendar that contains ONLY family events
of import such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Currently, my extended family maintains a single spreadsheet containing all
those family events - which we update roughly once or twice a year at most,
which are then emailed to scores of family members around the country.

The emailed spreadsheet can be updated by anyone, but it doesn't print well
in a calendar format, unfortunately.

Hence the goal was a single electronic file that DOES print well in a
calendar format - which - I posit - is of general use to all home owners on
all platforms, whether they be Mac, Linux, Windows, Android or iOS.

There are currently two solutions proposed, both of which have pros & cons

METHOD A: (Non_Internet Electronic Calendar Freeware)
1. Use calendar software to create & store a _separate_ family calendar db
2. Spit out that separate family calendar db to a common format
3. Mail that common format to family members scattered around the country
4. Each household prints that family calendar to their home printer

METHOD B: (Calendar file in editable common format)
1. Start with a calendar file in a commonly edited format
2. Edit that calendar file on any desired platform (linux included)
3. Mail that common format to family members scattered around the country
4. Each household prints that family calendar to their home printer

So far, for method A, possible common calendar formats seem to be
o Thunderbird-Lightening (maintain a separate family calendar database)
o Rainlendar (maintain a separate family calendar database)

For method B, the approach I suggested entails editing of PDF, which is
miserable, at best (hence, the reason for this question in the first
place).

The goal, as always, will be a GENERAL PURPOSE cross platform solution,
which usually entails the use of freeware, royalty free calendar templates,
and which never requires putting personal data on the Internet.

The solution will be posted to the poorly archived Windows ng, where the
main question to ask of all on all consumer platforms is.

What is a good way to maintain a single electronic database of family
related events which can be emailed to and printed by scores of family
members such that the final output is an 8.5x11 calendar printout.

The final cross platform solution will be posted to the poorly archived
Windows newsgroup:
o http://tinyurl.com/alt-comp-os-windows-10
o http://alt.comp.os.windows-10.narkive.com
And not to the well archived Linux newsgroup - unless the solution turns
out to be Linux only (which I doubt will be the case):
o http://tinyurl.com/alt-os-linux
o http://alt.os.linux.narkive.com

I apologize for including the larger audience in the general purpose
solution, where the intent is (always) to find a common cross platform
solution, in this case, to disseminating an electronic file that can be
printed to 8.5x11 format containing family oriented dates.

In the end, the solution will likely contain:
a. A cross platform _separate_ db containing a family calendar
b. Which does not require putting personal data on the Internet
c. And which uses only free tools & templates (hopefully cross platform)
d. That can be emailed to all family members scattered about
d. Which they can then print on their 8.5x11 home printers
e. And, importantly, which can be easily edited & updated over time!

On 7/22/2019 6:19 AM, Arlen G. Holder wrote:
*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*
1. Do you have a program that creates a printable calendar? (this is best)
2. Do you have a Microsoft Office calendar template? (this would be nice)
3. Do you modify an existing calendar file? (this may work if it's editable)

I created a first-pass PDF calendar process but editing it is miserable:
o Windows Tutorial to annotate & print family calendar at home on 8.5x11 paper (please improve for all to benefit)
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/RA3bLfsgtFg/h86eO3l8CQAJ

Seems to me there must be a better way to create a printable HOME calendar
that doesn't put our privacy on the Internet, and which uses free
Windows software tools sans ads, and which can be customized for family
personal events (such as birthdays and anniversaries).

As always, the goal is a general purpose solution, which usually means
o No payware
o No advertisements
o No logins of any kind (no need to store ANYTHING on the net)
etc.

*What method do YOU use to create your printable personal family calendar?*

The chosen method depends on features you want/need.

I made a simple Excel calendar sheet stored in DropBox which could be
printed if desired but it is not sophisticated like Google's or other
paid versions. I hide rows so I can search "back in time" as desired.

--
Zaidy036

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 17:53:08 -0400, Keith Nuttle wrote:

In your original post you said you wanted a printable calendar. You
can do that using Thunderbird and Print Screen.

If you use Irfanview and I assume others, you can email the calendar
directly from Irfanview with out printing it.

Hi Keith, |
There are two possible approaches:
A. Find a commonly editable calendar format file (e.g., MS office)
B. Find a calendar tool that spits out a commonly editable calendar file

My original approach attempted method A (which sucks because I had to edit
PDF as the calendar database - which is possible - but it's miserable).

Your suggested approach works well if there is a single maintainer of the
database, simply because most family members scattered about the country
wouldn't know how to use the calendar too.

Hence, my first approach had the advantage that everyone could edit it,
but, in reality, since I didn't start with a good MS Office template, the
approach I first tried is doomed to failure since few people can edit PDF
like we can (and even then, it's _still_ miserable to edit calendar PDFs).

Hence, I _love_ your suggested solution, which is to use calendar tools to
SPIT OUT a printable calendar format file.

There are three suggested cross platform solutions for those tools so far:
1. Thunderbird/Lightning https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/calendar/
2. Rainlendar https://www.rainlendar.net/cms/index.php
3. Pcal http://pcal.sourceforge.net/

Personally, I eschew Thunderbird, but I do agree that it "should" work to
maintain a separate family-only database, which can then be spit out to a
format that everyone in the family can print (and possibly edit).

I don't like the idea of mixing my personal rainlendar database with the
family database - but that would have been my next option had the
suggestion of Pcal not been made.

Since Pcal was brought to our attention, it seems to be PERFECT for this
task, since it won't mess with our existing personal databases, and so it
can be used ONLY to maintain the family database - which ANYONE in the
family can use (perhaps).

The output of PCal (and LCal) "appears" to be PostScript, but that's not a
big deal to convert to PDF using any number of distillers available out
there (I own the Acrobat payware so that's what I'll use first before
finding a freeware tool that is of general purpose use for most people to
convert the PostScript to PDF).
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcal/

Unfortunately, the Sourceforge Pcal program failed to run on Windows 10:
https://versaweb.dl.sourceforge.net/project/pcal/pcal/pcal-4.11.0/pcal-4.11.0.exe

Perhaps the older versions might work on Windows 10?
https://pcal.updatestar.com/

Bummer. That's the same version that won't install on my Windows 10.
Looking about, it seems that Pcal (project calendar) will print to HTML
which is nearly perfect for dissemination, and that it uses its own
database, which will keep it separate from our personal databases.

The problem is finding a pcal which will install on Windows...
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcal/files/pcal/pcal-4.11.0/pcal-4.11.0.tgz/download
http://freshmeat.sourceforge.net/projects/pcal/
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pslcms/
http://pcal.sourceforge.net/
https://github.com/Jnmattern/PCal
etc.

I have to run to a meeting but I will figure out why Pcal won't install on
Windows and report back if I'm successful since this seems to be a perfect
solution to the stated problem set (other than finding a great editable
calendar template).

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 18:23:35 -0400, Zaidy036 wrote:

The chosen method depends on features you want/need.

Yup.

That's why the stated need is for a PRINTABLE calendar file which already
contains, in electronic format, the family birthdays and anniversaries,
which can then be emailed to all the family members and printed, as a
calendar, on their home 8.5x11 printers.


I made a simple Excel calendar sheet stored in DropBox which could be
printed if desired but it is not sophisticated like Google's or other
paid versions. I hide rows so I can search "back in time" as desired.

Yup. Excel is what we've been using for decades.

The advantage of Excel is that EVERYONE can edit it to add the changes,
which, in reality, only happen once or twice (or so) a year even for scores
of people (mostly address & phone number changes for the kids in college).

The problem with the Excel spreadsheet is that you have to LOOK at it in
order to see which birthdays and anniversaries are coming up.

What would be PERFECT is an Excel spreadsheet that has a button that
outputs to a printable calendar file format!

--
Note response ONLY sent to the poorly archived Windows 10 ng, as per Mike
Easter et al.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 21:09:14 -0000 (UTC), "Arlen G. Holder"
wrote:

This thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

I repeat for those who mistakenly assumed this was about a single paper
calendar - this thread is NOT about a single paper calendar.

I repeat ... this thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

I repeat ... this thread is NOT asking how to buy a single paper calendar.

Ok, so it sounds like you don't want to buy calendars, is that right?

How about visiting banks, insurance agents, and realtors in your area?
They tend to have free calendars that they're happy to hand out. Add
everyone's birthdays and anniversaries and mail them out. Problem
solved, yes?

An alternative reading of your problem description might be that you
don't want to buy single calendars, but you're not opposed to buying
them in bulk. That could be a money saver. Good idea, I second it.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 22:25:37 -0000 (UTC), Arlen G. Holder wrote:

The problem is finding a pcal which will install on Windows...
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcal/files/pcal/pcal-4.11.0/pcal-4.11.0.tgz/download
http://freshmeat.sourceforge.net/projects/pcal/
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pslcms/
http://pcal.sourceforge.net/
https://github.com/Jnmattern/PCal
etc.

Can someone else with 64-bit Windows 10 check to see if they can install
and/or run in the command line the "pcal" postscript calendar download?

Here's what I get in the command line when I run the pcal exe:
https://i.postimg.cc/tgvGVx80/pcal01.jpg

Here's what I get using the Windows explorer to run the exe:
https://i.postimg.cc/Hn5qKPnH/pcal02.jpg

I will also test on Windows XP but I have to find the laptop.

On 7/22/2019 6:25 PM, Arlen G. Holder wrote:
Hence, my first approach had the advantage that everyone could edit it,
but, in reality, since I didn't start wit
Assuming every one has Thunderbird, or can send/receive Invitations (MS
Office):

When you have an event that you want to appear in everyone's calendar.
create the event in Thunderbird Lightning. Before you save the event,
in the tool bar at the top of the event window, click Invite Attendees.
In the popup you can add all of the people you want the event to go to
(All Family members) Click OK, and then save and close. (You could
even create a List with all members you wish the event to go to. When
you do the Invitation, all you have to do is specify the name of the
list, ie family )

The event will be sent to every one you specify in the invite list.
They would then accept the event and it would be placed into their
Lightning calendar they specify. (Note in Thunderbird you can specify
the calendar group to view in the left panel)

This method is completely free, and Thunderbird is available for
Windows, macOS, Linux, and Linux 64-bit. I believe there is a version
for android and apple phones but never investigated.

Thunderbird could be their principal email/calendar program or only for
family events.

My wife and I use this method to keep up on all of the event each of us
participates. I have the calendar she wants me to have and I have a
calendar of her events.

Training would not be great than if you find a calendar program, and
may be none if they are already using Thunderbird. Thunderbird gives a
list of upcoming events if specified.

You can also assign task using the Task function in Thunderbird. ie you
bring the cake, you bring the meat,


--
Judge your ancestors by how well they met their standards not yours.
They did not know your standards, so could not try to meet them.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 19:42:42 -0400, Keith Nuttle wrote:

Assuming every one has Thunderbird, or can send/receive Invitations (MS
Office):

Hi Keith,

Your solution is a good one - and it's a great general purpose solution.

For you and me, we can assume Thunderbird, which, even though I deplore
Thunderbird, I readily admit it does everything (almost) that we need it to
do on all the major consumer platforms - but - for most people -
thunderbird is just too much - particularly for the grandmothers out there.

What they _can_ do is print a PDF or JPEG image to paper & put it on their
refrigerator - so I have to provide them with the final edited calendar
file.

The idea of using any of these three to generate that calendar is good:
a. Thunderbird/lightning
b. Rainlendar
c. Pcal

Where I currently use Rainlendar as I eschew Thunderbird, but where, if I
have to, I'll put the family database into Thunderbird/lightning if I must.

I'd rather get pcal working on 64-bit Windows 10 though...

When you have an event that you want to appear in everyone's calendar.
create the event in Thunderbird Lightning. Before you save the event,
in the tool bar at the top of the event window, click Invite Attendees.
In the popup you can add all of the people you want the event to go to
(All Family members) Click OK, and then save and close. (You could
even create a List with all members you wish the event to go to. When
you do the Invitation, all you have to do is specify the name of the
list, ie family )

This is great for people who want that use model, so it's GREAT that you
described it in detail so that others can use it.

Thanks for pitching in to help everyone.

Unfortunately, these Windows archives suck - but it's the best we can do.
o http://tinyurl.com/alt-comp-os-windows-10
o http://alt.comp.os.windows-10.narkive.com

The event will be sent to every one you specify in the invite list.
They would then accept the event and it would be placed into their
Lightning calendar they specify. (Note in Thunderbird you can specify
the calendar group to view in the left panel)

Yup. This will work if they all use Lightning, and I think it even works if
they use Outlook. I don't think it works with Rainlendar though.

It likely even works if they use an online calendar, since all they need is
the invitation, I think. (Most almost certainly use a Google Calendar
online).

This method is completely free, and Thunderbird is available for
Windows, macOS, Linux, and Linux 64-bit. I believe there is a version
for android and apple phones but never investigated.

Thunderbird could be their principal email/calendar program or only for
family events.

Yup. I agree with you. It's a GREAT general purpose solution for people who
are willing to accept the invite & put that invite on their personal
calendar.

What I love about your suggestion is that it works no matter what calendar
they use, I think, since all it needs is the emailed invite, if I
understand how it works correctly.

My wife and I use this method to keep up on all of the event each of us
participates. I have the calendar she wants me to have and I have a
calendar of her events.

Yup. It's really the way to go - I agree.

Training would not be great than if you find a calendar program, and
may be none if they are already using Thunderbird. Thunderbird gives a
list of upcoming events if specified.

You can also assign task using the Task function in Thunderbird. ie you
bring the cake, you bring the meat,

In summary, the solution you propose has the advantage that it really
doesn't matter WHAT calendar program the recipient uses, if I understand
your suggestion correctly.

Let's say my birthday is 01/01/1900, where all I'd have to do is send via
email an invite per year for the next, oh, say, ten or twenty years, and
that invitation would show up on whatever calendar the recipient was using.

With about 40 members of the family, the initial sets of invites would be
onerous (what with birthdays and anniversaries), but it would be a one-time
hassle that could be automated through email.

Then whatever calendar program they're using should show the event on their
calendar - which has the HUGE ADVANTAGE that it could warn them ahead of
time - which a paper calendar printout can't do.

In the end, I'm still seeking a paper calendar output where I can send the
family recipients the final format in electronic form - where I agree
Thunderbird/Lightning should be able to do that for me.

Best would be to find a Microsoft Office calendar template but second best
is to print that calendar out from one of these three programs and then to
send the results to the recipients to simply print:
a. Thunderbird/Lightning
b. Rainlendar (this is my personal calendar solution)
c. Pcal (but I can't get it to work on 64-bit Windows 10 yet)