Trial calendar format

[thebunyans]

I'm experimenting with using google calendars for the club calendar. I've set up a trial version here. It can also be reached from a new link on the left hand side of the homepage.

Technically it is 5 calendars overlaid on each other. Each calendar is for a different area - fell, road, track, x-country and general. Having each one as a separate calendar allows you to filter out the calendars you don't want to see. This can be done using the little down arrow on the top right of the calendar.

Using this scheme I can invite other users to have update access to the calendar(s) so long as they register on google calendars (fairly painless).

I'm experimenting with the different views and how to enter the information, but it looks promising to me. Thoughts?

[thebunyans]

Does anybody have an opinion?.... I'll just implement it if I don't get any adverse comments in the next few days.

[Philip Barnes]

Sorry Boss, you deserve a better response than that!!
I think it is really good - go for it.

[Beneficial Dictator]

I have no strong opinion but if the google map link worked (Ship Inn at Wincle is not in the USA - click on it !) that would be quite useful I feel.
Cheers. Craig

[thebunyans]

Yeah, the map link just uses the text that is in the location field. So if we are careful about what goes in that part of the entry the google maps should work.

Does anyone want to get setup with access?... I put Julian on a while back when I was first thinking of doing this.

[Julian Brown]

I think the calendar itself looks good - the old one definitely looks a bit dated.

But the main problem is getting stuff on to it. I'd like to be able to import stuff quickly from other calendars - eg fell runners, long distance walkers / vasque series, runners world, John Schofield's site etc - into one calendar so that all the info you want is in one place, so folk know what's on when and can decide. This would get more people looking at it - does anyone else but the fell runners use it ???

Am happy to type up the Wed nights and the various other Macc races - eg road and fell champs, club organised races, rounds etc., but even that takes quite a while, putting all the local races and events on by hand is a non-starter unless we can import from say an excel spreadsheet or similar.

So I've taken to looking at all the separate electronic lists, and writing out on a bit of paper / diary - which somewhat defeats the point of an electronic system - but how many of you do the same ??

[thebunyans]

Well, google calendars do support CSV import, so you can import from excel via that route. But obviously it will have to be in some recognisable format.

See: http://www.google.com/support/calendar/ ... opic=13745

With more people being able to add events, it will distribute the work more.

Also more people are using google calendars - both canoe clubs that I paddle with use it, so I can just overlay their calendars on my personal google calendar and away you go.

[Julian Brown]

Great stuff John, I'll have a go, should save a lot of time.

My bit of paper is getting a bit soggy anyway - and about to get a lot soggier.

Would everyone use this calendar as a first reference if all Macc H related - and other local stuff - was on it ??

[BARRY BLYTH]

As mentioned in the St Dunstan last night. The initial impressions look OK.
Noticed that some info on current calendar (eg sat races) is missing from the new "trial" option. I like the option to look at more detail eg map/description accepting the teething problems with USA as Craig mentioned.

cheers Barry

[thebunyans]

Julian - I've now added another calendar to the set - LDWA. I cut the summary table from the LDWA websote (northern area challenges only), then pasted it into a spreadsheet. A bit of tweaking the columns followed by an export to CSV format meant I could then import it. So as long as you only want the basic date as a reminder the operation can be done without any typing. It would be a much bigger challenge to put more data in though.

Are you chums with the LDWA techies that put their site together? A word in their ear may mean we could get an more detailed export file?...

[thebunyans]

Barry - I've added the weekend club champs races now as well.

[phil cheek]

This makes my brain ache,I`m going for a run.

[thebunyans]

I've dropped the old calendar off of the menu links now.

Each "discipline" has its own calendar, so you can select which ones you want to view (use the pull down selection box that appears when you click on the down arrow on the top RHS).

The calendar is only as good as the entries in it, so I would encourage any of the discipline captain/managers to create a google account and then I can let them have access to create entries in their discipline. It isn't difficult, so don't be shy.