Forums

Discuss all things Remember The Milk.

menu

Apple iCal to-do sync

tyee77 says:
After reading some posts by those who wish for Outlook sync, I wanted to voice my interest in synchronizing Apple iCal's "to do's" with Rember the Milk. I believe there are plenty of Mac users out there who would agree. If you are one, please let it be known.

One potential solution could come from Spanning Sync (spanningsync.com) which is Mac software for synchronizing Google Calendar with Apple iCal. It is currently in public beta but is already enjoying THOUSANDS (not a typo; see their blog) of new users. If even a small majority of those people could use RTM/Apple iCal sync then this is serious stuff!

I read some posts on their website requesting third-party RTM sync to which they gave a positive response (depending on resources and customer interest and [take note] if Google provides their own COMPETING task manager). In my opinion, the vast majority of Spanning Sync users would JUMP at the possibility of RTM>Apple iCal synchronization!

I wouldn't mind at all if the RTM folks wanted to implement this but, as I read in the Outlook sync thread, they may not mind if a third-party produced a solution. Please let both RTM and Spanning Sync know if you're interested.
Posted at 7:36pm on February 6, 2007
sutehi says:
I'd like to echo this request. My husband & I are looking for a way to sync our calendars (including ToDos) between 2 MacBooks, one desktop, a Black Berry, and a mobile phone. Spanning Sync handles calendar events gorgeously, but ToDos remain thorny.

I use RTM (managed through Google Calendar, and subscribed to through iCalendar) for my personal ToDos, but in order to use it for work, I would need to have proper syncing with iCalendar.

In my ideal world, there would also be tighter integration between the ToDos and calendars. For instance, the ability to attach a ToDo to a particular iCal calendar (rather than having them in a seperate, subscribed RMT calendar.)
Posted 17 years ago
sarahbanko says:
I want this too!
Posted 16 years ago
davebc says:
Another Mac user who would dig iCal sync. I can also help get the word out by writing it up at Ars Technica.
Posted 16 years ago
harryalverson says:
Aye aye, another RTM and Spanning Sync User voicing a need for this!
Posted 16 years ago
bradbane says:
I too would love this, especially since a lot of Mac programs already sync with iCal's todo list. I use Filemaker to keep track of everything for my business and it integrates out of the box with iCal. If it could sync with RTM that would be a killer app for me, and I'm sure plenty of others as well.
Posted 16 years ago
sofrankly says:
GCalDaemon does exactly what Spanning Sync does and much more and it is open source, free, and platform independent. Setup requires the command line though.
Posted 16 years ago
mystwillow says:
I'm so on board with this. I would probably even pay for Pro if I could fully manage tasks (or even just mark them complete!) in iCal and/or Mail.
Posted 16 years ago
dcoops says:
ditto
Posted 16 years ago
aoberoi says:
i REALLY want to see this happen! If the Remember The Milk developers don't have the time and resources to commit to a project like this, I would love to get into trying to do it on my own using the API that is available. But, if this sort of this is in development, could you let the users know so that someone like me doesn't waste the time doing it (since my implementation would probably be buggier, not as clean, and more poorly integrated)? If there are no plans to do such a thing, then let us know too!
Posted 16 years ago
(closed account) says:
Me too..
Posted 16 years ago
joeq says:
agreed.
Posted 16 years ago
andreas.marnevall says:
Me too... :p
Posted 16 years ago
jomis says:
iCal + RTM ToDo integration is what I've been waiting for.
Posted 16 years ago
max.edmands says:
I would very much like to see this as well
Posted 16 years ago
(closed account) says:
Ditto
Posted 16 years ago
simon.knight says:
please! anyone know of ANY half way solution - I'd love to publish my OmniFocus todo list somewhere on the web to access remotely!
Posted 16 years ago
niksterg11 says:
ditto
Posted 15 years ago
kutlay says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
rodrigofoca says:
That would be great!
Posted 15 years ago
houweb says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
mrwulf says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
danyul says:
yep! +1
Posted 15 years ago
elsey.jack says:
can has ical sync? kthnxbai
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
Gotta say...Love the LOLspeak. But I think you misspelled thx.

:-)

D
Posted 15 years ago
ipallete says:
count me on
Posted 15 years ago
cjdelrosario says:
Would be awesome.. +1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
Count me in as a Pro subscriber if iCal to/from Rememberthemilk is supported.
Posted 15 years ago
tripful says:
Along with my recent vote for Symbian sync or app (or both), iCal sync would seal the deal for me to become a Pro subscriber. Let's get this up and running!
Posted 15 years ago
ro33y says:
+ 6
I'll buy Pro accounts for everyone at my office when you deliver this.
Posted 15 years ago
yozz says:
+1!!!!!!!!
Posted 15 years ago
wnknisely says:
Plus one for me too. And for my office as well.
Posted 15 years ago
sabbatical says:
i'm frankly surprised this doesnt exist yet!
Posted 15 years ago
lucac81 says:
+1
This is absolutely needed
Since the iphone is not able to manage todos I need RTM, but it has no sense that when I'm home using iCal I cannot edit or add new tasks.
Posted 15 years ago
loadupscott says:
Another vote here.

Right now I'm using a mashed up solution using Fluid.app and the RTM iPhone interface as a menu bar drop down. Hopefully we'll see an update soon!
Posted 15 years ago
canelson says:
Count me in! +1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
You can count another vote.
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
I have to second this. That feature is missing!
Posted 15 years ago
pslate24 says:
here, here.
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
yes, please :)
Posted 15 years ago
aoberoi says:
i would also LOVE this feature.

I would also be willing to develop and work on it myself, but the API for RTM is not open.
Posted 15 years ago
qasim says:
+100!!!
Posted 15 years ago
richardjn says:
+1 <--Pro User
Posted 15 years ago
jtg says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
fork4k says:
ditto
Posted 15 years ago
jantanner says:
meeeeeeeeeeee, tooooo
Posted 15 years ago
obscuredcelery says:
same here
Posted 15 years ago
ronderick.henry says:
i agree and it please
Posted 15 years ago
peter.strom says:
Would love to have this!
Posted 15 years ago
metherington48 says:
me too!
Posted 15 years ago
dkjj says:
Excellent idea. It would fatten up The Milk from 2% to Full Cream. May we please have some RTM feedback?
Posted 15 years ago
daxdavis says:
+1
Mee too
Posted 15 years ago
chris.neville says:
please - this is crucial for mac users!
Posted 15 years ago
mmurray says:
++++++

Please? I want it.
Posted 15 years ago
m.yellow says:
I would love that!!!
Posted 15 years ago
jacksoncage says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
glovestudio says:
Me too :)
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
mario.mosca says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
nichole.thomason says:
anyone try this....

http://www.rememberthemilk.com/help/answers/icalendar/appleical.rtm
Posted 15 years ago
swinhoe says:
+1 YES !!!
Posted 15 years ago
plamparello says:
ditto
Posted 15 years ago
darrel.vaughn says:
ME Too
Posted 15 years ago
iliask says:
and me!
Posted 15 years ago
abeznes says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
nick.henry says:
Sign me up
Posted 15 years ago
scharlow says:
yes plz
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
pete.kyle says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
donadio says:
@sofrankly:

GCalDaemon syncs your local ical calendars and/or Lightning calendars with Google calendars, but i don't see how it would be able to sync ical files with lightning or remember the milk files. Perhaps its possible to sync your remember the milk calendar in GCal with an ical calendar? I feel the items would show up as events as opposed to tasks. If you know of how to do this, please post back. Also I've found that the sync does not really work with deleted items. I always wind up having to delete items manually from both ical and google calendar.

You can sort of do this if you have set up imap email accounts with Apple Mail. Then you can create calendars on those imap accounts in ICAL, which in turn appear in an "Apple Mail to Do" folder in said account. If you use gmail and firefox's remember the milk extension, you can theoretically convert all emails with the "apple Mail to do" label into a task. However, that extension doesn't work all the time because gmail is constantly changing its code. Therefore, I use Thunderbird to drag the messages from "apple mail to do" to the activities pane, where they are converted into tasks. It's the best workaround I can come up with.

For me, this is the missing link, ability to sync tasks in Ical with those of thunderbird's lightning with those of remember the milk. My workaround is to use
Posted 15 years ago
donadio says:
the remember the milk provider extension for Thunderbird in conjunction, but this should be a hella lot easier.
Posted 15 years ago
julien.hurlot says:
+1, I'll buy pro account if RTM is able to sync to do list with ICAL
Posted 15 years ago
mattpeltz says:
+1 Please!!
Posted 15 years ago
bluehorns says:
+1!
Posted 15 years ago
ran.michal says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
jr78 says:
+1 ... I'd love to have an iCal integration as well (not only subsription).
Posted 15 years ago
michagrandel says:
+1, same here
and yes, I'll by a pro account, if RTM will be able to sync with iCal in both ways (iCal->RTM; RTM->iCal), too.
Posted 15 years ago
deqose says:
+1 =)
Posted 15 years ago
darthus says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
rwl4 says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
moo te !

sorry... I got overwhelmed by the "ical-compatible cow" effect.

>>> me too !

Am currently warming up the credit card to get RTM pro in case this feature becomes available.
Posted 15 years ago
travismanint says:
please! +1
Posted 15 years ago
tinu.cleatus says:
me too... BIG PLUS ONE !!!
Posted 15 years ago
sailesh says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
raiko says:
Yes, please!!
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
I would pay for a Pro account for this functionality. Hoping RTW developers are working on this.
Posted 15 years ago
noosphereious says:
This would be great!
Posted 15 years ago
steven.merrill says:
+1 - This would definitely lock up my Tasks situation across Windows Mobile, iPod touch and my OS X desktop.
Posted 15 years ago
fheyder says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
ldipenti says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
2sjohnston says:
I would love this
Posted 15 years ago
kellygrape says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
neilio says:
This would be huge for me, as it would open up the ability to sync with other application that do not currently support RTM (Things, The Hit List, Omnifocus, etc.).

Please?
Posted 15 years ago
akeech says:
+1
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1 for sure
Posted 15 years ago
mototom says:
I'd go Pro for this. I love the ability to kick any bit of text in Apple Mail over to a To Do, but then that To Do is sadly trapped on my Mac.

Apple iCal To Do support is pretty limited, but if I could just get that Email --> To Do --> Web & iPhone, I'd have everything I need.
Posted 15 years ago
ciaran.rogers says:
Id also go pro to do this along with 5 other mac users at my org
Posted 15 years ago
(closed account) says:
I'd go pro for 2 way ical sync too.
Posted 15 years ago
milkiglo says:
Hiya RTMers,

I am going to take an opposing view here.

I used to sync tasks between iCal and my palm pilot and it was a HEADACHE. Sorry for the caps but I have painful memories. So many duplicated tasks. So much dropped information because the iCal task manager was so limited! Really-compare it to RTM. The worst part about it was trying to bring my cal headings inline with my task headings. You know, David Allen (GTD baby!) draws a clean line between tasks and calendar items-they're just different animals.

You all want to email tasks. I understand. YOU CAN. Look in your RTM settings and there is a tab called something like 'Info' and there you will find an email address called something like: 'yourRTMname+wq8023409@rtm.com'

Go into your Address Book app, mac users, and add that email to your contact card.

Now you are free to email your tasks till the cows come home with the milk. Just compose your emails in Mail app, type your own name in the 'To' field and send that task straight to your RTM inbox. -Be sure to get the proper address, for me it is a nobrainer as I type my rtm profile name and it is there in three keystrokes.

So, please, lets all forget about iCal tasks. Apple did-why do you think they left it out of the iPhone? Honestly, there should have been a tasks app from the start. But Apple realized that there are better solutions out there for tasks than what iCal tasks (yuck!) could do.

And Hooray for RTM for doing it. No really. After a year of task management on a palm and iCal I am never, never, going back to iCal tasks. Bottom line-Apple has moved on, you should move on too.
Posted 15 years ago
colleenwalsh02 says:
agreed!
Posted 15 years ago
krissy says:
Thanks for your feedback everyone. I have added your suggestion to the list for the developers to have a look at.
Posted 15 years ago
ranbarton Power Poster says:
Krissy, I very much applaud your arrival here on these boards and think it bodes well for RTM as a product that they have someone like you here. I've been a RTM user since launch, and I think it's an invaluable service.

Without sounding too cranky, could I ask you to clarify something, please? This thread began on 2/6/07, over _two years_ ago, and you are just now adding this idea to the list for the developers to look at. Can I possibly have that right?
Posted 15 years ago
krissy says:
Hi ranbarton,

This thread had actually already been added to the list for the developers, as have most, if not all, feature request threads. Of course simply adding it to the list doesn't mean it will be implemented - but it's a start. Hope this answers your question :)
Posted 15 years ago
ranbarton Power Poster says:
Thank you for your reply. I am reassured that this issue was already on the list of things to ponder, and I fully realize that list offers no guarantees about implementation.
Posted 15 years ago
s.sherriff says:
I would love two way syncing with ical too
Posted 15 years ago
makkura says:
Consider me a plus +1. Finding it kinda ridiculous this feature isn't available by someone else yet.
Posted 15 years ago
thetechninja says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
mockelvis says:
Yes, RTM / iCal sync would be excellent.
Posted 14 years ago
jamiel says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
valleyiah says:
Yes, RTM / iCal sync would be excellent.

And it should be able to open a small calendar with a week in one view.(like a timetable).
Posted 14 years ago
8collins says:
Yes, iCal sync with RTM please!
Posted 14 years ago
nfitzhugh says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
slugglife says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
julian.oes says:
would be good!
Posted 14 years ago
denisewithers says:
I'd love better Mac integration too - sync with ToDo!
Posted 14 years ago
julien.fortin says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
chrillo.at says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
zwise22 says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1 !
Posted 14 years ago
twinstead says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
danieleio says:
+1 please!
Posted 14 years ago
triblondon says:
Can I add (yet) another vote for this. I don't want it for ical itself, but because ical hooks into other areas of OS X - specifically, dashboard widgets. The dashboard widgets that integrate with iCal are far better than those that have been developed for RTM directly. Check out RememberTheMoof vs DoBeDo. No comparison - I want to use DoBeDo and have those tasks sync up with my RTM account.
Posted 14 years ago
johnohara says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
raorou2 says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
ariannagrumbine says:
This would be SO helpful! Please add this feature!
Posted 14 years ago
emetcalfe says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
themorgantown says:
+20
Posted 14 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
nfederici says:
me too.
Posted 14 years ago
florian.roth says:
that would be awesome!!
Posted 14 years ago
xxdesmus says:
+1 ...this would be amazing.
Posted 14 years ago
hajush says:
I'm not using this app until this is available... please support this!
Posted 14 years ago
kabir.shah says:
+1

definitely needed
Posted 14 years ago
urke.leshem says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
(closed account) says:
This would be wonderful!!
Posted 14 years ago
lovelaughterlife says:
+1!!
Posted 14 years ago
(closed account) says:
This would make me go pro and use 100% RTM for task managing!
Posted 14 years ago
nathanielks says:
Can I do +12043157492859084103287512?

If so: +12043157492859084103287512?

else: +1
Posted 14 years ago
nejnas says:
+1, would be great for mac users.
Posted 14 years ago
dangribbin says:
absolutely. this is an amazing idea. +1
Posted 14 years ago
lytnngseed says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
suarezja says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
johnsalomon says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
resocut says:
another one
Posted 14 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1
Posted 14 years ago
tommy_b says:
+1 here as well.

I just want to point out something somebody mentioned like 2 yrs ago on this thread about his nightmare sync issues with Palm. I had the same problems - I couldn't stand it so I dumped Palm and got a Crackberry with some $20 add-on app that did the job just fine, I would have paid $100 after the messes Palm made with my calendars and to dos.

But the reason that sucked so much was because it was two different calendaring formats trying their best to talk to each other and failing most of the time. That's why standards, like calDAV which is how iCal and GCal and Mobileme sync (not perfectly but a million times better than iCal hooking up to a Palm years ago) are so important and RTM is already getting there with subscription to lists via iCal standard file protocols. Standards allow for more consumer choice as you don't get forced into outfitting yourself only with, say, oh Microsoft products, because they use proprietary format for something rather than a standard. When configured carefully - sync is pretty delicate and I think deserves it's own huge industry of consultants so people wouldn't have so many troubles by letting pros set it up - you'll likely experience a very small number of incidents related to a sync gone bad. I've been using GCal and syncing over calDAV to my iCal apps on three different Macs for just about a year now and there hasn't been one single instance of data loss. And I attribute that the use of the standards as well as my anal-retentive set up to ensure nothing would fail.

IN THE MEANTIME, those seeking a work around for true bidirectional To Do sync across any device that is iCalendar standard based should try... yes, I'm not kidding... the new Yahoo beta calendar. It works like a charm. If you have a to do list already, export it to an .ics file, upload it into Yahoo Calendar, and sync away. It's reliable. It works. I haven't lost any data.

I use GCal for my calendar syncing all across my machines, but they dropped the ball and there's no offline intergrated Task List, they already had calDAV sync set up, why they couldn't make their Task List a part of that is beyond me. And I need my calendars and to do's offline, it's a must, in a dedicated calendar (not an Adobe Air app or Google Gears iteration).

So Yahoo of all things actually saved the day - the whole calendar project is actually looking pretty solid. It's not targeted at business users so it's not filled with feature bloat like Gcal. They've done good work.
Posted 14 years ago
cweyant says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
geekdaddy says:
+1 (AND Pro Willingness!)

Also I'd LOVE to be able to export my iCal Tasks to RTM in some fashion. I currently use Appigo ToDo with iCal and am considering making a move to RTM so that it....works better with both my iPhone and the ability to email tasks to myself.
Posted 13 years ago
geekdaddy says:
Ah, my personal issue is now RESOLVED. As per above, I use Appigo ToDo....so I just went used the Switch Services option to change to RTM and I chose to Keep my existing tasks so that these were uploaded to RTM. Of course, I had to go Pro but it is worth it based on what I want to do!

http://www.appigo.com/appigo-sync/faqs/switching/switching-services
Posted 13 years ago
j.d.soberg says:
hear hear
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
I want this too, it's the must-have function which still missing.
Posted 13 years ago
many.garcia says:
i want this too!!! did anybody found a way for updating RTM tasks from ical??
Posted 13 years ago
yven says:
Give us iCal todo-sync.
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
Yes please.. I will +340594574950445945 this :)

Posted 13 years ago
everardo.mancilla says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
m.sparakowski says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
igor.tomych says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1 !!!!!!

I so want this too!
Posted 13 years ago
dir.mando says:
+1 (Give us iCal todo-sync.)
Posted 13 years ago
cfaber says:
I just signed up for RTM, thinking it could do this, only to find out it can't. I want to be able to have two way sycn, iCal to do list -- RTM -- Android.

It's just crazy, with so much demand for this type of thing out there, that RTM isn't doing it. :(
Posted 13 years ago
jonas.probst says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
+1

That's about 120 +1's and 3 years. Remember way back when this thread was just a little newborn comment. So full of life!
Posted 13 years ago
meschultz1113 says:
all i can say, is yes please!
Posted 13 years ago
nordlys says:
Pretty please!
Posted 13 years ago
mblaya says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
ekarmouta says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
mborsalino says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
rama.guttula says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
idaelisco says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
+2
Posted 13 years ago
prometheusunbound says:
++

Will upgrade to Pro if this comes about...
Posted 13 years ago
marcin.jekot says:
++

me three
Posted 13 years ago
dbrown says:
+1 using the import icalendar feed is a nightmare
Posted 13 years ago
dbrown says:
...and being able to use Apple Mail to create tasks would be so useful.
Posted 13 years ago
nboychuk says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
ivs.zgz says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
chrismmiller says:
+1
Posted 13 years ago
philwearne says:
+1 (for what its worth!)
Posted 13 years ago
alyzak says:
+1'000,000 votes here!
Posted 13 years ago
hshahrokni says:
+1

What a wonderful Christmas gift it would make from RTM to the community!
Posted 13 years ago
(closed account) says:
another vote here, would seriously want this to happen - yesterday.
Posted 13 years ago
willray says:
Another vote! and, any kind of update from developers would be very helpful re: consumers considering moving to pro.

Thanks! Love this product.
Posted 13 years ago
willray says:
In the meantime, here's an free app called taskSync that was just posted on LIfehacker that provides a solution to this whole problem.

It uses a preference pane app that does configurable syncs between RTM and sync task lists, it works in real time, and is 2-way. Very adaptable to needs.

http://bitbuiltsoftware.com/

The only caveat -- Snow Leopard 10.6 only.
Posted 13 years ago
jason.lemieux says:
Has anyone had luck w/ tasksync yet? I can't really get it to work, even under 10.6. It seems like it's real close to working but the developer hasn't updated it in a while...
Posted 13 years ago
simeda.takasi says:
Nothing appears in "Sync lists" for 4 weeks. Under 10.6.6.
Posted 13 years ago
ronert.obst says:
+1
Posted 12 years ago
joskarp says:
+1
Posted 11 years ago
brookwarner says:
+1
Posted 11 years ago
mtchetch says:
+2
Posted 11 years ago
jaroslavka says:
+1
Posted 6 years ago
Log in to post a reply.