How to Test Your Own iCal Links

Over the past 15 years the iCalendar internet format has become the main method of small Stay operators sharing their online availability with all sorts of apps and platforms.

Reading an iCal 'feed' isn't as easy as reading say a document like a pdf or word doc.

So how do you see what your iCalendar is sharing to the world.

1. Technical Testing - iCalendar.org

iCalendar.org are one of the groups promoting the use of the iCalendar internet format.

They have a technical testing tool on their site that is very good in understanding the raw data basing shared by your iCal source.

https://icalendar.org/validator.html

With a little bit of experience or learning you begin to read the data being shared in their results pages.

This tool is very useful for technical people trying to bebug their own ical sharing or reading technology.

2. Google Calendar

Yes, good old Google Calendar both reads and share icalendar files.

https://calendar.google.com/

You can 'import' a ical feed into a Google Calendar and see what its showing in an easy read fashion.

How to Import you iCal feed into Google Calendar

1. Go to your Google Calendar and create a 'new calendar'. 
   1. That way your feed is kept separate from your normal calendar
2. Got to you iCal source and 'export' it.
   1. It will usually save a file in the ".ics" format onto your computer

   2. Return to your Google Calendar and click the Gear Icon and then Settings

      

   3. From the Settings Menu you choose Import and Export

   4. 

      Now choose the ics File you downloaded earlier, and set the particular calendar you wish to import the data into.  Finally click the Import button

      

3. Your Google Calendar should now show you a graphical summary of your booked and closed nights.

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