Android Calendar API - Tutorial

Using the Android Calendar API

This article describes how to use the Android Calendar API in Android 4.0. It is based on Eclipse 3.7, Java 1.6 and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

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Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites for this tutorial

2. Calendar API

3. Thank you

4. Questions and Discussion

5. Links and Literature

5.1. Source Code

5.2. Android Resources

5.3. vogella Resources

1. Prerequisites for this tutorial

The following assumes that you have already basic knowledge in Android development. Please check the Android development tutorial to learn the basics.

2. Calendar API

The Calendar API is available as of Android 4.0.

Creating new events is done via Intents and does not require any permission. Setting properties of the event is done via Intent extras. The user will be prompted if the event should be created.

For example the following will prompt the user if an event should be created with certain details.

// ACTION_INSERT does not work on all phones
// use  Intent.ACTION_EDIT in this case
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSERT);
intent.setData(CalendarContract.Events.CONTENT_URI);
startActivity(intent); 

You can also add dates and time, if this event is repeated and the like. See the comments in the coding for examples.

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSERT);
intent.setType("vnd.android.cursor.item/event");
intent.putExtra(Events.TITLE, "Learn Android");
intent.putExtra(Events.EVENT_LOCATION, "Home suit home");
intent.putExtra(Events.DESCRIPTION, "Download Examples");

// Setting dates
GregorianCalendar calDate = new GregorianCalendar(2012, 10, 02);
intent.putExtra(CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_BEGIN_TIME,
  calDate.getTimeInMillis());
intent.putExtra(CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_END_TIME,
  calDate.getTimeInMillis());

// make it a full day event
intent.putExtra(CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_ALL_DAY, true);

// make it a recurring Event
intent.putExtra(Events.RRULE, "FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=11;WKST=SU;BYDAY=TU,TH");

// Making it private and shown as busy
intent.putExtra(Events.ACCESS_LEVEL, Events.ACCESS_PRIVATE);
intent.putExtra(Events.AVAILABILITY, Events.AVAILABILITY_BUSY);