Google Calendar and ABPro
| Seats & Extras in Google Calendars... |
This page covers the requirements and setup for using Google Calendar with ABPro.
Note:
Effective November 17, 2014, Google shut down their Calendar API v1.
You now require ABPro 3.0.5 (beta 3), or higher, to talk to Google Calendar. Read More..
## UPDATE SEP 3 2016 ##
The procedure below modified to match the new Developer's Console.
Please be aware, the link to Google Calendar is one-way only. Nothing you do in Google Calendar has any effect on ABPro.
Requirements
- A Google Account for creating and using Google Calendars
- PHP 5.2 or higher.
- ABPro 3.0.5 beta 3 or higher
Overview
As of Nov 17, 2014 Google only allows connection via their version 3 API.
This requires you to create a Google App and give it access to your calendar(s). The App is how ABPro is now able to add/remove bookings as calendar events.
Three Steps to adding ABPro access to your Google Calendar.
Login to Google and go to the Developer's Console..
https://console.developers.google.com/project
Click on 'Create Project'
Enable Calendar API, Service Account and get P12 key.
Summary
The CLIENT ID and EMAIL ADDRESS fields will be needed when you setup an ABPro resource to write to a Google Calendar.
Save the generated P12 key, from above, on your local PC for later upload to your web site.
Install the Google library and key file
You will need to download the Google PHP Client Library from ..
https://github.com/google/google-api-php-client
NOTE: The latest Google Calendar php Client Library (2.0) won't work with ABPro**, use this one..
https://github.com/google/google-api-php-client/releases/tag/1.1.2
You will need to rename the folder as it seems Google does not call it 'google-api-php-client-master' now.
** Google API 2 uses Composer for dependency auto-loading, and while Joomla apparently uses Composer internally, I have been unable to make the API 2 work under Joomla. If anyone has figured a way to may the Google API 2 work with Joomla I would be happy to hear about it.
On the right of the screen is a 'Download ZIP' button.
Unzip and upload the google-api-php-client-master folder to the ABPro directory in your web server..
Also, upload the .p12 key file that was generated in the steps above to the ABPro folder.
You need to do two things; tell ABPro you want to use Google Calendar and set each resource so it can access a Google Calendar.
Choose Google Calendar in ABPro Admin Configure / Calendars
Now for each ABPro resource set what Google Calendar you want bookings added to.
In the Resource setup screen enter Google Login information and calendar ID.
Client ID, App Name, App Email Address are all obtained from the Google App Credentials screen above.
To get the Calendar ID, open the Calendar settings screen in Google..
Finally you will need to set your calendar as shared with the Google App's email address from above.
Now new bookings for this resource will be added to your Google Calendar.
As with all 3rd party calendars the communication is one-way only. Changes made in your Google Calendar will have no effect on ABPro.
About Daylight Savings Time (DST)
There is no algorithm for DST around the globe, and also no guarantee your hosting company will change server time to reflect local DST.
You will need to set DST status in ABPro Configure | Calendars screen.
Adding a Google Calendar Menu Item
A simple way to display your Google Calendar is with a 'Wrapper'.
Add a new menu item of the type Wrapper.
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In the Wrapper setup screen enter the HTML link from Google into the 'Wrapper URL' field.
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You get the link URL from your Google Calendar, Calender Settings page..
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That's it.
