Migrating to Calendar Version 2

The Version 2 Calendar is a significant upgrade over the Version 1 Calendar. The new calendar is highly maintained, offers a lot of new features and includes major improvements over the old feature set.

Event data from the Version 2 Calendar can be displayed using a Matrix (think fully custom widgets). Version 2 also offers dotLiquid templates for both the list and detail views of events.

Considerations

• Is there an app using data from the current calendar?
• Are there events widgets used on the site to be considered?
• Is there special styling applied to either the list or grid views of the calendar? See below.
• Do the events in this V1 Calendar represent multiple time zones? If this is true, we will have to devise a custom migration plan. Submit a support ticket or add a task to the Dev Queue for help.

Steps to Migrate

1. Create a new V2 Calendar: Add Calendar V2 to the site's plan in the reseller panel. Add the same number of calendars included in the sites original plan. If you don't have access to the reseller panel, submit a support ticket requesting the addition.
2. Get Calendar Data:
   • In the V1 Calendar, go to Settings and enable "Show iCalendar feed links" and be sure to set the correct time zone.
     
   • Replace the PagePartId and SiteId, along with a StartDate and Number of Days in the following URL and copy the URL. Use the copied URL to create an Import in the V2 Calendar:
     
     

     http://api.sitewrench.com/pageparts/calendars/[PagePartId]/events.ics?siteId=[SiteId]&mode=v1&includeTags=true&start=[StartDate]&days=[Number of Days]

3. Add Data to V2:
   • Option 1: Upload the saved ICS file. This is a good option to use for a one-time move because after the file is uploaded, there is no connection to the old calendar.
     
     • Go to the Import tab of the new V2 Calendar and choose the External .ics File Import option.
       
   • Option 2: Add the V1 Calendar as a source for the V2 Calendar. This is a good option if the data in the V1 calendar will need to be continually updated before the new calendar can launch.
     • Go to the Import tab of the new V2 Calendar and choose the Add a New External Feed option.
       
4. Check widgets: If the V1 Calendar is using widgets, you'll need to create test widgets on the site to be sure the data is loading correctly.
5. Verify Styling for the V2 Calendar: Check the list and grid views of the calendar to be sure everything looks correct.
6. Make the New Calendar Live: There are options to consider based on how the V1 Calendar is being used.
   • Simple Process: Use this process unless there is a reason to maintain the current page part ID (most likely because an app is involved) or the ICS process didn't adequately move all of the critical event data (usually tags).
     1. Turn off the new V2 Calendar and move it to the correct page and content area
     2. Turn off the old V1 Calendar
     3. Locate and update the source for any Upcoming Events widgets to use the new V2 Calendar (easiest way to do this is using the Page Parts tab /admin/pageparts/widgets.aspx)
     4. Verify that all looks correct.
   • Complex Process: Use this process if the process above isn't sufficient. There is a slight risk to the calendar's data in this process, be sure everyone understands that before beginning.
     1. Set the correct time zone for the V1 Calendar and export a new ICS file. Upload the file to Files to be used later.
     2. Coordinate with a Dev Team member to have the PagePartType field in the database changed to the correct V2 value. (You'll have to add and then delete a random page part to clear the cache and make this change visible.)
     3. In the Import tab of the newly converted Calendar choose the External .ics File Import option. the new ICS file from step 1 above with the following settings:
        
     4. Verify that everything looks right on the site including all Upcoming Events widgets (easiest way to do this is using the Page Parts tab /admin/pageparts/widgets.aspx)

Migration Costs

The upgrade to the new feature is free. If no designer time is required, meaning that the out-of-the-box styles are acceptable, there is no cost for this upgrade.

Special Styling

If the V1 Calendar has unique styling applied to it that must be replicated OR if the out-of-the-box styles need to be changed, then the cost to upgrade can be estimated and billed hourly. In most cases, the amount of time required is between 1 and 3 hours but can be higher based on complexity.

FAQ

• You mentioned risk, what's the risk? Event recurrence patterns can be extremely complex, especially when they are altered so that exceptions can be created. If there are events in your calendar that have been imported from other sources, they may also contain complex or errant recurrence patterns. The risk occurs when uploading the existing event data.
• For the Complex Option, why do I have to export my old calendar data and then re-upload it? The V1 calendar did not take time zones into account when storing event data. The V2 Calendar requires time zones to work properly. The V1 export process assigns the time zone you set to each of the events. When you upload the ICS file, you're updating all of the existing events to include a time zone.