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General discussion

Problem with ICAL

by Dragon06 Jun 1, 2008 2:05PM PDT

I noticed today when I was using ICAL (version 3.03) with OS X (version 10.5.3) that it keeps crashing and that when I try and add new calendars, the calendar link does not appear in the left hand side. Also, when I try and modify older events, the event box background is black and the the fonts are grey or also black. I'm new to using MAC and I've been fumbling my way using the different apps. Through my fumbling, I've accidentally dragged the ICAL widget into the trash, but I created a new widget by going back into apps and dragging the ICAL icon back into the dock. Also, I noticed the ICAL widget in the dock is translucent sometimes. When I can open the calendar and try and update events, the event box color changed froma white background to black. I can't figure out how to change the event box background color. I know how to change the color for the different calendars that you can create, but I didn't see a correlation. Is there a way I can reset ICAL to its original state without having to reinstall everything and start over? I've been searching different forums on the net, but haven't been able to find anything helpful. I appreciate any help. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

12 Posts
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iCal problems
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jun 1, 2008 9:52PM PDT

You may just have a corrupted preference file that is causing this problem.

To remedy that, you will need to delete the preference files for iCal. You will find them in your home folder>Library>Preferences.
You are looking for the files that start "com.apple.iCal." and there are 4 of them. Delete them all and when you launch iCal again, the application will create a new set.

The computer you are using is a Mac, not a MAC. MAC means Media Access Control which is a series of, nearly, unique numbers given to devices that communicate with each other. Network cards, wireless cards, etc.

The items in the dock are not widgets. Widgets are those things that appear when you click on the Dashboard icon in the dock.
Those things in the dock are Alias's which tell the system exactly where to go to open the application or file that they are associated with. Removing them from the dock has no effect on the running of the application.

Let us know how you get on

P

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Tried to delete "com.apple.ical" files
by Dragon06 Jun 2, 2008 8:54AM PDT

Thank you for your help and clarification on the Mac terminology. I appreciate it. I went in to the preference folder and only saw one "com.apple.ical" file and deleted it. I reopened ical, but I'm still having the same problems.

I'll try and go into more detail to what I was doing when I noticed my problem with ical. Originally, I was editing previously made events in ical and I was also creating some new ones. I accidently posted an event in the wrong date, so I dragged it to the trash. On a different event that I was updating dating, I stumbled on to the color scheme. I remember messing with the colors, but I thought I put it back to its default (blue). I closed ical and later on when I opened it to make some more changes, I noticed that when I edit an event, the open event box, where you can add specific details (date, duration, set alarms, etc), the box was black and the text was dark grey. I also noticed that when I select to add a new calendar, the new calendar doesn't show in the left pane of ical. Now, ical seems a little buggy. I cannot add or delete new calendars. Is there any other way of resetting ical than what you mentioned? thanks again.

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Not really
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jun 2, 2008 10:08AM PDT

There should be 4 preference files in your (insert your name here) > Library > Preferences folder.
com.apple.iCal.alarmsCache.plist
com.apple.iCal.AlarmScheduler.plist
com.apple.iCal.Helper.plist
com.apple.iCal.plist

Delete all of those, if they exist and launch iCal.

If it is the same as before, which it should not be, quit and try repairing permissions from the Disk Utility application that you will find in the Applications > Utilities folder.

P

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Tried but...
by Dragon06 Jun 3, 2008 8:32AM PDT

I went to the location you mentioned and only saw the "com.apple.icalplist" file. I didn't see any other .ical filesin that folder. I then went to the utilities folder and ran the repair permissions in the disk utility application. Nothing changed.

I've been doing more research on another forum and I noticed other users were having problems with ical after installing the new OS 10.5.3 update. This is about the same time when I experienced problems.

again, I appreciate the help. I think I'm going to reinstall the OS. I don't have too much on my computer now, so it's not a big deal. Thanks.

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Instead of that drastic step,
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Jun 3, 2008 11:31AM PDT

albeit an easy one, you might want to consider taking a look at an application called Pacifist.

This will allow you to just install iCal and maybe fix the problem without having to go back to an earlier version of the OS

Google for it.

P

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yes!!!!
by tanopasman Jul 27, 2011 3:12PM PDT

thank u very much!!! i ve just repair the ical with ur help!!!!!!!
i had to use de disk utility repair bla bla.

cool!!! thanks a lot!

johanna.
argentina.

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can't open preferences
by jenniferlaura Nov 16, 2010 9:34PM PST

I am having the same issue with my iCal.

I can't open my preferences at all. I have tried going into library>Preferences to delete my iCal info but there is none in there. I am unsure what to do and would appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks

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Make sure that you are looking
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Nov 17, 2010 2:57AM PST

in the right Library.
The Library you need is in your HOME folder.

Check again and let us know

P

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Mac OS - problem with iCal - same as Dragon06
by midrangeprogrammer Jan 22, 2009 12:49PM PST

Problems with iCal - Have had a new Mac book pro 2 months-- had been using iCal with no apparent problems. Did a couple of automatic updates over a period of time and wasn't using iCal regularly... didn't realize the appearence of the icon on the Doc was transparent with only black letters showing.

iCal - When I first noticed this problem, I had tried to open iCal, and it wouldn?t open because somehow it became located in the Trash. However, there was also a version located in Finder in the applications section. When I tried to move the one in the trash to Applications, it said that there was already a newer version there and did I want to replace it. I said no.

I had anticipated that this happened during one of my updates. Because at this point I had NEVER moved anything manually to the TRASH (new user)So I tried moving the iCal located in the applications folder to the Dock. The icon it left there had no background, and was transparent except for the text. Additionally, it would not open.

I therefore removed it from the Dock, and moved the old version out of the trash back to the application folder, and voilla! It worked.

What happened? Am I still using an older version of iCal? Was there something wrong with the last update I downloaded?

Since then I checked apple?s latest updates and none were for iCal ? think this must have been caused by some sort of malware because I have no protection and there are other things that I?m still checking into (about a page worth) -- I?m doing this so I can contact support ? or go into the store with a list.

Have you solved this issue yet? Because you?re the only one that has had a similar problem that I can find anywhere. And when I mean that I haven't solved it.... I don't know what caused it. iCal is working fine now but I'm using the one I pulled out of the trash

Actually I just looked and there are 2 iCal 's in applications????? Tried to insert screen shot with shortcuts but it wouldn't work for me --- Anyway, each of the iCal icons are different and I can't trash either one of them, one won't work without the other?

ICal now works, but this is weird.

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iCal corrupt preferences files
by Shane_K3799 May 14, 2010 1:26PM PDT

I had the same problem with iCal in OS X Snow Leopard. I found another suggestion in the Mac Forums that suggested using Pacifist to reinstall the app from my original Snow Leopard disc. I did this and rebooted my computer, but it did not work. Your suggestion of deleting the "com.apple.ical. . ." files in my preferences folder DID WORK! Thank you so much for your help. I spend hours trying to fix this before finding your post. Thank you again. You saved me a trip to the Genius Bar Happy

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Solved - iCal icon transparent
by d_lacher Feb 9, 2011 12:46AM PST

OK everyone. After doing everything everybody said to try...to no avail, I decided to give the Doc Preferences a kick in the pants. That fixed it. Let me define Kick in the Pants. Sometimes computers "forget" what you have instructed them to do. You tell the preferences you want something one way, but it gets confused over time, maybe due to corruption by a program crash, hard reboot or power outage...I don't know. This is how you kick something in the pants.

From your Apple icon at the top left corner, go to Dock, then Dock Preferences... Jot down how you have everything set here.
Now, change every preference you possibly can in the Dock Preferences... Size, Magnification, Position On screen, Change the Minimize windows using: drop down, check or uncheck everything else to the opposite of what it is. Then close the Dock Preferences so it saves the changes you just made. The icon should no longer be transparent. Then go back to the Dock Preferences and change the setting back to how you like them. If this doesn't fix, try removing the transparent iCal icon from the dock first, then add it back in from your Applications folder after the Kick in the Pants. Can't remember what order I did things in.

A Kick in the Pants works with PC's and Mac's alike for any program or app. It has worked for me many times.

Hope this helps.
DL

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Lot of sugar for a nickel
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Feb 9, 2011 8:20AM PST

just delete the Dock preference file and it automatically gets created again with the default settings.

Same idea though


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