Repeat event only on the fifth week of the month

Question

Level 1

8 points

Repeat event only on the fifth week of the month

I would like for an event to repeat every month that has a 5th Sunday (or other day). The custom repeat menu only has first, second, third, fourth, or last as an option. Does anyone know a solution for this? Thanks, JCN

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jan 25, 2009 11:39 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 25, 2009 5:10 PM in response to jeffreynau

Hi JCN,

You can't do this in the iCal interface. I just tried the following in Leopard though and it worked.

1. In iCal make an event on the 29th March this year.
2. Make it repeat in this pattern Custom > Monthly > 'on the' fourth Sunday.
3. Close editing.
4. Drag to copy the event on your Desktop.
5. Delete it in iCal.
6. Open the file you saved to the Desktop in a text editor.
7. Find the line that says RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=1;BYDAY=4SU
8. Replace =4SU with =5SU
9. Save the file.
10. Drag the file back into iCal.

Best wishes

John M

Reply

Answer 2

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 27, 2009 6:13 PM in response to John Maisey

Thanks John. That works. Too bad apple hasn't come up with a simpler solution.

Reply

Answer 3

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 9, 2009 7:41 PM in response to John Maisey

John,

I tried your trick for 5th Sundays and it worked. Just recently tried it for other days of the week and it puts it down on first wednesdays (or other days) some months. Any solutions?

Reply

Answer 4

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 9, 2009 7:43 PM in response to jeffreynau

I tried this for Sundays as John said and it seemed to work great. But not on other days of the week. Any suggestions?

Reply

Answer 5

Feb 9, 2009 11:33 PM in response to jeffreynau

Can you post the RRULE line as you have it after modification?

John M

Reply

Answer 6

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2009 7:50 AM in response to jeffreynau

RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=1;BYDAY=5WE

Reply

Answer 7

Feb 11, 2009 11:58 AM in response to jeffreynau

Hi Jeffrey,

It works for me. That it's not for you is odd.

Make an event on the 5th Wednesday as described. Post back with the dates the event is repeating on.

Best wishes

John M

Reply

Answer 8

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 19, 2009 5:05 PM in response to jeffreynau

1. In iCal an event made on 3/31/09.
2. Set to repeat on 4th Wednesday of every month
3. Event dragged to desktop and deleted from iCal
4. On Desktop file opened with Textedit.
5. Line RRule= ....byday = 4TU changed to byday= 5TU
6. Saved
7. Dragged to iCal.
8. Event appears on 3/31 (5th tuesday), 6/2 (1st Tuesday), 6/30 (5th Tuesday), 9/1 (1st Tuesday), 9/29 (5th Tuesday) ??????????????????????
It appears to be only hitting the months with 5th Tuesdays, but also putting the event on the 1st Tuesday of that month?? Any suggestions?

Reply

Answer 9

Feb 19, 2009 8:22 PM in response to jeffreynau

Hi,

I'm afraid I don't see this behaviour when I follow your instructions. Can you open the occurrences on the unusual dates?

Best wishes

John M

Reply

Answer 10

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 20, 2009 9:00 AM in response to jeffreynau

John,

I'm not sure what you mean by opening the occurrences. Please be more specific. Thanks, JCN

Reply

Answer 11

Feb 20, 2009 11:42 AM in response to jeffreynau

What happens when you double click on the events that are not supposed to be there?

Reply

Answer 12

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 20, 2009 11:49 AM in response to jeffreynau

The drawer opens on the side of the calendar giving the details...the same for every event 1st or 5th Tuesday. Repeat says custom....every month on the last Tuesday. I tried it again on 5th Sunday using the same steps above and it works perfectly. I don't understand why it's not working for other days of the month.

Reply

Answer 13

Feb 20, 2009 4:43 PM in response to jeffreynau

Have you both got the same preference setting for start day of week?

AK

Reply

Answer 14

jeffreynau Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 20, 2009 4:48 PM in response to Austin Kinsella1

Sunday is my start day.

Reply

Answer 15

Feb 20, 2009 5:08 PM in response to jeffreynau

Jeffrey
What time zone are you? I also have the week starting on Sunday, but I cannot replicate the behaviour. I get a 5th Tuesday that starts in March appearing at the end of June and September.

AK

Reply