google calendar cannot subscribe to icloud calendar if location maps are used

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google calendar cannot subscribe to icloud calendar if location maps are used

Over the past few weeks, I have not been able to see my iCloud calendar in my google calendar that I use at work. I have played around with this a bit and it seems that if you have a mapped location for any calendar event, then google cannot import the calendar (or subscribe to it).

I have created a simple calendar that is available for public consumption with one event at 2PM Eastern time on October 31, 2019. Here is the link:

webcal://p49-caldav.icloud.com/published/2/MTA0NDI2OTI2MTEwNDQyNnPMRoHauxOO5fUSsgMmbb5bdVx9d03biBGROx8rhStXCccjAcTzYhCOFHaeLT7urXnmbhIauYI3hLpTOCzmDA8

If you replace "webcal" with "http" in the above link, you will be able to download the ICS file. In that file, you will find the lines (between the asterisks and ignore the <pre> stuff):

***

<pre>
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-APPLE-RADIUS=141.85546875;X-TITLE
 =Hard Rock Stadium\n347 Don Shula Dr, Miami Gardens, FL 33056, United St
 ates:geo:25.957904,-80.238831
</pre>

***

If you try to import this calendar that has one event into Google Calendar, it will fail, which is why Google Calendar cannot subscribe to ANY calendar that has a mapped location in it.

If you edit the file and delete those 3 lines, you will be able to import the calendar.

I don't know if this is an Apple bug or Google bug, but will report on both forums.

Posted on Oct 18, 2019 8:17 PM

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Answer 1

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Irvin Lustig Author

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19 points

Nov 1, 2019 8:39 PM in response to Irvin Lustig

This bug is now fixed. Looking at the exported file, Apple is now putting quotes around the address in the X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION record in the X-TITLE field, which makes Google happy.

As a result, my iCloud calendars are showing up fine in my Google Calendar.

So maybe, just maybe, my ticket caused Apple to look at the issue.

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Answer 2

Irvin Lustig Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 19, 2019 1:35 PM in response to Irvin Lustig

Based on my post to the Google community, I believe I have found the issue. Google discussion is here:

https://support.google.com/calendar/thread/17163117?hl=en

It is the presence of the commas in the location that Apple is putting out. Apple is not escaping the commas, and I guess Google is expecting them to be escaped.

If I change

***

X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-APPLE-RADIUS=141.85546875;X-TITLE
  =Hard Rock Stadium\n347 Don Shula Dr, Miami Gardens, FL 33056, United St
  ates:geo:25.957904,-80.238831

***

to

***

X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-APPLE-RADIUS=141.85546875;X-TITLE
  =Hard Rock Stadium\n347 Don Shula Dr\, Miami Gardens\, FL 33056\, Unite
 d States:geo:25.957904,-80.238831

***

then I can do the import.

So now the question is whether Google fixes their parser to accomodate this or if Apple has to fix their output. From the above, you can see that I have posted this on the Google forum.

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google calendar cannot subscribe to icloud calendar if location maps are used

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