Can't add attachments to iCal events

Question

Can't add attachments to iCal events

For some reason I can't seem to add attachments to events - though I have had no problem with this previously.

When I double-click an event and the Info window opens I used to have a choice (between "invitees" and "url") that said "attachments" and "Add File...". This is no longer there.

I checked with a friend on the same OS (10.6.5) and using the same version of iCal 4.0.4 and he still has the "attachments" option.

Any ideas?

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Dec 1, 2010 2:03 AM

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Answer 1

Burradoo

Level 1

0 points

Dec 5, 2010 1:23 PM in response to Duane Morrison

I am having the same problem. I noticed this after I updated my iPad to the new OS, which prompted me to update my iMac and Macbook Air for MobileMe. It also dropped attachments that previously appeared in my iCal. Very frustrating since I use my calendar extensively for travel purposes, including attachments with flight schedules which I no longer have access to. Any suggestions? Can I move "back" to my Air based calendar so I can keep my attachments?

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Answer 2

amyhutch

Level 1

0 points

Jan 7, 2011 10:23 AM in response to Acrolyos

I also have the same issue. I have always used mobile me, and was able to add the attachments before. I did upgrade to the new ical earlier this week, but otherwise nothing has changed except I no longer have the option to add an attachment to an event. Has anyone gotten a solution yet?

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Answer 3

Jan 27, 2011 5:47 PM in response to Duane Morrison

My iCal Preferences tell me that I have CalDAV (whatever that is). It seems that I lost the ability to attach files to calendar events with the recent Mobile Me calendar upgrade. I hope Apple will bring back this functionality soon. However looking at my iCal Help, there is an instruction given to attach files to events. Problem is that I can't seem to get it to work. It says ...

To attach a file to an event invitation:

1. Double-click the event. If necessary, click Edit to open the event editor.
2. Drag the file you want over the open event editor. You can also click Add File next to “attachments,” navigate to the file you want, and then click Open. The file appears in the “attachments” field.
3. If the event is in a CalDAV calendar and you want to allow invitees to add or remove files from the event invitation, select the “Allow Others to Manage Files” checkbox. Only the meeting organizer can select or deselect this checkbox.
- (iCal also allows you to see a preview of any file attached to an event. To see a preview, select the file in the “attachments” field, and then press the Space bar).

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Answer 4

Jan 31, 2011 3:46 AM in response to Sputnik77

I've just run into this issue and it's really hacked me off.

The knowledge base article linked to in a post above simply states that this is no longer possible with the "new MobileMe calendar". That's not "new", it's a regression.

If I'd been told about it at the time of the "update" a) it would have saved me some time and effort searching these forums b) maybe given me the option of refusing the "update".

The Help (sic) files still tell you in precise detail, how to attach documents in iCal without saying that it's not possible if syncing through MobileMe.

After years of being an Apple Mac fan, this is the latest of several issues that are making being a Mac user more like it used to be being a Windows user. (I have to use Windows for parts of my job so I am able to make that comparison.)

How sad as well as annoying! And another reason not to renew my MobileMe subscription. Time for Gmail.

Message was edited by: radiodave

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Answer 5

sjpsound

Level 1

0 points

Feb 12, 2011 9:45 AM in response to Duane Morrison

Two of the most useful things on ical were attachments & the ability to publish groups. Now both of these features seem to have disappeared. I sure I won't be renewing my .mac account now ! Why are Apple mucking about with things !!

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Answer 6

Raggedy6

Level 1

0 points

Feb 17, 2011 7:42 PM in response to Duane Morrison

Hey everyone!
If you want to downgrade to the previous version of iCal, just click here: https://www.me.com/calendar/downgrade/. You will be able to add attachments again, but since I downgraded I get the error, "The calendar https://cal.me.com:8443/principals/users/1.1372187600/ was not found on the server. Make sure the URL is correct." every few minutes or so, which is very annoying, although it doesn't seem to affect anything. My iPhone still syncs fine and I can access all of my old attachments even from before I upgraded. If you're reading this and haven't upgraded PLEASE DON'T

It's caused me nothing but problems, and it really is a regression on MobileMe's part.

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Answer 7

sjpsound

Level 1

0 points

Feb 24, 2011 1:05 AM in response to Duane Morrison

Have now "downgraded" ical on mobile me, but still have new versions of ical on my computers. Any ideas how to get older versions of ical that supported calendar groups and adding attachments ? ( I have ical 4.04 on my mbp ) Many thanks !

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Answer 8

Mar 9, 2011 9:37 AM in response to Duane Morrison

I agree with all of you. I am really peeved about this

Not only does it no longer allow attachments but the timezone support bloody stinks. Messages to recipients don't identify the appropriate time zone for the meeting. As soon as I upgraded I got all kinds of questions like, "mountain or eastern time?"

What a joke???? Its like the people at Apple don't live in their users world. They could at least inform us in big BOLD print what will happen when we "upgrade". This isn't an upgrade at all. Its a stinking insult.

Very Unhappy User

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Answer 9

Mar 30, 2011 6:40 AM in response to moabrkcrawler

This may not be a good solution for everyone but I've managed a simple workaround that works well enough for me in my situation. Instead of using the now missing Attachment field, you can simply drag a file or folder that you wish to attach to an event into the URL field (you will need to go into Edit mode of the event to see the URL field). That makes a clickable link that will open up a finder window with that file, folder, etc. This works well enough for files, fileshares on other servers, webpages, etc. The only limitation is that you can add only URL to an event.
Hope this helps.

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Answer 10

Apr 15, 2011 9:10 AM in response to Duane Morrison

Dragging the file to the url field is a good work around. Problem is you only get to put one url there unless you drag a folder there. Then you get directed to the folder in the finder. So I guess we have to do a little more work organizing files in folders to attach to ical events.

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Answer 11

the-oger

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2011 6:55 AM in response to Duane Morrison

Wow. The inability to attach files to an event certainly cripples the functionality of iCal! And they way they did it... it WAS there...! ***?? I recently switched to Apple from Windows for the very reason that Apple seemed to think things through and had a level of quality control that saw their products continually improve. This is absolutely NO different from Windows where an update actually "breaks" something.

Just... wow.

I certainly hope someone with a clue at Apple has caught this bumble, and that they're working on this.

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Answer 12

Jul 25, 2011 9:17 PM in response to the-oger

I just upgraded to Lion and now have the same problem. It seems, however, that files are still attached to previous month's events. In a pinch - what a drag - I've copied one of these former events, moved it to create my new event, altered the information and added a new attachment.

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Answer 13

Oct 1, 2011 6:19 PM in response to uffez

Earlier in my blog I posted a work around to the iCal 5.0 issue of not being able to add attachments when setting up a new event. After a visit to the apple store for another product (Apple TV) I had a thought just before walking out the store. With my MBP in hand I showed, explained rationalized the issue to two (2) Apple Store employees. About an hour later we figured it out together. Long story short... you need to make sure when you create the new event that you do so on one of your "On My Mac" calenders and the option to add an attachment will be there. I had my default calendar set to my mobile me calendar. So i quickly took this one step further and jumped to iCal preferences and set my Home "On my Mac" calendar to the default. Presto! Fixed...Resolved... Solution. No need for the work around now. Thanks for reading. Hope it helped.

Video Tutorials on my youtube channel and blog.

Work Around alternative: http://http://www.retiredarmyranger.com/2011/09/ical-50-lion-os-mac-cant-add-att achment.html

The Real Solution: http://www.retiredarmyranger.com/2011/10/cant-add-attachment-in-ical-50-lion-os. html

RetiredArmyRanger

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Answer 14

Hoondi

Level 1

25 points

Oct 11, 2011 8:45 PM in response to RetiredArmyRANGER

The above isn't really a solution if you're calendar is via CALDAV such as google. It simply removes the attachment alltogether (as per Apple's KB) with iCal 5 if you change the event back to a CALDAV hosted environment.

This is definitely a regression, because Google permit attachments via their web interface, and yet iCal via the same CALDAV server does not.

I'm a bit perplexed why Apple chose this route of "one rule fits all" when the issue is associated with opensource and open standards.

R.

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Answer 15

Oct 11, 2011 8:55 PM in response to Hoondi

I agree about a possible regression. However, your last sentence you said "associated with opensource and opensource standards" . Last time I checked, Apple Macintosh products were/are NOT OPENSOURCE.

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