How to Merge Multiple Calendars?

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Level 1

22 points

How to Merge Multiple Calendars?

Somehow I have managed to end up with 11 different iCloud calendars. I would like to merge them to one or two calendars. I tried deleting the calendar but then I get a message saying if I delete the calendar, all of the events associated with that calendar will be deleted, which I don't want to do. Suggestions?

I think that as a result of the multiple calendars, I have multiple holidays showing up on my calendar. For example, St. Patricks days shows up twice. This clogs up my calendar with unnecessary events. How to I reduce the holidays to one?

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 5, 2014 2:39 PM

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Answer 1

randers4

Level 9

63,567 points

Mar 5, 2014 2:51 PM in response to JeffcNick

To merge a calendar with another, start by creating a backup of the one you want to merge by selecting it on the left side of iCal, then going to File>Export>Export. Save the resulting .ics file on your destop. Repeat this for all the calendars you want to merge with others. Then, to merge a calendar, go to File>Import>Import, navigate to the .ics file exported to your backup, select it and click Import. When prompted about where to import it, select the calendar from the drop-down list that you want to import it to. Repeat this for your other exported calendars. When you're done you can delete the calendars you no longer want.

I'm not sure what caused you to have multiple holiday events. You may want to delete your holiday calendar, then add it back.

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Answer 2

randers4

Level 9

63,567 points

Mar 10, 2014 8:34 AM in response to JeffcNick

That does sound like a mess. I'm not sure how you would stop it. Perhaps try force quitting, then restart your Mac. Or, force quit, then leave it for an hour or so to see if it times out. Otherwise you may have to contact Apple support to intervene. (Revert to server would mean to keep the original event that is on the iCloud server.)

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Answer 3

djhak

Level 1

12 points

Mar 20, 2014 7:37 AM in response to JeffcNick

I have the same issue. Merged a backed up calendar into an existing iCal calendar and I keep getting that error message. I will "ignore" through all of them, but after a while it just starts up again. Not sure which of the 3 options is better, or how to stop it.

I have also tried "revert to server", but same result.

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Answer 4

JeffcNick Author

Level 1

22 points

Mar 10, 2014 7:27 AM in response to randers4

Thanks for the response, but it now has created a bigger problem. I was able to follow your instructions on two of the calendars and it worked well. However, on the third calendar, in importing the exporting ics file into the calendar I want to keep I get the following error:

"The server responded with an error. The event "xxx event" was rejected by "iCloud" because it already exists".

I then get three options:

1) Ignore

2) Try Again (The same error message occurs)

3) Revert to Server (I have no idea what this means - but when I click it, nothing seems to happen)

There doesn't seem to be a way to get out of this import activity and error messages. I have to Force Quit the program to stop. I have tried restarting the computer and the same thing occurs. Now I can't use iCal (although if I go into my iCloud calendar on Safari - that works).

I suppose I could continue to click on Ignore and eventually it would go through all of the duplicate entries. However, there is probably 10 to 15 years of entries. There could thousands if not tens of thousands of entries.

Any suggestions? Maybe I will sit down for a long movie and click on "Ignore" several thousand times and that will solve the problem!

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